5 Days Great Migration & Balloon Safari

Distance: Approximately 120 km
Driving time: Approximately 2–3 hours to Tarangire
Accommodation: Tarangire area
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Your Tanzania safari begins in Arusha after breakfast. Meet your professional safari guide and depart for Tarangire National Park, one of Tanzania's most beautiful wildlife areas.

After entering the park, begin your first game drive through the spectacular landscapes of Tarangire.

Tarangire is famous for its large elephant population, ancient baobab trees, seasonal wetlands and diverse wildlife. The park is also home to lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, antelopes and an impressive variety of birds.

Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated picnic area before continuing your afternoon game drive.

As the afternoon progresses, continue exploring the park before driving to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Tarangire area

Distance: Approximately 250 km, depending on accommodation
Accommodation: Serengeti National Park
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Wake up early and enjoy breakfast before departing toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Today you descend into the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive.

The crater is one of Tanzania's most remarkable wildlife destinations, with a high concentration of animals living within its unique ecosystem. During the game drive, you may encounter lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas and, with luck, the endangered black rhinoceros.

Enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated location before continuing your crater exploration.

After the game drive, ascend from the crater and continue toward Serengeti National Park.

As you enter Serengeti, begin an en-route game drive toward your accommodation.

The landscape changes dramatically as you enter the endless plains of Serengeti — the setting for one of the world's most spectacular wildlife migrations.

Overnight: Serengeti National Park

Accommodation: Southern Serengeti/Ndutu area
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Today the safari becomes fully focused on the Great Migration.

After an early breakfast, depart with your safari guide for a full-day game drive.

The exact route will depend on the current location of the migrating herds.

During December, the migration is generally moving toward the southern Serengeti plains, but the herds can move rapidly and their exact position varies from year to year and even from day to day.

Your guide will search for large concentrations of:

• Wildebeest
• Zebra
• Thomson's gazelles
• Other migrating herbivores

Where there are large concentrations of prey, there are often predators. Your guide will also search for:

• Lions
• Cheetahs
• Leopards
• Hyenas
• Jackals

Enjoy a picnic lunch during the game drive.

In the afternoon, continue toward the Southern Serengeti/Ndutu ecosystem, where conditions and current wildlife movements permit.

This is the beginning of your dedicated migration experience.

Overnight: Southern Serengeti/Ndutu area

Accommodation: Southern Serengeti/Ndutu area
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This is the highlight of your safari.

Wake up before sunrise and transfer to the balloon launch site.

Hot-Air Balloon Safari

Take to the skies as the sun rises over the Serengeti.

From the balloon, enjoy a spectacular aerial view of:

• The endless Serengeti plains
• Wildebeest herds
• Zebra
• Gazelles
• Wildlife moving across the landscape
• Rivers and seasonal water sources
• Sunrise over the African wilderness

The balloon flight is normally followed by a special bush breakfast in the Serengeti.

After breakfast, return to your safari vehicle and continue with a full-day game drive.

The rest of the day is dedicated to tracking the migration and searching for predators around the herds.

Your guide will adapt the route according to current wildlife sightings and seasonal conditions.

Important: Balloon flights are subject to weather, operational availability and the launch location applicable to your travel date.

Overnight: Southern Serengeti/Ndutu area

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Wake up early for your final game drive.

This is another opportunity to experience the Serengeti at its most beautiful, particularly during the early morning when wildlife is active and the light is excellent for photography.

Continue searching for wildebeest, zebra, lions, cheetahs and other wildlife before beginning your return journey to Arusha.

Enjoy a picnic lunch en route.

Arrive in Arusha in the late afternoon or evening, where your 5-day Tanzania Great Migration & Balloon Safari comes to an end.

End of safari: Arusha