Northern Tanzania is a theatre of dreams for safari enthusiasts. The natural majesty of the landscape combined with the daily wildlife dramas that unfold before you are utterly compelling. Feel it all come to life as you journey through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Highlands in style, guided by the best in the business.
Key factors to consider–not just for the migration, but in terms of a great overall wildlife experience–include the rainy season(s), access, crowds (or not!) and your choice of area that may be seasonally rich and then depleted in wildlife. Call one of our experts who will create a bespoke plan for you.
Price depends on the experiences and accommodation included, and your time of travel. It is based on two adults travelling for 10 nights and does not include international flights.
2 nights at Gibbs Farm, 2 nights at Nomad Entamanu Camp, 3 nights at Legendary Songa Camp, 3 nights at Lamai Serengeti
What makes this Tanzania safari special?
- Witness the natural drama of the Great Migration unfold in style and exclusivity.
- Stay at superb camps and lodges characterised by their brilliant guiding, warm hosting and epic locationsStay at superb camps and lodges characterised by their brilliant guiding, warm hosting and epic locations.
- Extraordinary photographic opportunities – we can even have an award-winning wildlife photographer join you to help you get the best shots.
- Immerse yourself in the rich culture of the Maasai and Hadzabe tribespeople.
- Flying by bush plane saves on long and bumpy vehicle transfers and provides sensational views.
Your luxury Tanzania safari itinerary
The scents of Africa
Karatu
As soon as you step off the plane onto the airstrip at Manyara, breathe in. You’ll be hit by the warm, potato-like scent of the African bush. A short distance away, at your first accommodation Gibb’s Farm on the outer slopes of Ngorongoro Crater, you’ll inhale the altogether more familiar scent of freshly ground coffee picked from the surrounding plantation.
Gibb’s Farm is the perfect place to shake out your jet lag and begin your wildlife odyssey through northern Tanzania. Enjoy some gentle birding, spend time in a nearby Maasai community, visit Lake Manyara’s tree-climbing lions or take a forest walk to discover waterfalls and remarkable caves, created by elephants digging through dense rock with their tusks to ingest the vitamin-rich soil.
A room with a view
Ngorongoro Crater
Feel the pace pick up as you continue to Nomad’s Entamanu Lodge, perched on the rim of the world’s largest intact caldera. Pause a second to enjoy one of Africa’s most heart-stopping vistas, but you’ll soon be down on Ngorongoro’s crater floor with your guide on a game drive looking for the wildlife that has miraculously made a home here.
There’s plenty to thrill you. You might easily witness a pride of lion stalking a herd of gazelle, or navigate through a thicket of acacias to find a snoozing leopard or a mother rhinoceros suckling her calf. There is an alkaline lake at one end of the crater, and hyenas regularly cross the shimmering soda flats in search of a flamingo lunch. What wonders will you discover?
Tales from the savannah
Southern Serengeti
The Serengeti grasslands–with their huge skies, compelling predator-prey interactions, and the heart-stirring migration of millions of wildebeest across crocodile-infested rivers in search of fresh pasture–are for many the greatest theatre of wildlife on the planet. Come between December and March, and the Serengeti’s southern grasslands are the place to be. Newborn wildebeest calves and zebra foals fatten up on sweet grass before their long journey north. Predators are everywhere.
We like to use Legendary Expeditions’ Songa Camp in the private Maswa concession which allows you to see the drama unfold in absolute exclusivity. By May the wildlife has all but disappeared, so either skip Maswa, or use it as a base for an adventurous helicopter-supported fly camp expedition to Hadzabe country where you can spend an unforgettable couple of days with one of Africa’s last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes.
Peak migration
Northern Serengeti
The Lamai Wedge in the northern Serengeti has great wildlife viewing year round with healthy concentrations of lion, leopard, cheetah and buffalo to be seen at any time. With expert guides and a rugged 4×4 or on foot, you’ll head out into the grasslands for big discoveries and fantastic photographic opportunities. Lamai really comes into its own, though, when the great migration passes through.
This secluded area of the Serengeti is divided by the treacherous Mara River, where, each year between July and October, more than a million wildebeest and zebra leap into its crocodile-filled waters to find fresh pastures. This creates a jaw-dropping spectacle of predator and prey along the riverbanks during the late dry season, and you’ll have front row seats.
Where you'll stay on your luxury Tanzania safari
Great journeys need great places to lay your head. These are our tried and tested suggestions.
Gibbs Farm
Gibbs Farm, in the Ngorongoro Highlands, is a historic coffee plantation that makes a wonderful first pitstop on Tanzania’s northern safari circuit. Mornings greet you with the scent of freshly ground coffee and birdsong, while afternoons slip away in a haze of golden light. Wander through lush gardens, take a guided nature walk, dive into local Maasai culture and enjoy excellent farm-to-table cuisine. Here, luxury is woven with intention—sustainability isn’t just a buzzword here, it’s the rhythm of life.
Nomad Entamanu Camp
Set in native forest with spellbinding views directly down to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, Nomad Entamanu offers that often elusive mix of luxury and a low ecological footprint. Its seven tastefully contemporary cabins, built from recycled materials, have all the comforts, and the food and service are exceptional. Beyond offering expertly guided private safaris in the crater, Nomad Entamanu works closely with nearby Maasai villages, allowing you to gain a cultural appreciation and support local community and conservation initiatives.
Legendary Songa Tented Camp
Legendary Songa, in the private Maswa Reserve bordering the southern Serengeti, is an elegant semi-permanent tented safari camp with a wonderfully romantic Out of Africa feel. Its location provides excellent opportunities to enjoy, from December to March, crowd-free access to the Great Migration when the wildebeest and zebra herds are calving, along with the usual attendant predators. Added attractions–rare within the Serengeti–include the opportunity for bush walks and night safaris. As with all things Legendary, the food, service and guiding are simply impeccable.
Lamai Serengeti Camp
Perched high on a kopje in the far northern Serengeti, with superb views out to the year-round wildlife of the Mara River Valley and the Lamai Wedge, Nomad’s Lamai Serengeti is, between July and October, ideally located for guests to witness the river crossings of the wildebeest as they migrate north. It’s a great choice for discerning safari-goers who appreciate discreet luxury, but what really sets Lamai Serengeti apart is its incredibly knowledgeable and engaging guides.
Customise your luxury Tanzania safari
All of our journeys are fully bespoke, and can be customised to meet your needs, interests and preferences. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.
Add a few days to explore the Mahale Mountains on Lake Tanganyika, still the best place on Earth to track wild chimpanzees.
Relax after your safari at barefoot Fundu Lagoon on the Indian Ocean island of Pemba, with manta rays, turtles and colourful reef fish to keep you company.
Learn how to hunt, make fire and collect wild honey with one of Africa’s last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes, the Hadzabe.
Spend a few days exploring hidden Tanzania on a horseback safari supported by remote mobile camps.
Journey down into the Rift Valley to explore the surreal beauty of Lake Natron and its flamingo colonies.
Looking for more inspiration?
We have a huge range of inspiring private experiences and accommodation options available. Get in touch with our Argentina specialists.
ENQUIRELearn more about our luxury holidays, or call our expert Latin America team on +44 1367 850566 / 1-855-216-5040 (toll free) to discuss how we can turn your dreams into something truly magical.
“No one can return from the Serengeti unchanged. Tawny lions will forever prowl our memory and great herds throng our imagination.”