Trust Tours & Safaris
11-Day Bird Photography & Great Migration Safari

11-Day Safari · mid-range / comfort

11-Day Bird Photography & Great Migration Safari

From

$4,314

per person

Per person, sharing. From $4,314 mid-range / $5,939 luxury, all-inclusive.

Eleven days for birders and photographers: the full Northern Circuit — Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and five days in the Serengeti — timed to the Great Migration and built around the region's spectacular birdlife, from lovebirds and bustards to crowned cranes, fish eagles and Goliath herons. Mid-range lodges and tented camps throughout.

Best months to travel: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct

Day-by-Day Itinerary

  1. 1

    Arrival in Arusha

    Met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to Arusha. An evening safari briefing and equipment check (cameras, binoculars), with optional birding around the lodge gardens — superb starling, hadada ibis and tropical boubou.

    Lunch, dinner · Hotel, Arusha

  2. 2

    Tarangire National Park

    A full day in Tarangire with birding along the river — Yellow-collared Lovebird, Ashy Starling and Kori Bustard — plus elephants and baobabs for wide-angle shots. Afternoon searches for endemics like Von der Decken's Hornbill and the Red-and-Yellow Barbet, then sunset photography over the savanna.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Tented lodge near Tarangire

  3. 3

    Lake Manyara — Birdwatching Paradise

    Early entry to Lake Manyara for waterbirds along the shore — Pink-backed Pelican, flamingos and the African Fish Eagle — and a picnic by the hippo pool. An optional forest walk for Silvery-cheeked Hornbill and Narina Trogon, then owls and nightjars in the evening.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge near Lake Manyara

  4. 4

    To the Ngorongoro Highlands & Maasai Village

    A scenic drive into the Ngorongoro Highlands with photo stops, then an afternoon Maasai village visit and birding around the lodge for Scarlet-tufted Sunbird and Augur Buzzard. An early dinner ahead of the crater descent.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge, Ngorongoro Highlands

  5. 5

    Ngorongoro Crater — Full Day

    A sunrise descent into the crater for the best light: wetland birding for Greater Flamingo and Black-winged Stilt, the Big Five including black rhino, and a picnic at Ngoitokitok. A walk through the Lerai Forest for Secretary Bird and Grey Crowned Crane, then sunset on the rim.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge on the Ngorongoro crater rim

  6. 6

    Central Serengeti — Seronera Valley

    Drive to the Serengeti with a birding stop at Naabi Hill (larks and bustards). An afternoon game drive in the Seronera Valley for leopard, cheetah and raptors among the big-cat country.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge or tented camp, central Serengeti

  7. 7

    Central & Western Serengeti

    Mornings tracking predators near the river crossings and birding the kopjes for Rock-loving Cisticola and Pygmy Falcon, with full-day game drives following the wildebeest herds and golden-hour photography over the plains.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge or tented camp, Serengeti

  8. 8

    Western Serengeti — Migration Focus

    More time with the migration herds and the western corridor's birdlife and predators, with timed drives for the best photographic light morning and evening.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge or tented camp, Serengeti

  9. 9

    Northern Serengeti — Mara River

    Head to the northern Serengeti and Kogatende for the Mara River crossings (July–October), a front-row seat to one of nature's greatest spectacles as the herds brave the crocodile-filled waters.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge or tented camp, northern Serengeti

  10. 10

    Northern Serengeti — River Birding

    Birding along the Mara River for Goliath Heron and Saddle-billed Stork between game drives, with more chances at the crossings and the predators that gather. Evening relaxation at the lodge.

    Breakfast, lunch, dinner · Lodge or tented camp, northern Serengeti

  11. 11

    Return to Arusha & Departure

    An early breakfast, then a scenic flight or drive back to Arusha with a market stop for souvenirs, and a transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure.

    Breakfast ·

What's included

  • Mid-range or luxury lodges and tented camps throughout
  • All meals including picnic lunches on game-drive days
  • Daily game drives in a private 4x4 with pop-up roof and a professional guide
  • All park, crater and conservation fees
  • Maasai village cultural visit and guided nature walks
  • All airport transfers and transport between parks

Not included

  • International flights and Tanzania visa fees
  • Travel insurance (recommended for all travellers)
  • Optional hot air balloon safari ($500 per person)
  • Tips, souvenirs and items of a personal nature

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Ask Ombeni directly on WhatsApp.

No — it pairs dedicated birding with full Big Five game viewing and the Great Migration, so it suits photographers and wildlife lovers too. The pace simply builds in more time for birds and light than a standard safari.

Resident birds are excellent year-round; migrant species peak November–April. For the migration, June–July is the western Serengeti (Grumeti) and August–October the northern Mara crossings.

Yes — internal flights can replace some long drives (e.g. the return from the northern Serengeti). Ask Ombeni for a fly-in/fly-out version on WhatsApp.

Read before you go

Free, no-fluff guides from the people who run the trips.

All guides →

Ready to go?

Plan your 11-Day Bird Photography with Ombeni

Per person, sharing. From $4,314 mid-range / $5,939 luxury, all-inclusive.

Get a free itinerary on WhatsApp

From

$4,314

per person

Plan on WhatsApp