4-Day Safari · 4 comfort levels
From
$1,820
per person
Indicative prices per person for 2 adults sharing a private vehicle. Your written quote confirms the final price.
Follow the vast herds into the Southern Serengeti and the Ndutu plains, combining the comfort of Arusha with two nights in the migration zone at the most dramatic time of year.
Experience the Great Migration at one of its most dramatic moments. Over four days, you follow the vast herds into Tanzania's Southern Serengeti and the Ndutu plains, where hundreds of thousands of wildebeest gather during the calving season.
This itinerary is deliberately designed around one main experience. Instead of trying to fit Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti into four days, it gives you meaningful time in the Southern Serengeti.
You combine the comfort of a first night in Arusha with two nights dedicated to exploring the migration zone, with the chance to see newborn calves, predator activity and an extraordinary concentration of wildlife.
Your guide follows the wildlife rather than a fixed itinerary, and adjusts each day's route to the movement of the herds, the weather and current conditions.
Best months to travel: Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
The route stays the same at every level. What changes is where you sleep, how you travel and how much is arranged for you.
From $1,820per person
$455–$555 per day · $1,820–$2,220 for 4 days
A comfortable, well-organised safari with excellent wildlife viewing and good value, without paying for extensive luxury services.
From $3,020per person
$755–$1,200 per day · $3,020–$4,800 for 4 days
Upgraded lodges and premium tented camps with stylish interiors, excellent dining and attentive hospitality, while the safari stays focused on wildlife.
From $5,200per person
$1,300–$2,200 per day · $5,200–$8,800 for 4 days
Exceptional camps and lodges with premium suites, refined cuisine and personal service, chosen for location and exclusivity.
From $9,200per person
$2,300–$5,000 per day · $9,200–$20,000 for 4 days
Created for special celebrations and discerning travellers. Inclusions are tailored to the property and flights you choose, because not every camp offers every service.
These are indicative private-safari planning ranges per person, based on 2 adults sharing one private safari vehicle and a room. They are not confirmed quotations.
Your final cost depends on your travel dates, the number of guests, camp availability, flight fares and the exact services you choose. Ndutu camps can fill early in the calving season, so we confirm your price and accommodation in writing before you pay a deposit.
To request a price for one traveller or a group of three to six, select your group size in the booking box and Ombeni will quote you directly.
Your private vehicle and guide are shared only by your own party, so the more of you there are, the less each person pays.
Day 1
Your Tanzanian adventure begins at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), where your Trust Tours & Safaris representative welcomes you and helps with your luggage. You then transfer privately to Arusha, the safari capital of northern Tanzania. The drive is about 50 km and takes around an hour, depending on traffic.
Depending on your arrival time, the rest of the day is yours. Relax, recover from your journey and prepare for the days ahead. Your safari guide will brief you on the route, the wildlife you can expect and what the next day holds.
A warm welcome and a comfortable first evening in Arusha.
Day 2
After an early breakfast, you meet your safari guide and set off for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The drive takes you from the farmland around Arusha up into the dramatic highlands, where the landscape opens into vast grasslands and volcanic scenery. Depending on conditions, you may stop to enjoy the views before continuing to Ndutu.
Once you enter the Southern Serengeti ecosystem, the character of the safari changes completely. This is migration country. The open plains can be filled with enormous concentrations of wildebeest and zebra, and during the calving season thousands of calves are born here.
After reaching the Ndutu area, your first game drive begins. Your guide monitors current movements and chooses areas where the herds are concentrated. The aim is not simply to drive from one point to another, but to spend time observing the ecosystem. You may see wildebeest herds, zebras, gazelles, giraffes, elephants, ostriches, lions, cheetahs, leopards, spotted hyenas and jackals.
From the highlands into migration country.
Day 3
This is the main day of the safari. You wake before sunrise and enjoy breakfast or a packed breakfast before heading into the plains. The early morning is one of the most rewarding times for wildlife viewing, with cooler temperatures, active predators and soft light for photography.
Your guide follows the current position of the herds instead of a rigid route. The day may take you across open plains, seasonal lakes, woodland and the areas where animals gather around water. During the calving season, you may see wildebeest with newborn calves, predators drawn by the young animals, and large numbers of zebra and gazelle moving with the herds. Birdwatchers can look for raptors, vultures, secretary birds and ostriches.
You enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated spot, surrounded by the landscape. There is no need to rush back to camp, because you have the whole day to explore.
Through the afternoon, your guide uses knowledge of the area, recent sightings and animal behaviour to decide where to spend your time. That flexibility matters, because the location of the herds changes with rainfall and grazing. You return to camp in the late afternoon or around sunset.
The heart of the migration experience.
Day 4
Wake early for your last chance to enjoy the Southern Serengeti. Depending on your flight schedule, you can choose an early morning game drive shortly after sunrise, or a leisurely breakfast at camp before you leave.
The return journey takes you through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and back to the northern highlands. If your international flight leaves later in the evening, there may be time for lunch in Arusha before your private transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Your safari ends at the airport, with unforgettable memories of Tanzania's Great Migration.
A last sunrise on the plains, or a slow breakfast at camp.
Pick your comfort level, then choose a stay for each part of the route. Your choices go with your booking request. Ombeni confirms availability and your final price, and suggests a similar stay if one is full.
Your nights on this trip
Night 1
City hotel
Central Arusha
A modern hotel in the centre of Arusha, an easy first stop after your flight. Air-conditioned rooms and an outdoor pool make it a comfortable place to rest before your safari briefing.
What you can do here
Riverside country inn
Usa River, between Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport
A small country inn set in mature tropical gardens on the Usa River, about 35 minutes from Kilimanjaro Airport. Shaded paths lead down to the river, which makes it a quiet place to rest after a long flight.
What you can do here
Lodge on a coffee estate
Coffee estate about 7 km from Arusha
Thatched cottages in tropical gardens on a coffee estate outside Arusha, each with a fireplace and private veranda, with views of Mount Meru.
What you can do here
Four-star city hotel
About 2 km from central Arusha
A comfortable hotel close to the centre of Arusha, with a large outdoor pool beside a landscaped garden.
What you can do here
City hotel in gardens
Near the Clock Tower, central Arusha
A historic hotel in the middle of Arusha, close to the Clock Tower, with a swimming pool surrounded by gardens.
What you can do here
Large garden hotel
Foot of Mount Meru, Arusha
A large hotel set in about 15 acres of landscaped gardens at the foot of Mount Meru, a comfortable base before or after your safari.
What you can do here
Garden lodge
Usa River, near Arusha
A peaceful lodge of rooms, suites and a family cottage spread through gardens at Usa River, between Arusha and the airport.
What you can do here
Quiet country lodge
Near Arusha
A highly rated country lodge near Arusha, with plenty to do for travellers who like to stay active before their safari.
What you can do here
Airport lodge
Next to Kilimanjaro International Airport
A simple, country-club-style lodge of thatched cottages right by the airport, ideal for a late arrival or an early flight.
What you can do here
Airport lodge
Near Kilimanjaro International Airport
A newer lodge of cosy bungalows among banana and palm trees, well suited to a short stay around an international flight.
What you can do here
Elewana lodge on a working coffee estate
Western edge of Arusha
Set among the coffee fields of a large estate on the western edge of Arusha, at the foot of Mount Meru. It is a peaceful first stop after a long flight, with gardens to relax in before your evening safari briefing.
What you can do here
Boutique lodge on a coffee estate
Burka Coffee Estate, outside Arusha
An intimate lodge of garden cottages on a working coffee estate, with the former farmhouse at its heart. Winding paths link the cottages to the main house, giving it the feel of a private country home.
What you can do here
Luxury city hotel
Kijenge, Arusha
A large luxury hotel in Arusha, with private balconies, several restaurants and landscaped gardens. It suits travellers who like the facilities of a full-service hotel before heading into the bush.
What you can do here
Lakeside hotel and spa
Lake Duluti, about 20 km from Arusha
Formerly the Lake Duluti Serena, this hotel stands among coffee plantations on the shore of Lake Duluti, with stone-built cottages grouped around a flowery village square.
What you can do here
Boutique hotel
Serengeti Road, Arusha
An elegant boutique hotel of 29 rooms and suites, about 2 km from central Arusha, with a garden and an outdoor pool.
What you can do here
Villas and lodge
Private wildlife estate outside Arusha
A mix of private villas and a small lodge on a private wildlife estate just outside Arusha, a quiet start to your safari.
What you can do here
Private six-bedroom villa
Golf estate, about 25 minutes from Kilimanjaro Airport
A luxury six-bedroom villa on a championship golf estate. You can book the whole villa or single rooms, which makes it ideal for families and friends.
What you can do here
Nights 2 and 3
Mid-range seasonal tented camp
Ndutu, Southern Serengeti ecosystem
A mid-range tented camp on the Ndutu plains, open through the calving season from around December to March. Staying here means you wake up close to the herds, instead of spending the best hours of the morning driving in from the highlands.
What you can do here
Long-established lodge
Lake Ndutu, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
A much-loved lodge of stone-and-thatch cottages overlooking Lake Ndutu, on the edge of the calving plains. Unlike the seasonal camps, it is here all year, with en-suite bathrooms and a private veranda at each cottage.
What you can do here
Seasonal tented bush camp
Ndutu, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
A seasonal mid-range camp that opens for the calving months, with en-suite tents and solar lighting. It is a straightforward bush camp, right where the herds gather.
What you can do here
Seasonal mobile tented camp
Ndutu, Southern Serengeti ecosystem
A small mobile camp of about ten en-suite safari tents, set up in the south for the migration months and taken down after each season. It keeps the true feel of a bush camp.
What you can do here
Luxury tented lodge
Lake Masek, Ndutu area
Comfortable tented suites overlooking Lake Masek, close to Lake Ndutu and well placed for the calving grounds. It feels more solid than a mobile camp, which is a real comfort in the wet months.
What you can do here
Seasonal luxury tented camp
Ndutu, near the Southern Serengeti border
A seasonal luxury camp, open for the migration months from about December to March. It gives you the feeling of a true bush camp, close to the herds, with the comforts of a well-run tented suite.
What you can do here
Luxury tented lodge
Ndutu, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
A lodge of about twenty spacious tents, each raised on a wooden platform under a thatched roof, in the Ndutu area on the migration's path. Unlike the mobile camps, it has a swimming pool and permanent lodge facilities.
What you can do here
Permanent luxury tented camp
Kopjes of the southern Serengeti
A camp of 12 en-suite tents with raised wooden decks, set among rocky kopjes on the southern plains near the migration route. It is well placed for cheetahs.
What you can do here
High-end mobile camp by Asilia
Ndutu from December to March, the Mara River from June to November
An intimate camp of nine tents that moves between the far north and Ndutu to follow the herds. Stargazing tents give wide views from your bed, so the plains stay with you through the night.
What you can do here
Small high-end mobile camp
Ndutu from December to March, Kogatende from July to October
A small mobile camp of just a few canvas tents that moves through the year with the migration, settling at Ndutu for the calving season and at Kogatende for the river crossings.
What you can do here
High-end mobile tented camp
Moves with the migration
A high-end mobile camp that moves through the year to follow the Great Migration. We confirm its position for your dates, so that it suits your route.
What you can do here
December to March is the overall Ndutu season, with January and February the prime calving window. Here is what normally happens in each month.
| Month | What to expect |
|---|---|
| December | The migration begins gathering. The herds generally start concentrating in the south as the short rains bring fresh grass. |
| January | Calving begins. More wildebeest arrive and the first births take place. |
| February | Peak calving. Normally the core month, with huge concentrations of wildebeest, newborn calves and strong predator activity. |
| March | Late calving and transition. Newborn and predator sightings can still be excellent, especially early in the month, but the herds may begin moving north and west. |
Ndutu camps can fill early in the calving season, so we recommend confirming as early as you can. To receive an accurate quotation, tell us your travel dates, number of travellers, preferred comfort level, room-sharing arrangements and whether you will arrive at JRO, ARK or an Arusha hotel.
Still have questions? Ask Ombeni directly on WhatsApp.
Free, no-fluff guides from the people who run the trips.
Where to go, when to travel, what a day looks like and what it costs — everything you need to plan a northern Tanzania safari.
Read guide →Safari · 8 min readA month-by-month guide to the wildebeest migration — calving in the south, the Mara River crossings in the north, and everything in between.
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Indicative prices per person for 2 adults sharing a private vehicle. Your written quote confirms the final price.
From
$1,820
per person
