8-Day Western Serengeti & Grumeti Migration

What makes this journey special

• May-July migration planning window
• Two Western Serengeti nights
• Scheduled Grumeti-to-Arusha flight

Your journey, day by day

Arrival and the final travel day are included in the trip length. Driving times are planning guides; weather, roads and formalities can change the day.

1. Day 1

   Welcome to Tanzania

   On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, meet your Boker Adventures representative and transfer to your Arusha hotel. Settle in and rest after your journey. There are no scheduled safari activities today. At your briefing, discuss the route, daily departure times, dietary needs, road conditions, wildlife etiquette and any booked extras. For a late arrival, the briefing takes place before departure the following morning. Tell us your flight details before confirmation so the transfer and check-in can be arranged.

   Overnight

   Arusha

   Meals

   dinner

   Transfer estimate: 1-1.5 hours from JRO, depending on the hotel and traffic. Late meals depend on hotel arrangements.

2. Day 2

   Tarangire National Park and Karatu

   After breakfast, drive to Tarangire and begin your first game drive. Follow permitted tracks through woodland and open country, pausing to observe wildlife rather than racing between sightings. Look for elephants, giraffes, antelope and birdlife; your guide will choose the route according to current conditions. Take a picnic lunch at a designated site, then continue wildlife viewing before leaving for Karatu. Arrive for dinner and an overnight stay in the highlands. This day combines park exploration with travel, rather than a full day entirely inside the park.

   Overnight

   Karatu

   Meals

   breakfast, lunch and dinner

   Transfer estimates: Arusha to Tarangire 2-3 hours; park exit to Karatu 1.5-2.5 hours, excluding game drives and stops.

3. Day 3

   Ngorongoro Crater without changing lodges

   Leave Karatu early and travel to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. After entry formalities, descend into the crater for your scheduled game drive. Explore the open grasslands, wetland margins and woodland with your guide, stopping to watch animal behaviour and enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated site. You may encounter zebra, buffalo, antelope and birds, with opportunities to look for lion, elephant and black rhino. Sightings are never guaranteed. After the crater visit, return to the same Karatu lodge for a quieter afternoon or early evening and dinner. There is no onward Serengeti transfer today.

   Overnight

   Karatu

   Meals

   breakfast, lunch and dinner

   Planning estimate: around 1-1.5 hours each way to/from the crater approach, plus formalities and descent/ascent; allow approximately 4-5 hours for the permitted crater visit. Timing depends on the lodge and current access rules.

4. Day 4

   Across the highlands to Central Serengeti

   After breakfast, drive through the Ngorongoro highlands towards Central Serengeti, stopping for views and comfort breaks where practical. Enjoy a packed lunch along the way. The crater has its own day, so today is dedicated to the journey and settling into your Serengeti base. Once inside the park, continue towards camp with wildlife stops as time allows. Arrive in time to settle in before dinner. Afternoon viewing is flexible and may be shortened if road conditions or formalities cause delays.

   Overnight

   Central Serengeti

   Meals

   breakfast, lunch and dinner

   Allow approximately 5-7 hours including normal stops and entry formalities; extended sightings may add time. This is a longer travel day.

5. Day 5

   Central Serengeti at your pace

   Spend a full day exploring the Seronera area without moving camp. Your guide will select routes through grassland, river corridors and rocky outcrops according to recent sightings. Take time to watch the wildlife rather than following a fixed list of animals. Lions, leopards and cheetahs are possible encounters, alongside plains wildlife and birds. Choose a longer outing with a picnic lunch, or morning and afternoon drives with a camp break where distances permit. An optional sunrise balloon safari can replace the early game drive; rejoin your guide after breakfast and continue at a comfortable pace.

   Overnight

   Central Serengeti

   Meals

   breakfast, lunch and dinner

6. Day 6

   From Central Serengeti to the Western Corridor

   After breakfast, travel west with your guide, allowing time for selected wildlife stops along the way. The scenery changes as you approach the western plains and river country. Lunch is arranged as a picnic or at your lodge according to the route and arrival time. Settle into your chosen western base and take a break before a local game drive if conditions allow. Your guide will plan the afternoon around recent herd reports and permitted access, rather than promising a particular river crossing. Stay in the same property for the next two nights.

   Overnight

   Western Serengeti

   Meals

   breakfast, lunch and dinner

   Allow approximately 2-4 hours for the direct camp-to-camp transfer on this proposed route, plus longer wildlife stops. Exact location, rain and tracks can extend the journey. Any outside-park alternative requires a revised access plan.

7. Day 7

   A full day with the western migration

   Set out to explore the Western Corridor according to the location of the wildebeest and zebra herds. Your guide may spend time on open grazing areas, along permitted river routes, or waiting at a suitable viewing point when animals gather. A crossing cannot be timed or promised, and the herds may move beyond this area. Keep the day flexible with a picnic lunch, or return to the lodge if distances allow. Watch the broader wildlife scene as well as the migration: river habitats, birds and resident animals are part of the experience. Vehicles follow park rules and keep a respectful distance from animals and riverbanks.

   Overnight

   Western Serengeti

   Meals

   breakfast, lunch and dinner

8. Day 8

   Fly from Grumeti to Arusha

   After breakfast, transfer to Grumeti Airstrip for your confirmed scheduled flight to Arusha Airport (ARK). Departure time determines the morning plan; a further game drive is not promised. The service may stop at other airstrips, and the ticket confirms routing, check-in and arrival time. Meet your driver at ARK and transfer to an Arusha hotel, where the package ends. No hotel night is included today. Lunch is arranged as a packed meal or in Arusha depending on the flight schedule. Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is a different airport: an onward transfer or additional night is quoted separately.

   Overnight

   No overnight stay included

   Meals

   breakfast and lunch

Places to stay

These are alternatives from the itinerary, not a reservation. We confirm the property, room and meal plan for each stop in your quote. Upgrades can change the budget.

Included in the planned route

• Seven nights in the confirmed accommodation, sharing a double or twin room.
• Private 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof and an English-speaking driver-guide for the described road safari and scheduled game drives.
• Required park/conservation entry, transit and overnight fees, plus one Ngorongoro Crater descent, itemised for the selected route.
• JRO-to-Arusha arrival transfer; lodge-to-Grumeti Airstrip transfer; one scheduled Grumeti-ARK flight per guest with applicable ticket taxes; ARK-to-Arusha-hotel transfer.
• Dinner on Day 1; breakfast, lunch and dinner on Days 2-7; breakfast and lunch on Day 8: 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinners.
• Drinking water in the safari vehicle, arrival briefing, and applicable taxes/levies for the quoted services.

Not included

• International flights and domestic flights other than the quoted Grumeti-ARK sector; ARK-to-JRO transfer unless separately arranged.
• Visas, personal travel/medical insurance, excess baggage and the optional balloon safari.
• Day 8 Arusha accommodation, additional nights, Zanzibar extensions and activities/access outside the agreed itinerary.
• Tips, laundry, shopping and other personal expenses; alcoholic/soft drinks unless expressly included in the confirmed property rate.
• Single-room supplements, meals outside the stated plan and other optional activities.

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