14-Day Great Migration Safari in Serengeti, Maasai Culture & Zanzibar

This 14 day Great Migration safari is planned for June and July, when the herds are usually in the western and northern Serengeti. It starts with Tarangire, Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater, includes a Maasai visit and Olduvai Gorge, then spends five days following the migration from the central Serengeti through the Western Corridor to the Mara River area, before a flight to Zanzibar. A private vehicle with a pop-up roof, full board and park fees are included.

The migration is not one dramatic moment: it is a movement across a huge landscape, and where the herds are depends on rain and natural conditions. In June and July your guide follows them from the central plains toward the Grumeti River in the west and then to the Mara River area in the north. Crossings are not guaranteed, and the trip is planned around how the animals actually behave. Read our Great Migration month-by-month guide and the Serengeti safari guide.

The first days give you the rest of northern Tanzania: Tarangire's elephants in the dry season, Lake Manyara's forest and cliffs and the Ngorongoro Crater. You meet Maasai hosts on the way and visit Olduvai Gorge for the archaeology. Zanzibar then gives you spice farms, a tidal sandbank and the old streets of Stone Town. See the pages on game drives and cultural experiences, the guide to visiting Zanzibar and the Tanzania destination page.

Moderate, and best for reasonably fit people rather than hikers. Most activities are from the safari vehicle, with short walks around lodges, at cultural visits and on Zanzibar. Some safari days are long: game drives can last five to eight hours with stops, and some land transfers take several hours, especially deeper in the Serengeti. Roads inside the parks can be rough. Mornings in open vehicles can be cold, especially around Ngorongoro, and afternoons usually warm up. Visiting the Nakupenda sandbank means stepping on and off a boat on a tidal shore. Tell us about any mobility needs.

This trip is timed for June and July, when the herds are usually in the western and northern Serengeti. Tarangire is in its dry season then, so elephants are easy to find along the river. The exact location of the herds and any river activity always depend on rainfall and natural conditions. For other months see our month-by-month guide, and consider the 10-day February Great Migration safari for the calving season.

This trip suits couples, families with children, solo travellers and small groups who like long days with wildlife and short walks, and want a beach to finish. For a shorter migration trip see the 9-day wildebeest migration safari, or the 7-day Serengeti wildebeest migration tour. For a trip that also includes gorillas see the 19-day gorilla trekking and Great Migration safari.

Use the Tanzania safari packing list, and bring a soft-sided bag, because some routes are rough and domestic flights have baggage limits.

If you are also weighing a trip with conservation and community visits built in, see our Signature Journeys in Rwanda.