The Great Migration in Tanzania: where the herds are each month

Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.

Benjamin and his team organise your Tanzania trip: a safari in the north, a Kilimanjaro climb, days on Zanzibar, or a mix. Gatsio Africa Safaris is a licensed safari company based in Arusha.

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Show us what you have in mind.

Pick what interests you. For Tanzania we can show a planning amount for luxury lodges so far; other lodge levels and climbs the team prices in your quote. Nothing is booked.

What would make this trip unforgettable?

Combine with: Kenya Tanzania

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Your safari so far

Country: Uganda
Length: 7 days
Travelers: 2 travelers
Travel time: Not chosen yet
Lodge level: Midrange (assumed)
Travel style: Not chosen yet
Experiences: Gorilla trekking

Planning amount per person

USD 2,000 – USD 3,300

USD 4,000 – USD 6,600 in total for 2 travelers

Based on: Travel time flexible: the range covers the whole year · Lodge level assumed: Midrange

Choose a month and a lodge level to narrow the range.

Non-binding guide price. Gatsio states the fixed price in the quote. Not included: International flights, Visa fees.

How this amount is calculated

Included: Accommodation with meals as published by the lodges, Private vehicle with driver-guide, Vehicle fuel. Not included: International flights, Visa fees.

AccommodationPer person per night, two per room, meals included. 6 nights × 2 guests	USD 1,110 – USD 1,380
Vehicle with driver-guidePer vehicle per day, 6 guests per vehicle, fuel not included. 7 days × 1 vehicles	USD 1,295 – USD 2,100
Vehicle fuelPer vehicle per day, estimated from consumption and fuel price. 7 days × 1 vehicles	USD 126 – USD 399
Driver-guide lodging and mealsPer driver-guide per night, staff rooms at the lodges. 6 nights × 1 driver-guides	USD 150 – USD 210
Gorilla permitsPer person, official UWA tariff. 2 permits	USD 1,200 – USD 1,600
Park entry feesPer person per park day, official tariff. 0 to 4 park days × 2 guests	USD 0 – USD 360
Reserve, upper end only (10 %)Accommodation and vehicle rates are published rates of lodges and other operators, not Gatsio's own rates. Some are 'from' prices.	USD 0 – USD 409

All rates are provisional and not yet confirmed by Gatsio.
Flexible dates: the range covers all travel periods the sources price.
Two travellers per room.
Up to 6 guests per vehicle.
Private or shared not chosen: priced as a private trip.
Permits are counted for every traveller.
The parks and park days are not fixed yet: between 0 and 4 days with park fees are assumed.
On permit days the park entry is part of the permit, so it is not charged twice.
The contingency is added to the upper end only.

Sources

Approximate planning amount from provisional component rates. It is not a quote; Gatsio confirms the final price.

Route ideas and notes

No itinerary fits all of this yet

Try fewer wishes or a different length. Or send the plan anyway: every itinerary can be adjusted.

Safari ideas in Tanzania.

Every route is a starting point. Open one to change days, travelers, month and lodge level, then send it as an enquiry.

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17 itineraries

Dhow sailing off a white sand beach in Zanzibar at sunset

11 days · 10 nights · Tanzania

Honeymoon Safari in Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach

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Price in your quote

Tree hotel above a floodlit waterhole with elephants at dusk, Aberdare National Park, Kenya

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12 days · 11 nights · Combination trip: Kenya + Tanzania

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Giraffes at the Momella Lakes with Mount Meru behind, Arusha National Park

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Family Safari and Zanzibar Holiday Package

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Price in your quote

View from the rim into the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Safaris and Zanzibar Beach

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Price in your quote

Boat safari on the Rufiji River in Nyerere National Park (Selous), Tanzania

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Luxury Safari in Tanzania & Serengeti & Selous & Zanzibar

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Price in your quote

Elephants passing giant baobab trees in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

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Safari Tanzania – Tarangire , Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater

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Price in your quote

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Serengeti Adventure

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4 days · 3 nights · Tanzania · Budget friendly

Camping Safari Serengeti & Ngorongoro

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Price in your quote

Travellers in an open-roof safari vehicle watching zebras in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

4 days · 3 nights · Tanzania · Budget friendly

Joining a Shared Group Safari in Arusha

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

Wildebeest and zebra herds on the Serengeti plains during the migration

5 days · 4 nights · Tanzania

Big five Safari, Lake Manyara, Serengeti & Ngorongoro

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

Dome tents and a safari vehicle at a public campsite in the Serengeti, Tanzania

6 days · 5 nights · Tanzania · Budget friendly

Budget Camping Safari in Tanzania

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Tarangire

Price in your quote

6 days · 5 nights · Tanzania

Marangu Route

Kilimanjaro

Price in your quote

Good to know.

What is included?

It depends on the trip. Gatsio’s trip descriptions include park entrance fees, accommodation, a guide and transport. International flights, visas and insurance are not included. Your quote lists everything.

Can I change a trip?

Yes. Every idea is a starting point; the team adjusts days, parks and lodges.

Is the guide price binding?

No. It is an estimate from published rates. The binding price is in your quote.

How early should I ask?

As early as you can, because popular lodges fill up in busy months.

Wildebeest crossing the Mara River in the northern Serengeti during the Great Migration, Tanzania — Mara River crossing, northern Serengeti

Travel guideTanzania

The Great Migration in Tanzania: where the herds are each month

The Great Migration is the yearly journey of around 1.5 million wildebeest, with zebras and gazelles, through the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya. The herds follow the rain and fresh grass, so where you see them depends on the month.

Animals: About 1.5 million wildebeest, plus zebras and gazelles
Where: Serengeti (Tanzania) and Masai Mara (Kenya)
Calving: Usually January to March, southern Serengeti
River crossings: Usually July to September, Mara River

Where the herds are, month by month

December to March: southern Serengeti and Ndutu, where most calves are born in February. April and May: the herds move north-west through the central Serengeti during the long rains. June and July: Western Corridor and the Grumeti River. July to October: northern Serengeti and the Mara River, with the river crossings. November: back south through the central Serengeti with the short rains.

Good to know

The herds move with the rains, so the timing shifts from year to year. Guides share sightings with each other every day; plan at least two nights in the right part of the Serengeti.

Questions travellers ask

When is the best time to see the Great Migration?

It depends on what you want to see: calving in the southern Serengeti from January to March, or the Mara River crossings from about July to September. The herds are somewhere in the Serengeti most of the year.

Do I need to go to Kenya to see the river crossings?

No. The Mara River runs through the northern Serengeti in Tanzania, and crossings happen there too, usually from July to September.

Safaris that fit

11 days · 10 nights · Tanzania

Honeymoon Safari in Tanzania and Zanzibar Beach

Ngorongoro · Serengeti · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

Kenya + Tanzania

12 days · 11 nights · Combination trip: Kenya + Tanzania

And Tanzania Safaris

Lake Nakuru · Masai Mara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Price in your quote

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Family Safari and Zanzibar Holiday Package

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Price in your quote

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Safaris and Zanzibar Beach

Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

14 days · 13 nights · Tanzania

Luxury Safari in Tanzania & Serengeti & Selous & Zanzibar

Serengeti · Nyerere (Selous) · Zanzibar

Price in your quote

3 days · 2 nights · Tanzania

Serengeti Adventure

Serengeti

Price in your quote

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Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.

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Places worth the trip in Tanzania.Places worth the trip in Tanzania.

Before you go

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Ready for your Tanzania safari adventure?

This is how your trip could look.

Meet Benjamin. The person behind Gatsio Safariz.

Show us what you have in mind.

Safari ideas in Tanzania.

Places worth the trip in Tanzania.

Share the road with other travelers.

When to go

Good to know.

Prefer to just write?