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Wildlife Encounters Solo Groups

Serengeti & The Great Migration

Tanzania

11 nights 14 Departures Available

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A truly terrific touring ground, Tanzania boasts Africa’s highest mountain, largest lake, most ancient fossils, and most famous safaris. This tour takes you to witness the Great Migration from the elevated balconies of unique Bush Rovers

Overview

With abundant wildlife and breathtaking scenery from the Serengeti plains to the sands of Zanzibar, this Tanzanian tour begins in Tarangire, the country’s less famous, most surprising national park, named for the river that crosses it, studded with sturdy baobab trees and termite towers, and inhabited by eland and elephants, oryx and lions. The small but perfectly formed Lake Manyara National Park is beautifully scenic, its diverse ecosystems creating a landscape described by Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa.”  Legendary Ngorongoro is the largest unbroken caldera on Earth, its prolific wildlife protected by 600m-high crater walls, its reaches encompassing the Olduvai Gorge, where fossil footprints date back 3.6 million years. The Serengeti is home to the phenomenal Great Migration of huge herds of wildebeest and zebra. Often billed as an annual event, it is actually a continuous circular movement around the Serengeti, and this innovative safari features Bush Rovers, re-positioned season by season, so that you can observe the spectacle away from the busiest viewing sites. And Lake Victoria concludes the tour, looking like a freshwater sea, peppered with islands, and brilliant for birdwatching. 

Highlights

  • Witness the iconic Great Migration
  • Stay at the Bush Rovers camp
  • Search for tree-climbing lions
  • Unique Ngorongoro Crater safari
  • Take a boat trip on Lake Victoria
  • Meet the locals at a fish market

Itinerary

Day 1 - Fly indirect to Kilimanjaro

Fly overnight from your chosen airport to Kilimanjaro, via Addis Ababa.

Day 2 - Transfer to Arusha

Transfer to Arusha, a well-placed gateway to Tanzania’s highlights, for overnight at Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge.

Day 3 - Travel to Tarangire National Park for a game drive

Drive to Tarangire National Park, its swamps, savannah, and acacia forestry playing host to wetland and woodland birds, and, particularly in the dry season, impressive numbers of oryx, impala, and zebra, wildebeest and warthogs, and the lions that track their migratory path. Afternoon game drive and overnight at Kirurumu Tarangire tented camp, overlooking a flood plain often visited by elephant herds. 
(B, L, D)

Day 4 - Visit Lake Manyara and enjoy a game drive

Travel to Lake Manyara, the shallow soda lake tucked beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment, a birdwatching haven, visited by elephants and giraffes, home to hyraxes, civets and porcupines, and the best place for seeing the tree-climbing lions, draped, loose-limbed, along shady branches. Enjoy a game drive. Stay two nights at Endoro Lodge.
(B, L, D)

Day 5 - Explore Ngorongoro Crater on an extended game drive

Descend into Ngorongoro Crater, the UNESCO listed Conservation Area covering huge expanses of highland plains, woodland and savannah; the 16km wide crater floor encircling Lake Magadi and its flocks of flamingos, and boasting an astonishing density of wildlife, ensuring spectacular game viewing. We make the most of it with an extended game drive, including lunch.
(B, L, D)

Day 6 - Visit Oldupai Gorge, later continuing to Serengeti National Park

Visit Oldupai Gorge, where Louis and Mary Leakey found stone tools and fossilised bones, including a skull 1.75 million years old, recording the evolution of early Man. The on-site museum has finds from the gorge and a hall dedicated to the Leakey’s work. Continue to Serengeti National Park, renowned for rewarding safaris. Overnight at the Heritage Camp.
(B, L, D)

Day 7 - Enjoy your Bush Rovers and game viewing

The Serengeti is synonymous with the Great Migration, the herds’ circular movement within the reserve up to the Mara, which is where the Bush Rovers come in. Tented accommodation on working Land Rovers, that allow for easy re-positioning of the ‘mobile camp’, to prime locations, the Kusini area, the Grumeti and Mara River, for the season’s viewing. Enjoy game viewing and two nights in the Bush Rovers.
(B, L, D)

Day 8 - Spend the day game viewing

Antelopes large and small share the park with the A to Z of African wildlife, from aardvark to herds of zebra, from Big Five to Little Five, from shy bushbaby to sly crocodile, and numerous prides of lions. Experience a fabulous day of game viewing in the migration area.
(B, L, D)

Day 9 - Enjoy a canoe ride through the Little Okavango

Leave the Serengeti through its western corridor, emerging at the southern shore of Lake Victoria, with papyrus swamps and prolific birdlife. Immerse yourself in these unspoilt surroundings with a canoe ride through the ‘Little Okavango’ channels and along the lake. Two nights at the Little Okavango Camp.
(B, L, D)

Day 10 - Visit a local market and enjoy a birding walk

Take a look at life on Africa’s largest lake and the settlements on its shores, including a visit to a local fish market; and enjoy an afternoon birding walk. Species recorded here span the spectrum from White-faced Whistling Ducks to Red-necked Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Doves, swifts and lapwings, crakes and cranes.
(B, L, D)

Day 11 - Fly to Dar es Salaam for your flight home

Transfer to Mwanza and fly to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city, with the use of a day room before your flight home via Addis Ababa; or fly via Dar es Salaam to the ‘spice island’ of Zanzibar, for a four-night extension to your holiday.
(B)

Day 12 - Arrive home

Morning arrival home.

Notes:

On occasion, alternative hotels of the same standard may be used.
On occasion, accommodation and safari routing may be subject to change. 
The movement of the migration is not completely predictable and viewing success may vary. 
Some travel is on unmade, bumpy roads and it is sometimes necessary to 'climb' into the safari vehicle.
The day room is for people who are not extending the tour and are connecting with their international flight home.
2025: Jan – Mar the Bush Rover camp stay will be on days 6 & 7, when staying at Kusini area, and stay at Serengeti Heritage Camp on day 8.

SAFARI VEHICLES: 4x4 land cruisers with opening roof exclusive to Voyages Jules Verne carry a maximum of 6 guests with a guaranteed window seat. 
Driving is often on unmade, rough roads which can be affected by seasonal dry and wet weather conditions. 

Reviews

Unique Experience

Accommodation

Here is a list of the accommodation you can stay in for this tour. Occasionally we use alternative hotels, or have a choice of hotels to choose from which will be detailed when booking.

Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania, Exterior

Moivaro Coffee Plantation Lodge - Arusha

Moivaro Lodge is situated right in the heart of beautiful, natural scenery and yet is only 7 km from the town of Arusha. Restaurant, bar, pool and WiFi (free). 40 air-conditioned rooms with safe.

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Kirurumu Tarangire, Tanzania, Tented Restaurant

Kirurumu Camp - Tarangire

A remote camp overlooking a flood plain favoured by elephant, with just 10 permanent tented cottages with veranda and mosquito nets. Restaurant and bar, WiFi (free).

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Endoro Lodge, Karatu, Tanzania, Outdoor Pool

Endoro Lodge - Karatu

A beautifully appointed lodge with a restaurant, bar, pool, WiFi (free) and 25 chalets with mosquito nets overlooking the Ngorongoro forest.

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Bush Rovers, Serengeti, Tanzania, Bush rover with view of field

Bush Rovers - Serengeti

The Bush Rovers are a unique Land Rover conversion creating tented accommodation on a working Land Rover including hardwood bathroom, spacious, elevated bedroom with balcony, mosquito nets, downstairs bathroom and front seat WC. The seasonal camp is set from mid-May to mid-July at the west of Serengeti near the Grumeti river; from mid-July through October at the far north of Serengeti with a view of the great Mara river; from mid-December through to March at the south east of Serengeti.

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Heritage Camp, Serengeti, Tanzania, Exterior

Heritage Camp - Serengeti

Unique tented camp located in central Serengeti, a beautiful setting with the sights and sounds of nature close by. Restaurant, bar, WiFi (free) and 15 tented rooms with balcony.

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Little Okavango, Lake Victoria, Tanzania, Exterior

Little Okavango Camp - Lake Victoria

A lovely tented lodge on the shores of Lake Victoria, gateway to the Little Okavango waterways and one of Tanzania’s great birding sites. Restaurant, bar and 5 tented bandas with mosquito nets.

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Optional Extras

Customize your tour by adding optional excursions or extend your journey with our curated add-on extensions.

Extension Options

Lions, Saadani National Park, Tanzania

A relaxing stay at Tanzania’s hidden gem coastal Saadani National Park where bush meets beach, its’ white sandy beach location is unique in East Africa offering a combination of marine and mainland flora and fauna.

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Zanzibar Island, Indian Ocean And Dhow, Tanzania

Fly to Zanzibar for a relaxing stay at the famous Spice Island on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Includes half board, transfers and a tour of historic UNESCO Stone Town.

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- Travel Guides -

You can find out more about the county on the travel guide.

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18 Feb 25,8 Jul 25
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Optional Excursions & Extra Nights
11 nights

From £5795 pp

per person incl flight
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