Kilimanjaro • Ngorongoro Crater • Eastern Serengeti • Grumeti Reserve • Northern Serengeti
Duration: 13 Days
A longer trip through northern Tanzania at the most expensive lodges on the circuit, with three nights in each place so you are never packing every other morning. You start on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, then cross the plains by road to the eastern Serengeti for big cats. From there you fly to Singita's private Grumeti Reserve, where you can drive off-road, walk and go out at night, and finish in the far north of the Serengeti near the Mara River, in migration country.
The first part is by road with your own guide and vehicle: about four hours from Kilimanjaro International Airport to the Crater rim, and a full day with game viewing from the Crater to the eastern Serengeti. After that you fly in small light aircraft, from Seronera to Sasakwa, from Sasakwa to Kogatende in the north, and from Kogatende back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro, with stops on some legs. Luggage is usually limited to 15 to 20 kg in soft bags. July to October is the time to go: the herds usually move through Grumeti around June and July and reach the Mara River from about July to October, while the cats on the eastern plains are there all year. andBeyond's Crater Lodge has been rebuilt and is planned to reopen in January 2027, and I confirm its new rates and room types when I book.
Three nights on the Crater rim, with an early start onto the Crater floor before most day visitors arrive
Cheetah and lion on the short-grass plains of the eastern Serengeti, away from the busier central areas
Off-road driving, walks and night drives in Singita's private Grumeti Reserve
Waiting for river crossings near the Mara River in the far north
Walks with an armed ranger on the eastern plains and in the north when the grass is short
Couples and honeymooners • Repeat safari travelers • Photographers • Families with children aged 10 and up
Ngorongoro Crater: andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (planned to reopen January 2027)
Eastern Serengeti: Namiri Plains
Grumeti Reserve: Singita Sasakwa Lodge, or Singita Sabora Tented Camp
Northern Serengeti: Lamai Serengeti
Land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where your guide meets you, and drive about four hours through Arusha and Karatu and up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. If your flight lands late, I add a night in Arusha so you are not driving after dark. Day 2 is a full day on the Crater floor looking for black rhino, lion and the big bull elephants, with a picnic lunch. Staying on the rim means you can be among the first vehicles down. Day 3 is for a walk along the rim, a visit to a Maasai community, or a drive out to hike Empakaai Crater. It is cold up here in the evenings, so pack a warm layer.
Overnights: andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
Drive west off the highlands and across the plains into the Serengeti, game viewing on the way, and on to Namiri Plains on the Ngare Nanyuki River. It is a full day, so the drive is part of the safari. The east was kept free of camps for years to protect cheetah research, and today it is one of the best areas in the park for cheetah and lion. Game drives run twice a day, and from June the camp runs walks, booked ahead, for guests aged 12 and over. Herds usually move through the east around November and December, so in July to October this stop is about the cats.
Overnights: Namiri Plains
Drive about two hours to Seronera airstrip and fly to the Sasakwa airstrip in the Grumeti Reserve, a private area of about 350,000 acres on the western side of the Serengeti. Sasakwa is a manor-style lodge on a hill with cottages of one to four bedrooms, each with a plunge pool. Because this is private land, your guide and tracker can drive off-road, and you can walk and go out on night drives, with very few other vehicles around. If you travel in July, the herds may still be passing through. Later in the dry season the reserve relies on resident wildlife. Children aged 10 and over are welcome. If you would rather stay in a tent, Sabora on the open plains of the same reserve works just as well.
Overnights: Singita Sasakwa Lodge, or Singita Sabora Tented Camp
Fly north to Kogatende airstrip, then drive about 45 minutes to Lamai on its kopje above the Mara River valley. From about July to October the migration is usually in this area, and you spend long days near the river waiting for crossings, which take patience and are never guaranteed. August and September are usually the peak. Away from the river there is resident lion, leopard and elephant, and guided walks are possible from August, when the grass is short. Paths between rooms are steep, with many steps.
Overnights: Lamai Serengeti
Drive back to Kogatende and fly by light aircraft to Arusha or Kilimanjaro to connect to your international flight. If you want a beach finish, fly to Zanzibar instead and add three or four nights at andBeyond Mnemba Island.
The following is included in the price of your trip:
All accommodations
Meals, drinks and activities as included by each lodge
Private road transfers and guided game drives with your own guide and vehicle from Kilimanjaro to the Crater and on to the eastern Serengeti
Light-aircraft flights within Tanzania (Seronera–Sasakwa, Sasakwa–Kogatende and Kogatende–Arusha or Kilimanjaro)
National park, Grumeti Reserve, conservation area and Ngorongoro Crater fees
24/7 support on the ground from the local operator, with me as your point of contact
The following is excluded from the price of your trip:
International flights
Visas
Travel insurance
Meals and drinks not listed above
Optional activities (hot air balloon flights, spa treatments, etc.)
The Zanzibar extension, unless added
Tips and gratuities
Every itinerary begins with a 20-minute planning call. From there, a $250 planning fee, credited in full toward your booked trip and non-refundable if you don’t book. I brief the property before you arrive — that's what the fee funds.
Plan your trip
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