Best Serengeti trips: 7 tours of Africa’s most spectacular national park

Famous for its jaw-dropping annual wildebeest migration, Serengeti National Park is the perfect place to see Africa’s wildlife superstars, and experience the continent’s most epic landscapes...

8 mins

1. Witness a wildlife bonanza in Africa’s greatest National Park

Zebras and a wildebeest walking beside a lake in Tanzania (Shutterstock)

Zebras and a wildebeest walking beside a lake in Tanzania (Shutterstock)

Witness Africa’s most diverse wildlife hot spot on this eight-day trip through the Serengeti National Park with Intrepid.

The abundance of wildlife in the Serengeti is staggering. Stretching north to Kenya and bordering Lake Victoria to the west, the park has the highest concentration of large mammals on the planet - including 2,500 lions.

You’ll visit remote communities and camp in little-visited parts of the park, so a sense of adventure is a must. You’ll also travel through the Ngorongoro Crater, a chance to spot the endangered black rhinoceros.

Trip: Serengeti Trail

Who: Intrepid

Type: Small group

When: Departures throughout the year

How long: Eight days

How much: From £1,009 (exc. flights)

2. Polish your photographic skills at the Great Migration

Wildebeests crossing the Mara river during the Great Migration (Shutterstock)

Wildebeests crossing the Mara river during the Great Migration (Shutterstock)

Join award-winning photographer Nick Garbutt on a 19-day journey to watch and photograph the Great Serengeti Migration with Wildlife Worldwide. 

The migration is one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles, with millions of wildebeest gathering on the vast plains of the Serengeti to start their annual trek. Together with 800,000 zebra and gazelle, they form a super herd in search of new grass, offering countless, breathtaking photo opportunities.

Having Nick as a guide is a once in a lifetime experience. He’ll conduct daily sessions, enabling you to pose questions in situ and hone your wildlife photography skills. 

Trip: Serengeti Migration

Who: Wildlife Worldwide

Type: Small group

When: March 2020

How long: 19 days

How much: From £12,175 (inc. flights)

3. See the Big Five in style

A luxury safari camp in the Serengeti (Shutterstock)

A luxury safari camp in the Serengeti (Shutterstock)

Stay in some of the most luxurious safari camps in Africa as you search for iconic wildlife in northern Tanzania with Audley.

From your comfortably indulgent safari digs, you’ll search for big cats in the Serengeti, explore Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park and travel by light aircraft to remote northern wildlife hot spots.

Finally, you’ll stay in the iconic Crater Lodge, offering spectacular views across Ngorongoro Crater, an unforgettable highlight.

Trip: Luxury Northern Tanzania Safari

Who: Audley

Type: Tailor-made

When: Departures throughout the year

How long: 13 days

How much: From £10,695 (exc. flights)

4. Tick icons off on your African bucket list

An elephant strolling in front of Mount Kilimanjaro (Shutterstock)

An elephant strolling in front of Mount Kilimanjaro (Shutterstock)

Witness the Great Migration and climb Africa’s highest mountain on this epic Tanzanian peaks and parks adventure with Oasis Overland. 

You’ll tackle the most challenging part of the trip first, hiking through lush rainforests and alpine deserts, across glaciers, past snow fields to reach the Kilimanjaro’s summit, Uhuru Peak. Then it’s time for the Serengeti, Tanzania’s famous national park.

Based at the legendary Seronera Campsite, you’ll go in search of Africa’s most iconic creatures on a classic wildlife safari. Add in another game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater and a stay at the Twiga Campsite and you’ve seen – and conquered – just about everything that Tanzania has to offer.

Trip: Kilimanjaro Climb & Serengeti Safari (13 Days) Family Adventure

Who: Oasis Overland

Type: Small group / Tailored

When: Departures throughout the year

How long: 13 days

How much: From £2,695 (exc. flights)

5. Sleep under the African stars

Camping near Ngorongoro Crater (Shutterstock)

Camping near Ngorongoro Crater (Shutterstock)

Experience the thrill of sleeping 'under canvas' and drifting off to sleep to the sounds of the African night on this camping safari in Tanzania with Intrepid.

It’s the ideal way to encounter the incredible wildlife of Tanzania’s National Parks, up close and personal. On the undulating plains of the Serengeti you’ll meet Africa’s Big Five. In the dramatic Ngorongoro Crater, your open top 4x4 safari vehicle will weave in-between huge herds of zebra and wildebeest. At Lake Manyara National Park, you may even spot a rare tree-climbing lion at Lake Manyara National Park.

Staying in permanent tented camps, you’ll enjoy all the creature comforts, and head home invigorated by this perfect combination of adventure and relaxation.

Trip: Tanzania Safari under Canvas

Who: Intrepid

Type: Small group

When: Departures throughout the year

How long: Eight days

How much: From £2,767 (exc. flights)

6. Overland through the Serengeti and Africa’s other wildlife highlights

A pride of lionesses scan the Serengeti for their next meal (Shutterstock)

A pride of lionesses scan the Serengeti for their next meal (Shutterstock)

The awesome Serengeti is just one stop on this incredible overland journey through Africa’s most iconic wildlife havens with Oasis Overland.

The action starts in Nairobi, Kenya, with a visit to a giraffe centre, before heading to the plains of the Serengeti National Park and the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Crater.

After a bit of R&R on the white sandy beaches of Zanzibar (home to turtles and dolphins) you’ll venture through Zambia to Lake Malawi, where you’ll find the largest number of fish species in the world, and eventually, Harare.

Trip: Nairobi To Harare (22 Days) Savanna Dawn

Who: Oasis Overland

Type: Group

When: Departures throughout the year

How long: 22 days

How much: £925 (exc. flights)

7. Encounter the Serengeti’s stylish side

Bush dining at the Kirawira Serena Camp (Serena Hotels)

Bush dining at the Kirawira Serena Camp (Serena Hotels)

Experience the very best in wildlife – and in service and comfort – on this curated luxury Serengeti adventure with Cox & Kings Travel.

Your base is the five star-rated Kirawira Serena Camp, a Small Luxury Hotel of the World, located in the renowned western Serengeti corridor.

From here, you’ll explore the huge plains of the Serengeti, the open grasslands of the Great Rift Valley and the strikingly beautiful Ngorongoro Crater. You’ll also fly from the Serengeti to Arusha, avoiding a long return road journey. 

Trip: Tanzania Wildlife Safari

Who: Cox & Kings Travel

Type: Small group

When: September and October

How long: 10 days

How much: From £3695 (exc. flights)

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