The calving · The river crossings · The big cats
Private safaris across the Serengeti with our own guides and vehicles, planned from the Gold Coast and priced in US dollars.
Five stars. 5.0 on Google and Tripadvisor37 five-star reviews, every one of them
About 5,700 square miles · The Great Migration · Four areas, four seasons
The Serengeti is Tanzania's best-known national park and the heart of the Great Migration. Somewhere between one and a half and two million wildebeest and zebra follow the rain around it in a year-long loop, and they spend most of the year on the Tanzanian side of the border. Lion, cheetah and leopard live here all year, so a good safari doesn't depend on the herds. What matters most is where in the park you stay, because the best area changes with the month: the southern plains for the calving, the center all year round, the Western Corridor in June and the north for the river crossings.
Great MigrationCalving seasonRiver crossingsBig catsBalloon safarisWho you're dealing with
We're an Australian company on the Gold Coast with our own guides, vehicles and team in Tanzania, so the people who design your trip are the people who run it. Every trip is private and built around you, and we look after the whole thing from the first call to the flight home, on one contract and one invoice from Kingse Safaris Pty Ltd (ABN 37 698 821 886).
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In a guest's words
Visiting the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater was truly unforgettable.
Where You Stay Matters
The park is big enough that where you stay decides what you see. These are the four areas we use, and when each one is at its best.
January to March
Open short-grass plains where the herds gather to calve early in the year, with lion, cheetah and hyena close behind. Ndutu sits just inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on the park's southern edge, and some camps there only open from December to March.
All year
Granite kopjes, the Seronera River valley and resident big cats all year, so it works in any month. The herds pass through in the green season, around April and May, and this is where the balloon safaris fly.
Around June
A long arm of the park reaching west towards Lake Victoria. The herds reach the Grumeti River around June, where big Nile crocodiles wait in the shallows, and the private Grumeti reserve next door is home to the Singita camps.
Mid-July to October
Rolling hills and the Mara River, where the herds cross between Tanzania and Kenya. The first crossings start from about mid-July, August is full crossing season and September is usually the most reliable. The Kogatende camps sit on the river, and Lobo, about three hours' drive south, is the value base.
Ready-Made Starting Points
Our three set safaris each give you two or three nights on the Serengeti plains. They're starting points rather than fixed packages: every trip is private, and we change the nights, the camps and the order around your dates.
Classic · 7 days
Tarangire and Lake Manyara, two nights in the Serengeti, then the Ngorongoro Crater on the way home, all by road with your own guide.
From $4,550per person
Mid-range · 7 days · Most chosen
Tarangire and the crater in better lodges, three nights at a tented camp on the central plains, then a light aircraft home instead of the long road back.
From $5,950per person
Luxury · 7 days
Tarangire and the crater highlands by road, then three nights at Namiri Plains in the quiet east of the park, flying in and out.
From $8,150per person
From-prices are per person, twin share, before international flights. July to October and the top camps cost more, and we price your exact dates before you commit to anything. Across our quotes, a private safari for two runs about $590 to $1,300 per person per night, and our Tanzania safari cost guide explains what moves the number.
Where You Could Stay
The 44 camps and lodges we recommend and use in and around the Serengeti, grouped by area. Pick the area for your month first, then the camp. The final selection flexes around your dates, where the herds are and availability. More on our Stays page.
Resident big cats all year, and the herds pass through in the green season.
Central Serengeti
Top-tier comfort seekers wanting a polished lodge in the central Serengeti
Ultra Luxury
Eastern Serengeti
Couples and families wanting quiet, big-cat-rich eastern Serengeti with private plunge pools
Ultra Luxury
Eastern Serengeti
Big cat enthusiasts wanting remote, exclusive eastern Serengeti luxury
Ultra Luxury
Central Serengeti
Couples and families wanting a luxury central Serengeti base with wildlife views from camp
Ultra Luxury
Central Serengeti
Couples and wildlife lovers wanting a central Serengeti base with standout service
Luxury
Central Serengeti
Couples and first-time safari-goers wanting classic luxury tented style with big Serengeti views
Luxury
Central Serengeti
Couples and families wanting a polished lodge with panoramic central Serengeti views
Luxury
Seronera
Couples and families wanting comfort and personal service in the heart of Central Serengeti
Luxury
Central Serengeti
Families and groups wanting central Serengeti views
Luxury
Central Serengeti
First-time safari-goers wanting comfort in the heart of the Serengeti
Premium
Central Serengeti
Value-focused first-time safari guests wanting an authentic tented Serengeti stay
Premium
Central Serengeti
Mid-range central Serengeti game viewing with comfort and standout service
Premium
Moru Kopjes
Couples and first-time safari-goers wanting central Serengeti game and comfort
Premium
Central Serengeti
Couples and first-time safari-goers wanting comfort close to the wildlife
Premium
Central Serengeti
First-time safari-goers wanting an authentic central Serengeti bush camp close to the wildlife
Premium
Ikoma
Budget-conscious travelers wanting comfortable tented stays near the Serengeti
Classic
Central Serengeti
Budget-conscious travelers wanting a comfortable central Serengeti base
Classic
Seronera
Budget-conscious travelers wanting comfort and central game viewing
Classic19 lodges
The Kogatende camps sit on the Mara River, which is where we put guests from late July to October. Lobo is a value base further south.
Lobo
Wildlife-focused travelers wanting a well-located North Serengeti base on a value budget
Premium
Northern Serengeti
Couples and small groups wanting an intimate, private migration camp in the far north
Ultra Luxury
Lamai, on the Mara River
Top-luxury Mara river crossings in peak season
Ultra Luxury
Kogatende
Mara River crossing season in the northern Serengeti
Luxury
Kogatende
Couples and first-time safari-goers wanting front-row migration access
Premium
Near the northern Serengeti
Budget travelers wanting an authentic Maasai cultural base near North Serengeti
Classic10 lodges
The Ndutu plains sit just inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the herds calve early in the year.
Southern Serengeti
Top-tier private reserve luxury and off-road exclusivity
Ultra Luxury
Ndutu
Couples and migration-focused travelers wanting an authentic mobile camp close to the Ndutu calving herds
Luxury
Ndutu
Migration travelers wanting a mobile camp right out on the Ndutu calving plains
Premium
Ndutu
Budget-minded travelers wanting a comfortable tented base near the Ndutu migration
Classic
Kusini, southern Serengeti
Budget travelers wanting a quiet southern Serengeti camp near the calving-season migration
Classic6 lodges
The herds reach the western corridor and the Grumeti River around June.
Grumeti
Top-luxury seekers wanting privacy, exclusive-use Grumeti game viewing and design-led suites
Ultra Luxury
Grumeti
Experienced safari travelers wanting private, exclusive-use luxury in the remote Grumeti
Ultra Luxury
Grumeti
Families or private groups wanting an exclusive-use villa with private guiding
Ultra Luxury
Grumeti
Multigenerational families or private groups wanting a fully exclusive-use villa
Ultra Luxury
Grumeti
Top-tier travelers wanting exclusive, all-inclusive luxury in the Western Corridor and Grumeti
Ultra Luxury
Grumeti
Families or groups wanting an exclusive-use private villa in remote Grumeti
Ultra Luxury
Western corridor
Couples and travelers wanting a quieter, classic-luxury western Serengeti base
Premium9 lodges
Plan Your Visit
The Serengeti works all year, but each area has its season. June to October is the dry season, with the river crossings in the north from mid-July, and January to March brings the calving in the south. The map follows the herds month by month, and our Great Migration guide goes deeper.
This season, as of late October 2026. Most of the herds crossed back into the Serengeti in August. The Mara Triangle had filled to about 200,000 by mid-month, a storm on 17 August turned them back, and by the end of August very few were left (Mara Conservancy). Since then groups have moved back and forth with the rain, and in the third week of October some large herds returned to the Triangle (Angama Mara).
Map: Esri. Herd positions are typical, not exact.
Where the herds usually are
On the southern plains around Ndutu, calving
SeasonCalving season
The herds are on the Ndutu plains for the calving, and every predator follows.
The herds follow the rain, so this shifts from year to year. We talk in seasons and never promise a crossing.
Dry season
Migration crossings · Best overall game viewing
The bush thins out, animals gather around shrinking water sources, and visibility is at its best. The herds push north through the Serengeti, and the Mara River crossings begin in mid-July and run through October. Skies are clear and mornings are cool. This is high season, so the best lodges book out early: six to twelve months ahead is ideal.
Best for a first safari and the river crossings
Calving season
Short dry spell · Southern Serengeti · Predator action peaks
The herds gather on the southern Serengeti plains around Ndutu, and most of the calves are born within a few weeks of each other. The birthing draws every predator in the ecosystem, and the flat, open grasslands mean you can see the action unfolding from kilometers away. The landscape is green, the light is soft, and prices are lower than in the dry season.
Best for big cats, photography and lower prices
Green season
Rainy periods · Lush landscapes · Fewer visitors · Lower rates
The rains bring dramatic skies, birding at its peak and a quieter safari. November and December see short rains that rarely disrupt game drives, and many travelers call them a hidden sweet spot. April and May are the wettest months: some lodges close, roads soften and the herds spread across the central Serengeti, but rates are at their lowest and Serengeti park fees are cheapest from 15 March to 15 May. The southern circuit's camps start closing from March.
Best for quiet parks, birding and value
Getting There
Every Serengeti trip starts in Arusha, and there are two ways on from there: by road with your guide, or by light aircraft.
International flights land at Kilimanjaro, about an hour from Arusha, where your first night is a rest night. The light aircraft to the Serengeti leave from Arusha's own small airport, so we never squeeze one in on the day you land.
By road, your guide drives you through Tarangire or Lake Manyara, up past Ngorongoro Crater and down onto the plains. From Karatu it's about five and a half to six and a half hours to the central Serengeti, so we make it a game-drive day rather than a transfer. By air, it's around 70 to 90 minutes from Arusha to Seronera, with other airstrips in the north, the west and at Ndutu. Many of our trips drive in and fly out, so you never repeat the long road.
Light aircraft take soft bags only, around 15kg including hand luggage, so pack light. Heading on? Zanzibar is a light aircraft flight away, and the Masai Mara is about half a day by air for most of the year.
There's no nonstop flight from the US to Kilimanjaro. The quickest route is Kenya Airways' nonstop from New York JFK to Nairobi, about 14 hours, then about an hour on, roughly 17 to 21 hours in all. Our Tanzania page has more on the flights.
Go Further
The Serengeti is rarely a trip on its own. These are the three pairings we get asked about most.
On the way in or out
The road to the Serengeti runs past the crater, so every northern circuit trip includes it. We go down onto the crater floor at first light, after a night on the rim or in Karatu, before the busiest hours.
Beach finish
The classic ending: safari first, beach second. Stone Town for history, then three or four nights on the north or east coast. A typical 13-night safari and beach trip comes to $7,550 to $10,900 per person.
Same ecosystem, across the border
The northern end of the same ecosystem, with private conservancies that allow walking and night drives. We link the two by air in about half a day, and our 12-night Masai Mara and Serengeti trip starts from about $9,550 per person.
The Practical Questions
The questions we're asked most about a Serengeti safari. For visas, health and safety, see the practical notes on our Tanzania page.
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Go Deeper
Long-form guides that help you decide before you commit. Real numbers, real photos, no fluff.
Straight numbers help you decide before you commit. See what an African safari costs, what a Tanzania safari costs, real trips with the real prices, how to choose a Tanzania safari company and how booking works.
Keep Exploring
The same way of traveling, in other corners of Africa.
Start Planning
Tell us your dates, who's traveling and what you'd love to see, and we'll put you in the right part of the Serengeti for your month, with a private itinerary and real prices in US dollars.
Five stars. 5.0 on Google and Tripadvisor37 five-star reviews, every one of them
“Could not have imagined how it could have been better planned and delivered.”
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Samara looks after our guests from the US. Email her or book a call at a time that suits you, or message her on WhatsApp, and she'll come back to you the same day, US time.
Samara Imhoof
Bookings & Client Care
Whether you're just kicking around ideas or already booked. Dates, lodges, costs, changes, payments, flights.
Jackson Potter
Founder
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