10 Day Mikumi And Serengeti Safari

Destinations: Tanzania, Mikumi National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park

Over 10 days this route takes in Mikumi, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, each stop with its own character. Zebra, wildebeest, impala and tall Masai giraffe spread across the plain. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor.

Day By Day

Day 1 Arrival At Mikumi

You set out from Dar es Salaam after breakfast and drive to Mikumi National Park, the country changing as the kilometres pass, reaching camp with time to settle in and take a first look before dark. The Hippo Pools in the north hold pods you can watch on foot from a viewing point. Zebra, wildebeest, impala and tall Masai giraffe spread across the plain. Lilac-breasted rollers sit on every third bush, and the birding is strong year round. You settle into camp as the light goes. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.

Mikumi is 3,230 square kilometres and the fourth-largest park in Tanzania, reached on the tar road from the coast. Its Mkata floodplain draws comparisons with the Serengeti for the way lion, buffalo and elephant sit out on open grass. You carry a packed breakfast and stay out while the going is good. Around midday the heat sits heavy, and you rest in the shade before heading out again as it cools.

Impala herd with giraffes among green acacias — Impala and giraffe among the acacias on the first full day in Mikumi.

Day 2 Game Drives In Mikumi

A full day in Mikumi National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Lilac-breasted rollers sit on every third bush, and the birding is strong year round. Mikumi is 3,230 square kilometres and the fourth-largest park in Tanzania, reached on the tar road from the coast. Its Mkata floodplain draws comparisons with the Serengeti for the way lion, buffalo and elephant sit out on open grass. Back at camp after dark, dinner is under the stars.

The Hippo Pools in the north hold pods you can watch on foot from a viewing point. Zebra, wildebeest, impala and tall Masai giraffe spread across the plain. The guide reads the tracks and the birds, and there is no rush to be anywhere. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground.

Large lion pride sleeping under an acacia tree — A whole pride asleep under one tree, the shape of a good midday sighting.

Day 3 Transfer To Serengeti

A short morning out on game drives at first light in Mikumi, then to the airstrip and a light aircraft for the move to Serengeti National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Serengeti in the afternoon. You head out out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.

The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. Late in the afternoon the light turns gold and the game comes back to the open ground. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush.

Day 4 Game Drives In Serengeti

A full day in Serengeti National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. On most drives you will not pass another vehicle.

Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. With a drink in hand you watch the day close over the bush. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set.

Day 5 Game Drives In Serengeti

A full day in Serengeti National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Big cats are the draw, lion on the kopjes, cheetah on the plains, leopard in the riverine trees. The Grumeti and Mara rivers hold crocodile and stage the migration’s river crossings in season. Dawn balloon flights drift over the herds where operators offer them. Back at camp after dark, dinner is under the stars.

The Serengeti runs to nearly 15,000 square kilometres of open plains and scattered kopjes. It carries the great wildebeest migration, well over a million animals moving in a yearly loop. Back at camp, dinner is served under a sky thick with stars. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up.

Lone tree on the dry golden plain — Open plain and a single tree, the country that fills the days up north.

Day 6 Transfer To Ngorongoro Crater

A short morning out on game drives at first light in the Serengeti, then to the road for the move to Ngorongoro Crater. The country changes on the way, and you reach the Ngorongoro Crater in the afternoon. You head out out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor. The rim sits at 2,300 metres and mornings are cold before the sun clears the wall. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.

Its walls hold around 25,000 large animals so game viewing is concentrated and reliable. It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhino completing the Big Five in a day. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, about 260 square kilometres of floor. Each time out turns up something new, and the pace is yours to set. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up.

Day 7 Game Drives In Ngorongoro Crater

A full day in Ngorongoro Crater. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. The rim sits at 2,300 metres and mornings are cold before the sun clears the wall. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, about 260 square kilometres of floor. Its walls hold around 25,000 large animals so game viewing is concentrated and reliable. On most drives you will not pass another vehicle.

It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhino completing the Big Five in a day. Lion, elephant, buffalo and flamingo-lined soda lakes share the crater floor. You stop for coffee where the view is good and let the morning warm up. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves.

Day 8 Transfer To Tarangire

A short morning out on game drives at first light in the Ngorongoro Crater, then to the road for the move to Tarangire National Park. The country changes on the way, and you reach Tarangire in the afternoon. You head out out on game drives as the light softens, a first look at the new ground. Tarangire is known for its elephant, in herds that can number several hundred in the dry season. Big baobabs stand across the park, and the Tarangire River is the dry-season lifeline that pulls in game. Back at camp after dark, dinner is under the stars.

The birding is among the best in the north, with over 500 species recorded. It is quieter than the Serengeti and makes an easy first or last stop on a northern trip. It holds good lion, and dry-country species like fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk on its edges. Nothing is promised in the wild, which is what makes a good sighting count. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves.

Day 9 Game Drives In Tarangire

A full day in Tarangire National Park. You are out on game drives, out early while the light is low and the country is at its best, with the guide working the ground slowly and time to stop for whatever the day turns up. Big baobabs stand across the park, and the Tarangire River is the dry-season lifeline that pulls in game. It holds good lion, and dry-country species like fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk on its edges. The birding is among the best in the north, with over 500 species recorded. You rest through the midday heat and head out again as it cools.

It is quieter than the Serengeti and makes an easy first or last stop on a northern trip. Tarangire is known for its elephant, in herds that can number several hundred in the dry season. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead.

Day 10 Departure

A final morning out on game drives before you leave, the best window of the trip for anything still on your list. You make the most of the early light, then you drive back toward Dar es Salaam. It holds good lion, and dry-country species like fringe-eared oryx and gerenuk on its edges. The birding is among the best in the north, with over 500 species recorded. This 10-day trip links Mikumi, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire, with the travelling done between the wildlife so your days stay on the ground that matters. It is quieter than the Serengeti and makes an easy first or last stop on a northern trip.

Tarangire is known for its elephant, in herds that can number several hundred in the dry season. Big baobabs stand across the park, and the Tarangire River is the dry-season lifeline that pulls in game. The country is quiet here, and on most outings you have it to yourselves. Your guide has the ground worked out, and knows where the day is likely to lead.

What’s Included

All internal flights and road transfers on the route
Full-board accommodation on safari as shown
Game drives and the activities named in the day plan
Park entry fees for the days shown
Airport and airstrip transfers, drinking water in the vehicle

What’s Not Included

International flights and any visa
Travel insurance
Drinks, tips for guides and staff
Activities not listed and items of a personal nature

Why Does This Tanzania Safari Stand Out?

This trip earns its place because the stops are nothing alike, and seeing them together makes each one land harder. The Hippo Pools in the north hold pods you can watch on foot from a viewing point. Zebra, wildebeest, impala and tall Masai giraffe spread across the plain. The birding is among the best in the north, with over 500 species recorded. Linking Mikumi, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire in one route means you cover more of Tanzania than a single park allows, and the travelling between them is short. On 10 days you get range without the trip feeling rushed, the set-piece wildlife, the quieter corners, and the change of country from one stop to the next. For a traveller who wants variety over a single famous name, this is a strong, well-balanced way to see the region, and it works whether it is a first trip or a return.

Can You See Enough on a 10 Day Tanzania Safari?

10 days across Mikumi, the Serengeti, the Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire is a well-judged length, though it is a read of each stop rather than a deep stay. You get a full day or more at the main parks, enough to see the headline wildlife and still catch the quieter moments. It suits travellers who value breadth and do not mind moving every couple of days. What this length cannot do is exhaust any one park, the biggest of them could fill a week on their own, so the remote corners stay for another trip. If a single place is your priority, spend the nights there instead. And if you have longer, the route takes an easy add-on, whether that is more time with the wildlife or a stretch on the coast to finish. As it stands, this 10-day trip is balanced and full.

How Much Money Do You Need for This Tanzania Safari?

What you pay turns mostly on the camps and the season. In Tanzania, park fees run from USD 35 to 70 per adult per day depending on the park, with the Ngorongoro Crater charged higher. As a rough guide, most trips of this length run from around USD 3,000 to 6,500 per person sharing, higher in the peak dry months and cheaper in the green season. Camp and lodge level is the big lever, from simple tented camps to the smarter river and bush camps, and a shared vehicle between four brings the per-person cost down. Tell an operator your dates, group size and the standard you want and it can be quoted to the figure.