Serengeti Safari Guide 2026: Great Migration Timing, Fees & Getting There

By Emma · Updated 20 October 2026 · 2 min read

TL;DR

Choose where to stay by month, as the migration moves around the park
Seronera in the centre has big cats all year
Calving in the south from about January to March, river crossings in the north from July to October
Fly in to save a long day's drive from Arusha

Type: Wildlife
Where: Tanzania
Time needed: 3-5 nights
Admission: about US$70-80 per adult per day plus VAT (2026), check before you go

The Serengeti National Park covers nearly 15,000 square kilometres of northern Tanzania, and its name comes from the Maasai word for "endless plains". It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the largest land migration on earth, when well over a million wildebeest, with zebra and gazelle, circle the ecosystem in search of grazing.

Together with the Ngorongoro Crater, it is the highlight of Tanzania's northern safari circuit, and many visitors finish with a few days on Zanzibar.

What you'll see

The central Seronera Valley has rivers and kopjes (rocky outcrops) that support lions, leopards and cheetahs all year. Elephants, giraffes, buffalo, hippos and huge numbers of antelope are common.

The migration's position depends on the month. From about December to March the herds are on the short-grass plains of the southern Serengeti and Ndutu, where hundreds of thousands of calves are born and predators follow. Around May and June they move through the Western Corridor, crossing the Grumeti River. From July to October they are in the far north, crossing the Mara River and spilling into Kenya's Maasai Mara, before heading south again with the short rains.

Visiting

Fees: park entry has been around US$70-80 per adult per day plus VAT (2026), and is normally included in safari prices. Check what your quote covers.
Where to stay: permanent lodges are mainly in the centre. Mobile tented camps move with the migration, so you can stay close to the herds.
Balloon flights: sunrise flights over the plains operate from several areas, usually costing several hundred US dollars per person, with a champagne breakfast afterwards.
How long: three nights minimum, ideally split between two areas.
Best time: June to October for dry-season game viewing and crossings, January and February for calving. April and May are rainy and quiet.

Getting there

Most people fly from Arusha or Kilimanjaro to one of the park's airstrips in about one to two hours, depending on stops. By road, the drive from Arusha via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area takes most of a day, but it lets you see the crater on the way. There are no direct flights from the UK to Tanzania, so connect via Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul or Nairobi to Kilimanjaro.

Where is Serengeti?

Open in OpenStreetMap · -2.33333, 34.83333

Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit the Serengeti?

For the migration, it depends what you want to see: calving in the south from about January to March, or river crossings in the north from July to October. The central Serengeti is good all year.

Is the Serengeti suitable for a first safari?

Yes, with a good operator. It is bigger and more remote than the Maasai Mara, so allow enough nights. Our first safari guide has more help.

Do I need a guide in the Serengeti?

Self-driving is allowed, but almost all visitors go with a licensed driver-guide. Their knowledge of animal behaviour and of where the herds are makes a huge difference.

Written by

Emma City breaks & deals editor

Emma plans city breaks the way other people plan the weekly shop: on a budget, with a spreadsheet and a backup plan. She covers city guides and deal-hunting.