Tanzania Big Game Safari August 2026

Trip Overview

Join our breath-taking itinerary to Tanzania and discover some of Africa's best safari spots with renowned wildlife photographer, Mark B. Hatter. After an overnight stay in Arusha, the group drives south for 3 days of game drives in Tarangire National Park. It's then on to Serengeti National Park, via a tour of the famous Ngorongoro Crater. At the end of the trip, the group will fly from Kogatende back to Arusha for their outbound international flight.

Tanzania offers a huge diversity of game species and is one of the best destinations for spotting the Big 5. From the rolling planes of the Serengeti to the dramatic cliffs of the Ngorongoro Crater, the stunning scenery sets the perfect backdrop for photographing the abundant wildlife. August is an ideal time to visit when huge number of elephants, giraffes, and buffalo gather throughout Tarangire National Park, and the wildebeest migration across the Serengeti is coming to an end.

Click here for our trip reports from previous Tanzania safaris:

Tanzania Big Game Safari - August 2024

Tanzania Big Game Safari - December 2024

Watch some of the highlights from Bluewater Travel's 10-night Tanzania Big Game Safari October 2022

Tanzania Overview

Home to Africa's highest mountain Kilimanjaro, Tanzania will sweep you away with its natural beauty and exciting safaris. When we first arrive in Arusha you will already be amazed by Maasai culture, their bold colors, warm smiles, and lively daily lives. The Arusha city is surrounded by stunning scenery from where we start our journey to see all the beauty Africa has to offer.

Tarangire National Park

Away from the busier areas, Tarangire National Park will promise its visitors wilderness and adventure. You will see herds of elephants and savannahs including baobab and acacia woodlands. Other animals you can see here are herds of buffalo, Thomson gazelle, zebra, wildebeest, gerenuk, and many more. Moreover, there are more than 500 species of birds in this national park like the Yellow-collared lovebirds and the worlds largest bird, the stocking-thighed ostrich.

The Serengeti National Park

The park has become the synonym of African Safaris with golden sunsets over the savannah, clouds of orange dust, and where you can see the famous Great Migration. You also might be able to see black maned lions, leopards, rhinos, and wild dogs. One of the reasons that this park is one of the most famous ones in Africa, is that its ecosystem is the oldest and most complex in the world.

Ngorongoro Crater

The Ngorongoro Crater is unique for having the highest density of lions in the world, including the black maned lions. Its an incredible sanctuary for wildlife and you can also see herds of zebra, gazelle, black rhinos, hippos in muddy water, cheetahs, thousands of flamingos, and much more. Besides wildlife, the Maasai tribes live in the area as well, where you can learn more about their culture.

Sample Itinerary

Here's the schedule for this trip:

Day 1: Katambuga House

Arusha is the safari capital of Tanzania located at the foot of Mt. Meru, close to Mount Kilimanjaro, the Manyara, Tarangire, and Ngorongoro National Parks. From there its only a short trip to the Serengeti. Just to the north, on the slopes of Mt. Meru is the Arusha National Park. Built by the Germans as a center of colonial administration because of the temperate climate, Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from your safari.

• Arrival at Kilimanjaro International airport. After finishing passport control and customs, you are met by your Safari guide at the arrivals gate. After a brief introduction, your guide takes you to Arusha, for check-in and overnight.
• Driving time is approx. 1.5 hours
• Overnight: Katambuga House

Day 2-4: Tarangire Safari Lodge, Tarangire National Park

After the Serengeti, Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania, and in the dry season, the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest, and eland gather, and not surprisingly the predators follow. This is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx and gerenuk are regularly spotted. Tarangire is also known for its spectacular baobab trees and its breathtaking views of the Masaai Steppe and the mountains to the south. Located just a few hours drive from the town of Arusha, Tarangire is a popular stop for safaris traveling through the northern circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. The park extends into two game-controlled areas and the wildlife are allowed to move freely throughout.

• After breakfast, depart your lodge with a packed lunch and drive to Tarangire National Park. Enjoy your day with game drives in the park and lunch at a picnic site. Late afternoon arrive at your lodge for check-in, dinner, and overnight. You will stay for 2 nights with game drives.
• This is a full-day activity. The drive from Arusha to Tarangire is about 1.5-2 hours.
• Overnight: Tarangire Safari Lodge
• Tarangire Safari Lodge is located within the national park boundary of Tarangire National Park, approximately 10 km away from the main entrance. Perched at the edge of a natural bluff, the lodge is renowned for its panoramic views of the Savannah and Tarangire River below, providing breathtaking scenery and game viewing. The lodges safari tents, with thatched roofs and large, mesh screened windows, provide the ideal opportunity to connect with the sights and sounds of nature. Each tent has a comfortable veranda, ideal for bird and game viewing, or reading a favorite book after a dusty safari. With a choice of twin, double, or triple accommodation, all tents are equipped with en suite bathrooms with solar-heated showers, ample cupboard space, and cultural touch of local textiles. The five circular bungalows, built in a similar style to the Maasai boma, offer a more spacious option for family and triple accommodation. The airy rooms are situated near a large watering hole, creating the opportunity to watch wildlife from the shaded veranda. The bungalows are set away from the main lodge, providing privacy, and all are equipped with large en suite bathrooms with solar-heated showers, and comfortable bedding made from local textiles.

Day 4: Ngorongoro Farm House, Karatu

• After breakfast, depart your lodge with a packed lunch and drive to Tarangire National Park. Enjoy your day with game viewing and your lunch at a picnic site. Late afternoon drive to your Karatu lodge for check-in, dinner, and overnight.
• This is a full-day activity. The drive from Tarangire to Karatu is about 1.5-2 hours.
• Overnight: Ngorongoro Farm House
• Ngorongoro Farmhouse Lodge is situated beneath the majestic Oldeani Volcano and boasts easy access to both the untamed wilderness of Ngorongoro Conservation Area, as well as the simple pleasure of a ramble through 500 acres of farmland. Ngorongoro Farm House was inaugurated on February 20th, 2003, and is offering 52 room cottages, 49 standard rooms, and 3 suite rooms, all with ample space inside, built on the style of an old colonial farm and rustically decorated with local materials and full of details of good taste, with the purpose of offering our clients an imaginary journey to the life of the days gone.

Day 5: Lake Masek Tented Lodge, Ndutu

The Ngorongoro Crater is game viewing gone crazy and it is not surprising that with is one of Tanzanias major tourist drawcards. Within the crater rim, a daily wildlife drama is played out as large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze nearby lions, leopards, elephants, and black rhinos. Outside of the crater, a similar drama continues in a more spread-out manner with Masai herdsmen thrown into the mix.

• After breakfast, depart from your lodge with a packed lunch and drive through the lush Ngorongoro highlands into the Ngorongoro conservation area, descend into the Ngorongoro crater, and spend half a day on the crater with game viewing. In the afternoon ascend and drive to the Serengeti plains. Arrive at the Ndutu woodlands in the early evening, check in to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
• This is a full-day activity.
• Overnight: Lake Masek Tented Lodge
• Lake Masek Tented Lodge is situated in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, overlooking Lake Masek. The unique location is witness to the wildebeest migration which takes place from December to April each year. There is resident Big 5 game all year round in the area. The camp is Eco friendly, all the electric power is supplied by solar panels and water is collected during the rainy season. All the products used are biodegradable in order to ensure that the environment is kept pristine. Guest accommodations feature 20 luxury tents with en suite facilities and either king-sized beds, twins, or triple beds. Each tent is built on a raised wooden platform with a veranda from which guests can observe the wildlife visiting Lake Masek. The bedroom area is ample and tastefully furnished. The bathroom area with twin washbasins, a standalone bath, and an outside shower is separated from the bedroom area by way of a screen. Guests can enjoy a relaxing bath or take a shower under the stars.

Day 6: Kati Kati Tented Camp, Central Serengeti

The Serengeti together with Kenyas Masai Mara Game Park forms Africas most famous wildlife park. The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomizes Africa for many, and then add a Masai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation needs to go no further. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet with more than a million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; large prides of lions, elephants, and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles, and eland to mention but a few. Aside from traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Serengeti plains has become almost essential and you can even do a horseback safari.

• After breakfast, depart your lodge with a packed lunch and drive through ndutu woodland. Explore the short and long grass plains, the river valleys, and the woodlands. Late afternoon arrive at your lodge in the central Serengeti for dinner and Overnight. You will stay for 1 night with game drives.
• This is a full-day activity.
• Overnight: Kati Kati Tented Camp
• The camp offers comfortable accommodation and a unique opportunity to enjoy a real safari camp experience. The camp is only a two-hour scenic drive from Olduvai Gorge Museum and Grumeti River. A cozy mess tent is located in the center of the camp where meals are served. The campfire is ready every evening for appetizers and snacks before dinner. 10 tents with en suite facilities. There are several airstrips in the National Park that receive scheduled flights from Arusha as well as charter flights.

Day 7-11: Esirai Migration Camp Northern Serengeti, Northern Serengeti

The vast, rolling savannah of the Northern Serengeti, is known as the hub of the great migration. The landscape is characterized by vast stretches of savannah interspersed with acacia trees and riverine woodlands. Wildlife can be seen along the banks of the Mara River and visitors can view the annual spectacle of the half a million migrating wildebeest. Commonly spotted wildlife include: a multitude of plains game such as buffalo, zebra, gazelles, impala, giraffe as well as lion and leopard. Visitors can look forward to bird watching, hot air ballooning, game safaris, and guided bush walks.

• After breakfast, depart your lodge with a packed lunch and drive through the Serengeti plains heading north. Explore the long grass plains the river valleys and the woodlands. Late afternoon arrive at your lodge in the northern Serengeti for dinner and Overnight. You will stay for 4 nights at Esirai Migration Camp with game drives.
• This is a full-day activity.
• Overnight: Esirai Migration CampNorthern Serengeti
• Migration Camping is about total privacy with no other camp for miles around. The tents are spacious and comfortable offering the perfect blend of mobility and comfort, the sites are wildlife-rich and scenically beautiful and the dining caters to your personal needs with a private chef, a well-appointed mess tent, and free consumption bar.
• Classic mobile camping is the best standard of mobile camping in Tanzania; in the grand style of the traditional East African safaris, once the privilege of royals. Large, comfortable, and beautifully furnished mobile tents, with en-suite toilets and hot showers. It is a private home away from home in the bush and is ideal for anyone who wants the ultimate in comfort, mobility, and exclusivity, offering a more flexible wilderness and wildlife viewing experience than any lodge can give!
• The camp is fully lit by solar lighting, the kitchen is equipped with a gas freezer and fridge, and a generator serves as a backup for any emergency. The camp is run with strict adherence to eco principles, all cooking is done on gas and bio-briquettes brought in from our head office.

Day 11: End of Itinerary

• Fly from the Serengeti to Arusha Airport. A transfer vehicle awaits you at Arusha airport to take you for lunch. After lunch, you are transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport to connect with your international flight.

Learn more about our Safari Accommodations.

Visiting Tanzania In August

The trip takes place during the best season to see the most wildlife. From June to October, the Great Migration takes place which is the best time to see much of the wildlife gathering around remaining waterholes due to the low rainfall throughout winter.

Travel Information & What To Pack

Clothing

Bring comfortable clothes and dress modestly to respect the local people and culture. Be prepared with clothes both for warm weather conditions on the plains and colder temperatures on the hilly and mountainous areas. Also, the early mornings and evenings can be surprisingly cool! Wear neutral-colored clothes on safaris and especially in lighter tones or khaki as the tsetse flies are attracted to dark colors. We also recommend packing light. Most of the lodging offers laundry services at an extra cost, but many of them also do only hand washing and don't accept underwear.

Food & Water

We recommend bringing your own water bottle as many lodges and camps have a water dispenser to fill your bottle with drinking water. To support the community, local produce is used as much as possible. Trying new foods will be part of the experience!

Electricity

Electricity supplies in rural areas are mostly provided by generators or solar panels. Though the camps and lodges can provide lighting and power in guest rooms, most of the rooms do not have electricity sockets. Ask about the charging facilities in the accommodations. The electricity supply in Tanzania is 200 volts/AC50Hz. The plugs do vary and we recommend taking multi-adapters to cope with 3 square pin sockets and 2 round pin sockets.

Local Currency

The local currency is the Tanzanian Shilling. All international airports have money-changing facilities and there are banks and ATMs available, but we recommend changing your money upon arrival as it is more difficult to change money whilst on safari. Credit cards are accepted in larger hotels and restaurants, but it is preferable to travel with cash.