This 5-day safari explores the Serengeti National Park from east to west, beginning in the wildlife-rich central Seronera area and moving into the less-visited Western Corridor around the Grumeti River for two days before the final descent into the Ngorongoro Crater. The route gives both the year-round predator activity of central Serengeti and the more exclusive river ecosystem of the western corridor in a single efficient itinerary.
For a 6-day version that also includes Tarangire National Park, see our 6-day western corridor safari. For a northern Serengeti focus with Mara River crossings, see our 6-day north migration safari.
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$3,902 per person when 1 travel alone
$2,995 per person when 2 people travel together
$2,693 per person when 3 people travel together
$2,542 per person when 4 people travel together
$2,451 per person when 5 people travel together
$2,391 per person when 6 people travel together
For a more accurate estimate, contact us with your specific requirements and budget. We'll send a detailed quote based on your itinerary, group size, and preferred level of comfort.
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Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport your guide meets you and transfers you to your hotel in Arusha. After check-in, a briefing prepares you for the safari ahead.
Distance: Airport transfer to Arusha hotel
Activity: Transfer and safari briefing
Accommodation: Hotel or lodge in Arusha
Meals: Half Board
After breakfast, begin the scenic journey toward Serengeti National Park. The drive passes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area highlands before entering the park through Naabi Hill Gate. An afternoon game drive in the central Seronera area introduces the Serengeti's resident wildlife — lions on kopjes, leopards in acacia trees, and large herds of zebra and wildebeest on the open plains.
Distance: Approximately 320 km from Arusha to central Serengeti, around 6-7 hours
Activity: Afternoon game drive in central Serengeti
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in central Serengeti
Meals: Full Board
After breakfast, drive west toward the Grumeti River area in the Western Corridor of the Serengeti. The landscape transitions from open savannah to a mix of plains, riverine forest, and seasonal wetlands. The Grumeti River and its surrounding ecosystem are home to large Nile crocodiles, hippo pools, and the wildlife that concentrates along the water's edge year-round. During migration season (May to July), wildebeest herds cross the Grumeti in a spectacle comparable to the more famous Mara River crossings.
Distance: Approximately 100 km from central to western Serengeti, around 2-3 hours
Activity: En route game drive; afternoon game drive in western Serengeti Grumeti area
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in western Serengeti
Meals: Full Board
A full day in the Western Corridor. Fewer vehicles and a more remote feel make this one of the most exclusive game viewing areas in the Serengeti ecosystem. The Grumeti area supports elephants, giraffes, buffalo, lions, leopards, and hyenas alongside the migration herds when in season. A picnic lunch is enjoyed in the bush.
Distance: Game drives within the western Serengeti Grumeti area
Activity: Full-day game drives with picnic lunch in the bush
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp in western Serengeti
Meals: Full Board
After breakfast, a morning game drive in the western Serengeti before departing for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You arrive at the crater rim in the afternoon for dinner and overnight.
Distance: Approximately 250 km from western Serengeti to Ngorongoro rim
Activity: Morning game drive; afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro
Accommodation: Lodge or tented camp on the Ngorongoro crater rim
Meals: Full Board
After an early breakfast you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a game drive with a picnic lunch. The crater floor hosts elephants, lions, buffalo, hippos, flamingos, and the rare black rhino. After the drive you ascend and return to Arusha.
Distance: Approximately 200 km from Ngorongoro to Arusha
Activity: Ngorongoro Crater game drive with picnic lunch; return to Arusha
Accommodation: N/A – return to Arusha
Meals: Half Board
Add Tarangire National Park at the start for a fuller circuit — see our 6-day western corridor safari. For the northern Serengeti Mara River crossings, see our 6-day north migration safari.
The Western Corridor is the narrow western extension of Serengeti National Park that reaches toward Lake Victoria. It is defined by the Grumeti River — the western equivalent of the Mara River — and is home to large Nile crocodiles, hippos, and riverine forest alongside the open plains. The seasonal migration passes through here between May and July, though the Western Corridor supports excellent resident wildlife year-round.
The 6-day version adds Tarangire National Park at the start before continuing to the western Serengeti. This 5-day version enters the Serengeti directly from Arusha through the central Seronera area before heading west, giving more time in the Serengeti itself without the Tarangire day.
The central Serengeti offers year-round Big Five sightings and outstanding predator activity. The western Grumeti area adds hippos, large Nile crocodiles, riverine forest species, and migration herds in season. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa's best locations for black rhino.
All park fees, crater service fee, full-board accommodation throughout, a professional driver-guide, 4x4 safari vehicle, all game drives, drinking water, and airport transfers.
Year-round for resident wildlife. The seasonal migration passes through between May and July, with Grumeti River crossings during this period.
Yes. Tarangire or Lake Manyara can be added, or the tour can be extended. Contact us to discuss options.
Most nationalities require a tourist visa, available as an e-visa in advance or on arrival.
Yes, though the western Serengeti is particularly rewarding as a complement to or variation on the standard central Serengeti circuit.
Fewer camps than the central or northern areas — which contributes to its exclusive feel. Options range from permanent tented camps to seasonal camps during migration. Please specify your preferred category at booking.
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