The Serengeti National Park covers 14,763 sq km of open savannah, acacia woodland, seasonal rivers, and granite kopjes in northern Tanzania. It is the oldest and largest of Tanzania’s national parks and forms part of the broader Serengeti-Mara ecosystem that extends into Kenya’s Masai Mara. The park is the setting for the Great Migration — the annual movement of approximately 1.5 million wildebeest and 250,000 zebra — and holds permanent populations of lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, and hippo.
All tours below are bookable through GetYourGuide with verified reviews. Prices are per person in USD as of 2026.
1. Serengeti: Hot Air Balloon Safari at Dawn
Serengeti National Park: Balloon Safari at Dawn (from $599 per person)
The balloon safari is the Serengeti’s most distinctive experience and the only way to see the ecosystem from above at dawn. Flights launch before sunrise from a mobile camp that relocates seasonally to stay near the migration, and the one-hour flight carries passengers over the open savannah as the light comes up — wildebeest herds, zebra lines, and predator activity visible from altitude with no vehicle noise and no road constraints.
After landing, a bush breakfast is served in the field before transfer back to camp. The flight covers a different part of the park each morning depending on wind direction — no two flights follow the same path.
Duration: 4–5 hours total (1 hour in the air) | Difficulty: Easy
Includes: Pre-dawn transfer from camp, balloon flight, champagne toast on landing, bush breakfast
Book at least 2–3 months ahead for the July–October peak season. Balloon capacity is limited to 12–16 passengers and this experience sells out faster than any other Serengeti activity.
2. Serengeti: Balloon Safari with Bush Breakfast
Serengeti: Balloon Safari and Bush Breakfast (from $599 per person)
An alternative balloon option with the bush breakfast included as the centrepiece of the post-flight experience. The breakfast is served in the open savannah, sometimes with wildlife visible in the near distance — this is the version most commonly photographed in Serengeti marketing. The champagne toast on landing is traditional across all Serengeti balloon operators.
Duration: 4–5 hours | Difficulty: Easy
Includes: Balloon flight, bush breakfast in the field, champagne on landing
3. Serengeti: Hot Air Balloon with Champagne Breakfast
Serengeti: Hot Air Balloon Flight with Champagne Breakfast (from $599 per person)
This balloon option departs from the Mara Region in the northern Serengeti — the zone where the Mara River crossings happen July to October. The northern Serengeti has the highest density of predator activity outside of the Migration period, as resident lion prides occupy the river corridors year-round.
Duration: 4–5 hours | Difficulty: Easy
Includes: Balloon flight from northern Serengeti, champagne breakfast
4. From Arusha: 2-Day Luxury Serengeti Safari
Arusha: 2-Day Luxury Serengeti Safari (from $900 per person)
The shortest viable Serengeti option: fly from Arusha to the Serengeti (approximately 45 minutes on a light aircraft) and spend two days in the park with one night at a mid-range lodge. The aerial transfer eliminates the 5-hour overland drive each way, making the park accessible in a 2-day window without the transit burden.
Game drives focus on the central Seronera Valley, which has the highest year-round concentration of wildlife in the park — resident lion prides, leopard in the riverine fig trees along the Seronera River, and large elephant and buffalo herds.
Duration: 2 days / 1 night | Difficulty: Easy
Includes: Return flights from Arusha, lodge accommodation, game drives, park fees, meals
5. From Arusha: 3-Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Safari
Kilimanjaro: 3-Day Serengeti and Ngorongoro Safari Tour (from $900 per person)
The standard northern circuit safari in compact form. The itinerary typically runs: Day 1 — overland to the Serengeti via Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with an afternoon game drive; Day 2 — full day in the Serengeti with morning and afternoon game drives; Day 3 — descent into the Ngorongoro Crater, game drive on the crater floor, overland return to Arusha.
The Ngorongoro Crater descent is the highlight for many travellers: the crater’s enclosed 260 sq km holds one of Africa’s densest lion populations, large black rhino numbers, hippo pools, and elephant, all within a 20-km-diameter area.
Duration: 3 days / 2 nights | Difficulty: Easy (vehicle-based)
Includes: All transport, accommodation (camp or budget lodge), game drives, guide, most meals, park fees
6. 4-Day Tanzania Safari: Serengeti and Ngorongoro
4-Day Tanzania Safari: Serengeti and Ngorongoro (from $1,200 per person)
The extra day allows a second full morning in the Serengeti — the most valuable addition in terms of wildlife encounters. Predator activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise; a 3-day tour has one such morning in the park while a 4-day tour has two. The itinerary also allows more flexibility to track the migration positioning during the relevant months.
Duration: 4 days / 3 nights | Difficulty: Easy
Includes: All transport, accommodation, game drives, guide, park fees, most meals
7. From Zanzibar: 2-Day Serengeti Safari with Flights
From Zanzibar: 2-Day Serengeti National Park Safari with Flights (from $1,500 per person)
For travellers spending time on Zanzibar, this tour avoids the Zanzibar-to-Arusha overland complexity by flying directly from Zanzibar to the Serengeti airstrip and returning the same way. Two days gives one full day of game drives in the central Serengeti. It is the most practical way to add a Serengeti experience to an otherwise beach-focused Tanzania itinerary.
Duration: 2 days / 1 night | Difficulty: Easy
Includes: Return flights from Zanzibar, lodge accommodation, game drives, park fees, meals
How to Choose
| Tour | Duration | Best for | From Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balloon Safari at Dawn | Half day | Aerial dawn experience, add-on to any safari | $599 |
| 2-Day Luxury Safari (fly-in) | 2 days | Time-limited, avoids long drives | $900 |
| 3-Day Serengeti + Ngorongoro | 3 days | Full northern circuit, best value | $900 |
| 4-Day Safari | 4 days | Extra dawn game drive, more flexibility | $1,200 |
| From Zanzibar: 2-Day Safari | 2 days | Beach-and-safari combination | $1,500 |
The balloon safari works as an add-on to any of the multi-day packages above — book it for your second or third morning in the park when you already have a feel for the terrain. Browse all Serengeti safari tours on GetYourGuide.