Witnessing the Great Migration

A Budget Safari in Tanzania – November 2011

As part of a larger journey through Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, I spent a week in Tanzania to experience the legendary wildebeest migration across the Serengeti. To keep costs down, I booked a budget safari through a local Tanzanian operator, opting to tent camp every night instead of staying in expensive lodges.

Budget Safari, Million-Dollar Views

To keep costs low, I booked a budget safari through a local Tanzanian operator and opted for tent camping every night instead of the more luxurious (and costly) safari lodges. Despite the simple accommodations, the experience was rich in every other way—open skies, the sounds of the wild at night, and the thrill of waking to fresh animal tracks outside my tent.

The Serengeti: A Living, Breathing Wonder

The Serengeti National Park delivered everything I had imagined and more. Herds of wildebeest and zebra blanketed the plains, stretching across the horizon in seemingly endless motion. Predators trailed nearby—lions on rocky outcrops, cheetahs scanning the grasslands—each moment alive with the drama of survival.

Into the Crater

I also visited the Ngorongoro Crater Reserve, a massive, extinct volcanic caldera now transformed into a lush, natural amphitheater brimming with wildlife. From the rim-top Simba Public Campsite, I descended each morning into the crater to spot elephants, flamingos, lions, and one of Tanzania’s last remaining populations of black rhino.

Final Reflections

This corner of Africa lives up to its mythic status—wild, vast, and unforgettable. Of all my wildlife adventures around the world, witnessing the Serengeti during the Great Migration remains one of my top all-time travel experiences, perhaps the best. If you ever get the chance, don’t miss it—this is truly one of the natural wonders of the world.

Into the Serengeti: Wildlife, Maasai Warriors, and Ancient Traditions

The Serengeti, meaning “endless plains” in the Maasai language, is one of the most spectacular wildlife displays on Earth. It hosts the largest land migration in the world, as millions of wildebeest and zebras make their annual journey hundreds of miles from southern Kenya into the Serengeti.

With a 4WD jeep, a driver/guide, and a cook, I spent two days exploring the Serengeti, camping in a wild, unfenced campground with open access to the animals—a raw and immersive experience that brought me closer to nature than ever before.

Meeting the Maasai: Warriors of the Serengeti

Beyond the wildlife, I wanted to experience the Maasai way of life, so I arranged to visit villages not frequented by tourists. The Maasai are the warrior tribe of the Serengeti, known for their tall stature, pride, and legacy of courage.

Traditionally, young Maasai men proved their bravery by hunting a lion alone—a rite of passage into manhood. However, with conservation efforts and modern education, this ritual has changed. Today, young men spend time living in the wilderness with an experienced warrior, learning the ways of the bush rather than killing a lion.

The villages are fortified with circular thickets of thorn bushes, protecting livestock and people from predators like lions and leopards at night. Despite decades of exposure to tourism, the Maasai have held onto many of their traditional ways and beliefs.

In the village I visited, only one man spoke English, having studied in the city. He explained how the Maasai culture is evolving, balancing tradition with the realities of modern life. While the ancient warrior customs have adapted, the Maasai spirit remains unchanged—deeply connected to the land, their animals, and their heritage.

Map of my route to the Serengeti

Me with some village kids

Massai Village-

Visiting a Maasai Village Outside Ngorongoro Crater

Just outside Ngorongoro Crater, I visited a Maasai village, a community belonging to the predominant culture of northwest Tanzania, including the Serengeti and surrounding plains. The Maasai are known for their tall stature, warrior traditions, and deep connection to their land and livestock.

The village, like many others, was fortified with thick thorny branches, forming a protective barrier against lions, hyenas, leopards, and other predators that roam the African wilderness. Despite the encroachment of modernity, the Maasai continue to uphold their traditions, living in harmony with the land as they have for centuries.

Massai woman-The majority of Massaii women and men wear abundant necklaces and piercings of colorful beads. Women typically shave all of their hair off and when married wear the white cap like the one above. 

Massai man

Massai women with shaved hair are married 

Into the Wild: Two Days in the Maasai Mara

For two days, I explored the Maasai Mara, witnessing an incredible array of wildlife in near solitude. My private vehicle and skilled guide allowed us to avoid tourist crowds and venture deep into quieter parts of the park away from the tourist hordes.

We saw countless lions, often perched on rocky outcrops, and were surrounded by vast herds of wildebeest and zebra that would appear like a wave across the horizon, only to vanish within hours. The combination of raw wildlife, open space, and solitude made for a truly unforgettable safari experience.

The yearly great migration of over a million wildebeest and zebras across the African plains in pursuit of greener pastures. It was one of the most amazing sights of my life, although I didn’t appreciate the tsetse flies that traveled with them.

Acacia tree

Nile Crocodile waiting for animals to cross the river-Every body of water no matter how small usually has some of these guys.

Safari vehicle watching a giraffe

lions perched on rocks

The leopard mother and her cubs were hiding under the safari vehicle on the run from a troop of baboons that were trying to attack and eat the cubs. The mother carried her cubs from the tree and under the vehicle until the baboons departed.

Mother leopard

Mother leoaprd hid her cubs in oiur wheel well for an hour to protect them from baboons

Pod of hippos

A pride of lions watched patiently over the herds of prey close by waiting for the cloak of darkness to set in before setting off for the hunt.

Chamelion 

Thirsty giraffe

Elephant with baby

Migrating zebra

Lone elephant

Camping with Giants: A Night in the Wild Maasai Mara

When I asked to camp alone in the most remote corner of the campground, my guide looked shocked. I soon understood why.

Night Visitors

That night, my tent became the center of a nocturnal wildlife parade—hyenas, buffalo, a giraffe, and a herd of elephants passed silently through the camp. Not far off, I could hear a lion’s haunting roar echoing in the darkness.

I love camping in wild places, not only for the thrill, but also because it’s far cheaper than staying in a lodge. But in the Maasai Mara, wild animals roam freely through campgrounds, and at night, hyenas skulked between tents, their red eyes reflecting in my flashlight beam.

Face to Face with an Elephant

As I lay still in my tent, I heard a chewing sound nearby. The moon was bright, the wind dead still. I unzipped the fly just an inch—and there it was: an elephant towering directly above my tent, its glowing eyes staring down at me. I didn’t move a muscle.

The elephant calmly fed on fruit from a nearby tree while I waited—frozen—for 20 minutes until it finally moved on. One by one, the entire herd passed silently, ghost-like in the moonlight.

Godzilla in the Distance

Later that night, I heard a deep, thunderous bellow—like Godzilla approaching. I stayed in my tent, bracing for impact. In the morning, I learned the sound came from a giant male elephant in musth, stalking the females.

As we drove out, we passed the same elephant—agitated, vocal, and visibly aroused, with a tusk-shaking roar. He charged our vehicle, a clear warning: get out of his way.

My tent in the Serengetti-Seronera Public Campsite

From my tent, I heard what sounded like a bunch of dinosaurs roaring and fighting during the night, and later on, just outside my tent. It turns out an aggressive bull elephant was stalking a herd of females trying to mate with them, only to be fought off every time. Judging by the photo above, I can understand why they would want nothing to do with this beast.

Into the Crater: Exploring Ngorongoro

It’s hard to imagine a trip to the Serengeti without visiting Ngorongoro Crater—the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. Though no longer active, this massive crater is now a breathtaking wildlife sanctuary, its grasslands teeming with animals.

Ngorongoro is also one of the last strongholds of the endangered black rhino in Tanzania, making it a must-visit for anyone hoping to glimpse this elusive species.

I camped at Simba Public Campsite, perched along the crater rim, where the air was cool and the views stretched for miles. Each day, I descended into the crater by vehicle, observing lions, elephants, flamingos, and more in this ancient, wildlife-filled amphitheater.

The largest crater in the world with one of the highest densities of wildlife.

Cape Buffalo- This big beast frothing with sweat and saliva, also known as the second most dangerous animal in Africa, was one of many visitors outside of my tent my first night in the Serengeti. I was pretty sure to stay very quite.

Hyena

Hyena

Black Rhino

Elephants

Cheetah