An antelope with curved horns striding through tall grass

The great wildebeest migration

Self-drive safaris in Tanzania

Tanzania is on the list of countries I plan for, and the one thing that pulls almost everybody there is the great wildebeest migration across the plains.

Parks I have driven myself

Serengeti

What Tanzania is known for: open plains and the migration that moves across them with the seasons. Where the herds are in a given month decides everything about the route, which is why the date matters more here than anywhere else.

Ngorongoro

A caldera with its own resident wildlife, reachable on the same route as the Serengeti. Access and permits work differently from the parks further south, so this is one to plan rather than improvise.

Worth knowing

Straight answer: the parks I have driven myself are Kruger, Kgalagadi, Etosha, Mana Pools and Chobe. Tanzania I plan for, but I have not written it up on this site yet, ask me directly and I will go through it properly with you.

Entry

Visa required — eVisa in advance or on arrival

Driving

On the left. Long transfers; most people fly between areas

Money

Tanzanian Shilling; US Dollars are common for park fees

Malaria

Risk almost everywhere and all year, lower at altitude

Best months

June to October, plus the short dry spell in January and February

As of August 2026. Entry rules change — check with your own foreign ministry before you travel.

Where that is