9 Days Great Serengeti Migration Tanzania Safari | Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater & Lake Manyara
TOUR OVERVIEW
9 Days Great Serengeti Migration North Tanzania safari from August to October allows you to explore Tanzania’s most stunning wilderness areas and some of nature’s greatest wildlife spectacles in style. Experience a journey of contrast from the hidden wonders of the Tarangire National Park to Ngorongoro Crater and the world-renowned and Great wildebeest Migration along Serengeti River in North Serengeti.
TRIP ITINERARY
Day
1
Moshi / Arusha to Tarangire National Park (152.7 Km/2.45 Hrs. Drive)
This will take place after breakfast in the morning. We will provide you with all the essential information, before we set off westwards to our first safari destination, Tarangire National Park. Tarangire National Park is best known for its great elephant herds, savannah, baobab trees, seasonal swamps and the life-giving Tarangire River. Animals gather at the river like giraffes, bushbucks and hartebeests are often seen. The park is also home to buffaloes, zebras and wildebeests which are always closely followed by a range of predators such as lions. Leopards are seen every once in a while, but cheetahs are rarely spotted. From the open roof of the vehicle, you will be able to view the landscape and watch the variety of animals. In late afternoon, you will go to your accommodation for evening meal and our overnight stay.
Day
2
Tarangire National Park to Karatu Town (135 Km/2.30 Hrs. Drive)
After a morning breakfast you will head out on another game drive in the Tarangire National Park. During the dry season between June and October, the Tarangire River is the only permanent source of water and the wildlife tends to concentrate in its vicinity. You will stop at one of the picnic spots for lunch. In the afternoon, you leave this beautiful park behind. Passing through the multi-cultural town of Mto wa Mbu, the higher lands are soon reached and wonderful views of the Masai Plains and the Lake Manyara open up before you. After the obligatory photo stop, you will make your way to the vegetation-rich crater highlands, Accommodation and bit movement at Karatu town.
Day
3
Karatu to Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serengeti National Park (53Km/1Hr – 145Km/3.5Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, drive towards the Serengeti National Park via the beautiful high lying farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you will drive into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and down into the Ngorongoro Crater. Grass steppes and acacia forests are home to almost all the species of animals found in the East African savannah. In only a few hours, you have the chance of spotting the “BIG FIVE” (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard). After extensive game viewing and a picnic in the crater, you will leave the highlands of Ngorongoro in the afternoon and continue to the Serengeti. You will soon see the seemingly endless plains of the southern Serengeti and finally reach the Seronera Valley in the central Serengeti then go directly to overnight and dinner in your accommodation.
Day
4
Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti (145 /3.5 Hrs. Drive)
After breakfast, we undertake our en route game drive to the Northern Serengeti region. From Seronera is about 100km to the Northern Serengeti is a gentle rolling countryside broken by small rivers, occasional hills, and kopjes. Here resides a multitudinous permanent population of wildlife , with also very striking geological occurrences such as the beautiful Lobo Kopje. The Northern Serengeti is an interesting and varied destination that is far from the park’s main entry point in the south hence receiving fewer visitors. The migration is found in this area during August and witness the most spectacular of river crossings as the herd attempt to cross the Mara River and avoid the strong currents and hungry crocodiles. After a full day, we head for your accommodation where we will enjoy our dinner and overnight stay under the magnificent African sky out upon the ‘Endless Plain’.
Day
5
Full Game Drive in Northern Serengeti / River Crossing
After an early breakfast, you will head out to make the most of the day in the North Serengeti. There high chance to see the animals crossing the Mara River. Hundreds of thousands of wildebeest gather together on the banks of the river, gazing wistfully across the turbulent water at the green grass on the other side but no animal will make a move. All it takes is one brave wildebeest to take the literal plunge and, then, all follow! The animals that do successfully avoid the awaiting crocodile jaws and make it over the river are rewarded with the lush green grazing grass of the Masai Mara. Back to your accommodation for the overnight and dinner.
Day
6
Northern Serengeti to Central Serengeti (121Km/3Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, you will return to Seronera with further opportunities to experience the incredible wildlife and natural beauty of the Serengeti National Park. Apart from the migrating herds, we may have the opportunity to see the resident predators, leopard, cheetah, and lion, fulfilling their role in the circle of life. After an extensive game drive, we head for our Accommodation for a hearty dinner and another night by the fire of relaxation and conversation under the sweeping majesty of the star bright African night out upon the ‘Endless Plain’.
Day
7
Central Serengeti – Ngorongoro Crater (145 Km/3.5 Hrs. Drive)
After breakfast, you will embark upon another incredible game drive in the Serengeti National Park before travelling to the Ngorongoro Crater. Arriving at the edge of the crater in the afternoon, you will have your first glimpse of what awaits you the following day, glistening streams, open grassland and an infinite number of animals. You will spend the night at a nearby accommodation near the rim of the crater.
Day
8
Full Game Drive in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Very early in the morning after an early breakfast, we descend down onto the crater floor for a day of wildlife game viewing in one of the most incredible places on Earth. The Caldera was formed about three million years ago with the massive explosion of a volcano that rivaled Kilimanjaro in height. It is 610m deep and covers roughly 260 square kilometers. It is one of the best places in Africa to view the BIG FIVE, as well as wildebeest, gazelle, reedbuck, and many others, along with about 500 bird species. You will stop for a picnic lunch near the hippo lake and in the afternoon, you will ascend up the steep road out of the crater. You will overnight and take a dinner at a nearby town of Karatu.
Day
9
Karatu to Lake Manyara National Park to Arusha/Moshi (27Km/30min – 120Km/2 Hrs. Drive)
After breakfast, you will drive to our final destination on this private safari. Lake Manyara National Park is a relatively small but diverse park, 120km west of Arusha. It is so named for the shallow Salt Lake that covers about seventy percent of the surface area, flooding and drying with the seasons and home to thousands of flamingos and in the extraordinary region of 500 other bird species. On your exploration of the park, you will see monkey, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant and, with some luck, lions climbing in the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes; not only open grassy plains, but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab dotted cliffs. After lunch, we head back to Arusha/Moshi where we will arrive in the late afternoon.