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8 Days Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Mara River Crossing (July to October)

Overview

Duration: 8 Days

The vast herd crosses the Grummet River in June and July and the Mara River between August and November, and it is at this time that some of the most spectacular photographs and video footage can be captured. The swollen rivers sweep away members of the herd, predators harry the stragglers and the opportunistic Nile crocodiles have a feast as animals venture into the water seeking to cross. it is a bloody, dazzling display of the food chain at work.

At a Glance

  • This tour starts and ends in Arusha at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport.
  • This tour offers lodge & Tented Camp accommodation with upgrades available
  • This tour is a private safari run exclusively for you and can depart any day
  • However, the package can still be customized to meet your budget and ideas
  • This tour accepts children of all ages and discounts apply for children 0-15 years old with further discounts available for families sharing triple and qual rooms.

Highlights

  • Tarangire National Park- Game drive
  • Travel the endless plains of the world-famous Serengeti-Game Drive
  • Ngorongoro crater- Game Drive
  • Mara River – Searching for Wildebeest crossing river
  • 1-night in Arusha, 1-night Tarangire, 2 nights central Serengeti, 2 nights North Serengeti & 1 Night Ngorongoro
  • Enjoy the lodge & Tented Camp accommodation in the heart of the Tanzania bush

Optional Safari Activities

  • Night Game Drive Tarangire or Lake Manyara
  • Empakai crater hike
  • Maasai Village Visit
  • Hadzabe &Datoga Tribe Visit
  • Mto wa Ambu Village tour
  • Ngorongoro crater Rim Walking safari
  • Visit to the Olduvai Gorge
  • Balloon Safari Tarangire or Serengeti

Itinerary

Day 1:  Arrival Kilimanjaro – Arusha

Arrive at Kilimanjaro airport, you will be picked up from the airport by a Kilele Climb representative and conveyed to your accommodation in Moshi/Arusha where you will overnight, relax, and prepare in anticipation of the adventures to come, restore and enjoy your first taste of Africa.

  • Meals Plan: Bed & breakfast

Accommodation

  • Location: Arusha City
  • Budget Hotel: Arusha Green Mountain| Venus Premier Hotel| Outpost Lodge| Mc-Elly’s Hotel
  • Mid-range: Ilboru Safari Lodge| Arusha Planet Lodge| Pazuri Inn| Masailand Safari Lodge
  • Luxury: River Tree Lodge | Mount Meru Hotel| Four Point by Sheraton Arusha| The African Tulip Luxury Boutique Hotel
  • Luxury Plus: Grand Melia Lodge| Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa| Arusha Coffee Lodge| Kili Villa

Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National park.

  • Distance & Drive time: Arusha to Tarangire takes about 2.5 to 3 hours (106 km/65mi)

Pick up at 7:00 AM from your hotel in Arusha and depart for Tarangire National park with a picnic lunch for a full day game drive. Tanzania’s third largest National park is known for its majestic baobab trees that dot the landscape, dwarfing the animals that feed beneath them. The Tarangire River is the centerpiece of this park which is famous for some of the largest herds of elephants in Africa. Here you may see lion, leopard, cheetah, lesser kudu, buffalo, oryx, eland, giraffe, and zebra. After a full day in the park, we will drive to the camp/Lodge where a delicious dinner awaits you, and spend the night.

  • Meals plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

 Accommodation

  • Location: Tarangire National Park
  • Budget Camping: Tarangire Public Campsite
  • Mid-range: Lake Burunge Tented Lodge| Sangaiwe Tented Lodge| Tarangire Safari Lodge| Tarangire Kati Kati Tented Camp
  • Luxury: Maramboi Tented lodge| Tarangire Simba Lodge| Tarangire Sopa Lodge| Acacia Tarangire Luxury Camp
  • Luxury Plus: Tarangire Kuro Treetops Lodge| Tarangire Lemala Mpingo Ridge Lodge| Tarangire Treetops

Day 3: Tarangire National Park to central National park

  • Distance & Drive time: Tarangire to Central Serengeti takes about 5.5 to 6 hours (265 km/164mi)

After breakfast, you will travel via the cooler highlands towards the southern Serengeti and at midday, you will reach the plains of the Serengeti National park. This park is the largest in Tanzania and has a diversity of habitats and landscape-short grass plains, savannah, thick bush, swamps, and lakes. A bizarre rock formation called kopjes dots the grassy landscape where predators are often seen. the Serengeti is famous for the yearly migration when hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and Zebra trek to find fresh grass and water. you will overnight at a lodge/campsite located in central Serengeti in Seronera Area.

  • Meals plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Accommodation

  • Location: Central Serengeti (Seronera Area)
  • Budget Camping: Seronera Public Campsites
  • Mid-range: Serengeti Heritage luxury Tented Camps | Embalakai Camp Serengeti | Serengeti Kuhama tented Lodge| Mbugani Migration Camp| Acacia Central Camp
  • Luxury: Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge| Serengeti Serena lodge| Lemala Ewanjani Tented Camps| Lemala Nanyukie| Serengeti Sametu Camp| Acacia Seronera Luxury Camp
  • Luxury Plus: Four Season Lodge| Ole Serai Luxury Camp| Serengeti Lake Magadi Lodge

Day 4: Central Serengeti to North Serengeti (Kogatende Area)

  • Distance & Drive time: Central Serengeti to North Serengeti takes about 5 to 5.5 hours (105 km/65mi)

You can either have a relaxed breakfast and depart for game drives around 9:00 Am with packed lunch or you can depart at 6:00 Am on an early morning game drive. later return to the accommodation for breakfast and depart to North Serengeti with packed lunch after breakfast, you will have a morning game drive in Serengeti national park. you will explore the central portion of the Serengeti National park today and move towards the northern part of the park the en-route game drive towards the Kogatende region will offer mild action from the resident game. As you approach the northern part of the Serengeti, you will notice the terrain change from the usual plain grassland to more hilly and broken terrain. the northern region offers a variety of resident games such as Zebra, Topi, gazelle, buffaloes, leopards, and lions. based on the time of your arrival you will be able good night’s rest in your accommodation.

  • Meals plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

 Accommodation

  • Location: North Serengeti (Kogatende Area)
  • Budget Camping: Lobo Public Campsite
  • Mid-range:  Mara Heritage luxury Tented Camps | Kenzan Mara Tented Camps| Nyikani Migration Camp-Kogatende| GNU Migration Camp
  • Luxury: Serengeti River Camp| Mara Mara Tented Lodge| Bologonya Under Canvas Luxury Camp
  • Luxury Plus: Lemala Kuria Hills| Oleserai Luxury Camp-Kogatende| Singita Mara River Tented Camp

Day 5: North Serengeti

  • Distance & Drive time: Full Day Game viewing.

You can either have a relaxed breakfast and depart for a full day of game drive around 9:00 Am with packed lunch and return to the lodge late evening around 6:00 pm. or you can depart at 6:00 Am on an early morning game drive later return to the accommodation for breakfast and relax for a bit and before you depart on an afternoon game drive with packed lunch. In the month between mid-July to November, the migration can be found in this region. from mid-July to November, the river in this region offers the most dramatic river crossing of the great wildebeest migration. fierce, deep, and heavy rain fed the river takes an enormous toll on the migrating wildebeest. watching the wildebeest surging through the torrential flow some drowning and s few falling preys to lurking crocodiles is an unforgettable sight. If it’s your lucky day you will be able a witness this natural wonder and watch nature take its course. Tracing the great migration, you might even move toward the Lobo valley. The pristine Lobo valley is scattered with woodland, plains, hills, and famous granite kopjes. it offers an enormous amount of big cat games with lions, leopards, and cheetah in plenty. During the dry season, the permanent water sources in the valley attract plenty of residents and migratory animals, resulting in excellent game viewing. During the full-day game drive, you will have a stop where you can have your bush lunch. The day comes to an end with a tasty dinner and good rest in your choice of accommodation.

  • Meals plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner included

 Accommodation

  • Location: North Serengeti (Kogatende Area)
  • Budget Camping: Lobo Public Campsite
  • Mid-range:  Mara Heritage luxury Tented Camps | Kenzan Mara Tented Camps| Nyikani Migration Camp-Kogatende| GNU Migration Camp
  • Luxury: Serengeti River Camp| Mara Mara Tented Lodge| Bologonya Under Canvas Luxury Camp
  • Luxury Plus: Lemala Kuria Hills| Oleserai Luxury Camp-Kogatende| Singita Mara River Tented Camp

Day 6: North Serengeti to central Serengeti

  • Distance & Drive time: North Serengeti to Central Serengeti takes about 5 to 5.5 hours (105 km/65mi)

You can either have a relaxed breakfast and depart for game drivers around 9:00 Am with packed lunch or you can depart at 6:00 Am on an early morning game drive. later return to the accommodation for breakfast and relax for a bit and depart to central Serengeti with packed lunch. Today you will head south toward central Serengeti. The four-hour drive to the center will offer a mild en-route game. The drive south from the Mara river valley takes you through hill country, the Lobo area, and woodlands, and then back into Seronera terrain. The central portion of the Serengeti-known is the Seronera area of the richest wildlife habitat in the park. it features the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. As you make your way into the Seronera one must look out for the many lions prides that thrive in this region. The interaction and survival of these lion pride provide an excellent game viewing experience all year round a picnic lunch will be done during the day-long drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and good night’s rest in your Accommodation.

  • Meals plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

 Accommodation

  • Location: Central Serengeti (Seronera Area)
  • Budget Camping: Seronera Public Campsites
  • Mid-range: Serengeti Heritage luxury Tented Camps | Embalakai Camp Serengeti | Serengeti Kuhama tented Lodge| Mbugani Migration Camp| Acacia Central Camp
  • Luxury: Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge| Serengeti Serena lodge| Lemala Ewanjani Tented Camps| Lemala Nanyukie| Serengeti Sametu Camp| Acacia Seronera Luxury Camp
  • Luxury Plus: Four Season Lodge| Ole Serai Luxury Camp| Serengeti Lake Magadi Lodge

Day 7: Serengeti National park to Ngorongoro Crater.

  • Distance & Drive time: Central Serengeti to NCA takes about 3 to 3.5 hours (153km/95mi)

After breakfast, morning game drives at Serengeti National Park. On your outward journey to the park gate, you will enjoy some more game viewing before you leave the Serengeti National park in the early afternoon to continue your journey to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area for dinner and overnight. You will overnight at the lodge located on the ridge of the Ngorongoro rim.

  • Meals plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

 Accommodation

  • Location: Ngorongoro NCAA
  • Budget Camping: Simba A Public Campsite
  • Mid-range: Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge| Angata tented Lodge|
  • Luxury: Sopa Ngorongoro| Serena Ngorongoro| Ngorongoro Lions Paw Camp
  • Luxury Plus: Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection

Day 8: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha.

  • Distance & Drive Time: NCA To Arusha takes about 3.5 to 4hours (158km/98mi)

On the last day of your safari, you will have an early start. Finishing up with a quick breakfast you will make an early descent at around 6:30 am into the crater floor. The Ngorongoro crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. It has a massive floor of about 260sq km/161sq mi) with a depth of over 2000 feet. The 6-hours game drive on the crater floor will show you a lot of animal action. Keeping the camera ready is recommended. The African elephant, buffalo, black rhino, hippos, hyenas, cheetahs, and lions are found in plenty. Post the picnic lunch at the beautiful Ngoito Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascent to the top exit of the crater. This is the last leg of your safari, with a 4hrs drive left to where your safari will end. With an incredible experience and loads of memories to cherish, this is the time you say goodbye to your safari crew.

  • Meals plan Breakfast and lunch. As today is the end of the safari, please note that Accommodation and dinner tonight is not included in the tour.

Departure Instructions

Please note that the Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Mara River Crossing Tour – 8 Days ends at Kilimanjaro International Airport at 17.00 hours. Your departure can only take place today if you have pre-booked a domestic flight which leaves from Kilimanjaro International Airport at 19.00 hours or after, or an international flight which leaves at 21.00 hours or after. Otherwise, you will need to book an extra night’s accommodation (not included in the tour price) and take a flight the following day

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Book this tour

 

Included

  • 1 night of hotel Accommodation before safari
  • Pick up and drop off from Kilimanjaro International airport.
  • Transportation in a 4×4 Toyota Land cruiser with pop-up roof
  • Professional and Experienced English-speaking safari guide
  • All national park fees;
  • All accommodation in safari lodges under your program
  • Three meals per day on safari;
  • Bottled drinking water throughout the tour
  • Medical kit;
  • Binocular
  • All mentioned activist as per itinerary

Excluded

  • International Flights
  • Personal spending money for souvenirs etc
  • Alcoholic and soft drinks
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa fees
  • Optional activities
  • Tips and gratuities to driver/Safari guide (20usd/day – recommended)
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