8 Days Wildebeest Migration Safari

In the morning you will be collected from your hotel and after an approximate 2 hour drive you will arrive at the Tarangire National Park. The Tarangire National Park is considered as one of the best places to view elephants up close, not only because there are thousands of animals but also because they are not disturbed by the presence of vehicles. 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 now and then but cheetahs are rarely spotted. From the open roof of the safari vehicle you will be able to absorb the landscape and watch the animals. In the late afternoon you will leave the park and drive to your accommodation to spend the night.

After breakfast you will travel from the Tarangire Area to Makuyuni where you will visit a traditional Masai village. You will then continue your safari to Mto wa Mbu where you will enjoy traditional African food, prepared by local woman. Afterwords the journey takes you to the Lake Manyara National Park. This park is known for its over 400 bird species, primate-filled forests and grassy plains. A large area of the park is covered by the alkaline Lake Manyara, the seasonal breeding grounds for large colonies of flamingos and many more waterfowls. The park is also home to giraffes, hippos, wildebeests, impalas and groups of noisy monkeys and baboons. After an extensive game drive you will travel to your selected accommodation for overnight.

After breakfast, we will drive to Ngorongoro Crater for a half day of game viewing. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the greatest natural spectacles on Earth. The crater is just a small portion of the Ngorongoro Conservation area, which offers a whole range of attractions for travelers  seeking adventures.

There are up to 30,000 animals in Ngorongoro crater at any one time including the Big Five (rhino, elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard) and most of the other animals located in the Serengeti such as giraffes, zebras, hippos, wildebeest and cheetahs. Everything about the Ngorongoro experience is designed to make your visit a memory of a lifetime.

After breakfast, you will travel to the southern Serengeti and around noon will reach the plains of the Serengeti National Park. Serengeti is the largest park in Tanzania and has a diversity of habitats and landscapes – short grass plains, savannah, thick bush, swamps and lakes. The Serengeti is famous for the yearly migration when hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and zebras trek to find fresh grass and water.

The entire day is dedicated to game viewing in the Serengeti National Park. The areas that you visit will depend upon where the migrating herds are. During the short rainy season in November and December the herds move from the hills in the north to the plains in the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June they return up north. As the migration is completely dependent on the yearly rainfalls, the location of the herds may vary from year to year but your guide will know where to locate the animals and where to see them best. You will spend a night at your selected accommodation.

After breakfast we head towards the far northern reaches of the Serengeti National Park, also known as the Wagakuria. We will do a game drive en-route from the Lobo area to the Wagakuria area. As we head north, good sightings of giraffe, plain game, herds of buffalo and elephants can often be seen.

We arrive in time for lunch at the lodge and after lunch will we enjoy an afternoon game drive in the area. The wildebeest migration can normally be found in the Wagakuria area from August to October, depending on rainfall patterns. A long stretch of the Mara River runs through the northern Serengeti National Park and the Mara River provides the migration with its most difficult obstacle. Witnessing the frantic herds of wildebeest crossing the Mara River is amazing.

After breakfast enjoy a full day game drive in the Wagakuria area. Resident wildlife numbers are exceptionally high in the Wagakuria area, with prides of lion up to 30 strong, however from August to October the area turns into a wildlife paradise. The key feature is the Mara River and it is not uncommon to see the herds cross the Mara River north on one day and then back south a few days later. Please take note – to actually finding a crossing is very difficult and is sometimes a matter of luck. A herd can be seen next to river and only decide to cross or not cross until a couple of days later. This area is a stunning region with kopjes, woodland, riverine vegetation and open plains, similar to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve.

After a leisurely breakfast, you will travel back to Arusha where you will arrive late afternoon. You will be dropped off at a hotel of your choice or at the airport.