7 Days Wildebeest Mara River Crossing Safari in Serengeti

On the first day of your safari, you will be driven to Lake Manyara, which takes about 2 hours. This is one of Tanzania’s smaller parks, giving a profitable safari experience. Lake Manyara National Park is an unspoiled paradise of wooded area fed by underground springs and teeming with the natural world such as elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes, and a number of the biggest baboon troops in Africa. The lake shore of Manyara teems with birdlife, and as you’re seeking out the birds, you may possibly spot one of the elusive tree-climbing lions.

• Game viewing time: 6-7 hours
• Overnight at: Kudu Campsite
• Meals: Lunch & Dinner

On the second day of your Serengeti wildebeest migration hunt you will move from Manyara (Mto wa mbu) and head throughout the Great Rift Valley’s floor, up the escarpment and traverse the Ngorongoro Conservation Area region as you revel in the stunning surroundings to the Serengeti National Park. Serengeti National Park is the home of the Serengeti migration, with endless plains stretching as far as the eye can see. We will continue to the Lobo region located just north of the Seronera region (Central Serengeti National Park) where the migratory wildebeest usually pass through around July/August en route to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya and again late October/November en route south to Serengeti National Park.

 Note: You can break up the trip with some or both of the following activities, (additional charges apply):-

• Olduvai Gorge Museum: sometimes called the Cradle of Mankind, the Olduvai Gorge Museum commemorates some of the oldest evidence of human habitation ever found. Here you’ll see some of the world’s oldest fossil evidence of human habitation, visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum to learn about human travel and take in sweeping views of the country this austere gorge.

• Maasai boma tour: you’ll visit one of the famous Maasai boma, where you’ll have the chance to witness (and participate in) traditional Maasai dance, visit an authentic Maasai village and even shop for supplies souvenirs at the local market.

Lunch is at one of the picnic sites, possibly at the gate of Naabi Hill, where you’ll also have the chance to stretch your legs while the guide arranges registration information and related paperwork. Arrive in the Serengeti late afternoon for an evening game drive then check in to your accommodation, for dinner and overnight.

• Game viewing time: 6-7 hours
• Overnight at: Katikati Campsite
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

On the third day of your Serengeti Migration adventure, after breakfast, drive all day in the park. The area around Lobo and the Grumeti River has good resident game year round they play a vital role for animals crossing in the Serengeti Wildebeest Migration. Non-migratory animals such as elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, zebras, lions, leopards and cheetahs can be seen here all year round. The game viewing is very good and you can watch the game for long periods without seeing other vehicles – truly one of the forgotten corners of the Serengeti Plains. Visitors can find magnificent greenery along the river and birds such as kingfishers and fish eagles can be found here.

• Game viewing time: 6-7 hours
• Overnight at: Kati Kati Campsite
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast the fourth day of Serengeti Wildebeest Migration hunt continues. We will head to the northernmost tip of Serengeti National Park, also known as Wagakuria. We will do the driving game on the road from Lobo area to Wagakuria area. As we head north, giraffes, the usual game, herds of buffalo and elephants are often seen also other animals participating in the Serengeti migration can be seen.

We arrive on time for lunch at campsite and after lunch we would drive for an afternoon game in the area. Migratory wildebeest in the Serengeti Wildebeest Migration are usually found in the Wagakuria region from mid- July to October, depending on rainfall. A long stretch of the Mara River runs through the northern part of the Serengeti National Park, and the Mara River presents the most difficult migration obstacle. Witnessing herds of wildebeest frantically crossing the Mara River was incredible this is during the Serengeti Wildebeest Migration.

• Game viewing time: 6-7 hours
• Overnight at: Kati Kati campsite
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

After breakfast on day five of your safari, guests can drive all day in the Wagakuria/Kogatende region. The population of resident wildlife is particularly high in this part of the park, with numbers boasting up to 30 lions, however, from mid-July to October the area transforms into a paradise. The key attraction is the Mara River and it is not uncommon to see herds crossing the Mara River north one day and then back south a few days later this is during the Serengeti Migration. Be careful, finding a crossing is difficult and sometimes a matter of luck. A herd can be seen next to the river and only decide whether to cross or not to pass a few days later. The area is a beautiful area with kopjes, woodlands, river vegetation and open plains, similar to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya.

An option for hot air balloon is also available in this area: Serengeti Balloon Safaris: No words can make the experience of hovering above Serengeti justice. Get a bird’s-eye view of the park as you fly over the landscape and wildlife. The flight lasts about an hour, after which passengers gather around a table, surrounded by the park’s lush plains, for an “Out of Africa” English breakfast.

• Game viewing time: 6-7 hours
• Overnight at: Kati Kati campsite
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

On day six of Serengeti Wildebeest Migration safari you will continue your morning and afternoon game drives at the Serengeti with mid-afternoon lunch and a relaxing break at the lodge. The term Serengeti means endless plains in the Maasai language. In the central plains, there are carnivores such as leopards, lions, hyenas and cheetahs.

This park is often the site of the Annual Serengeti wildebeest and zebra migration that occurs between the Kenyan Mara and the Serengeti. Various birds can be seen here including eagles, ducks, geese, storks, vultures, secretary birds, ibis, storks, herons, kites, pelicans, cranes and guinea fowl. Serengeti National Park is arguably the best known wildlife sanctuary in the world with over 3 million species of large mammals’ historical host of the Famous Serengeti migration. About 35 species of delta animals can be seen here, including the “big 5″ elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards and buffalo. Other common species found here include hippos, giraffes, eland, impala and antelopes, baboons, monkeys and countless more than 500 species of birds.

In May or early June, huge herds of wildebeest, antelope and zebra begin their spectacular annual northward migration. In their wake, watch for predators, lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs with vultures hovering overhead! After lunch, you’ll continue the sightseeing game in the Serengeti towards the Serengeti Gate to leave the Serengeti National Park, then you’ll continue the game on the road towards Ngorongoro Crater. Dinner and Overnight in Campsite at the edge of Ngorongoro Crater. (An option for hot air balloon rides is also available in this area) Serengeti Balloon Safaris: No words can make the experience of hovering above Serengeti justice”. Get a bird’s-eye view of the park and have a fantastic panoramic view of the Serengeti Migration you stand by the sun. The flight lasted about an hour, after which passengers gathered around a table, surrounded by the park’s lush plains, for an “Out of Africa” English breakfast.

• Game viewing time: 6-7 hours
• Overnight at: Simba Campsite
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch &Dinner

After breakfast, you will be go down to the crater with lunch and enjoy the driving game for more than 7 hours. Millions of years ago, a volcano the size of Mount Kilimanjaro rose from the northern highlands of Tanzania. Its eruption formed the largest unexpanded crater in the world, Ngorongoro Crater. Now dormant and full of wildlife, the crater is a playground where you can enjoy driving games in search of the Big Five.

The natural protection of the walls of the 600 m (1,968 ft) caldera, ‘Ngorongoro Crater’, where many species thrive, is one of the most densely populated areas of African wildlife in the world and home to around 30,000 species of animals and this is the best place in Tanzania to see the critically endangered black rhino. The park is supported by a year-round supply of water and fodder, and the crater is home to a wide variety of animals including herds of wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, elk, and zebras, hippopotamus and giant African elephant. There is also a huge predator population, including lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and the elusive leopard. After the picnic, you will have a game drive and then return to Arusha/Moshi for an overnight stay.

• Game viewing time: 6 – 8 hours
• Overnight at: Planet Lodge
• Meals: Breakfast & Lunch