8-Day Northern Serengeti Migration Safari with Mara River Crossing

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Day 01

Arusha to Tarangire and Manyara/Karatu

• Early in the morning, you will leave Arusha town and drive to Tarangire National Park. After arrival, the driver will take care of the paperwork at the park gate, and then you will begin your first game drive in Tarangire National Park. Tarangire National Park has one of the highest concentrations of wild animals in North Tanzania, especially elephants, and is also known for the large baobab trees that dot the grassland. These animals can be viewed all year round, and the elephant herds often reach an impressive number of 300 animals. Between July and October, many animals from the surrounding areas come to the Tarangire River to drink.
• If you visit the park during the dry season, you will witness an unforgettable natural wonder as you observe wonderful creatures such as lions, giraffes, buffaloes, wildebeests, and zebras, as well as various types of antelopes and gazelles. With a little luck, you may also spot a python. During the dry season, this area is also a haven for bird watchers, with over 550 different species, including the Masai Ostrich - the world's largest bird. Around lunchtime, you will stop at a suitable picnic place before dedicating the afternoon to more wildlife watching. Before sunset, you will be taken to your camp or lodge in Manyara (MtowaMbu) for an overnight stay.

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Day 02

Lake Eyasi Tribal Visit and Return to Manyara

• Lake Eyasi is a seasonal, shallow endorheic salt lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley at the base of the Serengeti Plateau, just south of Serengeti National Park and immediately southwest of the Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater Highlands of Tanzania. The lake is elongated, oriented southwest to northeast, and lies in the Eyasi-Wembere branch of the Great Rift Valley wall.
• In the afternoon, you will be introduced to extraordinary people from the indigenous Hadzabe and Datonga tribes. You will visit the tribes and learn about their way of tracking animals and using medicinal plants. In this area, it is easy to find and see wild animals, and a wide range of bird species can also be viewed. In the late afternoon, you will drive back to Manyara/Karatu.

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Day 03

Manyara/Karatu to Serengeti via Ngorongoro

• After breakfast, we proceed across the floor of the Great Rift Valley, up the escarpment, and traverse the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in what becomes a pleasant journey with beautiful scenery on the way to Serengeti National Park. Serengeti National Park is known for its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see.
• We will proceed to the Lobo area, which is located just north of the Seronera area in central Serengeti National Park. The wildebeest migration normally passes through the Lobo area every year around July/August on its way to Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserve, and again in late October/November on the route back to southern Serengeti National Park. After enjoying a game drive, visitors will stay at Serengeti National Park.

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Day 04

Game Drive in the Seronera Area

• Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will enjoy a game drive in Serengeti National Park. You will continue the descent to reach the Seronera area, where there are good opportunities to view wild animals.
• Non-migration animals such as elephants, buffalo, gazelle, zebra, lions, leopards, and cheetahs can normally be seen here because this is an area through which many wild animals pass within Serengeti National Park.

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Day 05

Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti Kogatende

• After breakfast, we head toward the northern Serengeti National Park, also known as the Wagakuria area, following the game drive route from the Lobo area to Wagakuria. As we head north, visitors are able to sight many wild animals in the Serengeti, including giraffes, plains game, herds of buffalo, and elephants. From mid-July to October, there is movement of animals passing through the Mara River as herds of wildebeest, gazelle, and zebra begin their spectacular annual migration northwards. In their wake follow predators such as lions, cheetahs, and wild dogs, with vultures circling overhead.
• We arrive in time for lunch at the lodge, and after lunch, we will enjoy an afternoon game drive in the area. The wildebeest migration can normally be found in the Wagakuria area from mid-July to October, depending on rainfall patterns. A long stretch of the Mara River runs through the northern Serengeti National Park.

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Day 06

Kogatende Wildlife Viewing and Mara River Area

• After breakfast, visitors enjoy a game drive to the Kogatende area, where large numbers of wildlife are found. This camp is used for the Serengeti Mobile Green Camp from July until the end of November, when the migration is in the Northern Serengeti and hopefully crossing the Mara River.
• The camp is approximately 20 minutes from the Mara River and is set up on a ridge under large evergreen trees, overlooking a large part of the Northern Serengeti wilderness zone, where large groups of wildebeest cross the river and visitors are able to enjoy wild animals in peace. Visitors can also use a hot air balloon to enjoy wildlife in this area.

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Day 07

Central Serengeti to Ngorongoro

• We proceed in the morning and afternoon with a game drive in central Serengeti, with lunch in between. After enjoying the game drive in Serengeti, visitors can take a break at the lodge in the mid-afternoon. Central Serengeti means endless plain in the Masai language and is home to different animals such as leopards, lions, hyenas, and cheetahs.
• After lunch, you will continue with the game drive to view wild animals in Serengeti. Thereafter, you will transfer to the gate of Serengeti to check out of the national park, and then proceed with game viewing on the route to Ngorongoro Crater. Dinner and overnight will be at a camp or lodge on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.

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Day 08

Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive to Arusha

• After breakfast, we proceed to descend into the crater and enjoy a game drive for more than 7 hours. Here, you will explore the forest areas inhabited by monkeys and elephants, and you may also see flamingos, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, lions, and elephants.
• After enjoying the game drive at Ngorongoro Crater and viewing the wildlife, you will drive back to Moshi/Arusha.