7-Day Serengeti Wildebeest Migration Safari with Mara River Crossing

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be greeted by a senior safari guide and driven to your hotel in Arusha for dinner and an overnight stay.

Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania and the capital of the Arusha Region, with a population of 416,442, plus 323,198 in the surrounding Arusha District. Located below Mount Meru on the eastern edge of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley, Arusha has a temperate climate. The city is close to Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, Olduvai Gorge, Tarangire National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Arusha National Park on Mount Meru.

After breakfast, you will depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You will arrive just in time for lunch at the lodge, and then descend over 600 m into the crater to view its wildlife.

Supported by a year-round water supply and fodder, Ngorongoro National Park supports a vast variety of animals, including herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants. Another big draw in this picturesque national park is its dense population of predators, including lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs, and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. We will also visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos, and other waterbirds can usually be seen here.

Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Karatu Acacia Farmlodge or the same lodge

After breakfast, we will head towards the heart of wild Africa - Serengeti National Park - with 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 passes through the Lobo area every year, around July/August, en route to the Kenyan Masai Mara Game Reserve, and again in late October/November on its way back to the southern Serengeti National Park.

We will arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive in Serengeti National Park.

Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Serengeti Acacia Camp

After breakfast, enjoy a full-day game drive in the park. The area around Lobo and the Grumeti River has good resident game throughout the year. Non-migrating animals such as elephants, buffalo, gazelle, zebra, lions, leopards, and cheetahs can be seen here all year round. The game viewing is very good, and you can follow the wildlife for long periods without seeing other vehicles - truly one of the forgotten corners of the Serengeti Plains.

Magnificent riverine trees can be found along the river lines, and bird species such as kingfishers and fish eagles can also be seen here.

Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Serengeti Acacia Camp

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

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 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.

Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Serengeti Acacia Camp

After breakfast, enjoy a full-day game drive in the Wagakuria area. Resident wildlife numbers are exceptionally high in this part of the park, with prides of lions up to 30 strong. From August to October, however, the area turns into a wildlife paradise. The key feature is the Mara River, and it is not uncommon to see herds cross the river north on one day and then back south a few days later.

Please take note: finding a crossing is very difficult and is sometimes a matter of luck. A herd can be seen next to the river and only decide whether to cross or not a couple of days later. This region is stunning, with kopjes, woodland, riverine vegetation, and open plains, similar to Kenya's Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Meal: B, L, D
Accommodation: Serengeti Acacia Camp

After breakfast at the camp, we depart for Kogatende Airstrip and enjoy a game drive en route. The group should tip the guide around $20 to $30 per day.

Around mid-morning, join a scheduled flight from Kogatende Airstrip to Arusha Airport. Upon arrival at Arusha Airport, meet our driver, who will drive you to Arusha Town. Upon arrival, we will have lunch and then end our African safari adventure. You will be taken to your hotel, which marks the end of our safari services.

Meal: B, L