10 Days Great Wildebeest Migration crossing Mara River
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10 Days Great Wildebeest Migration Crossing Mara River
10 Days Great Wildebeest Migration Crossing Mara River, you will embark on an unforgettable journey through some of Tanzania’s most iconic national parks. This safari offers a unique opportunity to witness the Great Migration, where more than 1.7 million wildebeest, 500,000 zebras, and 200,000 antelope migrate north from the Ndutu region of the southern Serengeti. Prepare to witness one of nature’s most spectacular events—the dramatic river crossings at the Mara River.
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha
Your adventure begins upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport. After clearing customs, you will be greeted by your safari guide and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha. Take this time to relax and prepare for the exciting days ahead. Enjoy a welcome dinner where you can discuss your itinerary with your guide.
Day 2: Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, you will depart for Tarangire National Park, known for its large herds of elephants and iconic baobab trees. The park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including lions, leopards, and various bird species. Spend the day exploring the park on game drives and enjoy a picnic lunch amidst nature.In the late afternoon, you will return to your lodge for dinner. The evening is an excellent opportunity to reflect on your day’s adventures and prepare for the next leg of your journey.
Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater
On day three, you will head to the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Descend into this vast caldera for a full day of game viewing. The crater is home to an impressive variety of wildlife, including black rhinos, hippos, and flamingos.Your guide will share insights into the geological history of the crater and its significance in conservation efforts. After a day filled with exploration, return to your lodge for dinner and overnight accommodation.
Days 4-6: Serengeti National Park
After breakfast on day four, you will embark on a scenic drive to Serengeti National Park. As you travel through stunning landscapes, keep an eye out for wildlife along the way. Upon arrival in Serengeti, check into your lodge or tented camp.Over the next three days, you will have multiple opportunities to witness the Great Migration firsthand. Your experienced guides will take you to key locations where wildebeests are likely to be spotted as they move across the plains in search of greener pastures. The sight of thousands of wildebeests crossing rivers while being pursued by predators is a thrilling experience that captures the essence of nature’s raw beauty.
Witnessing River Crossings
One of the most anticipated moments during your safari is witnessing the river crossings at the Mara River. This dramatic event typically occurs between July and October when wildebeests make their perilous journey across crocodile-infested waters. Your guides will position you strategically to maximize your chances of witnessing this incredible spectacle.
Day 7: Cultural Experience
On day seven, take a break from game drives and immerse yourself in local culture. Visit a Maasai village where you can learn about their traditional way of life, customs, and social structures. Engage with community members as they share stories about their daily routines and cultural practices.This interaction fosters a deeper understanding of Tanzania’s diverse heritage and allows you to appreciate how local communities coexist with wildlife.
Days 8-9: More Wildlife Adventures
Return to Serengeti for additional game drives on days eight and nine. Explore different areas of the park as you continue to search for wildlife. The diverse landscapes—from open grasslands to acacia woodlands—provide varied opportunities for encounters with animals such as cheetahs, giraffes, and various antelope species.In addition to game drives, consider taking a hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti at dawn—an unforgettable way to see the landscape and wildlife from above.
Day 10: Departure
On your final day, enjoy breakfast before departing from Serengeti back to Arusha. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have some free time for last-minute shopping or sightseeing in Arusha before being transferred back to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight.
Plan Your Safari Adventure
If you’re ready to experience this incredible journey through Tanzania’s natural beauty and cultural richness, consider booking your 10 Days Great Wildebeest Migration Crossing Mara River today. For more information on available tours and experiences, visit Tanzania Odyssey or Go2Africa.For inquiries or further assistance, feel free to check our Contact Us page.
Included/Exclude
- All activities (unless labeled as optional).
- All accommodation as stated in the itinerary.
- A professional driver/guide.
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional).
- All park fees
- All Taxes/VAT.
- All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section).
- Drinking water on all days.
- AMREF Flying Doctor
- International & Domestic Flights
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour.
- Tips
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.).
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees.
- Services not mentioned in the program.
Tour Plan
On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK), you will be meet by Aromatic Expeditions Limited representative who will drive you to your accommodation in Arusha. Overnight will be at your accommodation awaiting for your safari on the next day.
Accommodation:Â Lodge or HotelÂ
Meal Plan: Bed & BreakfastÂ
In the morning you will be collected from your lodgings in Arusha by your private safari guide. You will drive to Tarangire National Park on a good tarmac road across gently rolling Masai plains with scattered acacia trees. On the way, you will pass many Masai in their colourful dress walking on the roadside, riding bicycles, herding cattle and driving donkey carts. Tarangire National Park, well known for its large elephant herds, is also host to a multitude of other animals. From the open roof of your safari jeep you will see seasonal swamps, savanna and the life giving Tarangire River. You will see zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant and giraffe, to name but a few. It is possible you will see lion stalking prey or leopards watching, relaxing in the trees above.
After your extensive game drive, you will drive to your accommodation for dinner and overnight.
Meals: Dinner, Breakfast & LunchÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Lodge/ Tented CampÂ
After breakfast, you will continue towards the fertile highlands where wheat and corn are grown by the Iraqw people. Along the way we’ll pass through the mist-shrouded rainforests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where you might be lucky enough to see baboons, or even leopards and elephants in the dense undergrowth. Passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you will be able to see the breath-taking Ngorongoro Crater before traveling onwards to the Serengeti National Park, which you will reach by midday. The Serengeti National Park is the largest park in Tanzania with diverse landscapes and habitats, such as grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannah and mountains. After an extensive game drive, you will drive to your accommodation where you will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Lodge/ Tented CampÂ
In the morning, we undertake our en route game drive to the Northern region of the Serengeti. Stretching from Seronera for about 100km, the Northern Serengeti is a gentle rolling countryside broken by small rivers, occasional hills, and kopjes. Here resides a multitudinous permanent population of wildlife, with also very striking geological occurrences such as the beautiful Lobo Kopje. The Northern Serengeti is an interesting and varied country that is far from the park’s main entry point in the south hence receiving fewer visitors.
The migration is found in this area during August and we may with luck witness the most spectacular of river crossings as the herd attempt to cross the Mara River and avoid the strong currents and hungry crocodiles.
After a full day, we head for our accommodation where we enjoy dinner and our night of sleep under the magnificent African sky out upon the ‘Endless Plain’
Meals : Dinner, Breakfast & LunchÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Lodge / Tented CampÂ
After an early breakfast, you will head out to make the most of the day. There is a chance you may see the animals crossing the Mara River. Hundreds of thousands of desperate wildebeest gather together on the banks of the river, gazing wistfully across the turbulent water at the green grass on the other side but no animal will make a move. All it takes is one brave wildebeest to take the literal plunge and, then, all follow! The animals that do successfully avoid the awaiting crocodile jaws and make it over the river are rewarded with the lush green grazing grass of the Masai Mara.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & DinnerÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Lodge/ Tented CampÂ
After breakfast, you will return to Seronera with further opportunities to experience the incredible wildlife and natural beauty of the Serengeti..
Apart from the migrating herds, we may have the opportunity to see the resident predators, leopard, cheetah, and lion, fulfilling their role in the circle of life.
After an extensive game drive we head for our Accommodation for a hearty dinner and another night by the fire of relaxation and conversation under the sweeping majesty of the star bright African night out upon the ‘Endless Plain’.
Meals : Dinner, Breakfast and LunchÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Lodge/ Tented CampÂ
After breakfast, you will embark upon another incredible game drive in The Serengeti before travelling to the Ngorongoro Crater. Arriving at the edge of the crater in the afternoon, you will have your first glimpse of what awaits you the following day – glistening streams, open grassland and an infinite number of animals. You will spend the night at a nearby lodge on the rim of the crater.
Meals : Dinner, Breakfast & LunchÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Lodge/ Tented CampÂ
Very early in the morning after an early breakfast, we descend down onto the crater floor for a day of wildlife viewing in one of the most incredible places on Earth where the animals roam freely through the unfenced reserves offering us an uninterrupted game viewing experience. The Caldera was formed about three million years ago with the massive explosion of a volcano that rivalled Kilimanjaro in height. It is 610 m deep and covers roughly 260 square kilometres. It is an enclosed ecosystem. The word Ngorongoro represents the sound of the bells that the Maasai cows wear around their necks. It is one of the best places in Africa to view the big five, as well as wildebeest, gazelle, reedbuck, and many others, along with about 500 bird species. You will stop for a picnic lunch near the hippo lake and in the afternoon, you will ascendup the steep road out of the crater. You will overnight in the nearby town of Karatu.
Meals: Dinner, Breakfast & LunchÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Lodge/ Tented CampÂ
After breakfast, you will drive to our final destination on this epic safari – Lake Manyara National Park. This is a relatively small but diverse park, 120km west of Arusha. It is so named for the shallow salt lake that covers about seventy percent of the surface area, flooding and drying with the seasons and home to thousands of flamingo and in the extraordinary region of 500 other bird species. On your exploration of the park you will see monkey, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant and, with some luck, lions lounging in the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes; not only open grassy plains, but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab dotted cliffs. After lunch, we head back to Arusha where we will arrive in the late afternoon.
Meals: Dinner & OvernightÂ
Accommodation : Luxury Hotel/ LodgeÂ
You will be collected from your accommodation by a Aromatic Expedition Limited representative and driven to the Airport.Â
