SAFARI TO MARA RIVER
Safari Overview
This popular wildlife safari to the famous mara river tales in some of the best natural sites in Tanzania offering fantastic photographic opportunities culminate in an exciting chance to watch migrating herds as they attempt to cross this vast body of water.
Safari Itinerary
DAY 1: MEET AND GREET
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where we will be waiting to meet you once you have cleared customs and transfer to your accommodation, where you will enjoy a wonderful dinner and a superb night’s rest and relaxation. This is your chance to really soak up the atmosphere and prepare for your adventure.
Dinner & overnight at Ngara Sero Mountain Lodge (or equivalent)
DAY 2: ARUSHA-NGORONGORO HIGHLAND
After breakfast, you will meet your guide for a short briefing then drive south of Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park, with the option to visit the culturally-diverse village of Mto wa Mbu set on the banks of the river of the same name, for an taste of tribal life in the African bush.
Enjoy a picnic lunch fabulous views of the lake, followed by afternoon wildlife viewing, soaking up the diverse flora and fauna of the park; there are some 350 species of birds alone. The park provides sanctuary to a variety of animals like the gazelle, impala, buffalo, wildebeest, hyena, baboon, giraffe, hippo and the famous tree-climbing lions. Late in the afternoon we head off to Ngorongoro Highlands.
Dinner & overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (or equivalent)
DAY 3: EXPLORING NGORONGORO CRATER – CENTRAL SERENGETI
After early breakfast we head off with a packed lunch to Ngorongoro and descend into the crater for an in-depth exploration of this distinctive eco-system. Enjoy abundant wildlife viewing set against this impressive backdrop. This drive provides one of the best opportunities in Africa to view black rhino. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles; its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthrall visitors.
Another big draw is the dense population of predators, which includes: lions, hyenas, jackals, and the small cats like the rare caracal. Picnic lunch will be served at one of the picnic sites at the crater floor, then its off to the hippo pool near the Mandusi Swamp, Lake Magadi. This is a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner which is one of the main features of the crater, the lerai forest as well as other parts of the crater searching for different wildlife interactions at the area.
We then leave the crater and drive to the central east plain of the Serengeti via the Gol Kopjes. This area is a fragile habitat consisting of ethereal kopjes and short grass plains. Driving through the Gol kopjes is always a breathtaking experience with a vision of vast open plains and amazing wildlife, like gazelles and cheetahs. Late in the afternoon we drive to your base for the next two nights.
Meals & overnights at Sametu Tented Camp (or equivalent)
DAY 4: EXPLORING CENTRAL SERENGETI
After breakfast a full day’s wildlifeviewing drive awaits on our way to Central Serengeti. Exploring the vast Serengeti and its endless plains. You can choose to break the day into two, by doing an early morning and late afternoon drive through the central Serengeti.
The golden light of dawn invites anazing photographic opportunities, departing at first light with a picnic breakfast, in search of migration heards across the Central Serengeti. Areas that will be visited are the Retima Hippo pool, Maasai and sametu kopjes and plains as well as Moru and Simba kopjes.
The Central Serengeti and Seronera river valley is home to a great diversity of wildlife due to its unique ecological niches as a transition zone where two distinctly different habitats, the plain and the woodlands merge and various species of wildlife from both habitats can coexist.
Dinner & overnight at Sametu Tented Camp (or equivalent)
DAY 5, 6 & 7: EXPLORING NORTHERN SERENGETI
After breakfast, you will enjoy a wildlife drive en route to Northern Serengeti where you will have a chance to visit Kogatende area (the northern part of Serengeti) where the Mara River is situated. The Northern Serengeti is home to a huge number of resident animals including: lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, eland, black rhinos and wild dogs.
This is also a wonderful time of year to witness one of three significant events that happens during the Great Migrations – the annual river crossings. Your days will be combination of looking for good river crossings and other wildlife interactions along the Mara River, Wogakuria kopjes as well as the Lamai triangle. The Northern Serengeti and the entire Mara river area are truly awe-inspiring and will surely be one of the highlights of your safari.
Meals & overnights at Mara River Tented Camp (or equivalent)
DAY 8: BUSH FLIGHT AND DEPARTURE
Early breakfast at the camp and then leave the camp for Kogatende Airstrip with wildlife viewing en-route. Bush flight from Kogatende to Arusha. You will stop at a cultural heritage site for lunch and optional shopping, and then drive to Ngara Sero Mountain Lodge for a day room and early dinner before being transfered to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight home.
Safari Overview
This popular wildlife safari to the famous mara river tales in some of the best natural sites in Tanzania offering fantastic photographic opportunities culminate in an exciting chance to watch migrating herds as they attempt to cross this vast body of water.
Safari Itinerary
DAY 1: MEET AND GREET
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where we will be waiting to meet you once you have cleared customs and transfer to your accommodation, where you will enjoy a wonderful dinner and a superb night’s rest and relaxation. This is your chance to really soak up the atmosphere and prepare for your adventure.
Dinner & overnight at Ngara Sero Mountain Lodge (or equivalent)
DAY 2: ARUSHA-NGORONGORO HIGHLAND
After breakfast, you will meet your guide for a short briefing then drive south of Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park, with the option to visit the culturally-diverse village of Mto wa Mbu set on the banks of the river of the same name, for an taste of tribal life in the African bush.
Enjoy a picnic lunch fabulous views of the lake, followed by afternoon wildlife viewing, soaking up the diverse flora and fauna of the park; there are some 350 species of birds alone. The park provides sanctuary to a variety of animals like the gazelle, impala, buffalo, wildebeest, hyena, baboon, giraffe, hippo and the famous tree-climbing lions. Late in the afternoon we head off to Ngorongoro Highlands.
Dinner & overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (or equivalent)
DAY 3: EXPLORING NGORONGORO CRATER – CENTRAL SERENGETI
After early breakfast we head off with a packed lunch to Ngorongoro and descend into the crater for an in-depth exploration of this distinctive eco-system. Enjoy abundant wildlife viewing set against this impressive backdrop. This drive provides one of the best opportunities in Africa to view black rhino. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles; its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthrall visitors.
Another big draw is the dense population of predators, which includes: lions, hyenas, jackals, and the small cats like the rare caracal. Picnic lunch will be served at one of the picnic sites at the crater floor, then its off to the hippo pool near the Mandusi Swamp, Lake Magadi. This is a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner which is one of the main features of the crater, the lerai forest as well as other parts of the crater searching for different wildlife interactions at the area.
We then leave the crater and drive to the central east plain of the Serengeti via the Gol Kopjes. This area is a fragile habitat consisting of ethereal kopjes and short grass plains. Driving through the Gol kopjes is always a breathtaking experience with a vision of vast open plains and amazing wildlife, like gazelles and cheetahs. Late in the afternoon we drive to your base for the next two nights.
Meals & overnights at Sametu Tented Camp (or equivalent)
DAY 4: EXPLORING CENTRAL SERENGETI
After breakfast a full day’s wildlifeviewing drive awaits on our way to Central Serengeti. Exploring the vast Serengeti and its endless plains. You can choose to break the day into two, by doing an early morning and late afternoon drive through the central Serengeti.
The golden light of dawn invites anazing photographic opportunities, departing at first light with a picnic breakfast, in search of migration heards across the Central Serengeti. Areas that will be visited are the Retima Hippo pool, Maasai and sametu kopjes and plains as well as Moru and Simba kopjes.
The Central Serengeti and Seronera river valley is home to a great diversity of wildlife due to its unique ecological niches as a transition zone where two distinctly different habitats, the plain and the woodlands merge and various species of wildlife from both habitats can coexist.
Dinner & overnight at Sametu Tented Camp (or equivalent)
DAY 5, 6 & 7: EXPLORING NORTHERN SERENGETI
After breakfast, you will enjoy a wildlife drive en route to Northern Serengeti where you will have a chance to visit Kogatende area (the northern part of Serengeti) where the Mara River is situated. The Northern Serengeti is home to a huge number of resident animals including: lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, eland, black rhinos and wild dogs.
This is also a wonderful time of year to witness one of three significant events that happens during the Great Migrations – the annual river crossings. Your days will be combination of looking for good river crossings and other wildlife interactions along the Mara River, Wogakuria kopjes as well as the Lamai triangle. The Northern Serengeti and the entire Mara river area are truly awe-inspiring and will surely be one of the highlights of your safari.
Meals & overnights at Mara River Tented Camp (or equivalent)
DAY 8: BUSH FLIGHT AND DEPARTURE
Early breakfast at the camp and then leave the camp for Kogatende Airstrip with wildlife viewing en-route. Bush flight from Kogatende to Arusha. You will stop at a cultural heritage site for lunch and optional shopping, and then drive to Ngara Sero Mountain Lodge for a day room and early dinner before being transfered to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight home.