7-Day Wildebeest Migration in Tanzania

Day 01 Arrival - Arusha

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Intl Airport, you'll be greeted by a senior safari guide and drive you to the hotel in Arusha for dinner and 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 the 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.

Day 02 Arusha – Ngorongoro

After breakfast, you’ll depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation area. You’ll arrive just in time for lunch at the lodge and then we’ll descend over 600m to the crater to view the wildlife in it. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro National Park supports a vast variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants. Another big draw card to this picturesque national park, is its dense population of predators, which include 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 south western corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually been seen here.

Day 03 Ngorongoro – Serengeti (Central Seronera)

After breakfast, we’ll head towards the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see. We’ll proceed to the Lobo area which is located just north of the Seronera area (central Serengeti National Park). The wildebeest migration, normally pass through the Lobo area every year around July / August en-route to the Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve and again in late October / November en-route to the southern Serengeti National Park. We will arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti National Park.

Day 04 Serengeti (Seronera Area)

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 like elephant, buffalo, gazelle, zebra, lion, leopard and cheetah can be seen here all year round. The game viewing is very good and you can follow game 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 be found here.

Day 05 Serengeti (Central ) – Northern Serengeti (Kogatende Area)

After breakfast, we head towards the far northern reach of the Serengeti National Park, also known as the Wagakuria. We will do a game drive en-route from the Lobo area to the Wagakuria area. As we head north, good sightings of giraffe, plain game, herds of buffalo and elephants can often be seen. We arrive in time for lunch at the lodge and after lunch will we 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.

Day 06 Northern Serengeti (Kogatende)

After breakfast, enjoy a full day game drive in the Wagakuria area. Resident wildlife numbers are exceptionally high in this area of the park, with prides of lion up to 30 strong, however, from August to October the area turns into a wildlife paradise. The key feature is the Mara River and it is not uncommon to see the herds cross the Mara 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 river and only decide to cross or not cross until a couple of days later. This area is a stunning region with kopjes, woodland, riverine vegetation and open plains, similar to Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Day 07 Northern Serengeti (Kogatende) – Arusha

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 a day. Around mid-morning, join a scheduled flight from Kogatende airstrip to Arusha airport. Upon arrival to Arusha airport, meet our driver who’ll drive you to Arusha town. Upon arrival, we will have our lunch and then we will end our African safari adventure. You will be taken to your hotel, which ends our safari services.