About the Mara River Crossing (July to October)
Now it’s time for the Migration to cross Mara River to Wildebeest have to try and struggle to cross the river safe while the Nile crocodile are preying on them. This is one of the highlights as the animals try and cross the Mara River alive. During this period, the herd continues its movement north towards the Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya. There is no tight schedule that these animals follow, and so tracking the herd’s movements becomes a day to day prospect as the meander slowly but inexorably towards the next big obstacle in their path: the Mara River.
The surrounding landscapes are every bit as memorable as the life and death struggle taking place at the Kogatende crossing.
1 DAY - TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
Depart from Tulia lodge after breakfast for approximately two hour drive to Tarangire National Park. Once you’ve entered Tarangire, you’ll begin your game drive across a rich vista of endless golden savannah that surrounds the Tarangire River. The river runs throughout the year and is a vital source of water for the animals of the park during the dry season. On the the river banks are acacia and Baobab trees. The river is regularly visited by the park’s large elephant population as well as other herbivores such as zebras and antelopes. Lions, leopards, Cape buffalo, and a huge variety of antelopes can be spotted in the park.
2 DAY - TARANGIRE - SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (SERONERA REGION)
After breakfast we head towards the Serengeti National Park, via the beautiful high lying farmland of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Leaving the highlands behind, we descend into 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 head to the central park area, known as the Seronera area, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park, featuring the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species, We arrive in time for lunch and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Serengeti national park. Dinner and overnight in the heart of the Serengeti National Park according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.
3 DAY - SERENGETI SERONERA REGION - SERENGETI KOGATENDE AREA
After breakfast, we will drive across the plains of Togoro and through the Mbuzi Mawe kopjes (small hills) as we make our way into the park's northern reaches.
Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to see the Serengeti's diverse scenery as you pass through wooded hills, tumbledown kopjes, and the wide open savannah. Your drive will show you everything from the diminutive dik-dik to towering elephants and giraffes.
Upon arriving in the Kogatende region, you'll go out in search of both the Wildebeest Migration and the famous Big Five.
4 DAY – SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (KOGATENDE REGION)
After breakfast, we'll start our game drive around the Kogatende area, searching around the kopjes looking for carnivores and the large migration groups that will be preparing to cross the Mara River into Kenya.
Home to large numbers of hippos and Nile crocodiles, the Mara River is the last major obstacle standing between the Wildebeest Migration and the relative safety of the Maasai Mara. If you're patient and a little lucky, you may even get to witness the death-defying crossing itself where wildebeest and zebras brave the river's currents and crocodiles in an attempt to reach safety on the opposite bank.
Dinner and overnight in the heart of the Serengeti National Park according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.
5 DAY - SERENGETI KOGATENDE REGION - NGORONGORO
After breakfast, we get right on the road back towards the Ngorongoro area.
Our drive takes us back through the Serengeti via a different route, offering plenty of opportunities to spot the animals that eluded you on day two. As far as the eye can see, you’ll spot thousands upon thousands of animals in herds; wildebeests and zebras migrating together, tall and graceful giraffes, jumping antelopes and gazelles, the powerful African elephant and the most respected group of animals: the predators.
Dinner and overnight on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater or in nearby Karatu Town according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.
6 DAY - NGORONGORO CRATER- ARUSHA
Early in the morning after breakfast descending 600m deep to the world's largest unbroken caldera which hosts varieties of animals includes the rare black Rhino,lion,leopard,elephants,hippos.Birds includes flamingos on the Soda lake, Geese, Storks, Vultures and more… Your lunch will be served on the picnic site in the Crater at Ngoitokitok swamp a Hippo pool. After lunch proceed with game viewing.
After the thrills and excitement of the day, you will have a picnic lunch by the park's famous hippo pool before returning to Arusha.