Serengeti Safari

This morning we’ll load up to take a 3-hour drive via the culturally diverse town of Mto Wa Mbu, and onto to Selela Forest. Enjoy a cultural immersion experience visiting a Maasai boma (homestead) to understand the rhythm of daily life for this semi-nomadic community. You’ll get a glimpse of livestock rearing, boma maintenance, cooking and jewelry making, all whilst supporting the boma. We’ll share a traditional goat barbeque lunch boma members. After lunch we’ll head out for a hike up the escarpment on an elephant trail still used by elephants at night, enjoying amazing views across this ancient land filled with old volcanic mountains and other geographical features, including the Kitumbeni and Losimingori mountains. We’ll drive to the highlands town of Karau to Kudu Lodge, our accommodation for the night, and enjoy fresh country cuisine, our lush garden environment, and stellar Tanzanian hospitality. There’s a pool to relax in too!

Kudu Lodge, Karau (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Hiking: 12 kilometres (7.5 miles), 3-5 hours, depending on route stops and viewing

We’ll check out early this morning - something you’ll quickly become familiar with on safari - and drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Here we’ll stop by the iconic lookout point to admire the spectacular views into Ngorongoro Crater bowl. Then it’s on to the Naabi Hill Gate, our entry point into Serengeti National Park, where we’ll stop for a picnic lunch. Seeing the plains of the Serengeti (or ‘Seringit’ in Maa, meaning “endless plains”) for the first time is an unforgettable moment. Previously inhabited by the Maasai, the Serengeti National Park was established in 1952, with the ecosystem reaching over 30,000sq km/12,000sq miles. We’ll continue our game drive taking the less travelled route via the Gold and Simba Kopjes, across the Serengeti Plains (one of the oldest ecosystems on earth) to Seronera in central Serengeti. Expect to see wooded hills, towering termite mounds, rocky kopjes and rivers lined with acacia trees, as we experience these famous plains. We’ll arrive at camp n the late afternoon, where you will spend the night under the vast African sky. Our eco-friendly camp provides accommodation in large, private, classic-style tents elevated on wooden platforms, with ensuite bathrooms, flush toilets, running water, comfortable furnishings, and private verandas overlooking the majestic Serengeti landscape.

Central Serengeti Heritage Camp or Tamba Tented Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

As the sun rises, sip your morning coffee from your tent veranda on your non-stop safari experience! Today we will discover more of Serengeti National Park with a full day of game viewing! We’ll explore the Seronera area, known as the predator capital of the world, where lion sightings are common, and the riverbank is home to one of the world's densest population of leopards. The sausage trees and umbrella thorns rank among the best places in Africa to search for leopards - there are too few tall trees for these elusive creatures to be well-hidden. The vast plains south of the Seronera River, are good for cheetah sightings too. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch out in the bush, some more game spotting, and in the late afternoon we return to camp for relaxation after our full day of exploration.

Central Serengeti Heritage Camp or Tamba Tented Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

This morning we’ll continue our game drive, onto Kogatende in the northern part of Serengeti, stopping for a picnic lunch along the way. Serengeti is home to the famous annual migration of more than a million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of zebras, and all kinds of antelopes following the rains, and undertaking their long journey to new grazing grounds. Also be on the lookout for lions, cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas! Our camp for the next two nights is located near the Mara River, a beautiful area with easy access to several wildebeest river crossing points. We can enjoy a campfire in the evening with sundowners and snacks, and relive the day’s experiences.

Nyikani Migration Tented Camp, Kogatende or Mara Heritage Camp, Kogatende (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

After a fresh cup of coffee around the communal fire, we’ll catch the sunrise out on safari. Our early morning game drive is the perfect opportunity to see animals, including predators, being active during the cool of the morning before the sun heats up and the animals seek shade in the bushes. We’ll then return to the camp for a hearty breakfast. The rest of the day will be spent exploring Kogatende, the northern part of Serengeti, to catch part of the wildebeest migration across the Mara River between Serengeti and Maasai Mara. You’ll have a good chance of seeing the great migration in action, though the rain pattern of the year determines exactly when the migration takes place. This spectacular yearly phenomenon of the natural world is a heavenly magnet for crocodiles, hippos, and big cats! Tonight we’ll share a final meal together and swap stories of the wildlife highlights experienced on this memorable safari.

Nyikani Migration Tented Camp, Kogatende or Mara Heritage Camp, Kogatende (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

After breakfast we’ll check out of the camp and take a final game drive to Kogatende Airstrip for a scenic flight across Serengeti National Park. From the air you can appreciate the breathtaking vastness of the Serengeti Plains with a wonderful aerial view. Upon arrival at Arusha Airport, we’ll make our way to a nearby favorite lunch spot, The Blue Heron. From here, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your trip home with memories of your incredible safari adventure safely stowed.

(Breakfast, Lunch)