8 Days Migration Safari

Welcome to Arusha, the gateway to Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit! When you arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, a friendly representative from Chalema Tanzania Safaris will be ready to greet you and transport you to the charming Karama Lodge & Spa. This hotel is situated on the lower slopes of Mount Meru, just on the western outskirts of town. Your accommodations tonight will be in one of the lodge’s cottage-style suites.

Today we’ll be showcasing the often-overlooked Tarangire National Park, which we’ll reach by traveling west from Arusha for about two hours. The park is a nature lover’s dream, especially in the green season when its tremendous baobab trees are resplendent with emerald leaves. And if you’re visiting during the dry season, you can expect to see truly enormous herds of buffalo, wildebeest, and zebra—often numbering in the thousands. But no matter when you visit, Tarangire is perhaps best distinguished by its resident elephant population. These massive animals can always be relied upon to deliver a first-rate encounter in Tarangire. After finishing our all-day game drive and picnic lunch, we’ll settle in at the Eileen’s Tree Inn at Karatu near Ngorongoro.

Our travels this morning will take us over the highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where we’ll spot wandering plains game and traditional Maasai homesteads. In fact, today is a great day to consider a visit to one of these villages, where you can learn firsthand about the enduring semi-nomadic lifestyle of these pastoralists. When we arrive at Serengeti National Park after about three hours of travel, you’ll quickly come to understand why it’s considered the very best of Tanzania’s wild places. With expansive plains teeming with wildebeest and zebra, riverine forests where leopards hunt beneath the cover of darkness, and huge boulders strewn across the landscape, the Serengeti is a photographer’s delight. After our game drive, we’ll get settled in at the Tanzania Bush Camp tonight near the park’s central Seronera region.

After watching the sun rise over the bush and collecting our belongings, we’ll venture further afield today in order to explore the northern reaches of the Serengeti. It’s here that the Mara River twists and turns across the landscape, representing an obstacle for the herds of migrating plains game as they seek the fresh, rain-fed grasses just over the border in Kenya. We’ll follow the migration and look for a likely spot to watch a river crossing: one of the Serengeti’s must-see events. This is the time when wildebeest and zebra plunge into a churning froth of dangerous rapids and snapping crocodile jaws. Most of the animals emerge shaken but unscathed, but there are always some casualties—river crossings aren’t for the faint of heart. Our accommodations tonight will be at the beautiful Tanzania Bush Camp Mara.

Our second day in the exceptional wilds of the northern Serengeti will reward us with even more opportunities to watch a thrilling river crossing. Of course, there’s a lot more to see in this region of the park, too. The north is home to the Serengeti’s highest concentration of elephants, and most of the major predators can also be found in good numbers. We can explore the scattered woodlands and wide-open plains of the north on a game drive, but we can also opt for an exciting walking safari. You can even relax and watch the wildlife from camp, as animals like the giraffe and zebra are regular visitors to Tanzania Bush Camp Mara. However we choose to spend the day, we’ll return to camp this evening for a delectable meal and a fire beneath the stars.

We’ll enjoy a leisurely game drive this morning as we wind our way south through the Serengeti, returning to the central Seronera region to further explore the true heart of the park. Many important research projects and administrative offices are based here, lending an element of historical importance to the area. Ambitious photographers can take advantage of this to get really creative, juxtaposing iconic wildlife like lions and giraffes against the backdrop of the Seronera airstrip or park headquarters. After our last game drive this afternoon, we’ll return to our rooms at the Tanzania Bush Camp to spend one last night in Tanzania’s most celebrated wilderness.

We’ll bid a very fond farewell to the Serengeti this morning, savoring one last game drive as we make our way out of the park to reach our last major destination. After all, no safari along Tanzania’s Northern Circuit would be complete without a visit to Ngorongoro Crater. This caldera was created millions of years ago in the aftermath of an earth-shaking volcanic eruption, bringing down the volcano to form the crater as we know it today. We’ll reach Ngorongoro in just two hours, leaving us with the entire day to search for wildlife. Africa’s famous Big Five can be found here: the lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and black rhinoceros. The crater is also known for its hyena clans, hundreds of bird species, and gobsmacking views. Our accommodations tonight will be at the lovely Marera Valley Lodge in nearby Karatu.

Relish the tranquil ambience of quiet birdsong and rustling leaves in the gardens of the Marera Valley Lodge before sitting down to a hearty breakfast this morning. After we eat, we’ll strike out for Arusha, reaching the city in just two hours. We can stop for some last-minute souvenir shopping along the way, but we’ll make sure to get you back to the Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your departure. We trust that you’ve enjoyed your Week with the Wildebeest Safari, and we hope that we’ll have the pleasure of being your host once again when you’re ready to return to Tanzania for another exciting adventure.