10 DAYS DRAMAS OF THE MARA RIVER (WILDEBEEST CROSSING)

Highlights:
Tanzania, Great Migration Crossing, Big 5
Olduvai Gorge, Bushmen visit, Walking Safari, Cultural Tour,
Luxury and Relaxation

ITINERARY

DAY 1
Welcome to Kilimanjaro Tanzania! Clear the customs and retrieve your baggage. Upon arrival, be greeted by our tour guide at the airport with welcome juice and garland flowers. You will be transferred for dinner and overnight stay.

Approx transit time: 1 hr
Meals: D Accommodation: Arusha Planet Lodge or Arusha Four Points hotel

DAY 2
Arusha – Tarangire
We will pick you up from the lodge at 7:30 AM and depart for Tarangire National Park where you will begin your game viewing in the park including a picnic lunch. After lunch proceeds with an afternoon game drive to enjoy the landscape, huge herds of Elephant and many species of animals and birds as well. The park is so famous for its baobab trees, many of which are over a thousand years old. End of the day transfer to Karatu for dinner and overnight.

Approx transit time: 1½ hrs
Meals: B, L, D Accommodation: Ngorongoro Oldeani Mountain lodge or Ngorongoro Retreat lodge

DAY 3
Lake Eyasi
After a leisurely breakfast, drive to Lake Eyasi and today with your guide will have full day visiting the Bushmen, (Hadzabe tribe), learning about their culture, way of life and also hunting with them. After lunch will visit another tribe (Datoga) the pastoralist. You can also enjoy the Lake area late afternoon. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight once more.

Approx transit time: 1 hr
Meals: B, L, D Accommodation: Ngorongoro Oldeani Mountain lodge or Ngorongoro Retreat lodge

DAY 4
Ngorongoro
Depart the lodge after a leisurely breakfast and drive to Ngorongoro with game drive arriving in time for a hot lunch at Ngorongoro Serena lodge. Today will take on a late afternoon guided walk along the Crater Rim for about 2-3 hrs to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Ngorongoro highlands. As you start walking back, meet the driver/vehicle which will drive you to the lodge for dinner and overnight on the rim of the crater.

Approx transit time: 1 hr
Meals: B, L, D Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge or Ngorongoro Lions Paw Lodge

DAY 5
Ngorongoro Crater
After an a leisurely breakfast, Descend into the Crater floor (19.2 km of diameter, 610m deep, 304 sq km) spending the rest of the day exploring the crater. It is one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles, its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthrall visitors including the last remaining Black and flamingos on the Soda lake. All the “BIG FIVE”; Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Buffalo and Elephant could be spotted in this caldera. Picnic lunches will be served at the hippo pool site. All meals and overnights at the lodge.

Meals: B, L, D Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge or Ngorongoro Lions Paw Lodge

DAY 6
Serengeti (Central)
After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park with game drive en route and (a brief stop at Olduvai Gorge Museum on the way). Following the late afternoon game drive, you will eat dinner and overnight.

Approx transit time: 3 hrs
Meals: B, L, D Accommodation: Ole Serai tented camp or Serengeti Sametu tented camp

DAYS 7-8
Serengeti (North)
After breakfast, drive to Serengeti North with picnic lunches en route. You will have three days at your leisure. Full days for game viewing in the park (14,763 sq km or 5,700 sq miles) with morning and afternoon game-drives as well as with picnic lunch. On this day, you may wish to take a picnic lunch or after hot lunch and go for the whole day en route according to game locations to see the migration of wildebeest, zebras, as well as gazelles, great herds of buffalos, elephants, giraffes, lots of birds, all three African jackal species found here and the spectacle of predators.
(Game viewing is best in the early morning and late afternoon when animals are active).
All meals and overnights at the lodge.

Meals: B, L, D Accommodation: Ole Serai tented camp or Serengeti River tented camp
NOTE: (Optional)
On the morning you will have a Balloon Safari. The balloon staff will pick the ballooners up at 0500 and proceed to the launch site to watch them inflate. After the flight and a bush breakfast, will drive you back to the lodge for a rest or proceed with game viewing.

DAY 9
Serengeti – Lake Manyara
After a leisurely breakfast, This is another day of adventure in the park. With game drive en route and (optional stop to a Maasai Village on the way) You will eat dinner and overnight

Approx transit time: 3 hrs
Meals: B, L, D Accommodation: Lake Manyara Kilimamoja lodge or Lake Manyara Serena lodge

DAY 10
Village Tour- Departure
After a leisurely breakfast, Meet your guide and today will have a full day cultural tour at Mto wa Mbu village. Mto wa Mbu is a good opportunity to get a sense of the people and their daily lives in a guided walk tour, the program is run entirely by the local people. Hot local lunch will be served today. This is a tour that you will get to learn and understand the full culture of Tanzania while enjoying the beautiful nature and wildlife. End of the day transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport where will connect your outward fight back home or other destinations.

Approx transit time: 3½ hrs
Meals: B, L Accommodation: No accommodation
End of Service