Follow the Migration, 10 day Camping Safari

DAY 1

Arusha - Tarangire National Park

After a short briefing in the morning, you will travel southwest towards the Tarangire National Park, named after the Tarangire River that flows through the park. The park is one of the most attractive and diverse nature preserves on the northern circuit. Scattered throughout the park you will find a large number of baobab trees for which the park is well known for. The river is usually the best location to not only spot the large elephant herds, but also various other wildlife such as giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, zebras and buffaloes. The park also boasts around 550 species of bird and bird enthusiast will easily be able to capture them on film. You will explore the park until the late afternoon before you will arrive at a campsite inside the park to overnight.

DAY 2

Tarangire Tarangire National Park - Lake Manyara National Park - Ngorongoro Conservation Area

After breakfast you will leave the Tarangire Area and continue your journey to the Lake Manyara National Park. The shallow alkaline Lake Manyara stretches along the base of the Rift Valley Escarpment and attracts thousands of birds, including huge flocks of flamingos. Other animals that call the park their home include buffaloes, elephants, hippos and Masai giraffes as well as troops of boisterous baboons and monkeys in the forests. The park once became famous for tree climbing lions and if you are lucky to spot them you will be amused by the site of these animals lounging on branches in the acacia trees. After a game drive in the park you will ascend to the Ngorongoro Highlands, where you will overnight on a campsite situated on the crater’s edge with magnificent views of the caldera below.
Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

DAY 3

Ngorongoro Crater - Serengeti National Park

You will have breakfast at dawn and see the sunrise over the crater before travelling down the steep trail into the crater below. Here, inside the world’s biggest caldera, you will see a diversity of wildlife ranging from zebras, gnus, Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles to lions, leopards, elephants and mountain reedbucks in the forests on the slopes. The crater is also one of the best places to see the magnificent but endangered black rhino. You will have lunch at a picnic spot before you exit the crater in the early afternoon and travel to the open plains of the Serengeti. The Serengeti is the most famous park in Tanzania and it is here where the biggest animal migration in the world takes place. Herds of wildebeests and zebras cross the border between Tanzania and Kenya in search of fresh grass and water, with predators waiting patiently in the shadows. The night will be spent at a campsite in the central Serengeti.

DAY 4

Serengeti National Park

You will set off on an early morning game drive while enjoying the warming rays of the sun. Adventurous guests may choose to experience the Serengeti from the air and join a hot-air balloon ride followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush. This activity is not included in the tour price and needs to be booked in advance. After a hearty breakfast at your camp, you will continue exploring the Serengeti National Park in search of animals you might have missed the day before. The Serengeti is also home to the Big Five – lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard and today you might be able to tick off all the members of this group. A stop at the visitor centre is also possible for interested parties. You will head back to your camp in the late afternoon for your evening meal and overnight.

DAY 5

Serengeti National Park - Lake Victoria

After an early breakfast, you will start the journey to Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and the second largest freshwater lake in the world. The region around Lake Victoria is one of the most densely populated in Africa, with several million people living on its shores. Due to its somewhat remote location, away from the tourist hot spots, the area offers a different side of Tanzania. You will be able to experience the lives of the local people. You will spend the night at a campsite.

DAY 6

Lake Victoria - Masai Mara Area

Lake Victoria boasts one of the largest fishing industries in Africa and fish has become a staple in the diets of the local population. You will join a canoe trip on Lake Victoria and see the local fisherman at work. You will see how the locals catch fish the traditional way and admire the previous night’s catch, before embarking on the longest section of your safari – the journey to the Masai Mara. Arriving at the border you will bid farewell to your Tanzanian safari team and start your Kenyan adventure with a new vehicle and new team. You will overnight in tents on a campsite outside the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

DAY 7

Masai Mara Game Reserve

Today you will be rewarded for yesterday’s long drive. In your 4×4 safari vehicle you explore the north-western part of the Masai Mara, the Mara Triangle, on extensive game drives. You can look forward to experiencing amazing wildlife encounters, especially during the time of the Great Migration! You will take a trip to the Mara River, the greatest hurdle for the wildebeests and zebras on their yearly trek. At the end of October and the beginning of November an incredible scene is set when the river has swollen to almost bursting levels. Tens of thousands of animals must cross it, knowing that possible death awaits them – as crocodiles are hiding just below the surface. It can be a gruesome sight. At other times of the year hippos, crocodiles and other animals can also be seen at the river. As the sun begins to set, you return to your camp where after a tasty meal, you can relax around the campfire and enjoy another night in East Africa.

DAY 8-9

Masai Mara Game Reserve

The following two days are dedicated to game drives in the Masai Mara Game Reserve. Together with your experienced guide you can search for the Big Five: elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard. You are in no rush, so you have enough time to enjoy all the wonderful moments which can make your safari a magical experience. The Mara is home to many other interesting animals too, such as Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles, elands and Coke’s hartebeests. Not often seen outside Kenya are the Masai giraffe, roan antelope and the nocturnal bat-eared fox. The reserve also has over 470 bird species including about 60 raptor species. Enjoy the next two nights camping near the eastern section of the Masai Mara, just outside of the Game Reserve.

Day 10

Masai Mara Area - Nairobi

You will leave the Mara Region just after breakfast to reach the bustling capital of Nairobi in the late afternoon. Your eventful camping safari ends here. Depending on the rest of your travel program, you will be taken to your hotel in the city centre or directly to the airport.