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10 Days Serengeti Wildebeest
Migration African Safari
The Seronera Plains, which lie in the southeast of the
National park and extend into the western Ngorongoro
Conservation Area, form the main ungulate calving
grounds of the Serengeti. In January, the massive herds
of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle are to be found on the
plains of the southern Serengeti.
wildebeest Migration In February the wildebeest begin
foaling and they do this at roughly the same time with
all the predators in close attendance. The period
between March-April, Heavy rains are approaching and the
grazing is starting to get worse. The herd begins to
move northwards along the western corridor of the
Serengeti.
The actual migration might start any time from late
April to early June, with a herd of more than a million
migrating animals marching in a braying column of up to
40Km long, one of the most impressive spectacles in the
world.
The herd moves towards the Grumeti controlled area where
there is still good grazing and they begin to cross the
Grumeti river where crocodiles lie in wait for their
annual feast and you find the scenes occurring that has
made the wildebeest migration famous in so many wildlife
documentaries.
From July to October, the ungulates disperse again, with
about half of them crossing the Mara River into Kenya’s
Masai Mara Game reserve, and the reminder spreading out
through the northern and western Serengeti.
The best time to visit is December to February and from
May to July.
Day 1: Arrival
Arrive at Kilimanjaro airport where you will be met and
transferred to your Hotel for dinner and overnight at
Mt. Village Lodge.
Day 2: Transfer to Lake Manyara
After your breakfast, start your safari by driving to
lush and beautiful Manyara National Park for game
viewing. At 1300 hrs take your lunch in the park picnic
area, evening drive to your lodge/ campsite for Dinner
and overnight at Manyara.
Day 3: Manyara-Serengeti
Have breakfast in the morning before departing Lake
Manyara to Serengeti. You will have a game drive game
enroute to the great Serengeti Plains via Ngorongoro
Conservation Area. After lunch at leisure in the lodge/
campsite or proceed with your game drive around Seronera
or trace the direction of the migration.
Dinner and Overnight in the Serengeti at Serengeti
Serena Lodge/ Serengeti Sopa Lodge/ Kirawira Luxury
Tented Camp.
Day 4: Game Drive in Serengeti
Depending on the time of the year and the migration of
the herds you can expect to see wildebeest, lions,
elephants, giraffe, zebras, Monkey, baboons, hippos,
rhinos, antelopes as well as a multitude of birds.
Evening drive to your lodge/ campsite for your dinner
and overnight at Serengeti.
Day 5: Serengeti Southern Area
After breakfast take a packed lunch with you and
continue with game viewing in Serengeti National Park.
The migration can be seen on a long chain approximately
40 Km heading to the south western direction. Around
1230 and 1300 break for your lunch. After lunch have a
rest for one hr, then proceed with your game viewing
following the move of the migrants on the southwest of
the park. Approximately 1.3 million wildebeest, 250,000
gazelles and 200,000 Zebras have been recorded sharing
the short grass/ water which is the source of food for
the millions of Animals in this South Area. Dinner and
overnight at Serengeti Lodge/ Campsite.
Day 6: Serengeti-Ngorongoro
You will start today with an early morning game drive in
the Serengeti followed by lunch at the lodge. After
lunch you will depart for the Ngorongoro Conservation
Area where you will spend the night. Along the way you
will stop at Olduvai Gorge, the site of Louis and Mary
Leakey’s renowned archaeological discoveries. Their
findings include some of man’s earliest known ancestral
remains. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.
Day 7: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Today you will descend 2000 feet (over 600 meters) to
the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater for your crater tour.
Here you will explore the forest areas inhabited by
monkeys and elephants, the lake area, where you may see
flamingos. You will also visit the open savannah where
the lions hunt. Picnic lunch will be served in the
crater. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.
Day 8: Ngorongoro – Tarangire
This morning after breakfast leave Ngorongoro with your
packed lunch to Tarangire Park for game drive. The Park
is known for its majestic baobab trees that dot the
landscape, dwarfing the animals that feed beneath them.
Evening drive to your lodge/ campsite for dinner /
overnight at Tarangire.
Day 9: Tarangire Cultural Tour
Have breakfast at leisure and for a cultural experience,
you will go on a walk to visit neighbouring tribes. The
Masai live in the areas as well as the Datoga. Learning
about their history is as fascinating as the views are
breathtaking from several hilltop peaks in the area.
Dinner and overnight at Tarangire.
Day 10: Tarangire to Arusha
After breakfast, leave Tarangire with your packed lunch
to Arusha town. Transfer to Kilimanjaro International
Airport for you flight back home.
The Great Wildebeest Migration in Serengeti to Masai
Mara Kenya
December, January, February, March: The Serengeti
National Park / Ngorongoro Conservation Area is arguably
the most impressive wildlife sanctuary in the world.
During the months December through March the seemingly
unending plains of the southern Serengeti and the
Conservation Area are inhabited by enormous herds of
wildebeest and zebra. The great herds graze on rain
ripened grass. We feel this is the best time to visit
the Serengeti.
In the calving season (late January through mid March
when over 80% of the wildebeest give birth over a period
of a few weeks) the herds concentrate at the Ndutu and
Salei plains (Southern Serengeti / Ngorongoro
Conservation Area) attracting the attention of predators
like lion, cheetah and hyena.
During this period the migration is best observed from a
luxury mobile camp in the Ndutu / Naabi area or from
Ndutu Safari Lodge.
April, May: During the months April and May the
depleted plains are unable to sustain the endless herds.
The migration, sweeping west and north, moves from the
short grass plains of the southern Serengeti /
Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the long grass plains
and woodland of the Serengeti’s western Corridor, almost
to Lake Victoria.
This period is during the long rains and is considered
off season for wildlife viewing in east Africa as roads
are often impassable. Ndutu Safari Lodge, Kusini Camp
and the Serengeti Serena Lodge are fine for wildlife
viewing during this time. So are campsites in the Ndutu/Naabi
area.
June: By the end of May the wildebeest have
exhausted the Western Corridor’s best pastures and the
herds must move further north. Entering the Lamai Wedge
and the Mara Triangle breeding occurs May through June.
This is a transitional period between the rains and the
dry season. Faru Faru River Lodge, Sasakwa Hill Lodge,
Sabora Plains Tented Camp, Grumeti River Camp, Migration
Camp, and Kirawira Camp are good options for viewing the
migration at this time. Seronera and Moru area campsites
are best.
July, August, September, October: By July the
countless herds have amassed along the swollen Mara
River - a final barrier from the short sweet grasses of
the Masai Mara. Sometimes the crossing place they have
chosen is shallow allowing the majority of animals to
pass safely. In other areas the waters boil with
drowning wildebeest and slashing crocodiles. Please note
that the vast majority of travelers do not witness the
wildebeest crossing of the Mara as the timing and
duration varies widely each year - in years of little
rain very few wildebeest cross the Mara River into
Kenya.
Between July and October the wildebeest reside in
the Mara. We recommend Governor's Il Moran Tented Camp
as the leading safari camp in the Masai Mara. Other
tented camps include Governor's Main Camp, Little
Governor’s Camp, and Bataluer Camp. Tanzanian lodges
recommended during this time include Faru Faru River
Lodge, Sasakwa Hill Lodge, Sabora Plains Tented Camp,
Grumeti River Camp, Migration Camp and Kirawira Camp.
Kirawira and Moru area campsites are best.
November: The arrival of the short rains call the
migration southward. During the short rains of November
the wildebeest migration is best viewed from Klein’s
Camp. Campsites in the Lobo area are best.
As November ends the migration is making its way back to
the southern Serengeti and early in the year they once
again give birth. The circle of life is complete.
*Note - the migration is a natural event and the timing
varies month by month; year by year.
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