11 Days Kogatende Migration Safari
11 Days Kogatende Migration Safari
Price
Overview
This safari lets you witness the Great Wildebeest Migration. Over two million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle move through the Serengeti and Masai Mara ecosystems, searching for green pastures and safe calving ground. Their movement is highly weather-dependent and dynamic, yet with planning and a bit of luck, you can witness this natural wildlife wonder. This safari covers other national parks too, where you can witness the resident game. The tour is available throughout the year, but opting for it in the right season will leave you awestruck.
The high drama of a river crossing at the Mara River is arguably the highlight of the Wildebeest Migration, a stunning life-and-death display as hundreds of thousands of wildebeest brave the treacherous currents and lurking crocodiles in a last-ditch attempt to reach the safety of the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
Our river crossing safari takes you into the northern Serengeti. It offers the best chance of seeing death-defying leaps and heart-wrenching near misses as you spend multiple nights and days in the world-famous Serengeti National Park.
Details of Wildebeest Migration River Crossing Safari (mid-June – September)
About the Mara River Crossing
During this period, the herd continues its movement north toward the Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya. There is no tight schedule that these animals follow. So, tracking the herd’s movements becomes a day-to-day prospect as they meander slowly but inexorably toward the next big obstacle in their path: the Mara River.
The Mara River poses yet another deadly barrier for the herd, who must once again brave swollen waters and the opportunistic predators if they are to find relative safety on the far side. Photographers and documentarians from around the world gather to witness the death-defying crossing. Still, the surrounding landscapes are every bit as memorable as the life-and-death struggle taking place at the Kogatende crossing.
Tour Map
Group Price
- The price per person for group expeditions are fixed based on a group size. However, we have optional arrangements for individual private and tailor-made preferences best suited for you, your family and friends.
- All prices are based on shared accommodation. Please inquire for a 1 guest private room accommodation quote
- Prices listed are not final. Please inquire for your final price quote.
| Number of People | Budget Camping Safari | Mid-range Safari | Luxury Safari |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 pax | $ 5,700 | $ 7,400 | $ 10,800 |
| 3-4 pax | $ 5,500 | $ 7,200 | $ 10,600 |
| 5-6 pax | $ 5,300 | $ 7,000 | $ 10,400 |
Included/Excluded
- Park Fees (for Non-Residents)
- Concession/Camping Fees
- Daily game drives while on safari
- All accommodations (unless listed as upgrade)
- All transportation (unless labelled as optional)
- A professional driver/guide
- 4×4 Land Cruiser
- All Taxes/ VAT
- Meals while on Safari (From lunch on day 1 till lunch on last day)
- Drinking water while on safari
- International flights (From/ To Home)
- Round Trip Airport Transfer (Unless Paid)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour (Unless Paid)
- Tips
- Personal Items (Souvenirs, Travel Insurance, Visa Fees, etc.)
- Government-imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Meals while in Arusha
- Serengeti Balloon Safari – 600 USD per person (Unless Paid)
Day 1: Arrival Day
Upon your arrival time at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), a Nature Horizons team member will be waiting to greet you. We will transfer you to your hotel accommodation for your first night, where you will meet your safari guide that you will be with for the remainder of your tour. Once you are settled in your hotel, you will receive a briefing on our tour. You can now relax at your hotel. Your safari starts tomorrow! As always, if you need anything or would like to head out into town, your guide will be there to assist you 24/7. Welcome to Africa!
Day 2: Arusha/Moshi to Tarangire National Park
Your safari will begin by 8 AM in the morning with a pick-up from your hotel at Arusha. With everyone aboard, you will head toward Tarangire National Park. The 150 Km drive will be covered in about three hours. The national park is extremely famous and special for its diverse landscape and nine different vegetation zones. As you begin your game drive, you will be welcomed by the ancient and gigantic Baobab trees, making even animals like the giraffe look tiny. The game drive goes on till about late afternoon and includes a small stop for a picnic lunch. The 3,000 sq kms park gets its name from the Tarangire River that flows through it.
The river attracts a lot of diverse animals, and you should be able to spot a lot of elephants, giraffes, lions, antelopes, and zebras. If it’s your lucky day, you might be able to spot the tree-climbing python and the long-necked Gerek. Tarangire National Park has the highest concentration of elephants, which offers a unique chance for you to observe interactions between elephant families. Don’t forget to capture this beautiful scenery with your camera. After the game drive, you will head back to your camp/lodge, where a delicious dinner awaits you. Have a good night’s sleep so you are ready for tomorrow’s adventure.
Day 3: Tarangire to Serengeti National Park
The excitement for today will be pretty high as you make your way into the most famous wildlife park in the world – The Serengeti. After finishing up a good breakfast, you will head out toward Serengeti National Park and travel across the never-ending grasslands. The Serengeti means “endless plains” in the local African language, and watching the grassland stretch out as far as the eye can see and eventually merging with the sky at the horizon is an absolutely breathtaking view. With an overall land area of 14,763 sq Kms, It puts our notion about distance to shame. The Serengeti also houses the glorious “Big 5” (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, and leopard).
Along with the “Big 5”, is a very pleasant sighting of one of Africa’s most beautiful animals – the Impala. The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa. The legendary Serengeti National Park is the most renowned safari destination for its incredible population of lions and leopards. The central portion of the Serengeti – known as the Seronera area – is one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park.
It features the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and attracts wildlife well representative of most Serengeti species. In Seronera, one must really look out for the many lion prides that thrive in this region. You must also look out for the Serengeti “Kopjes” which are massive boulders of granite standing in a sea of grass. They provide ample shelter to a large variety of flora and fauna. A picnic lunch will be done during the day-long game drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with a delicious dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day 4: Central Serengeti to North Serengeti
Starting by 8 AM after a filling breakfast, you will explore the central portion of the Serengeti National Park today and move toward the northern part of the park. The enroute game drive toward the Kogatende region will offer mild action from resident game. As you approach the northern part of the Serengeti, you will notice the terrain change from the usual plain grassland to more hilly and broken terrain. The northern region offers various resident game such as zebras, topi, gazelle, buffaloes, leopards, and lions. A picnic lunch will be served during the day-long drive itself. Based on your arrival time, you will be able to spend a few hours by the Mara River. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day 5 & 6: North Serengeti
As usual, you will finish a good breakfast and begin your day by 8 AM. In the months between mid-June to September, the migration can be found in this region. From mid-June to September, the Mara River in this region offers the most dramatic river crossing of the great migration. Fierce, deep, and heavily rain-fed, the river takes an enormous toll on the migrating wildebeest. Watching the wildebeest surging through the torrential flow, some drowning and a few falling prey to lurking crocodiles is an unforgettable sight. If it’s your lucky day, you will be able to witness this natural wonder and watch nature take its course.
Tracing the great migration, you might even move toward the Lobo Valley. The pristine Lobo Valley is scattered with woodlands, plains, hills, and famous granite Kopjes. It offers an enormous amount of bigcat game with lions, leopards, and cheetahs in plenty. During the dry season, the permanent water sources in the valley attract plenty of resident and migratory animals, resulting in excellent game viewing. During the full-day game drive, we will stop for a picnic lunch. The day comes to an end with a tasty dinner and a good night’s rest in your choice of accommodation.
Day 7: North Serengeti to Central Serengeti
Starting your day at the routine time of 8 AM after a hearty breakfast, today you will head south toward the central Serengeti. The four-hour drive to the center will give you a great chance to spot a lot of wildlife! The drive south from the Mara river valley takes you through hill country, the Lobo area, woodlands, and then back into the seronera terrain. The central portion of the Serengeti – known as the Seronera area is one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park. It features the Seronera River, which provides a valuable water source to this area and attracts wildlife well representative of most Serengeti species.
As you make your way into the seronera region, you will begin to notice the hilly and broken terrain altering into plain grasslands. In Seronera, one must really look out for the many lion prides that thrive in this region. The interactions and survival of these lion prides provide an excellent game viewing experience all year round. A picnic lunch will be served during the day-long drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation. The next day you will head toward the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Day 8: Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro
Today your safari will begin by 9 AM, and you will head out for a short game drive in the Serengeti after a tasty breakfast. After completing a half-day game drive along with a picnic lunch, we will branch out and head toward the Ngorongoro Crater Rim. The 75 km drive to Ngorongoro Crater Rim will take about 2.5 hrs, with mild game action to see on the way. The crater is one of Africa’s impressive geological attractions and supreme mecca of wilderness. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good rest in your choice of accommodation. Get a good night’s rest and refuel yourself, as for the following day, you will descend into the massive crater.
Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater Tour – 5 hours (Ngorongoro to Karatu)
Today you will have an early start for your safari. Finishing up with a quick breakfast, you will make an early descent at around 6:30 AM into the crater floor. The Ngorongoro crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. It has a massive floor of about 260 sq kms with a depth of over 2000 feet. The 5-hour game drive on the crater floor will show you a lot of animal action. Keeping the camera ready is recommended. The African elephant, buffalo, black rhino, hippos, hyenas, cheetahs, and lions are found in plenty. Post the picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascent to the top exit of the crater. With a two-hour drive left to your accommodation in Karatu, the day will come to a close. A freshly made delicious dinner is ready for you at your chosen accommodation. All these days of the safari will have you quite tired, and a good rest is essential. The next day you will begin the last leg of your safari.
Day 10: Lake Manyara National Park (Manyara NP to Arusha/Moshi)
The final day of your safari will begin as usual by 8 AM after a luscious breakfast. The destination for today is Arusha via Manyara National Park, where you will have a half-day game drive. As you enter the national park, lush forests of Acacia and Mahogany trees begin to set the mood for what is waiting ahead. The game drive will go on till mid-afternoon with a small break for a picnic lunch. During the game drive, watch out for buffaloes, giraffes, impalas, baboons, and the blue monkeys. Another spectacle of the Lake Manyara National park is the tree-climbing lions. However, spotting them is a game of luck. In the right season, you can see the shoreline turning pink with millions of flamingos flocking there. Keep your camera close by, for this is a simply beautiful scene. By mid-afternoon, you will branch out and head toward Arusha, where you will be dropped off at your hotel accommodation by 6 PM.
Day 11: Departure Day
With an incredible experience and loads of memories to cherish, this is the time you say goodbye to your team. We are so happy that you made it to the Motherland and experienced an authentic Serengeti safari. We know you will be back. Today your guide will be with you up until we escort you to the airport and say our goodbyes. Thank you for coming on safari with Nature Horizons!
ACCOMMODATION
BUDGET CAMPSITES
Lake Manyara National Park – Fanaka Campsite
Serengeti National Park – Simba Campsite
Ngorongoro – Nyani Campsite
MID-RANGE LODGES
Lake Manyara & Tarangire National Park – Eileen Trees Inn
Serengeti National Park – Serengeti Heritage Tented Lodge
North Serengeti – Mbugani Camp
Central Serengeti – Nyati Migration Camp
Ngorongoro – Rhino Lodge
LUXURY LODGES
Ngorongoro/Lake Manyara & Tarangire – Gibbs Farm
North Serengeti – Chaka Camps
Central Serengeti –Melia Serengeti
Where is the best place / time to go for Safari in Tanzania?
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I am a solo (single) traveler, how can I join your tour?
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Can we buy extra bottles of water along the safari?
Are the guides on safari certified?
Can I get a visa upon arrival?
Do you accommodate people with dietary restrictions?
When is the best time to see the migration?
Tanzania Safari Packing list
If this is your first time in Tanzania or your first time on safari, this packing list below can help to be well prepared and comfortable during your adventure. If you do forget a few things, do not worry, you can pick up most everyday items in town before you leave.
Travel Documents
- Valid passport
- Yellow fever vaccination records/ certificate.
- Tanzania visa, available at airport upon arrival, USD $100 payable in cash only for US citizens or USD $50 for residents of UK/European Union and most other countries.
- Copy of flight itinerary.
- Copy of travel and/or medical evacuation insurance.
- Personal medical/dental insurance cards.
- Credit card (Visa and MasterCard are most widely accepted).
- Cash in U.S. Dollars (bills MUST have been issued in 2004 or later)
Clothing
Remember, it’s not a fashion show out there, so be a bit more practical when choosing your safari wardrobe. Try to stay away from bright colours – khaki and other neutral colours tend to work well. It is probably best if you dress in layers since it can get cold, but also very hot.
- Sweater or fleece pullover to keep warm
- Sturdy boots or sandals
- Sun hat
- Sun glasses
- T-shirts or polo shirts (2-5 depending on how often you want to change)
- Long sleeve shirts (light weight)
- Shorts
- Long trousers
- Underwear
- Socks
- Sleepwear
- Travel towel
- Thermal underwear, gloves and warm hat (during May – Sept)
- Rain coat and rain trousers (During rainy season Mar – May and Oct – Dec)
Highly recommended
- Camera and memory cards
- Binoculars
- Sunscreen
- Hand sanitizer and wet wipes
- Insect Repellent
- Personal toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothbrush, eye drops etc)
- Malaria tablets
- Basic first aid kit and prescription medicines
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Chargers and extra batteries for your camera, phone etc
- Power adapter to fit the UK style electrical socket
Others tips
- Bring soft luggage such as a duffel bag, hiking pack or sports bag. These are ideal for packing into a safari vehicle. Hard suitcases can often be difficult to fit into the vehicles.
- Bring a backpack to carry all of your important items including travel documents, money, camera, medication etc. You should keep this backpack with you at all times.
- Keep luxury items such as hair dryers/ straighteners, expensive jewellery, make up and bulky toiletries to an absolute minimum. If in doubt, leave them out.
- If you plan to bring cash, divide it into different areas of your carry-on luggage, wallet and money belt just in case something happens to one of those carry items.
- Leave some space in your luggage for the all-important souvenirs that you will probably buy. There are places where you can send packages home via DHL etc, however this can sometimes be an expensive option.
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Our TripAdvisor Reviews
Jennifer F2025-04-27Amazing Tanzanian Safari Nature Horizons planned an unforgettable Tanzanian safari for 20 guests on a yoga retreat. Beginning in the planning stages, Dominick was helpful, knowledgeable, and would go out of his way to ensure we had an amazing trip planned. He was on top of the details, such as collecting passport and travel info, and answered all of our questions. Because of NHT’s attention to detail? Our guests enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime trip. If we needed anything during our stay, Dominick was responsive and would get any problem resolved. Every detail was fine tuned, and several of the accommodations were beyond expectation. The guides he set us up would were funny, personable, and genuinely cared to make sure we had the best safari experience. I highly recommend the hot air balloon ride!If you are looking to plan a Tanzanian safari, FIBI! Look no further and reach out to Dominick for a life-changing vacation.Erin Y2025-04-23Magical restorative adventure! My yoga studio hosted an unforgettable trip to Tanzania, thanks to Nature Horizon Tours! Every detail was perfectly planned—from the beautiful accommodations to the incredible excursions and welcoming local guides. The trip created space for adventure, reflection, and connection, making it both inspiring and restorative. We came home with lasting memories, a deeper bond as a group, and new friendships that we truly treasure. This experience far exceeded our expectations, and we’re so grateful for the care and thought that went into every moment. We can’t wait to travel with this team again!Jen B2025-04-08Life-Changing Safari I am very grateful for Natures Horizons Tours for providing the trip of a lifetime. They ensured our safety, took care of all of our needs, and treated us with the best care and consideration even when some of us didn’t deserve it. This tour company is very PROFESSIONAL!! They know what they are doing and they do it very well. I would tour with them again in a heartbeat! The attached photo is completely untouched. This is how close they got us to the action! If we weren’t in the rover, this beautiful but very full, lioness was only feet away. We could see every beautiful detail of her.Nancy C2025-04-06Lasting memories My trip to Tanzania was amazing. Nature Horizons put together a fantastic itinerary. Our guides were knowledgeable, hard working, and friendly. They turned the Safari from a trip into an awesome and unforgettable experience.Getaway310895774142025-03-24A bucket list trip dreams are made of! Nature Horizons organized a trip for 20 people from our yoga community for a yoga and safari tour in Tanzania. Every detail was curated perfectly from the those greeting us at the airport to those touring us through the urban and cultural centers of Arusha all the way though an unforgettable experience in the Serengeti. Our 5 tour guides were friendly and fun and beyond knowledgeable and we got to see THE BIG 5!!! The locations they choose for our Safari camp and for our journey along the way were superb with perfect views for our yoga practice and the food was out of this world every place we went! We will for sure be traveling with Nature Horizons again, in fact we already have Egypt booked as our next destination!!! For world class bucket list travel these are your people. Rarely does one get the owner and CEO of a travel company hand selecting every detail of your trip and ensuring it goes off without a hiccup… this oversight and hand on help is unbeatable in the travel industry… trust me after a decade of taking yoga groups traveling, this is something you never see! Thanks Dominick and Team for a memorable bucket list trip and for taking superb care of us along the way!Shreya B2025-03-11Excellent customer care! We travel a lot and for the first time let Nature Horizons Tours plan our trip for us! It was an amazing experience as there was always someone to take care of us and our needs. Our daughter needed urgent care on the last day of the trip and we were helped all the way through! Better than 5*s!!!Mary D2025-02-11Fantastic Safari My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the safari that we took thru Nature Horizons Tours in Tanzania last month. It truly was a trip of a life time. We saw lots of animals and birds throughout Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. To see 20 elephants (including babies) casually stroll by us was an experience I will never forget. Another time, we saw two herds of zebras that must have totaled 20,000 zebras. WOW! Our guide, Praygod was great and we really enjoyed spending time with him. He was great at identifying animals and provided lots of the environmental, historical and cultural information. I recommend bringing a notebook to write down all the animals you will see.One advantage we had with Natures Horizon compared to other Safari companies is that there are only four people in a jeep during the safari (well, plus the driver). This was really nice being able to easily see animals on both sides of the jeep without stepping over people. We saw a lot of jeeps that had 6 people in them.Everyone associated with Nature Horizons Tours and the lodges we stayed at went out of their way to make our stay/experience fantastic. We learned that if there was something that we wanted, we just had to ask. At the Kilimanjaro Lux Camp, Grace personally made avocado toast for us each morning. In Zanzibar, we asked the driver where we could buy spices and he took us to a local outdoor market which I appreciated as I enjoy experiencing the local experience.It was a great trip and I would have no doubt that I would go on another tour led by Natures HorizonsTrail311312224182025-02-11Fantastic Photo Safari I traveled with Nature Horizons to Tanzania in 2024. I am writing this review as a Travel Agent. My clients just returned from their safari with Nature Horizons. From the time they booked, Dominick was in close contact with both me and my clients. He made sure that all of our questions or concerns were handled very quickly. He took the time to do zoom calls with me and my clients more than once to make sure that they were comfortable with everything to do with the trip. While there were a couple of things lost in translation with his team in Tanzania, they were minor and were dealt with immediately. The driver/guide is the absolute best. The lodging, while not close to town, was all very nice with fabulous food. The balloon ride is not to be missed! One of the things that I appreciate the most is that Dominick will not take more than 4 people in a vehicle, even though more can fit. He wants every passenger to have the best view, no matter which side of the vehicle has the views of the wildlife. I am very happy with Dominick and his team at Nature Horizons and would not hesitate to use them again for myself and my clients!Geri M2025-02-10Tanzania and Serengeti Safari Phenomenal experience! Once in a lifetime trip! The guide was top of the line! I would suggest this trip to everyone! We added on Zanzibar and that was beautiful as wellByrd B2025-01-14The BEST Partner for a Travel Agency!! Nature Horizons has been an amazing partner for us. I own a travel agency that does $13MM in revenue and when it comes to unique, off the beaten path, this partner always delivers exactly what my clients are looking for. The support is impressive and the work has love poured into every detail. You cannot go wrong with this company!
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