12 Days Ndutu Migration Safari
12 Days Ndutu Migration Safari
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.
All of our African wildlife safaris specifically include the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. This specific African safari and travel itinerary has been designed for visitors with more time on their hands for longer safari tours. It specifically includes Tarangire National Park and has been designed to offer you a total Tanzania northern circuit safari experience while attempting to keep your non-game-viewing travel time to a minimum.
This unforgettable African safari package will take you to Lake Manyara National Park, one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located wildlife areas, consisting of a shallow but huge soda lake located at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. The park’s size makes it perfect for a one-day game drive and is notably famous for its tree-climbing lions. This safari will also take you to Serengeti National Park, a massive wilderness of 14,500 square km, where every day brings a new landscape and a new adventure. It will even take you to Ngorongoro Crater and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania, featuring one of the highest concentrations of game and arguably the densest population of predators and carnivores in Africa. Here you will witness an amazing spectacle of African wildlife – inside a self-contained world teeming with animals. Finally, your safari will also take you to Tarangire National Park, which once again features some of the greatest concentration of game in Tanzania – second only to the Ngorongoro Crater – but less crowded and unspoiled, possessing a wild and unkempt beauty.
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 | $ 6,400 | $ 7,400 | $ 11,800 |
3-4 pax | $ 6,200 | $ 7,200 | $ 11,600 |
5-6 pax | $ 6,000 | $ 7,000 | $ 11,400 |
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 National Park (Full Day Game Drive)
Your day will begin after breakfast at 8AM with a full-day game drive in Tarangire National Park ahead of you. 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, which make even giraffes look tiny. The game drive goes on till about late afternoon and includes a small stop for a picnic lunch. The 3,000 sq km 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 you’re lucky, 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 ready at hand. Post 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 4: Ndutu (Tarangire National Park to Ndutu)
You will kickstart your migration safari after a delicious breakfast by about 8AM. The destination for today is the Ndutu region which is a three-hour drive depending on the accommodation chosen. After about an hour commencing the drive, you will enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) where you will notice the landscape changing from hilly forests to plain and green grasslands as you drive further. Once you reach Ndutu you will begin your day’s game drive with a convenient stop for your picnic lunch. Sweeping grasslands of the Ndutu cover the region which gradually faded into the Ngorongoro conservation area and the Serengeti. Ndutu forms a part of the route for the annual migration of more than 2 million wildebeests and thousands of zebra, antelope and gazelle.
During game drives at the right season between December and April, you will be able to see the fertile plains turn into calving grounds and nursery for the great migration. This season attracts hordes of predators preying on vulnerable young wildebeest. Crested with Ndutu lake and Lake Masek, these waterholes offer plenty of wildlife during the dry season. The Ndutu is also the home ground for 6 species of big cats – leopard, lion, cheetah, caracal, serval and wildcat. The action-packed game drive will end late in the evening by around 5PM. You will now head toward your choice of accommodation, where a freshly prepared dinner awaits you. Ensure you get some good rest and recharge yourself for another eventful day.
Day 5 & 6 : Ndutu (Game Drives in NCA or Serengeti)
Stunned by the previous day’s spotting of the migration, today you get another chance to view the beautiful wildlife spectacle. The Ndutu region is a part of the glorious Serengeti National Park as well as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). Heading out for a full day game drive after breakfast, today you will be following the migration depending on its location in either NCA or Serengeti. During game drives at the right season between December and April, you will be able to see the fertile plains turn into calving grounds and nursery for the great migration. This season attracts hordes of predators preying on vulnerable young wildebeest. Watching the circle of life take its course will be an unforgettable experience etched for life. The action-packed game drive will end late in the evening by 5PM. You will now head toward your choice of accommodation, where a freshly prepared dinner awaits you. Ensure you get some good rest and recharge yourself for the coming day.
Day 7: Serengeti National Park (Ndutu to Serengeti National Park)
The excitement for today will be quite high as you make your way into the most celebrated 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 of 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. 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 hearty dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation.
Day 8: Serengeti National Park (Full Day Game Drive)
Starting your full-day game drive by 8AM after a filling breakfast, you will explore the central portion of Serengeti National Park today. 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 therefore attracts wildlife well representative of most of the Serengeti’s species. During the off season of the migration, 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. After a picnic lunch during the full-day game drive, the day will come to a close by around 5PM. The long day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night’s rest in your accommodation. Get a good night’s rest in, as for the following day you will move toward Ngorongoro Crater.
Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater (Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Crater)
Today your safari will begin by 9AM and you will head out for a short game drive in the Serengeti after a good 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 hours, 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 rest and refuel yourself, for the following day you will descend into the massive crater.
Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater Tour (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 6:30AM into the crater floor. Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. It has a massive floor of about 260 sq km with a depth of over 2,000 feet. The five-hour game drive in the crater floor will show you a lot of animal action. Keeping the camera ready is definitely recommended. The African elephant, buffalo, Black rhino, Hippos, Hyenas, Cheetahs and Lions are found in plenty. After the picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascend 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. Freshly made delicious dinner is kept 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 11: Manyara National Park (Manyara NP to Arusha/Moshi)
The final day of your safari will begin as usual by 8AM 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 by 9AM, 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 cameras at hand, for this is a simply beautiful scene. By midafternoon, you will branch out and head toward Arusha where you will be dropped off at your hotel by 6PM.
Day 12: 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
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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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