7 Days Great Wildebeest Migration Mara River Crossing
5.0
5 Ratings
Arusha
Witness the dramatic Mara River crossing on a 7-day safari in Serengeti. Experience heart-pounding action and breathtaking wildlife moments.
Duration: 7 days
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Kilimanjaro International Airport - Arusha:

Arusha - Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport / Arusha Airport, you will be Met and assist at the airport and after going through Immigration, Baggage Claim and Customs, Transfer to Tulia Boutique Hotel.

Arusha – Tarangire National Park:

Tarangire National Park - After breakfast, you will be picked-up at 08:30 AM by your guide from your hotel in Arusha and after an approximately 2-hour drive you will reach the Tarangire National Park. As you enter the park, your guide will open the roof for a better viewing experience. Tarangire is home to the largest elephant herds in the north of Tanzania. Giraffes, buffaloes, lions, zebras, wildebeests as well as various antelopes and gazelles can also be spotted here. The landscape is made up of seasonal marshes and a seemingly endless tree savannah with its mighty baobab trees. After extensive game drives in the park, you will stay overnight at Marera Valley Lodge on Full Board basis.

Central Serengeti National Park:

Serengeti National Park - We will take an early breakfast, as we’ve got a big day of exploration and adventure ahead of us! We’ll begin the day with the scenic drive towards the Serengeti. Along the way, we’ll pass through the mist-shrouded rainforests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where you might be lucky enough to glimpse cape buffalo, baboons, or even elephants and leopards in the dense undergrowth. It’s a nearly four-hour drive to the Serengeti park gates, but you can choose to break up the drive with one or both of the below optional activities for an extra cost:

Olduvai Gorge Museum: Sometimes known as the Cradle of Mankind, the Olduvai Gorge Museum commemorates some of the oldest evidence of human habitation ever found. Here you can see some of the oldest fossil evidence in the world of human habitation, visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum to learn more about the human journey, and take in the stunning views of this stark gorge country.

Olduvai Gorge Museum - The Olduvai Gorge Site Museum is situated six kilometers from the main road junction where the Zinjanthropus monument stands on the way to Serengeti National Park. The Museum is located at the edge of the Gorge’s bank, overlooking the famous rock castle in the Gorge’s midsection, just at the confluence of the side and mini gorge river valleys. The Museum is located on the rim of the Gorge, 5 kilometers beyond the monument, at the intersection of the main Gorge and the side gorge. It is known to be one of the few onsite museums. This Museum offers extensive archeological and cultural exhibits directly related to the Gorge, as well as research on the Gorge’s history, discoveries, and overall history to the present day.

Central Serengeti – Serengeti North (Kogatende Region):

Serengeti National Park - After breakfast, we will drive across the plains of Togoro and through the Mbuzi Mawe kopjes (small hills) as we make our way into the park’s northern reaches. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to see the Serengeti’s diverse scenery as you pass through wooded hills, tumbledown kopjes, and the wide open savannah. Your drive will show you everything from the diminutive dik-dik to towering elephants and giraffes. Upon arriving in the Kogatende region, you’ll go out in search of both the Wildebeest Migration and the famous Big Five. Stay overnight at Heritage Mara Tented Camp on Full Board basis.

Full Day at Serengeti North (Kogatende Region):

Serengeti National Park - After breakfast, we will start our game drive around the Kogatende area, searching around the kopjes looking for carnivores and the large migration groups that will be preparing to cross the Mara River into Kenya. Home to large numbers of hippos and Nile crocodiles, the Mara River is the last major obstacle standing between the Wildebeest Migration and the relative safety of the Masai Mara.

If you are patient and a little lucky, you may even get to witness the death-defying crossing itself where wildebeest and zebras brave the river’s currents and crocodiles in an attempt to reach safety on the opposite bank. Dinner and overnight in the heart of the Serengeti National Park according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.

Kogatende Region – Ngorongoro Conservation Area:

Ngorongoro Conservation Area - After breakfast, we get right on the road back towards the Ngorongoro Crater National Park. Our drive takes us back through the Serengeti via a different route, offering plenty of opportunities to spot the animals that eluded you on day two. As far as the eye can see, you’ll spot thousands upon thousands of animals in herds; wildebeests and zebras migrating together, tall and graceful giraffes, jumping antelopes and gazelles, the powerful African elephant and the most respected group of animals: the predators. You will have the chance to spot lean cheetahs and shy leopards, foraging hyenas, and last but not least, the king himself; the lion.

Ngorongoro Crater Tour – Drive Back to Arusha:

Ngorongoro Crater - An early breakfast, and then depart for Ngorongoro Crater at 07:00 AM; considered by some to be the Eighth Wonder of the World. When you get your first glimpse of this vast, verdant caldera from the panoramic viewpoint, you will soon understand why it has earned such a lofty reputation. Home to over 120 species of mammal including the fabled Big Five, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most sought after safari destinations in the world. It’s a particularly good place to see the endangered black rhinoceros enjoying a lonely meal out on the grass plains, as well as a place to see large numbers of hippopotamus enjoying the cool water. The crater is home to a large number of predators including lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, and hyenas, as well as a large population of wildebeest, zebras, antelope, Cape buffalo, and more. After the thrills and excitement of the day, you will have a picnic lunch by the park’s famous hippo pool before returning to Arusha.

What's Included
  • Driver guide
  • 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Soft drinks, Coffee/Tea
What's Not Included
  • Travel and Medical Insurance
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • International & Domestic Flights, Visa, Travel & Medical Insurance and Tips for Guide/Hotel Staff.
  • Alcohol, Laundry Services at the lodges or Tented camps, Maasai visit, Hot Air Balloon activity.
  • Olduvai Gorge Museum fee - USD 36 per person.
Additional Information

Our 7-day Great Wildebeest Migration Mara River Crossing safari takes you into the northern Serengeti National Park and 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.

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.

Location
Aardvark Expeditions Limited
Swahili Street
For those customers who don't require pick up transfer can just wait at company's office area.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(5 Ratings)
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1 star
Wahaney1
Jul 12, 2022
Spectacular Safari Tour - The Safari was excellent. We had a private tour with a very knowledgeable guide who knew where the big game were located and had extensive historical knowledge including information on flora and fauna and on the extent of Ngorongoro Crater and details about the crater and extensive tour of Tarangire National Park with great in-depth details about plants and animals. Our tour guides name was DONATUS NGOWI and he was a great personal guide with tons of information and a great sense of humor.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dottie
Sep 27, 2019
Great company to book travel in Tanzania - As a solo female traveler, I chose Aardvark Expeditions Ltd. because I wanted to book an extensive and safe, adventure filled trip to Tanzania. I, also, wanted to use a company that was locally owned by a Tanzanian, and not a US or UK based company, all for a reasonable price. Aardvark Expeditions exceeded my expectations on all fronts. From the first email, the owner of the company, Philemon Joel, responded to my every question promptly and respectfully. My entire trip was arranged for me starting with a hike to the summit of Kilimanjaro, then to a safari, then to a relaxing beach on Zanzibar. The price tag for all of this was much less than other companies I researched, sometimes by almost half. All in-country travel was included in the price, so I had no need to arrange for taxi service at airports. All meals while on the mountain and on the safari were, also, included. My hotel, Arusha Giraffe Lodge in Arusha was wonderful! Comfortable and cheap with a very attentive staff. I was picked up by my guide, Freddy, and the rest of my porter team to head to the mountain. My climb up Kilimanjaro was amazing. Freddy was extremely knowledgeable about the mountain and had been to the summit over 250 times. I was provided with fresh fruit and veggies daily, along with hot water for tea, coffee, or hot chocolate every morning and night, as well as daily water to wash. The meals were delicious, variable, and filling and the team was strong and kind. With the help of Freddy and Chobias, I was able to make it all the way to the top. My safari guide was, also, very knowledgeable about each eco-system at all of the parks we visited, including Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Lake Manyara. The accommodations while on safari were fabulous and very comfortable and all the delicious meals included. I was able to view, close up, all the animals one would want to see while visiting this area of the world, including; elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, zebra, etc. Transportation to Zanzibar went with no problems, and I was picked up to spend 1 night in Stonetown at the Tembo House Hotel which was beautiful and right on the beach and had a historic walking tour arranged, and then transferred to the Z Hotel in Nungwi Beach for 3 days of rest and relaxation. Aardvark Expeditions kept me safe, kept me happy, and made it affordable for me to take the trip of a lifetime. Thanks Philemon for all your hard work arranging all of this for me. I will be back! Dottie
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chete
Sep 21, 2019
Fantastic Experience!! - Really great and awesome experience!! With many safari companies, we were really apprehensive choosing one but Aardvark company really made our trip. They went over and beyond to make sure we had a great time. Philemon the manager and Orio our driver were superb in every way - picking us and dropping us off at the airports( we came through the two different airports) as promised. The lodges we stayed in were really nice. The lodge in Arusha simply spectacular - excellent food and service - at affordable price. Our driver Orio very well versed in the local history and of the parks. I can't say enough how much we enjoyed our trip and many thanks to Aardvark. The trip was very affordable (compared to others we saw online) and well worth every penny. We'll be back!! Chete.
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