Serengeti Migration

Typical Itinerary

1. Day 1: Depart UK & transfer to Arusha

   On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport we meet our local driver guides and transfer a short drive to our first night's accommodation. Here we have the day to recover from our journey, spending the day at leisure and enjoying the birdlife in the gardens and views of Kilimanjaro. 

   Accommodation: Kia Lodge, 1-night

2. Day 2: Drive to Ngorongoro Crater

   Today is an early start to ensure we have plenty of time to explore Ngorongoro Crater in the afternoon. We transfer by road to Ngorongoro Serena Lodge (between four and five hours), and in the afternoon take an excursion into the Ngorongoro Crater to watch and photograph wildlife.

   Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, 3-nights

3. Days 3-4 : Ngorongoro Crater

   Leaving the lodge before sunrise, we will be at the Crater gates when they open at 6am and descend for a full day of wildlife watching and photography. There are numerous tracks criss-crossing the Crater floor and during the course of our visits we will cover all the hot spots and renowned photographic locations. Exact movements will be dictated by the wildlife whereabouts at the time. A picnic breakfast and lunch will be taken in the Crater and we will return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon there will be an opportunity to drive and walk through the neighbouring highlands. Highlights could include the endangered black rhino, a hunting serval or young cheetah cubs.

4. Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater & onto Ndutu

   Repeating the early schedule of the previous day, we again spend the morning in the crater, before continuing our journey out of the Ngorongoro Highlands to descend onto the Serengeti Plains. There will be an opportunity to stop at Olduvai Gorge and museum if wished. On arriving at our lodge, there should be enough time for a late afternoon drive around the area.

   Accommodation: Ndutu Safari Lodge, 11-nights

   Repeating the early schedule of the previous day, we again spend the morning in the crater, before continuing our journey out of the Ngorongoro Highlands to descend onto the Serengeti Plains. There will be an opportunity to stop at Olduvai Gorge and museum if wished. On arriving at our lodge, there should be enough time for a late afternoon drive around the area.

5. Days 6-13 : Ndutu, Southern Serengeti & Ngorongoro Conservation Area

   We have 10 full days to explore the acacia woodlands and open plains that make up the southern Serengeti ecosystem. We will have permits to venture north of the park border into Serengeti National Park, potentially visiting renowned hotspots like the Gol Kopjes, as well as spending prolonged periods south of the border in the Ngorongoro. These are vast areas in which herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelles move around constantly, following localised rains in search of the most nutritious grazing. We will follow their movements with our daily excursions, which may potentially take us as far afield as the Engusoro Plains to the south, or Lemuta and the Olongoijoo Hills to the northeast.

   The density of carnivores in the area is very high, with no fewer than three well-established prides of lion prides known in the Ndutu area alone. The open plains and acacia woodlands are also perhaps the best place in East Africa to see cheetah, and on most trips we encounter numerous individuals. Leopard are also seen in the woodland, and more recently a pack of painted hunting dogs (wild dogs) returned to the area for the first time in nearly 20 years and is seen occasionally. With such a prolonged stay, we hope to also find and photograph some of the less commonly seen smaller carnivores such as serval, caracal and bat-eared fox too. 

6. Day 14: Ndutu, fly to Kilimanjaro

   We have a final morning of wildlife watching and an opportunity to take our last photographs around Ndarakwai. In the afternoon we transfer to a lodge near to the airport for our last night.

   We have a final morning of wildlife watching and photography around Ndutu, returning to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon we transfer to the local air strip for a charter flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport, from where it is a very short transfer to our lodge for our last night.

   Accommodation: Kia Lodge, 1-night

7. Day 15: Fly back to the UK

   Early transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for the flight back to the UK.