Mara River Crossing

12 days—Photo Safari and River Crossing

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$6641 USD

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Safari summary

A popular Photo safari and Mara River crossing to some of the best natural sites in Tanzania, offering fantastic photographic opportunities that culminate in an exciting chance to watch migrating herds as they attempt to cross the famous Mara River at the northern part of Serengeti

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Game drives
	Activity level	Easy activity
	Best months	July, August, September, October
	Countries	Tanzania
	Parks	Arusha Ngorongoro Crater Serengeti Tarangire

Fine details

Safari highlights

Night game drives

Itinerary

Day 1

Kilimanjaro

Day 1: Arrival Day Arrive in the early evening on KLM into Kilimanjaro International Airport. You will be met by Africa Nature Photography & Safaris team and transfer to Ngarasero Mountain lodge for dinner and overnight in your suite room. Meals and Overnight at Ngarasero Mountain Lodge or similar

Day 2

Arusha

Day 2: Arusha National Park You will have an early breakfast at the lodge, collect picnic lunches before drive to Arusha National Park for a full day of game viewing. Arusha National Park is a gem of varied ecosystems and spectacular views of Mt. Meru, the crater that gives the region its name. The small national park includes the slopes, summit, and ash cone of Mt. Meru, the Momela Lakes, Ngurdoto Crater, and the lush highland forests that blanket its lower slopes. Game viewing around the Momela Lakes is at a laid-back and quiet pace with lots of Flamingos and other birds around, while passing through the forest you will stop to search for troupes of rare Black & White colobus monkeys playing in the canopy. Late in the afternoon, you will return to your lodge. Dinner and overnight at Ngarasero Mountain Lodge or similar

Day 3

Arusha | Tarangire

Day 3: Arusha - Tarangire National Park You will have a Breakfast at the lodge, then drive south through Arusha to prehistoric-looking Tarangire National Park. It’s a two and half-hours drive from Ngarasero Mountain Lodge to the gate of Tarangire National Park. Upon arriving at the park gate, your guide will do paper works to obtains permits and thereafter, you will drive to the lodge and arrive in time for your lunch. You will have a late afternoon game viewing into a landscape dotted with baobab trees and umbrella-thorn acacias, visiting the Silalei Swamp and Tarangire River is the centerpiece of this park which is famous for some of the largest herds of elephants in Africa. In the dry season large numbers of animals congregate along the lifeblood of the river. Here you may see lion, leopard, cheetah, lesser kudu, buffalo, Oryx, eland, giraffe and zebra. In addition to the animal species, the park is famous for its century-old baobab trees and over 300 species of birds. Dinner and Overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge or similar

Day 4

Tarangire

Day 4: Exploring Tarangire National Park You will have a full day of game viewing at Tarangire national park and we will break the day into two by having a morning and Afternoon game viewing, visiting the Silalei Swamp and Tarangire River is the centerpiece of this park which is famous for some of the largest herds of elephants in Africa. In the dry season large numbers of animals congregate along the lifeblood of the river. Here you may see lion, leopard, cheetah, Greater and lesser kudu, buffalo, Oryx, eland, giraffe and zebra. In addition to the animal species, the park is famous for its century-old baobab trees and over 300 species of birds. Dinner and Overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge or similar

Day 5

Tarangire

Day 5: Exploring Tarangire National Park – Drive to Ngorongoro Highland After breakfast you will have a morning game drive exploring Tarangire national park, before continue with a short drive and Stop at the culturally-diverse village of Mto wa Mbu for an in-depth look at tribal life, where more than 100 different Tanzanian tribes make their homes. Local lunch will be saved at the village before proceeding with the drive to Ngorongoro highland for dinner and overnight. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge or similar.

Day 6

Ngorongoro Crater

Day 6: Exploring the flourishing floor of Ngorongoro crater We will have a very early start and we will Collect breakfast and lunch boxes, at around 05:45 and descend into the crater for an in-depth exploration of this distinctive eco-system. Enjoy abundant wildlife viewing set against the impressive backdrop of the Ngorongoro Crater, the heart of the conservation area. These drives provide one of the best opportunities in Africa to view black rhino, which tend to spend their time on the crater floor. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles; its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthrall visitors. Another big draw card to this picturesque Caldera, is it's dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, and if Lucky enough you may have chance to see the small cats like the Rare Caracal, Seval cat as well as the African wild cat which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. Picnic breakfast will be served at one of the picnic site at the crater floor, Followed by another game viewing visiting the hippo pool near the Mandusi Swamp, Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner which is one of the main features of the crater, the lerai forest as well as other parts of the crater. Meals and Overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge or similar

Day 7

Ngorongoro Crater | Serengeti

Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater - Eastern Serengeti Plains Early Breakfast will be served at the lodge and thereafter descend into the crater for another in-depth exploration of Ngorongoro Crater before driving to the eastern plain of Serengeti via the Gol kopjes with a visit to Oldupai Gorge. This area links the Southern plains of Serengeti and Central Serengeti which is a fragile habitat consisting of ethereal kopjes and short grass plains. Driving through the Gol kopjes is always a breathtaking experience with a view of vast open plains and amazing wildlife. This is gazelle country; and where there are gazelles, there are always cheetahs. Late in the afternoon we drive to Sametu Camp where we will spend the next two nights. Areas that we will be visiting are the Eastern Serengeti Plains as well as Sametu, Gol & Barafu kopjes. Meals and accommodations at Sametu Tented Camp or similar

Day 8

Serengeti

Day 8: Exploring Central and Eastern Serengeti Plains & Kopjes A game viewing around Central Serengeti plains and You have an options of breaking the days into two by doing Early morning and late afternoon game viewing, drive through the central serengeti in the golden light of dawn looking for special wildlife interactions and photographic opportunities, whereby, You will depart the Lodge at first light with a picnic breakfast for a big day in search of the biggest herds of the great migrations. Areas that will be visited are the Retima Hippo pool, Maasai and sametu kopjes and plains as well as Moru and Gol Kopjes. The Central Serengeti and seronera river valley is home to a great diversity of wildlife due to its unique ecological niches as a transition zone where two distinctly different habitats, the plain and the woodlands merge and various species of wildlife from both habitats can coexist. Dinner and overnight at Sametu Tented Camp or similar

Day 9

Serengeti

Day 9,10 and 11: Exploring North Serengeti Kopjes & Mara River Crossing After early breakfast, Drive to the northern Serengeti with game viewing en route and arrive at your camp for Lunch. You will spend your next four nights enjoying the photographic opportunity at the area with early morning and late afternoon game viewing at Mara river areas. You will depart the camp at first light for a big day in search of the biggest herds of the great migrations. Alternatively, as usually you may choose to enjoy a more leisurely breakfast at the lodge instead of a picnic breakfast. You will drive through the Mara River in the golden light of dawn looking for special photographic opportunities of wildebeest and Zebras taking the cold plunge to cross the glittering waters of the Mara River as well as other wildlife interactions. Witnessing the river crossing takes PATIENCE as the herd will often take hours to decide whether or not to cross, weighing the risk of crocodiles and the strength of the rivers current. A good place to enjoy your picnic breakfast today is along the Mara River. You will later drive back to your camp for Lunch and a little leisure at the camp in the middle of the day. Late in the afternoon, you will have another game viewing searching for different wildlife interactions around Mara River and Wogakuria kopjes area during sunset and softer light for photography. Dinner and overnight at Mara River Tented Camp or similar

Day 12

Arusha | Kilimanjaro | Serengeti

Day 12: Bush Flight from Northern Serengeti – Arusha - Home Early breakfast at the camp, and then leave the camp for Kogatende Airstrip with game, viewing en route. Domestic Flight from Kogatende to Arusha. An optional stops at cultural heritage for shopping and then drive to the lodge for Lunch and a Day use room. Around 17:00 you will have an early farewell dinner at Ngarasero Mountain lodge, before driving to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight back home.

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