Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater

Enjoy a front row seat to one of the world's greatest natural spectacles, the Great Wildebeest Migration!  Explore the unique terrain of the Ngorongoro Crater, dotted with wildlife. Enjoy the beautiful landscapes and excellent wildlife sightings of the central Serengeti!



Itinerary

  • Day 1: Johannesburg / Kilimanjaro Airport / Arusha

    Depart from Johannesburg on an overnight flight with Kenya Airways to Kilimanjaro Airport .  Our friendly safari team will welcome you at Kilimanjaro Airport, and they will transfer you to Arusha.  Arusha is  one of the major coffee-growing regions in Tanzania.

    Stay: Kahawa Lodge (Standard room)

    Meals: Dinner & breakfast

  • Day 2: Arusha / Tarangire

    After breakfast, we meet our guide for a short briefing.  We head off to Tarangire National Park, known as the land of giants - elephants and baobab trees. En route stop at a supermarket near Arusha for last-minute shopping (buy drinks to enjoy in your vehicles while on safari – remember we have mini-fridges in our vehicles to keep your drinks cold). We’ll leave Arusha behind and drive towards the local town of Mto Wa Mbu (Maasai for Mosquito Village – the only place in Tanzania representing all tribes – 120 ethnic groups).  We continue to drive up the Rift Valley escarpment, stopping at the African Galleria (for shopping for Tanzania art, Masaai blankets, memorabilia, and Tanzanites) before driving to the Ngorongoro Highlands. The Highlands offers a unique experience – just 45 minutes from the Crater entrance. It is wild, remote, and set in an area so beautiful it will take your breath away. Here, you can walk, visit Empakaai Crater, and have an authentic cultural experience.

    Stay: The Highlands Ngorongoro (Dome)

    Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner, breakfast & a selection of drinks while in camp

  • Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater

    Today we’ll rise early morning! After breakfast, drive to the Crater to enjoy an extended game drive along the Crater floor.  A steep entry track leads us 600m down to the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater floor (referred to as the Garden of Eden).  Witness an unforgettable spectacle of African wildlife - a world teeming with animals. The park sustains a vast variety of animals, including the black rhino, with its year-round water supply and fodder.  Another big drawcard to this picturesque park is its dense population of predators, which includes lions, hyenas, jackals, and the ever-elusive leopard. People like to visit the crater at this time of year because of the large likelihood of encountering the Big 5.  Late afternoon ascent to the crater rim with a short drive to your camp.  

    Stay: The Highlands Ngorongoro (Dome)

    Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner, breakfast & a selection of drinks while in camp

  • Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater / Serengeti National Park

    After breakfast, we continue our journey to the Serengeti National Park with the option to visit a Maasai Village near Ngorongoro Crater (The Maasai charge US$20 per person. They use the proceeds to buy water and other necessities for the tribe that you will visit. This entrance fee to the village will be for your account and is not included in your package).  

    After bidding the Maasai farewell, we continue our journey to the Central Serengeti with game viewing as we make our way towards the camp.  The Central area encompasses the world-famous Seronera Valley which is known for its prime wildlife-viewing opportunities. You can visualise the meaning of the word ‘Serengeti’ at this point – which means the ‘endless plains’ in Maasai. The Serengeti - renowned for its incredible concentrations of predators and the Great Migration of more than 1,5 million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras. 

    Stay: Dunia Camp (Tent)

    Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner, breakfast & a selection of drinks while in camp

  • Day 5 & 6: Serengeti National Park

    Optional Activity: Balloon Safari 

    For a once in a lifetime experience, we highly recommend an early morning hot air balloon safari (will be for your account) – a unique 'bird's eye' game viewing experience, before landing in the beautiful wilderness and enjoying a full bush-style breakfast, complete with fresh coffee, tea, fruits, and champagne.

    Or enjoy a full-day game drive to explore more of what the Serengeti offers and to enjoy the greatest safari spectacle in the world – the great wildebeest migration as massive herds of wildebeest call the Central Serengeti home during this time of the year. 

    Stay: Dunia Camp (Tent)

    Meals: Picnic lunch, dinner, breakfast & a selection of drinks while in camp

  • Day 7: Serengeti / Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport

    Intercamp Flight 

    Check-out at the camp after a packed safari filled with endless memories and sightings and drive to the airstrip for our flight by light aircraft to Arusha where we stop at the Cultural Heritage Centre (for shopping of Tanzania art, memorabilia, and Tanzanite), and enjoy our picnic lunch. Our safari adventure comes to an end as we drive to Kilimanjaro Airport for our onward flight home (departing at 17h35 Tanzanian time, arriving at 03h55 South African time).

    End of service

This safari is based on staying in the Central Serengeti - we will, however, adjust the itinerary according to your preferred time of travel and take you to where you can witness the wildebeest migration!  

  • Return economy airfares with Kenya Airways from Johannesburg to Kilimanjaro Airport
  • Including airport taxes 
  • Airport transfers from Kilimanjaro Airport with English speaking driver guide 
  • Accommodation in Arusha safari with dinner & breakfast
  • Accommodation on safari all-inclusive basis (breakfast, lunch, dinner & a selection of drinks in camp) 
  • Private 4x4 stretched Land Cruiser vehicle (maximum 6 clients per vehicle)
  • Mini-fridge you can use to stock with drinks 
  • Binoculars, Reference Books, Maps
  • Litre of water per person per day during game drives
  • x1 Ngorongoro Crater tour 
  • Flight by light aircraft from the Serengeti National Park to Arusha Airport
  • Unlimited game drives during the safari 
  • Services of your professional and knowledgeable Tanzanian English-speaking driver guide 
  • All national park entrance fees 
  • Comprehensive support from our operational office in Tanzania for the duration of the safari 
  • Travel information pack
  • Free postage of travel documents
  • Return flights from Johannesburg/Cape Town to Kilimanjaro Airport, including airport taxes.

  • Entry visa to Tanzania (SA passport DO NOT require a visa for Tanzania)
  • Travel Insurance (Highly recommended)
  • Meals and drinks not specified  
  • Laundry services
  • Gratuities to the driver/guide, hotel staff & porters 
  • Maasai Village visit fee.
  • Balloon safari
  • All expenses of personal nature

Dates & Prices

Dates:

Valid for Travel:

01 November – 19 December 2023

01 – 31 March 2024

01 April – 31 May 2024


Rates:

2 Pax 4 Pax 6 Pax
R90,972.00 pp R75,329.00 pp R75,329.00 pp
SA Resident Savings (SAVE R49,882.00 pp) (SAVE R52,508.00 pp) (SAVE R49,498.00 pp)

 

  • Exchange rate used:  R19.20 to US$1.00.
  • SPECIAL SA RESIDENT RATES.
  • The rates may vary according to season changes.
  • All rates are subject to increases beyond our control, including fuel price, government taxes and exchange rate fluctuations.



National Parks

Ngorongoro Crater 

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera and is regarded as the 8th wonder of the world. It is one of the most diverse and fascinating areas of Tanzania and has been given the status of a World heritage site and International Biosphere Reserve. The fertile slopes and steep forest-covered walls are home to approximately 30,000 animals including the rare black rhino. The various ecosystems found within the 260 square kilometre crater floor sustain Cape buffalo, elephants, wildebeest, zebras, elands, gazelles, hippos, numerous bird species as well as a high concentration of predators. Although birdlife is generally good throughout the year, from November to April, migratory birds from Europe and Northern Africa are present and many resident birds are in breeding plumage. 

Serengeti National Park 

The Serengeti’s endless plains is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is patrolled by Africa’s big cats, elephants, buffaloes, gazelles and giraffes and is perhaps most famous for the migration of animals. The principle players are the wildebeest, whose numbers appear to have increased to about 2 million. In addition, about 250,000 zebras make the seasonal journey to fresh pastures, first to the north, then the south after the rains. Their ancient instinct to move is so strong that no drought, gorge or crocodile-infested river can hold them back. In February the wildebeest cows drop their young in a synchronized birthing that sees some 300 000 to 400 000 calves born within two to three weeks.
Bird watching in the Serengeti is good all year round, at its very best from November to April. This is when European and North African migratory birds are present for resident species.