Day 2: Arusha to Ngiri, Central Serengeti National · the city. Alternatively we can drop you at...
Transcript of Day 2: Arusha to Ngiri, Central Serengeti National · the city. Alternatively we can drop you at...
Day 1: Nairobi to Arusha, TanzaniaWe depart Nairobi early to drive south. We cross the vast Athiplains, a region dotted with whistling thorns, and a landscape socharacteristic of this part of East Africa.
Crossing the border into Tanzania at Namanga we are temptedby Maasai selling beaded trinkets, jewellery and carvings. Thencloser to the city of Arusha, with a little luck, we viewKilimanjaro, the world’s largest freestanding mountain.
Arusha is located at the foot of Mount Meru on the edge of theGreat Rift Valley. We stop here for shopping and to changemoney before making our way to camp. We have a briefingtonight to go through arrangements and what to expect onsafari, and relax over our first meal together.
Distance: 278 kmsEst. Drive Time: 6 – 7 hours (depending on the border) Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner
Day 2: Arusha to Ngiri, Central Serengeti NationalParkLeaving camp early this morning in our 4x4 open top cars wehead on safari traveling towards Ngorongoro Conservation Areawhich sits beside the Serengeti. The drive takes us throughrolling plains. Traditional Maasai herdsmen can be seen tendingcattle and goats.
At the edge of the Crater rim we have superb views across theancient caldera of Ngorongoro, before descending to the flatgrasslands of Serengeti. Across these two reserves wildlifeviewing is exceptional.
We arrive at Naabi Gate, the official entry to the Serengeti bymid afternoon.
Serengeti provides an excellent chance to view Africa’srenowned wildlife from hyena, lion, leopard and cheetah toelephant, hippo, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra, antelope and muchmore across the 14,000 square kilometre park. Kopjes, smallhills of rocks, are favourite vantage points for lion dozing in thesun from where they keep an eye out over the vast grassyplains.
A late afternoon drive provides our first opportunity to enjoy timein the park.
The seemingly endless grasslands of the Serengeti are the stagefor the famous wildebeest migration too. This is Siringitu for theMaasai – “the place where the land moves on forever”. On theannual migration 1.5 million wildebeest and other gameincluding zebra and Thomson’s gazelle move on mass betweenthe Mara, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti. The rains and the endless search for water and good grazingdrive this movement. To encounter one of the countlesswildebeest herds in a bleating, snorting dust - kicking motion onmigration is an experience of a lifetime. We game drive throughthe late afternoon to see what we discover.
Tonight’s camp is in the heart of the park with our fire burningand the sounds of African wildlife filling the night air.
Est Distance: 325 kms
Est. Drive Time: 6 hours including time in the ConservationArea, then game drives through the afternoon
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Lunch, X1 Dinner
Included wildlife activities: Drive through NgorongoroConservation Area, Afternoon game drive in Serengeti National
Day 3: Central Serengeti National Park to Simba Camp, Ngorongoro Crater RimWe are up at sunrise this morning to explore further into thepark, in the hope of seeing one of, if not all of, the famous Big5 animals that inhabit this park, and much more. Viewing isoften best early in the day.
Big cats and other predators always capture the imagination.Regularly blonde-maned lions can be seen nonchalantly lazingon the rocky outcrops or lolling in the shade. With a little luckcheetahs can be found pacing the open grasslands. Leopardscan be located resting up in the buffalo thorns and sausagetrees that line the Seronera River. Spotted hyenas, bat-earedfoxes and jackals also roam Serengeti, as well as theConservation Area.
After our morning game drive we return for lunch at the Gatebefore leaving the plains area to continue our journey throughthe Ngorongoro Conservation Area and up into the moremountainous terrain around the Crater rim.
A visit to a Maasai boma is arranged during which Maasaiwarriors perform the traditional jumping dance for us. Dependingon road and time constraints, the Olduvai Gorge Museum is alsoa stop off point (on request) where you can find out about theLeakey’s work into the origins of man.
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TANZANIA
UGANDAKENYA
NairobiLake
Victoria
Zanzibar Island
EquatorMt Kenya
Kampala
Tiwi Beach
Kilimanjaro
Masai Mara
Key THE ROUTE GAME PARK ADD ON Zanzibar Island ✈ flight required ADD ON Gorilla Trekking
Arusha
✈
RWANDA
Kigali
Ngorongoro CraterSerengeti
Mountain Gorillas
Grumeti
LakeManyara
Our overnight camp tonight is high on the rim of the NgorongoroCrater. We are at altitude here, so wrap up warm this evening.
Est. Distance: Game drives, then 163 km to Ngorongoro Crater rim
Est. Drive Time: Game drives through the morning and slowtransit in afternoon
Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Lunch, X1 Dinner
Included wildlife activity: Morning game drive in SerengetiNational Park, return drive through the Conservation Area
Optional excursions: Maasai Boma, balloon safari over theSerengeti, Olduvai Gorge Museum (depending on roadconditions and time constraints.)
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater Rim to ArushaAs the low clouds clear from the Crater rim we take the journeydown to the floor of the ancient caldera, Ngorongoro, for thechance to see more wildlife including the Big Five - lion,leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo.
We spend the morning in this perfectly intact volcanic calderaand the world’s largest extinct volcano. On the Crater floor wefind a garden of Eden full of all the wildlife for which Africa isfamous - rhino, hippo, lion, elephant, hyena, buffalo, zebra,gazelle, impala, wildebeest, ostrich, flamingo, and many, manymore. Plain’s game peacefully graze. Hippopotamus are foundlolling in the pools and Lake Magadi can be rimmed with thepink of greater and lesser flamingo.
We travel back to Arusha via the village of Mto Wa Mbu. On thedrive, time permitting, we stop in one of the market stalls forthose who might enjoy shopping for artwork, paintings, carvings,spears, materials and beadwork.
Back in Arusha we all enjoy a final group barbecue to celebrateour experiences over the last few days.
Distance: 195 kms
Est. Drive Time: Game drives through the morning in NgorongoroCrater, then 5 hours to our Arusha camp in the afternoon
Meals, X1 Breakfast, X1 Lunch, X1 Dinner
Included wildlife activity: Morning game drive into theNgorongoro Crater
Day 5: Arusha to NairobiToday we bid farewell and travel back to Nairobi by shuttle bus.We can arrange drop off at the airport or a central location inthe city. Alternatively we can drop you at Arusha or KilimanjaroAirports or transfer you through to Moshi or Marangu ifKilimanjaro trekking.
Distance: 278 kms Est. Drive Time: 6 - 7 hours (depending on the border) Meals: X1 Breakfast
Please note: Itineraries are given as a guide only. A safari is a journey and true journeys unfold. They are of anadventurous nature. The unexpected can arise, so do allowfor this. Feel free to give us a call about your safari plans.We look forward to having you onboard.
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Updated 22/01/19