8-Day Mid-Range Great Migration Safari (July-October)

Your Josh Dreamland Safari guide will pick you up from your accommodation after breakfast to begin your journey to Lake Manyara National Park. You will drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Manyara is a small but diverse park 120km west of Arusha. Everything you will see here is on a different scale. It is compact (one of the narrowest parks in Africa) and epic (the Great Rift Escarpment towers over Lake Manyara’s western boundary). The park’s namesake is a shallow salt lake. The lake covers a large area of the park, flooding and drying with the seasons, and is home to thousands of wading birds (including flamingos and over 500 other bird species). You may see baboons and elephants in the park’s thick evergreen forest Lunch will be enjoyed at a scenic picnic site within the park. After an exhilarating game drive, you will continue to your accommodation in Mto wa Mbu for a well-deserved rest.

After breakfast, you will drive up into the cooler regions of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. There will be a chance to stop and see the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. You will then transit through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the Serengeti, entering the park's south. The Serengeti is genuinely spectacular! It is famous for its vast open grasslands, allowing excellent wildlife sightings. The Serengeti boasts an abundance of wildlife, such as impalas, buffalo, crocodiles, and hippos. In addition to the iconic landscapes, you have a good chance of encountering predators, and you may see lions, cheetahs, and leopards. After your game drive, you will head towards your accommodation in time for dinner.

After breakfast, you will wind through the Serengeti towards the northern region, stopping to experience more wonder on the way! While it boasts abundant wildlife, the Serengeti is best known for its annual great migration. During the migration, vast numbers of wildebeest, zebra, and antelope move in an annual pattern, constantly seeking fresh grazing. The migration can be found during any given month, you just need to know where to look! At this time of year, the migration is usually in the Northern Serengeti.

The landscape is different in this part of the Serengeti and is made up of hills, riverine forests, plains, and rocky outcrops. The immense Mara River cuts through this area, providing the setting for the mind-blowing river crossing you may enjoy during your time here. During the river crossing, over two million wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebra and antelope attempt to cross the Mara River in search of fresh grazing and water. While they undergo their most remarkable feat during the migration, Nile crocodiles do not make it any easier for them! On the other side, lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs can be found waiting with growling stomachs and high hopes for a delicious meal!

After breakfast, you will slowly return to Central Serengeti with an en route game drive. You may wish to continue your search for the migrating animals before leaving this special place. Every day is different in the Serengeti, and there is always plenty to explore.

This morning, you will gently wind your way back through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, seeing more animals on the way (it is common to see a herd of giraffes on the lush slopes). You should reach the crater by lunchtime. When you first see Ngorongoro Crater, it looks like a forgotten world. A pristine wilderness is concealed by the steep volcanic walls, including sweeping savannahs, pockets of acacia woodland, and glistening lakes and swamps. The crater was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself two to three million years ago. The drive down into the crater is an adventure in itself, and when you reach the crater floor, you quickly find yourself amongst large numbers of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and more than 500 bird species. The crater provides the best chance of seeing the endangered black rhino, which can sometimes be spotted in the open grasslands. After an afternoon game drive, you will drive to your accommodation in Mto wa Mbu.

This morning, you will drive to Tarangire National Park. The transit drive is approximately two and a half hours on good tarmac roads. The park is named after the Tarangire River, which runs through it. This 'river of warthogs' is the region's only water source for wildlife during the dry season. The park is well-known for its elephant families, which can often be seen congregating by the river. You may also see giraffes, bushbuck, and hartebeest. A range of predators, including lions and leopards, closely follow these animals. More breeding bird species are found in Tarangire than anywhere else on the planet! The huge and ancient baobab trees can be seen here—some are said to have lived for over a thousand years. You will enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park. After your game drive, you will be dropped off at Arusha. That will mark the end of your safari.