12 Days Serengeti, Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari

Tanzania’s Serengeti national park and Kenya’s Masai mara form the backdrop of one of the most unbelievable wildlife encounters in the whole of Africa, the great Wildebeest Migration is a mass movement of wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, and elands annually as they search for greener pasture and water in the massive Serengeti and Masai mara ecosystem, this is made even further difficult with the opposing forces and the obstacles like predators, the strong currents from the Mara River that sometimes causes drowning of the wildebeest and the massive Nile crocodiles that are always waiting for the River crossing.

Our 11 Days Serengeti, Masai mara Wildebeest Migration safari will give you classic wildlife encounters in two of Africa’s best wildlife viewing destinations you will visit several national parks in Tanzania and Kenya.

Safari highlights

• Following the wildebeest Migration in Serengeti and Masai mara
• Game drives in Ngorongoro Crater
• Game drives in Lake Manyara NP
• Visiting Masai people
• Hot air balloon safari in Serengeti

Safari itinerary

Day 1: Drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara national park

After morning breakfast you will start your drive to Lake Manyara national park, this spectacular national park is located in the Rift Valley giving some dramatic views upon arrival at the lodge you will check in to your lodge and later take an evening game drive where you will look out for wildlife like Buffalo, Giraffes, Lions, hippos and abundant Birdlife and later you will return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 2: Drive from Lake Manyara to Ngorongoro Conservation area

After early morning coffee, you will head out for a short game drive in the park and later you will return to the lodge for full breakfast and later you will check out and start your drive to Ngorongoro Crater, Ngorongoro is one of the greatest wildlife destinations in Tanzania and so far the best to see the African big five wildlife this beautiful drive will take you through ol Donyo Lengai volcano, upon arrival at your lodge you will check-in for relaxation and overnight.

Day 3: Full day game drive in Ngorongoro conservation area

After morning breakfast with picnic lunch, you will descent to the Crater floor for full day game drive in search of the African big five wildlife, those wildlife include Lions, Leopard, Elephants, Buffalo and Rhino and also the resident wildlife like Zebras, Wildebeest, Thomson gazelle, and abundant wildlife, later you will return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 4: Drive from Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serengeti national park

After morning breakfast you will visit the Olduvai Gorge and later continue with this scenic drive to Serengeti national park, this drive will take you through the park and will expect to see wildlife en route to the lodge and upon arrival at the lodge you will check in to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 5: Full day game drives in Serengeti national park to follow the wildebeest Migration herds

After morning breakfast you will start your slow game drive in search of wildlife like Lions, Cheetahs, Leopard, Zebras, elephants, Buffalo, and abundant birdlife as you will be looking out for the Mega wildebeest herds that will be congregated by the Mara River after locating the wildebeest you will sit and wait for any River crossing which usually occurs any time of the day as the wildebeest face their greatest obstacle of the entire Migration and later you will return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 6: Full day game drives in Serengeti national park to follow the wildebeest Migration herds

After morning breakfast you will again head to the park to searching wildlife you may have missed on your previous game drive, this drive will also take you to Mara river where the Mega wildebeest herds are concentrated, you will follow this wildebeest hopping to see the river crossing, you will also look out for predators that are attracted by the large migrating herds and later you will return to the lodge for relaxation and Overnight.

Day 7: Full day game drives in Serengeti national park to follow the wildebeest Migration herds

You will take a hot air balloon safari over the plains of the Serengeti to view wildlife from above, this will be one of the extraordinary safari experiences that you will enjoy and later you will meet with the team and enjoy a bush breakfast and later in the afternoon you will do a sundowner game drive with drinks and snacks and later you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 8: Drive from Serengeti national park to Masai mara national reserve

After morning breakfast you will bid farewell to the lodge and start your long drive from Serengeti national park to Masai mara, upon arrival in Masai Mara you will enjoy a short game drive en route to the lodge and upon arrival, you will check in to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 9: Full day game drives in Masai mara national reserve to follow the wildebeest Migration herds

After morning breakfast with packed lunch, you will head into Masai mara to experience nature’s greatest spectacle, the Wildebeest Migration, it is a sight to behold. From July to October each year over two million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle embark on a cyclical movement through the Mara, driven by rainfall and the subsequent availability of grazing. Throughout their journey, the wildebeest face tremendous threats, crossing rivers teeming with wily crocodiles and encountering an abundance of predators following closely behind them your game drive will take you to some of the prime wildlife viewing areas where you will have a close encounter with wildlife and later return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Full day game drives in Masai mara national reserve to follow the wildebeest Migration herds

Maasai Mara is one of the most famous and important wildlife conservation and wilderness areas in Africa, world-renowned for its exceptional populations of lion, African leopard, cheetah, and African bush elephant so your game drive will take you to witness some of these dramatic scenes and later you will return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 11: Full day game drives in Masai mara national reserve to follow the wildebeest Migration herds

After incredible safari experiences, you will also drive again to the Mara River to follow the mega herds of wildebeest if you are in the right place at the right time you will witness the River crossings happen and later you will return to the lodge for hot lunch and later in the afternoon you will visit the Masai Village for a cultural experience and later you will return to the lodge for overnight.

Day 12: Drive to Nairobi for your departure flight

After morning breakfast you will start your drive via the Rift valley to Nairobi upon arrival depending on your schedule you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

Safari includes

• Accommodation
• Vehicle, Guide, and Fuel
• All game drives in Masai mara and Serengeti
• All park entrance fees
• Government taxes
• Conservation fees
• en route meals and drinking water
• Hot air balloon safari fees for Serengeti
• fees for Visiting Masai people in Masai mara
• Free airport transfers

Safari excludes

• International flights
• Tanzania and Kenya Tourist Visas
• Travel insurance
• Pre and post-safari accommodation
• Personal expenses like alcoholic drinks
• Pre and post-safari accommodation
• Tips for hotels and guides

When to book the safari itinerary

This safari package can be booked 6 months to 1 year in advance for purposes of booking the right and strategically located accommodation to witness the Great Wildebeest Migration.

Best time to witness the Wildebeest Migration

The best times to see the migration are between Late July and October the migration is largely driven by the rains. Just remember that the rains are unpredictable so the wildebeest migration doesn’t operate on a set schedule. It also doesn’t follow a set route however August has been like the peak of the River crossings.