13 Days Budget Serengeti & Masai Mara Wildebeest Migration Safari

Tanzania’s Masai Mara and Kenya’s Serengeti national park plays host to one of the greatest wildlife spectacles in Africa, the annual movement of over 2 million angulates from Serengeti to Masai mara triggered by rains and need for fresh grass and water and this is made more interesting by the calving season and the Mara River crossing which is one of the top safari experiences in Africa.

Serengeti national park and Masai mara national reserve pretty much share the same ecosystem separated by the Mara River, while planning your wildebeest Migration safari you will visit both of the national parks to increase your chances of witnessing the Mara River crossing.

Our 13 Days Serengeti and Masai Mara wildebeest Migration safari will give you an opportunity to visit Both Tanzania and Kenya during the Wildebeest Migration safari and you will have a huge chance of seeing the Mara River crossing.

Safari highlights

• Game drives in Serengeti NP
• Following the wildebeest Migration in Serengeti
• Game drives in Masai Mara national reserve
• Following the wildebeest migration in Masai Mara

Safari itinerary

Day 1: Drive from Arusha to Lake Manyara national park

After a short briefing in the morning, you set off to Lake Manyara National Park. The small park stretches along the 600 m high Rift Valley Escarpment and is dominated by the alkaline Lake Manyara. It is here where thousands of flamingos seem to colour the shallow waters pink. Many water birds gather at the lake and more than 400 bird species are found in the park. The diverse vegetation provides a habitat for many animals such as monkeys in the forest, giraffes and antelopes on the grasslands and elephants around the acacia trees. If you are very lucky you might also see the Manyara lions, lounging in the trees and later you will transfer to the lodge for relaxation.

Day 2: Drive from Lake Manyara national park to Ngorongoro conservation area

You will wake up very early for a short early morning game drive in search of wildlife in the park and later you will return to the lodge for full breakfast and refreshment after you will start your drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation area, upon arrival you will check in to your lodge for relaxation and Overnight.

Day 3: Full day game drives in Ngorongoro Crater

Wake up early morning for breakfast at 7 am, drive to Ngoro Ngoro Crater where you will descend into the Crater floor (19.2 km of diameter, 610m deep, 304 sq. km) for game drives. All the Big five Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Elephant live in this wonderful caldera and many more mammals. Birds include flamingos on Soda Lake, Geese, Storks, Vultures and more. Break for lunch at Ngoitoktok spring Picnic site. Ngorongoro Crater is often called ‘Africa’s Eden’ the ‘8th Natural Wonder of the World’.  A massive extinct volcano, its towering tree-lined walls drop thousands of feet to a “Noah’s Ark” of animals on the verdant floor below. This breathtaking oasis provides a haven for both predators.

Day 4: Drive to Serengeti national park

After morning breakfast you will bid farewell to the lodge and transfer start your drive to Serengeti national park the drive is pretty much through the park, you will have an opportunity to see wildlife through southern Serengeti as you make your way to Northern Serengeti national park to witness the great wildebeest Migration cross the Mara River upon arrival at the camp you will check in to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 5: Full day game drives in Serengeti national park

Great Wildebeest Migration safari across Serengeti National park in Tanzania & Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya is a world phenomenon & certainly a lifetime experience. This annual movement of herds involves wildebeest, Zebra & Gazelle. You will game drives as early as you wish 06:30 is the sunrise. An early morning game drive allows you to see some predators coming back from their long night of hunting and other animals coming out from their hiding place or a group of lionesses organizing an ambush or eating along the road.

Day 6: Full day game drives in Serengeti national park

After morning breakfast you will take a picnic lunch, enough drinking water you will head to the Mara River to follow the Wildebeest Migration, this will be a great chance to catch the dramatic crossings later in the day you will return to the lodge for relaxation and Overnight.

Day 7: Drive to Masai Mara National reserve

After morning breakfast you will depart Serengeti national park, this drive will take you partly through the park, and later you will drive through the Border of Tanzania and Kenya where you will clear immigration and later continue to Masai mara national reserve, upon arrival you will check in to your lodge for relaxation and Overnight.

Day 8: Full day game drives in Masai Mara national reserve

After morning breakfast with packed lunch, you will start your drive in the mara, this classic game drive will give you a great opportunity to see wildlife like elephants, giraffes, Rhinos, Leopard, lions, Cheetah, buffalo and many other wildlife species as you will be heading to the Mara River to follow the wildebeest Migration and perhaps you may see the River crossing.

Day 9: Full day game drives in Masai Mara national reserve

After morning breakfast you will again head into the park for game drives in search of wildlife, Masai Mara safari delivers many attractions, as the reserve is home to an excellent year-round concentration of game, including the more than two million wildebeest, zebras and other antelopes that make up the famous Great Migration. The reserve is a photographer’s and naturalist’s paradise, with abundant elephant, buffalo, giraffe, lion and cheetah alongside the migratory wildebeest and zebra. Leopards are frequently encountered, endangered black rhinos hide in the dense thickets and large rafts of hippo and enormous crocodiles are found in the Mara River, after an exceptional game drive you will later return to the lodge overnight.

Day 10: Drive to Lake Nakuru national park

After morning breakfast you will bid farewell to the lodge and start driving to Kenya’s premier wildlife haven” On the floor of the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by wooded and bushy grassland, lays the beautiful Lake Nakuru National Park. You will enjoy the wide ecological diversity and varied habitats that range from Lake Nakuru itself to the surrounding escarpment and picturesque ridges. This park was also the first national Rhino sanctuary and hosts one of the world’s highest concentrations of the Black Rhinoceros, reintroduced, include African Lion, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, Black-and-white Colobus Monkey in the forest, the Common Eland, Steenbok, Impala, Chandler’s Reedbuck, Dik-dik in the bush-land along with the Rock hyrax and the Klipspringer on the cliffs and escarpment depending on the time of arrival you will do a game drive in the park to discover the wonders of Lake Nakuru national park.

Day 11: Drive to Amboseli national park

After morning breakfast you will start your drive to Amboseli national park which is home to the African Elephants, Crowned by Mount Kilimanjaro Africa’s highest peak, the Amboseli National Parks is one of Kenya’s most popular parks. The name “Amboseli” comes from a Maasai word meaning “salty dust“, and it is one of the best places in Africa to view large herds of elephants up close. Nature lovers can explore five different habitats here ranging from the dried-up bed of Lake Amboseli wetlands with sulphur springs, the Savannah and woodlands, upon arrival you will check in to your lodge for relaxation and overnight.

Day 12 : Full day game drives in Amboseli national park

After morning breakfast you will take a morning game drive in the park in search of wildlife like the African Lion which can easily be found and occasional sighted stalking prey, Cape Buffalo, Cheetah, Gazelle, Spotted Hyena, Jackals, Wildebeest, Common Zebra, Olive Baboons and later you will return to the lodge for relaxation and hot lunch after you will head out again for an evening game drive in the park and you will also enjoy a sundowner in the park with cold drinks and snacks.

Day 13: Drive from Amboseli to Nairobi national park

After morning breakfast depending on your flight schedule you will transfer to Nairobi for your outbound flight.

Safari includes

• Accommodation
• All game drives in all the national parks
• Vehicle, guide and Fuel
• En route meals and drinking water
• All park entrance fees
• Free airport transfers
• Government taxes for Kenya and Tanzania
• Conservation fees for Ngorongoro Crater
• Sundowners included in the itinerary

Safari excludes

• International flights
• Tanzania and Kenya Tourist Visas
• Travel insurance
• Tips for guides and hotels
• pre and post-safari accommodation
• personal expenses like Alcoholic drinks

When to book the safari package

This trip can be booked 6 months to 1 year in advance to allow us to secure the best places to stay in Serengeti and Masai Mara for the wildebeest Migration.

Best time to witness the wildebeest migration in Serengeti and Masai Mara

We recommend travelling to Serengeti and Masai mara in either August or October when the river crossings occur often making your chances of witnessing one of the classic safari experiences.