20 Days Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania Migration Safari
20 Days Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania Migration Safari
Madagascar is a diversity hot spot, offering a unique kind of safari. You won’t see the ‘normal’ safari animals here – there are no elephants or lions. Instead, the island is home to over 100 species of lemurs, as well as a wealth of reptiles, amphibians and birds. Most of these animals are endemic to Madagascar. Of particular interest are the chameleons, which vary greatly in color, shape and size.
In reality, there is no spectacle on earth as the one of the wildebeest migration which seems to neither start nor finish in their endless search for food and water, as they migrate across the Serengeti- Masai Mara ecosystem in a relentless sequence of life and death which occurs annually.
The only beginning is the calving season which sees new members join the struggle in what is termed action-packed in February at the Ndutu plains as 75000 calves are born before the journey starts again in May-June with the rutting season as the wildebeest prepare to cross the dangerous Mara River which is filled with big Nile crocodiles and the end is the death this was evidenced by the East African author and photographer Jonathan Scott, who has spent the better part of the last 30 years witnessing the events of the great migration in the Serengeti and Masai-Mara ecosystem.
Safari highlights
- Lemur trekking experience
- Wildebeest Migration
Detailed safari itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Antananarivo and transfer to Your Lodge for relaxation and overnight
On arrival in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel in the city. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure, exploring the 3 levels of the city with the colourful market in the centre and the palace high up, overlooking the hustle.
Day 2: Drive from Antananarivo to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
In the morning you will start our journey with a drive to Andasibe through the green and luxuriant vegetation of eastern Madagascar. Along the way you will see Merina villages spread in the Rocky Mountains. You arrive at Andasibe in the afternoon and check-in to the hotel. In the evening you will set off from the hotel on a night walk to observe night active lemurs and other nocturnal animals. After the hike you will return to the lodge for overnight.
Day 3: Full day exploration of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park
You start our morning with a visit to the Special Reserve of Andasibe to see the Indri, the largest lemurs on the island. This 810 ha reserve is unique with its endemic fauna and flora and contains a wide variety of orchids, canopy, and endemic animals like chameleons, tenrecs, and many birds. In the afternoon, you visit the Andasibe village, which is typical of the Betsimisaraka (“The-Many-Inseparables”) community, the second largest tribe on the island who are known to cultivate rice and live mainly off the forest. This short visit gives us an insight into the life of the local people.
Day 4: Drive from Andasibe Mantadia national park to Antsirabe city
You will drive back to Tana and head south to Antsirabe across the highland landscape with beautiful rice fields on display and stop enroute in Ampefy and visit the Lili Waterfalls. You arrive in Antsirabe late afternoon. Named ‘The place of salt’ this elegant city is known for being the center of the beer industry – we can smell the Star Brewery as we enter the town! Founded by Norwegians in 1856, it is the only place which really feels and looks like a European city.
Day 5: Drive from Antsirabe to Ranomafana National Park
After breakfast you will drive to Ambositra, the center of Madagascar’s wood carving industry. The highlands are characterised by its architecture. The houses are made with ornately carved wooden balconies and shutters with bright colours. Further on you pass the ‘le col de tapia”, a type of tree resistant to bush fires. The landscape is still dominated by rice fields, pine forests, eucalyptus trees and Rocky Mountains. You turn off from the main road to reach our destination for the day, the Ranomafana National Park.
Day 6-Full day hiking in Ranomafana National Park
The approximately 40,000 ha of Parc National de Ranomafana, with its rain forest covered hills and abundant wildlife, has long been considered one of Madagascar’s highlights and is one of the country’s most heavily visited national parks. Its entrance lies about 7 km from Ranomafana village. In addition to its densely forested hills, Ranomafana’s terrain is characterised by numerous small streams which plummet down to the beautiful Namorona River. Although much of the region has been logged, the easternmost part of the park retains relatively large areas of primary forest. Here you will enjoy long walks in the National Park spotting lemurs, chameleons and other animals.
Day 7: Flight from Ranomafana National Park to Antananarivo for your connecting flight to Nairobi
After morning breakfast you will be transferred to the airstrip for your flight from Ranomafana national park to Antananarivo, upon arrival you will be transferred to your connecting flight to Nairobi upon arrival you will be received and transferred to your lodge for relaxation.
Day 8: Full day city tour of Nairobi
After breakfast, you will be picked up by our representative to explore the city of Nairobi. You will visit the former home of Karen Blixen which is now a museum. You also tour the Giraffe Centre; you will also visit the Elephant orphanage at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Lunch is served at Karen Blixen Restaurant. Afternoon visit the animal orphanage at the entrance of Nairobi National park and the National Museum of Kenya Return to the hotel for a free afternoon and overnight at your hotel of choice.
Day 9: Flight from Nairobi to Masai Mara
After breakfast, transfer to Wilson airport for your scheduled flight to the world renowned Masai Mara.
On arrival Masai Mara, you transfer to your safari lodge, Nestled in a river glade in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, the area is a favourite for elephants coming to drink from the Talek River. Later in the day you will head out to the park in search of the African big game like Lions, Leopards, cheetah, elephants, Buffalos, Wildebeest and abundant birdlife.
Day 10: Safaris in Masai Mara
Our morning and afternoon game drives take us in search of Africa’s Big Five and the plethora of other wildlife inhabiting this vast Kenyan game reserve. On clear days, the Masai Mara offers fantastic orange tinged sunset’s well-worth capturing on camera. The Masai Mara Game Reserve is 1510km² of incredible wide-open landscapes and fertile riverine woodland following the looping meanders of the Mara and Talek rivers in Kenya. One glimpse is enough to explain its appeal; it is typical open savannah, with a mass of amazing wildlife.
Wherever you go in the vast Masai Mara you will see an abundance of wildlife such as Masai giraffe, baboons, warthogs, bat eared foxes, grey jackals, spotted hyena, Topis, impala, hartebeests, wildebeest. Elephants, buffaloes, zebras and hippos are also found in great numbers. It is also common to see lions either basking after a heavy meal, or surveying the plains for their next meal. Cheetahs and leopards are harder to spot, but reasonably common.
Day 11: Full day game drives in Masai Mara national reserve
After morning breakfast you will head to track the wildebeest Migration, usually the mara river areas are the best places to camp as the wildebeest are struggling to cross the Mara River from Tanzania’s Serengeti in search of green grass and will also have a good chance to see predators and later in the day you will return to the lodge for dinner and Overnight.
Day 12: Flight Masai Mara to Nairobi
After an eventful safari experience in Masai mara our guide will transfer you to the airstrip for your return flight to Nairobi upon arrival you will be received by our guide and transfer to the airport for your connecting flight to Kilimanjaro, upon arrival you will received and transferred to your hotel in Arusha for relaxation and overnight.
Day 13: Full day relaxation in Arusha
After lazily morning breakfast you will spend the day exploring Arusha city where you will visit the city centre, markets and shopping places, after you will return to the lodge for relaxation and overnight.
Day 14: Drive to Lake Manyara national park
Depart after breakfast for your light aircraft flight to Lake Manyara, where a guide waits to meet you. He will drive you to Lake Manyara National Park and the grove of mahogany trees that shelters Lake Manyara Tree Lodge. This is the only lodge in the park, which makes for an exclusive and intimate atmosphere. Ten thatched, tree house suites radiate from the central lounge, bar and dining area, each offering beautiful views. Serengeti 3 Nights.
Day 15: Full day game drives in Lake Manyara national park
Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives, and exciting night drives. Expect a rich variety of natural habitats set around the lake, which is a sanctuary for flamingos and other water birds. The woodlands and open savannah plains support a large elephant population along with giraffe, buffalo and a multitude of graceful antelope. Lake Manyara’s lions are the primary predators here and famous for their unusual habit of climbing trees.
Day 16: Drive from Lake Manyara to Serengeti national park
After breakfast, enjoy a delightful game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Keep your eyes open for the fascinating wildlife that populates this lake region and marvel at its staggering natural beauty before heading back to the camp for lunch. After Lunch depart Lake Manyara as your journey continues across the stunning hilly countryside of the highlands. Admire the wheat and coffee plantations as you head towards the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From here lie the vast plains of the Serengeti, where you’ll hopefully start spotting game well before you get into the park.
Day 17: Full day game drives in Serengeti national park
The Serengeti is famed for being home to millions of animals and the annual Great Migration of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles. And yet, the dramatic landscapes in which this wildlife prowls are themselves worthy of admiration. Riverine forests and woodlands, rocky outcrops called kopjes, and an imposing volcano are just some of the backdrops in which the animals can be spotted during the morning and afternoon game drives. With some luck, here you will see the Big Five and, with greater luck, the harder-to-spot species grouped as the Little Five: the antlion, the rhino beetle, the elephant shrew, the buffalo weaver, and the leopard tortoise. Birds and reptiles are also plentiful in the Serengeti National Park. An optional balloon safari is also available, departing the lodge before sunrise, with hour-long flights at different levels to give you both an overview of Serengeti National Park and a close look at the wildlife.
Day 18: Drive from Serengeti national park to Ngorongoro conservation area
After an early morning breakfast you will depart for the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater while still viewing game as you drive across the vast Serengeti plains. Stop for a picnic lunch along the way and continue the journey to your lodge, set at the base of the conservation area in or near the village of Karatu.
Day 19: Full day game drives in Ngorongoro conservation area
A highlight awaits you this morning as you depart to explore what is commonly referred to as the ‘world’s largest wildlife zoo.’ After breakfast, descend with a picnic lunch through the early morning mists 600 metres into the crater. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera. Due to its size and diversity, the crater floor is comprised of several distinct areas, ranging from forest, swamps, lakes and springs, to open grassland and some beautiful sand dunes. It’s an unforgettable wildlife experience. A picnic lunch is served overlooking a small lake populated with hippos. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon.
Day 20: Depart Ngorongoro Crater for Arusha
After lazily morning breakfast you will depart for Arusha, upon arrival in Arusha you will be transferred to your lodge for relaxation and overnight.
Trip includes
- Lemur trekking permits
- Accommodation
- Domestic flights
- Park entrance fees for Kenya and Tanzania
- All game drives
- All airport transfers
- Enroute meals and drinking water
- Vehicle, guide and Fuel
Trip excludes
- International flights
- Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania tourist Visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips for guides and hotels
- Alcoholic drinks
When to book this safari package
We recommend booking this safari package 1 year in advance.
Best time to witness wildebeest Migration and trek Lemurs in Madagascar
We recommend travelling in August for this safari as this is the peak season for wildebeest Migration in Kenya and Tanzania and Madagascar is also great for trekking.
