Serengeti, Tanzania Parks & Mara Lodge Safari

This unforgettable Serengeti, Tanzania Parks & Mara Lodge Safari takes you on an affordable game viewing adventure in East Africa's top game reserves!  

Explore the open plains of the vast Serengeti Park, Tanzania's most famous game park teeming with wildlife, and the Big Five Ngorongoro Crater, Africa's Garden of Eden home to the densest mammalian population in Africa. Discover Tanzania's diverse and beautiful Tarangire National Park hosting one of Tanzania's largest elephant populations on this Kenya & Tanzania Budget Lodge Safari.

Experience the iconic African wilderness setting of Masai Mara Reserve in Kenya. Go on game drives in Mara, a wildlife-rich game park famous for the Great Migration, the world's largest animal migration.

Encounter real African culture in Tanzania's less-visited Lake Victoria region enjoying the magnificent scenery of Tanzania and Kenya as this affordable lodge safari takes you through East Africa's magical wilderness areas.

Day 1 Arusha – Tarangire National Park (Tanzania)

This East African Lodge Safari starts with a short tour briefing in Arusha before we set off southwest toward our first Tanzanian game viewing destination, Tarangire National Park.

This diverse game park is home to a large variety of wildlife and is considered one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in northern Tanzania. Tarangire Park hosts one of the largest elephant populations in Tanzania and is dotted with baobab and acacia thorn trees. This top Tanzanian game park is also home to various big cats including lions, leopards and cheetahs, as well as tree climbing pythons. Other wildlife inhabiting the game park include many giraffes, buffalos, zebras and various antelope species such as gazelles.

We spend the late afternoon enjoying superb game viewing in Tarangire Park followed by our first overnight stay at the Tarangire Safari Lodge or similar. The Tarangire Safari Lodge offers panoramic views over the Tarangire River visited by a variety of wildlife and features a swimming pool, thatched lounge / dining area and comfortable bungalow accommodation.

Meals: Lunch; Dinner

Day 2 Tarangire National Park - Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)

On day two we depart from Tarangire National Park after breakfast admiring the scenic landscapes of northern Tanzania as we travel. A short drive on good roads brings us to the Great Rift Valley where the lowlands disperse making way for the richly vegetated crater highlands. The Great Rift Valley, known for its beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife, stretches over 6000 kilometers north to south from Syria to Mozambique in southern Africa.

We continue up into the higherlands enjoying spectacular views over the Masai Plains and Lake Manyara, pausing to take photos of the breathtaking views. Our next Tanzania safari destination is the world famous Ngorongoro Crater, also known as Africa's Garden of Eden.

Ngorongoro, part of the Serengeti ecosystem, is a massive caldera spanning an impressive 18 km in diameter with walls as high as 600m. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the densest mammalian population in Africa, at around 25,000 large animals. The diverse habitats found on the fertile crater floor support a variety of wildlife, including elephants, monkeys, hyena, jackal and herds of zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and other antelope species. TheNgorongoro Crater hosts the Big Five of Africa, boasting one of the highest concentration of lions in the world.

We overnight at at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge (or similar), perched on the crater’s edge offering sweeping views over the crater. Located on the Eastern Crater rim guests can enjoy spectacular sunset views from this spacious and comfortable lodge featuring verandahs and large windows overlooking the crater. The lodge has a restaurant, swimming pool, bar, internet cafe and gift shop.

Meals: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 3 Ngorongoro Crater – Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

Day three starts with breakfast at dawn before we descend the steep walls of the crater to the wildlife-rich floor below.

Almost all of the wild animal species found on the savannahs of East Africa inhabit this compact crater. Ngorongoro offers first-class game viewing and is considered one of the best places to capture the endangered black rhino on film. In the early afternoon we move on from the crater to the seemingly endless Serengeti Plains.

Tanzania's most famous game park, the Serengeti Park is where the wildlife spectacle of the annual Great Migration takes place. Here vast herds of stampeding wildebeest, gazelle and zebra can be seen migrating across the plains in search of fresh grazing, in turn attracting numerous predators. 

Tonight we stay at Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp or Mapito Tented Camp or similar (depending on the season). The comfortable Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp provides en suite camping accommodation in an authentic African setting right in the middle of the Serengeti. The traditional Mapito Tented Camp offers luxurious camping accommodation close to the untamed African bush and its wildlife in the heart of the Serengeti ecosystem.

Meals: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 4 Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

The day starts at sunrise with a Serengeti game drive, followed by a hearty breakfast back at the camp.

Serengeti National Park offers spectacular game viewing year round, being home to healthy populations of Africa's Big Five - rhino, lion, buffalo, elephant and leopard as well as huge numbers of various antelope species such as eland, topi, kudu, impala, oribi, waterbuck and gazelle. Cheetah, hippo, giraffe, serval cat, crocodile, hyena and a rich array of other wildlife including numerous monkey, mongoose and rodent species also inhabit the Serengeti, along with over 500 bird species!

You have the option of taking a guided trip to the visitor's centre with a representative of the Frankfurt Zoological Society. The knowledgeable guide can tell you about the work this organization has been involved in for the last thirty years in Serengeti (advise when booking). We enjoy some more rewarding game viewing in the afternoon before returning to our Serengeti Safari Lodge for another night in the African wilderness. You will stay another night at Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp or similar or at Mapito Tented Camp or similar.

Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 5 Serengeti National Park – Lake Victoria (Tanzania)

Today we get an early start for our journey towards Lake Victoria game viewing as we travel through the Serengeti National Park. Leaving this top Tanzania game park, we head to the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake and the second biggest lake in the world.

We stop off at Lake Victoria getting a glimpse of less-visited Tanzania in this very fertile area. The region around the lake is the most densely populated in Tanzania and here we get the unique opportunity of seeing the local way of life and encountering Tanzanian people in this less touristed spot. Watch the local fishermen as they bring in their catch and visit a rural community school in this off-the-beaten-track corner of Tanzania that most tourists never get to visit.

Tonight you will overnight at the Speke Bay lodge or similar. Speke Bay Lodge is set on a peaceful 100 hectare property on the shores of Lake Victoria and includes a restaurant, bar and lounge. The Lodge accommodation consists of en suite thatched bungalows situated apart along the lake shore for privacy.

Meals: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 6 Lake Victoria, Tanzania – Maasai Mara Game Reserve (Kenya)

From Lake Victoria we drive to the world-renowned Maasai Mara of Kenya, getting an early start for this long trip.

The Masai Mara is known for its exceptional population of Big Cats and is said to host the largest lion population of Africa's game reserves. Other large cats including cheetah and leopard also inhabit the park and can be spotted throughout the year, not just during the great migration.

The annual Wildebeest Migration can be witnessed in this spectacular game reserve - an unforgettable wildlife spectacle with over two million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle stampeding over the scenic plains as they migrate between Tanzania's Serengeti and the Masai Mara in Kenya. The rolling hills and open grasslands of the Masai Mara are famous as the picture-perfect movie setting for African wildlife experiences. 

The 1510km² Mara Reserve is home to an impressive variety of wild animals, including numerous antelope species, rhino, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, elephant, hyena and an incredible array of birds.

On day six of this affordable African wildlife safari we overnight at the Mara Serena Lodge or similar. Mara Serena Safari Lodge is perched on a hill in the ‘Mara Triangle' of the famous Masai Mara Reserve, overlooking the Mara River and open savannah dotted with wildlife. The Serena blends contemporary style and comfort with the rugged beauty of Africa with facilities including bar and dining areas and a rock-feature swimming pool.

Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 7 Maasai Mara Game Reserve (Kenya)

Your skillful safari guide takes you on a full day of game viewing in search of the Big Five of Africa and other wildlife roaming the Masai Mara today.

Our game drive takes us to the River Mara, where birds and wildlife congregate year round. During the rainy season the great migration takes place, from July to October, when the river swells to several times its normal size. Tens of thousands of hoofed beasts take the plunge into the surging River Mara risking the crocodiles that lie in waiting as they make the dangerous cross over. We spend another night at the Mara Serena Lodge (or similar), ideally situated to witness the Great Migration and enjoy excellent game viewing year round.

Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Day 8 Maasai Mara Game Reserve – Nairobi (Kenya)

In the morning we enjoy some game viewing before departing from Maasai Mara. We have a hearty breakfast before making our way to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, where our memorable Serengeti, Tanzania Parks & Mara Lodge Safari comes to an end.

Breakfast

Note: Window seat guaranteed for every client

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