Highlights
Key Info
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Hosted by two expert private guides to make your experience a journey of discovery and immersion in nature
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14 days/13 nights experienced in three fabulous locations with stays in three amazing, specially selected camps
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Small group (maximum of 8 guests)
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Witness one of the greatest natural spectacles on the planet: the Great Migration at calving time in the southern Serengeti
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Big cat heaven in the fantastic Namiri Plains area of the Serengeti
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Discover the famous Ngorongoro Crater and the lesser known Empakaai Crater in style.
Exclusive group (Limited to 8 safari goers)
6-8 guests hosted by 2 professional safari guides
4 guests hosted by one professional safari guide
Safari starts at Kilimanjaro International Airport on Feb 3rd, 2019 and ends at Kilimanjaro International Airport on Feb 16th, 2019
14 days / From $15,950
Safari Overveiw
The endless plains of Northern Tanzania play host to one of the planets most spectacular natural events: The Great Migration. A collection of over 2 million animals- wildebeest, zebra and gazelle- move in vast caravans following the rains and the lush new shoots of grass brought by the fresh downpours. These herbivores are not alone though; predators abound in the presence of such a gathering of potential prey and an age-old drama plays out.
It's February and in the Southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (if the rains have come) it is wildebeest calving season. We will be there, discovering, understanding and documenting it in our own different ways, whether it be using a journal, a camera or our memories, simply enjoying the moments.
This is a very special opportunity to join an extensive 14 day/13-night wilderness safari which will immerse a small group of guests in one of Africa's most iconic wilderness areas - the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
With a total of eight places on the safari and 2 very experienced professional safari guides hosting the trip, you will experience a level of exclusivity and quality unparalleled elsewhere. The safari has been designed to visit 3 key locations to fully immerse ourselves in each area, and with the help of your private guides, come away from the experience with a full and holistic interpretation of these wildernesses and their wild inhabitants.
Detailed Itinerary
Feb 3rd, 2019 - Arusha
Upon your arrival in Arusha, you are met and transferred to Arusha Coffee Lodge, where you shall meet your fellow travellers and your private guides for your safari. Phil Bennett (the owner of On Safari-in and one of your guides) shall host a welcome dinner at 7 pm and we can all get to know each other and get ready for what will be a really wonderful safari adventure.
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It's no coincidence we chose Arusha Coffee Lodge for our first night - it is a little oasis of calm to unwind from your long travels here and relax into holiday mode. It is also just 5 minutes from the small airport we will fly from to the Serengeti the next day, so we can enjoy a relaxed morning and without battling the busy Arusha traffic to catch our flight.
Feb 4th - 9th 2019 - Namiri Plains, Central-Eastern Serengeti
After breakfast, we will head off to the small Arusha Airport to meet our private charter light aircraft flight into the Serengeti and Seronera airstrip. The flight will be in what is affectionately called the workhorse of the bush, a 12 seater Cessna Caravan 208 and will take approximately one hour.
We will be met at Seronera airstrip by our local guides before heading off on a game drive to Namiri Plains camp where we shall be staying in elegant tents with ensuite bathrooms, hot and cold running water and sweeping 360-degree views of the surrounding plains.
The camp, which is relatively new, is about as exclusive as is possible in the Serengeti being the only tourist lodge in the area. You would have to drive for an hour to find another camp!
In fact, this whole area has, for 20 years, been off limits to tourists completely, being preserved for the conservation of big cats and in particular the large breeding population of cheetah in the area. More recently the government felt that a limited tourist operation would be a benefit with a greater presence in the area and deterrent to human encroachment from outside.
It should be no surprise that shortly after opening, Namiri Plains quickly gained a reputation for being the place to go for big cats. We shall enjoy 5 nights here, exploring the wonderful plains and scattered ancient granite Kopjies (rock outcrops) both from the vehicle and on foot during exhilarating walking safaris, spending time in the wilderness and with whatever wildlife we see, completely at our own pace.
Our days shall start in the early morning when, after a quick cup of tea or coffee and a snack, we shall head off to the plains in search of wildlife. With a picnic breakfast in the shade of a tree, our safari will continue until returning to camp for lunch. The middle of the day is siesta time; it's a chance for the animals to have a break from us and for us to have a break from life with a good book, a nap, or reviewing photos from the morning.
In the afternoons, as the heat of the day starts to subside, we shall head out again for a couple of hours, before stopping for a refreshing drink to watch the sun go down over the stunning African landscape before coming home for dinner.
Feb 9th - 13th 2019 - Olakira Migration Camp, Ndutu, Serengeti
Today we say our goodbyes to the staff and local guides of Namiri Plains and head off in safari vehicles to drive the 3 -3.5 hours to our new base for 4 nights - Olakira Migration Camp.
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This camp is classed as a mobile migration camp, meaning that it moves during the year to always be positioned in the prime location for the migration. This camp still keeps an extremely high level of comfort, with ensuite bathrooms and hot bucket showers to wash off the dust from the day's safari.
Our safaris here will be vehicle-based to spend as much time as possible watching wild animal behaviour; the vehicle affording us close up views without disturbing the animals.
The Great Migration is often in this area by February, and this location affords the best chance of encountering parts of this natural theater. Here, we hope to witness the wildebeest calving. This really is a spectacular event in nature, whereby during a 3-week time period, hundreds of thousands - and sometimes up to half a million - wildebeest are born. This vast amount of newborn wildebeest attracts a huge amount of predators; with their defensive mothers on their side, these teetering youngsters are still not easy pickings.
These four nights are likely to be an intense wildlife viewing experience and we shall have plenty of interactions and events to keep us on our toes and camera fingers twitching! It's at these times that we may choose to seek peace and solace in the presence of a wild elephant as it calmly feeds and snoozes, content in the shade of an iconic umbrella thorn tree.
Feb 13th - 16th 2019 - The Highlands, Ngorongoro Crater Highlands
After 4 days in migration country, it is time for us to move to our last destination with a road transfer of 4.5 hours through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to The Highlands - an absolutely breathtaking camp. This will have a very different feel to the Serengeti and the lodge itself is a spectacular collection of glass and canvas domes nestled on a wooded hillside with spectacular views of the volcanic landscape. This is a more than comfortable way to round off the safari in style!
From here, we shall enjoy a full day excursion into Ngorongoro Crater and a lovely lunch on the crater floor, with our best chance on the safari for some of the rarer species like black rhino and maybe even a serval cat!
The next and final full day on safari will include an option for a morning walk into Empakaai Crater and its soda lake and/or an afternoon visit to a traditional Maasai boma - both rare and alluring experiences for your memory book.
On our final day, we will take in one last African sunrise as we pack up before a final drive back to Arusha and the end of the safari at 1700.
What's Included:
All accommodation, activities and internal light aircraft flights as detailed in the itinerary.
Airport transfers on day one and last day.
Road transfers between camps.
All meals from dinner on day one, to lunch on the last day.
All drinks (except champagne, premium brand spirits, and cellar wines)
Laundry service.
All park and reserve permits, entrance fees and taxes.
And of course the informed and passionate services of your personal private guides and hosts, local guides and camp staff.
What's Not Included:
International flights and travel to and from the start point and end point of the safari as per the itinerary.
Passport and visa fees.
Gratuities.
Airport and departure taxes/fees.
Mandatory travel insurance.
Items of a personal nature.
Baby Elephants -sorry but your bags wouldn't be big enough anyway.