Serengeti and Ngorongoro Excursion
Today we set off on a four-day optional 3 night camping adventure in the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. This region contains one of the most incredibly dense animal varieties in all of Africa. We are given time to visit the Oldupai gorge and museum on our first day journeying from Arusha to Ngorongoro. Our Serengeti expedition takes place in an open topped 4X4 safari vehicle in order to take on the obstacles we come across whilst driving through the Park’s gravelly and narrow roads. For those who opt not to partake in this excursion, simply devote your time to relaxing and soaking in the sun as well as the vibrant local cultures surrounding you.
Be sure to take with you a small day pack with a change of clothing, binoculars, cameras, warm clothes (for the cold rim of the crater), plenty of insect repellent, a few dollars for tips and curios, provisions and, of course, your sleeping bag and pillow. There is also a variety of Optional Activities in which to partake for those who aren’t going on this expedition, including a range of Serengeti and Ngorongoro Excursion packages, Lake Manyara game drives, day hiking, village tours and other day trips.
The Serengeti is world famous for hosting the biggest and longest overland migration on earth, deemed a ‘natural travel wonder of the world’. During October, almost 2 million herbivores journey from the hills of the north to the plains of the south, crossing through the Mara River in search of food and water. During April, these animals return to the north via the west, once more crossing the Mara. This spectacle is often called the Circular Migration. More than 250 000 wildebeest are fated to die along the trip from Tanzania to the Masai Mara Reserve in upper Kenya, a total distance of 800 kilometres. Their death is frequently caused due to wounds, exhaustion or by being hunted by the stalking predators that follow close behind the herds. Around 70 bigger mammals and approximately 500 various bird species can be found in this migration. The massive assortment of species that composes the migration is due to the wide range of habitats ranging from river forests, swamps, kopjes, grasslands and woodlands. Some of the common mammals that can be spotted in this area are Blue Wildebeests, gazelles, zebras and buffalos.
The Ngorongoro region makes up part of the ecosystem of the Serengeti and, to the northwest it meets the Serengeti National Park and lies adjacent to the southern plains of the Serengeti. These plains spread to the north into the unguarded Loliondo division and are open to wildlife due to the farming habits of the Masai. Volcanic highlands lie to the south and west of the region whilst the rim of the Great Rift Valley wall defines the southern and eastern boundaries. This wall serves to prohibit animals migrating in these directions.
Meals: Breakfast X3, Lunch X3, Dinner X3
Accommodation: Seronera Campsite, Simba Campsite
Facilities: Shared ablutions, cold showers
Route: Arusha to Serengeti +/-260 kms
Travel Time: +/-3-4 hours
For Those Not Partaking In The Above Excursion:
Meals: Breakfast X3, Lunch X3, Dinner X3
Accommodation: Kudu Camp
Facilities: Restaurant, Bar, Swimming pool, hot showers, en-suite, gift shop & internet cafe
Optional Activities: Day walk inside Ngorongoro Forest, Mountain biking around the villages, various day safari options (Kudu Lodge to Karatu)
