12 Day Fly to Serengeti – Wildebeest Migration and Zanzibar

While traveling with Top Travel Safari you should expect a wonderful and memorable adventure very much out of the ordinary from your normal lifestyle. There will be great food, big smiles, new sights and good History about Africa, most probably dust or mud and many stories. Get ready to have fun!

About the Mara River Crossing (July to October)

During this period, the herd continues its movement north towards the Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya. There is no tight schedule that these animals follow, and so tracking the herd’s movements becomes a day to day prospect as the meander slowly but inexorably towards the next big obstacle in their path: the Mara River.

The Mara River poses another deadly barrier for the herd, who must again brave swollen waters and the opportunistic predators if they are to find relatively safety on the far side. Photographers and documentarians from around the world gather to witness the death-defying crossing, but the surrounding landscapes are every bit as memorable as the life and death struggle taking place at the Kogatende crossing.

This safari can be done as either a fly-in safari as described below, or as a fly-out safari. In this case, the itinerary would be reversed and you would fly from the Lobo region back to Arusha at the conclusion of your safari.

Day One – Arusha – Serengeti National Park (Lobo Region)

After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Arusha Airport for your flight to the Lobo area of the Northern Serengeti. Enjoy a bird’s eye view of Tanzania as you make the short trip, where you’ll be met by your Top Travel Safari driver upon arrival.

The Lobo area is a broad valley of sparse woodland and open savannah, ensuring a large resident population of lions, leopards, and elephants throughout the year. Kopje (small hills) are also a prominent feature of the area, which is bordered to the east by forested hills where the majority of tented lodges are.

You’ll spend your day driving through this distinct and beautiful region of the park in search of the Wildebeest Migration and the Big Five.

In the afternoon, you have the option to extend your game drive until sunset or participate in one of the optional activities available at your lodge. These often include nature walks, village visits, and night game drives outside of the park.

Day Two – Serengeti National Park (Lobo Region)

After breakfast, we’ll start our game drive around the Lobo area, searching around the kopjes looking for carnivores and the large migration groups that will be preparing to cross the Mara River into Kenya.

The Lobo Hills are covered in large acacia trees which support large amounts of elephants, giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, and the carnivores that prey upon them. It’s a fascinating opportunity to see a large number of Africa’s most iconic animals in a relatively small amount of time.

From here we’ll proceed to the Bologonja and kogatende areas where we will eventually meet the Mara River itself. Home to large numbers of hippos and Nile crocodiles, the Mara River is the last major obstacle standing between the Wildebeest Migration and the relative safety of the Maasai Mara.

If you’re patient and a little lucky, you may even get to witness the death-defying crossing itself where wildebeest and zebras brave the river’s currents and crocodiles in an attempt to reach safety on the opposite bank.

Dinner and overnight in the heart of the Serengeti National Park according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.

Day Three – Serengeti National Park (Lobo Region) – Serengeti National Park (Seronera Region)

We’ll start our day immediately after breakfast, driving through the plains of Togoro and the Mbuzi Mawe kopjes on our way to cross the Banagi River into the Seronera region of the Central Serengeti. Along the way, you’ll spot everything from the enigmatic dik-diks to towering elephants, and everything in between.

The Seronera is often known as ‘big cat country’, and its kopjes and acacias provide an excellent opportunity to spot prides of lazy lions, sleek cheetahs out on the hunt, and leopards overseeing everything from their lofty perches.

The region’s hippo pools and wide open spaces provide sample opportunities for game viewing.

Dinner and overnight in the heart of the Serengeti National Park according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.

Day Four – Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro

After breakfast, we get right on the road back towards the Ngorongoro Crater National Park.

Our drive takes us back through the Serengeti via a different route, offering plenty of opportunities to spot the animals that eluded you on day two. As far as the eye can see, you’ll spot thousands upon thousands of animals in herds; wildebeests and zebras migrating together, tall and graceful giraffes, jumping antelopes and gazelles, the powerful African elephant and the most respected group of animals: the predators.

You will have the chance to spot lean cheetahs and shy leopards, foraging hyenas, and last but not least, the king himself; the lion.

Dinner and overnight on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater or in nearby Karatu Town according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.

Day Five – Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha

After breakfast, you’ll depart for Ngorongoro Crater; considered by some to be the Eighth Wonder of the World. When you get your first glimpse of this vast, verdant caldera from the panoramic viewpoint, you’ll soon understand why it has earned such a lofty reputation.

Home to over 120 species of mammal including the fabled Big Five, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most sought after safari destinations in the world. It’s a particularly good place to see the endangered black rhinoceros enjoying a lonely meal out on the grass plains, as well as a place to see large numbers of hippopotamus enjoying the cool water.

From the comfort of your open-top vehicle, you’ll be able to observe and photograph some of Africa’s most recognizable faces. The crater is home to a large number of predators including lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, and hyenas, as well as a large population of wildebeest, zebras, antelope, cape buffalo, and more.

It is truly one of Africa’s premier safari destinations. After the thrills and excitement of the day, you will have a picnic lunch by the park’s famous hippo pool before returning to Arusha to catch your flight to Zanzibar

6 Day Zanzibar Beach

Tour, its unforgettable program which will comprise of the stone town historical tours, spice tour and beach leisure and relaxation on the white sands beach on the northern Zanzibar serenity beaches.

Day 6 Zanzibar Beach

Picked up from Zanzibar airport and transferred to Hotel in stone town for relaxing. Dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Stone Town Tour.

After breakfast depart for a full guided tour and the tour takes you through thin streets of this old stone town. The town is full of historic as you walk slowly and the history will starts to appear and you will be surprised how all this stand still to date, as the tour goes on you will find yourself on a house of wonders the Museum then visit to Dr Livingstone’s House and the Arab Fort which all has a fascinating look at of the fundamental nature of Zanzibar.

You will have free Extra time later in late afternoon for explore and discover further but this time will be on your own which allows you much time to relax, Evening leave your hotel for sunset walking a long stone town then have a stop at Forodhani gardens for a glimpse at the evening life Dinner at local restaurant, over night at stone.

Day 8: Spice Tour.

Depart from the hotel and transfer to Kizimbani Village for a spice tour, where you will have the chance to see spices like cloves, Cinnamon, Black pepper, Nutmeg, turmeric root which actually growing in the middle of plantations.

Other tropical fruits such as jackfruit, custard, apple, Rambutan, Carambola can also be seen and tasted. Furthermore you will see plants like the Henna bush, Lipstick tree and Lemongrass, as a final point you will visit the Kidichi Persian Baths that were built by the first Sultan of Zanzibar.

Named Sultan Said Said bin Sultan in 1850 and Maruhubi Palace Ruins built by the third Sultan of Zanzibar named Sultan Said Barghash in 1880 which were built particularly for housing 99 of his harem. Lunch is included. After lunch, you will be transferred to Pakachi Beach Hotel for leisure and pleasure.

Day 9 and 10 Leisure and Pleasure on the Beach.

These two days will be spent on the beach relaxing, sun burning and swimming on the beach or scuba diving also diving beginners course available on most of beaches though in Additional cost, Dinner and Overnight at Pakachi Beach Hotel.

Day 11: End of Tour.

After breakfast you will be transferred to the air port to connect your flight back home after a wonderfully and amazing holiday in Tanzania Don’t forget to come Buck.