A Detailed Serengeti Migration Horse Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome To Tanzania
After touching down at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you’ll be whisked away to your first overnight accommodation. The lodge is the ideal location for acquainting oneself with Africa, situated on a wildlife estate with stunning views of Mount Meru and, on a clear day, Mount Kilimanjaro. You can unwind and socialize with other adventurers during your free time here! The main guide will join you for supper and provide a brief introduction and rundown of what to expect throughout your safari.
Day 2: Flight to Southern Serengeti
Get up early in order to board a morning charter aircraft to one of the southern Serengeti’s airstrips. A fantastic chance to view these famous locations from above is to be flown over the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manayara, or Tarangire National Park! A safari vehicle will pick you up after the flight so you can enjoy enroute game drive to the camp. It could take two to four hours to travel there, depending on where you fly in.
After a brief wait at the National Park registration booth, you will drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, via the majestic “kopjes,” or granite outcrops, river courses, and the renowned short grass plains of the Serengeti. It is a prime grazing place for migratory wildebeest in the early months of the year. If the weather cooperates, the plains may be covered in millions of wildebeest that come after the rains to take advantage of the fresh grass. It is a natural wonder that wildebeests prefer to give birth on the plains. This is so that their young have the best possible start in life, a chance to grow strong on fresh, green grass before beginning the long journey north to the Mara plains in Kenya.
After leaving the National Park and NCA, you will drive for around two hours to reach the location of the first camp, which is shaded by a beautiful flat-topped acacia. Get to know the support personnel, set up your tents, and enjoy a complimentary lunch under the mess tent’s shade. Following a brief nap, we will meet the horses and their attendants, and if time permits, we will go for a ride in the evening. Make your way back to camp at sunset for a hot shower, some drinks by the fire, and your first bush meal as a group before the challenge begins!
Day 3-8: Riding In Ngorongoro Crater
At dawn, tea or coffee will be given to your tent to wake you up. You will then have breakfast in the mess tent before going to the horses to mount up at around eight in the morning. There are five additional days available for exploration, traversing the expansive plains and entering grassy valleys adorned with scenic granite formations, clusters of whistling thorn, and the characteristic flat-topped acacia trees of East Africa. The daily route and arrangements will be subject to change based on weather conditions and the movement of game. However, your guide will strive to visit at least one or two additional camps, allowing you to explore new areas.
During one of the afternoons or mornings, the horses will be given a rest, allowing you to board the vehicles for a visit to the Olduvai Museum, a significant paleoanthropological site globally. The museum features fossils and artifacts related to our human ancestors, as well as skeletons of numerous extinct animals that coexisted in their environment. We will undoubtedly cross this ravine, known as the “Cradle of Humankind,” on horseback at least once during the safari.
The next day, you will rise early at dawn, allowing ample time to prepare before breakfast. Proceed to embark on a journey to a new camp, traversing regions that have seldom been explored by anyone other than those on horseback. You may encounter Masai herdsmen or their modest settlements, where tribespeople sustain themselves in harmony with the land, as they have for generations.
Following approximately four hours of riding, we will convene with the support team for a lunch in the open air amidst the bush, allowing for a period of rest during the peak heat of the day. Subsequently, we will continue our journey with the objective of arriving at the new camp by tea time. The camp is strategically positioned in the expansive open plains, where, during peak migration season, the atmosphere is alive with the sounds of wildebeest, including their distinctive braying and captivating grunts. Upon arrival at camp, enjoy a cup of tea or a cold beer, followed by hot showers and dinner, all while listening to the sounds of the bush.
Or Fly Camping
Depending on the conditions, your safari may include a night spent in a fly camp, complete with mosquito netting, if the weather permits. Getting into the cars this morning, you will proceed on a wildlife drive with a picnic lunch along the way. You will be crossing short grass plains and keeping an eye out for lions, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as elephants and flamingos that congregate on the soda lakes in the area. After a leisurely day, you’ll make it to the fly camp just in time for sundowners and a starry nightcap.
Day 9: Departure
Good morning, everyone! It’s time to bid farewell to the horses and crew. Breakfast will be served en route, with a view of the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, as the journey this morning takes place up the Ngorongoro highlands. Once you’ve checked out at the gate, make your way to the African Galleria. It’s a fantastic spot to purchase tanzanite, arts, or perhaps a modest gift from Tanzania. Your next stop will be at the Manyara Airstrip, where you’ll board a 40-minute plane to return to the estate for lunch. Showers will be accessible in a common dayroom, but if you would prefer a private dayroom, please let us know and we will make reservations in advance (at an additional cost; departure time is at least 18 hours). Afterwards, you will be driven to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your subsequent flights.
