Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Serengeti
Value Migration Preview with The Woven Experience
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What's included
- Unlimited bottled water
- Visa arrangements
Guaranteed Mara River Crossing Action (July–October Peak)
This budget-friendly fly-in package positions you in the absolute epicentre of the Great Wildebeest Migration’s most dramatic moments. From July to October, over 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra funnel into the narrow Kogatende corridor and face the crocodile-filled Mara River daily. Expect 1–3 major crossings per day – thousands of animals thundering down steep banks, frantic splashes, crocodile lunges and lion ambushes on exhausted stragglers – all witnessed from safe, elevated 4×4 pop-up roof vehicles at the famous numbered crossing points.
Direct Flights = Maximum Game-Drive Time
Skip 8–10 hours of bumpy roads each way. Your 60–80-minute scenic flight from Arusha lands you at Kogatende Airstrip, literally minutes from the river. This means up to 10–11 hours of actual game viewing per full day instead of exhausting transfers – the smartest way to maximise budget and adrenaline on a short migration safari.
Cats
The Northern Serengeti boasts Tanzania’s highest density of black-maned lions and some of the best leopard sightings on the continent. Riverine forests along the Mara shelter permanent prides and solitary leopards, while open plains host cheetah and hyena clans that never migrate. Even if you travel November–June, you still enjoy world-class predator action plus lush green scenery and far fewer vehicles.
Flexible Dates & Seamless Add-Ons to Zanzibar or Southern Parks
With daily scheduled flights in and out of Kogatende, this 4-day itinerary slots perfectly into any Tanzania trip. Fly out on Day 4 straight to Zanzibar’s beaches, the southern calving plains (January–March), or combine with Ngorongoro Crater. Optional hot-air balloon over the Mara River at sunrise can be added without extending the trip.
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Day 4
Arusha → Tarangire National Park – Baobab Wonderland & Elephant Super
Arusha → Tarangire National Park – Baobab Wonderland & Elephant Super-Herds
Smooth 2-hour road transfer (~120 km) on sealed and graded roads with roadside stops for Maasai herdsmen and giraffe silhouettes. Enter Tarangire gate for an immersive 5-hour game drive through iconic baobab groves, tracking oryx, fringe-eared oryx, gerenuk, and leopard draped over sausage trees. Follow the Tarangire River to Silale Swamp, where elephant families (up to 300 in dry season) converge. Scan termite mound lookouts for cheetah and lion. Over 550 bird species, including endemic ashy starlings. Bush picnic lunch under a fever tree canopy.
Overnight: Tarangire Safari Lodge Campsite – permanent en-suite canvas tents with river-facing verandas, shared dining under stars.
Meals: Breakfast at Arusha hotel (if arranged), picnic lunch, dinner at camp (B/L/D).
Tarangire → Central Serengeti – Kopje Lookouts & Seronera Lion Territory
Extended 4–5 hour transfer (~200 km) via Ngorongoro Conservation Area rim with panoramic crater views. Pause at Naabi Hill Gate kopjes for cheetah scans and picnic toilets. Enter the Serengeti at Naabi and embark on a 3-hour arrival game drive in the Seronera River valley, prime for spotting resident lion prides, leopards in acacia branches, and hippo-filled pools. Track buffalo herds and spot hyena clans. Bush picnic lunch amid granite boulders.
Overnight: Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp – mobile-style canvas tents with en-suite bucket showers, eco-lanterns, and campfire storytelling.
Meals: Full board (B/L/D).
Full-Day Central Serengeti – Migration Staging & Predator Heartland
Dedicated 7-hour game drive loop in the wildlife-rich Seronera and southern corridor. Target migration staging herds (Apr–Jun central gatherings), resident black-maned lions, and elusive rhinos on the Moru Kopjes. Explore hidden valleys for serval cats and bat-eared foxes. Bush picnic lunch at a secluded acacia grove; optional sundowner stop with non-alcoholic drinks overlooking endless plains. Return to camp as golden light bathes the savanna.
Overnight: Same Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp.
Meals: Full board (B/L/D).
Serengeti → Ngorongoro Crater → Arusha – Caldera Big Five & Journey Home
Morning 3–4 hour transfer (~145 km) across Serengeti plains with final wildlife stops for ostrich and secretary birds. Descend into Ngorongoro Crater (UNESCO World Heritage) for a 4-hour crater-floor game drive. High-density year-round action: black rhinos on open plains (best Jun–Oct), lion prides near Lerai Forest, flamingo-fringed soda lakes (peaks Jun–Oct). Hippo pools and golden jackals complete the Big Five quest. Picnic lunch at Ngoitoktok Springs. Afternoon ascent and 2-hour return drive to Arusha (~150 km)—drop-off at your hotel, Arusha town, or Kilimanjaro Airport.
Meals: Breakfast at camp, picnic lunch (B/L).
Price Inclusions & Exclusions
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Location Overview
This compact 4-day budget safari explores Tanzania’s legendary Northern Circuit, a UNESCO-rich wildlife corridor 120–250 km west and northwest of Arusha—the undisputed safari capital nestled at the foot of Mount Meru. Departing from Arusha (1,400 m/4,600 ft), the route combines smooth tarmac with graded gravel roads, winding through Maasai steppe, coffee farms, and dramatic rift-valley escarpments before plunging into vast golden plains and the planet’s most famous volcanic caldera.
Tarangire National Park (2,850 km²): 140 km southwest of Arusha. Rolling baobab-studded hills and the life-giving Tarangire River create Tanzania’s highest elephant density outside the migration—up to 3,000+ individuals gather June–October, earning it the nickname “Elephant Playground.”
Serengeti National Park (14,750 km²): 200–250 km northwest of Arusha. Endless grass plains (the name “Serengeti” means “endless plains” in Maasai) stretch to the horizon, hosting the Great Migration’s resident herds, black-maned lions, cheetahs on kopjes, and over 500 bird species. The central Seronera valley offers year-round Big Cat action.
Ngorongoro Crater (260 km² floor): 180 km west of Arusha within the 8,300 km² Ngorongoro Conservation Area (UNESCO World Heritage). The world’s largest intact, unflooded caldera—600 m deep and 19 km wide—acts as a natural 25,000-animal enclosure with Africa’s highest predator density and reliable black rhino sightings.
Geography & Access
Terrain: Baobab savannah, acacia woodlands, short-grass plains, soda lakes, and highland crater rims. Altitude Range: 1,000–2,400 m (3,300–7,900 ft). Travel Times from Arusha (private 4x4):
- Tarangire: 2–2.5 hours
- Central Serengeti (via Ngorongoro transit): 5–6 hours
- Ngorongoro Crater rim: 3–3.5 hours Gateway: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) → Arusha (45–60 min transfer). Year-round road access; dry-season (June–October) roads are dusty but fast, while the green season (March–May) paints the landscape emerald and reduces rates dramatically.
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