Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania
Arrival at Kilimanjaro International airport and transfer to your hotel; dinner is on your own as this is a travel day.
Overnight at Arusha Coffee House
Day 1: February 16
Day 2: February 17
Ndutu, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
After breakfast, we will drive south to the southern most point of East Africa’s Great Migration route to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We will be directly adjacent to the Serengeti and at times will drive directly along the border when we are following the cats. It is a nice drive through the Tanzanian countryside and we will arrive at our lodge in time for lunch. After lunch, resting up and afternoon tea/coffee, we will have our first game drive of the safari. We will now ease into our new safari routine in East Africa.Overnight at Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge – Seronera (B,L,D)Day 2: February 17
Day 3-5: February 18-20
Ndutu, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
We will spend the next three days in the Ndutu Conservation Area. Each year, between January and March, the massive herds of over 1.5 million wildebeest along with hundreds of thousands zebra and Thompson gazelle come to this area. They are drawn by nutrient rich short grass plains for their calving season. The calving peaks in mid-February so we have chosen the right time to experience this natural spectacle of new birth. Because of the calving, many predators such as lion, cheetah, hyena, and leopard are also drawn to Ndutu making for exciting action and fascinating predator behavior. Most notably, cheetah hunting is at its best in Ndutu and our camp is ideally located in the midst of all this action. Here in Ndutu, we are not restricted to driving on roads. Off-road driving is another factor that makes our time here so special where we can find our own action and have it to ourselves on these boundless plains of wildlife. This is by far the best place in the world for big cat action.We will start our days before sunrise with hot coffee /tea. We want to leave camp at first light when the predators are moving so that we are able to observe the hunt. In lieu of having a hot breakfast in camp, we want to be where the action is and so we will take our breakfast ‘a la fresco’ in the fresh air of the plains amidst millions of wildebeest. This will be our daily routine. If however, anyone would like to sleep in and have a hot breakfast in camp, you are welcome to do so – at the peril of missing out on the best action a safari can offer!!We will return to camp for lunch each day unless something spectacular is happening in which case, we will have lunch delivered to us! We will rest up in the afternoon before our afternoon tea/coffee. Then we will head back out in the late afternoon in search of more big cat action. Some afternoons will be spent discussing photography – either going over your images of the day and/or having personal photography instruction. After our evening game drive, we will return to camp to enjoy a drink by the fire before a delicious dinner.Overnight at Ndutu Luxury Tented Lodge – Seronera (B,L,D)Day 6-8: February 21-23
Central Serengeti
After our last game drive in Ndutu, we will leave our beautiful camp and move on to our next bush camp in the Serengeti, an ecosystem spanning approximately 12,000 square miles (30,000 km) including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves. The Serengeti is renowned for its large lion population and is one of the best places to observe prides in their natural environment. Approximately 70 large mammal and 500 bird species are found there. East Africa’s Great Migration loops in a clockwise direction mostly in the Serengeti and it is here where we will spend the next two days looking for more predators on these vast wide open plains.Overnight at Ole Serai Luxury Camp – Seronera (B,L,D)Day 6-8: February 21-23
Day 9: February 24
Fly to the Maasai Mara, Kenya
We will have our last morning game drive in the Serengeti on our way to an airstrip where we will fly to the border of Tanzania and Kenya. We will transfer by car over the border into Kenya and then take another short flight directly to a bush airstrip in the Maasai Mara. We will drive a short distance to our next bush camp and will arrive in time for lunch. After our afternoon tea, we will have our first game drive in the Maasai Mara and settle into our daily safari routine.Overnight Mara Bush Camp (B,L,D)Day 10-12: February 25-27
Maasai Maara
Being contiguous with the Serengeti in Tanzania, Kenya’s Maasai Mara was named in honor of its people, the Maasai. It’s world-renowned for its exceptional populations of lions, leopards, cheetah and elephants. The migration occurs in the Mara only during the months between July and September, but there are still large herds of wildebeest, zebra, Thompson’s gazelle, kopi, impalas duikers and other antelope. The Mara is the northernmost section of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem and covers 580 square miles of this ecosystem including seasonal riverlets. Hippos and crocodiles are found in large groups in the Mara and Talek rivers.In the Mara, the landscape becomes somewhat more hilly and has 16 different species of acacia trees distributed throughout. The central Mara has sweeping plains while the Mara river is edged by a dense riverine forest. Even when the migration is in full swing in Tanzania, unlike the Serengeti, the Mara has plenty of resident game meaning that wildlife viewing is not as seasonal as the Serengeti.Here we will find some very famous prides of lions with iconic males boasting large manes and scarred faces. At the time of writing this itinerary, a coalition of five cheetah males has been making a name for itself throughout the plains. As you can see, we will continue to see predators galore during our three days in the world famous Maasai Mara. We will also spend an afternoon (before our game drive) visiting a very authentic Maasai village. It will be a fantastic experience with the Morani warriors dressed in their beaded finery. We will have a chance to buy beautiful beadwork made here in this village and the photography opportunities will be unusual and interesting.Overnight Mara Bush Camp (B,L,D)Day 10-12: February 25-27
Day 13: February 28
Fly to Nairobi
After either a last game drive or a relaxing morning in camp with a hot breakfast, we will depart camp and take a charter flight to Nairobi. We will fly over the Mara and bid farewell to East Africa, undoubtedly home of big cats. We will arrive at Wilson Domestic airport and will be transferred to Four Points Sheraton. We will have access to day rooms until 6:00pm. We will then take a hotel shuttle to the airport to connect with our international flights home.Breakfast only included – travel day
We look forward to seeing you on your next Wild Focus Expedition!
Included
- Pick up / drop off in Arusha / Nairobi as per the itinerary
- Two Wild Focus Expedition Safari Leaders
- Unlimited game drives as per the above itinerary
- Experienced, English speaking driver/ guide (member of the Kenya Professional Safari Guide Association with Bronze / Silver Badge)
- Transportation and exclusive use of 2 custom built safari 4 x 4 Landcruisers with pop-up roof hatches and custom windows ideal for photographers
- All park entrance fees to National Parks / Reserves mentioned
- 1 night on Bed & breakfast basis at ARUSHA COFFEE LODGE
- 4 nights on Full board accommodation at LAKE NDUTU LUXURY TENTED LODGE
- 3 nights on Full board accommodation at OLE SERAI LUXURY CAMP (SERONERA)
- 4 nights on Full board accommodation at MARA BUSH CAMP
- Lunch at a local restaurant in Arusha on the last day
- Mineral water during game drives
- Use of day rooms at the Four Points Sheraton in Nairobi on the last day
- On DAY 09: Fly from Serengeti to Maasai Mara (two airlines will be involved plus a 1 hour road transfer across the border)
- On DAY 13: Fly from Maasai Mara to Wilson Airport, Nairobi
Note: There is baggage allowance of 27.5 KGS per person inclusive of hand luggage and should be carried in soft bags (We have included 1 freight seat to allow more weight allowance)
Not Included
- International airfare to and from Nairobi
- Change of itinerary
- Visa fees
- All beverages (unless where mentioned as included)
- Change of itinerary
- Optional hot air balloon rides over the Maasai Mara with champagne breakfast ($450 per person)
- Any items of personal nature such as beverages, laundry, telephone calls
- Tips / gratuities for your driver / guide and camp / lodge staff
- International travel insurance / medical / cancellation insurance
- Any extras not mentioned in the included list such as extra meals and activities
Our Classic African safaris require little physical conditioning and are not considered strenuous. Travel will sometimes be by small charter aircraft and game-drive vehicles. Safari-goers should be aware that the game drives are often over bumpy surfaces and can sometimes be long depending on our sightings. Our mornings start early before daybreak and evening meals are served after sundown. All travelers must be able to climb into and out of raised 4×4 safari vehicles.
Our Kenya and Tanzania safaris will be in permanent to semi-permanent tented camps. All of our tents are en suite, are designed to the highest standards, and are comfortable with hot showers and an adjoining toilet. All of our camps will have separate lounge and dining areas which add to the excitement and ambiance of being on safari. It should be noted, however, that there are no fences around our camps, and animals of all sizes are sometimes encountered within the camp boundaries. Please be assured that you will be safe at all times. Our Expeditions Leaders and camp staff will be there to assure your safety.
From May through August, temperatures are very comfortable. Mornings can be quite cool to cold while warming up as the day continues. Nights can be cold and midday temperatures range from 70ºF (20ºC) to 80ºF (26ºC0. Our Handbooks provide more detailed information about clothing and trip preparation.
We recommend that our travelers bring an adventurous spirit, as you will often enjoy the closest animal encounters.
Wild Focus Expeditions provides specialized, small group photography tours. Our photography expeditions are designed to get participants into distinctive, engaging locations around the world at the optimum times for photography. Our photo tours are created by our team of photographers who want to experience and photograph the world's top wildlife, nature and traditional cultures locations.