Travel to Tanzania: Tanzania Photo Safari: Serengeti Migration

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Tanzania Photo Safari: Serengeti Migration

			DAYS: 11 GRADE: I-II, Easy hiking, mobile tent camping define PRICE: From $6795 per person (Includes Local Air) HIGHLIGHTS: Tarangire National Park Lake Manyara Ngorongoro Crater luxury mobile camping in Serengeti National Park. ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels/Lodges Deluxe Camp MEALS: As noted  [B-Breakfast, L-Lunch,   D-Dinner] Prices, Departure Dates and Included Services Send to a Friend Print this Itinerary

Novice and advanced photo enthusiasts seeking exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities can explore the best game parks of Tanzania including the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire. Scheduled to coincide with the migration of giant herds of wildebeest and zebras in Serengeti National Park, herds will be spread out in the plains before us attracting an abundance of lions and cheetahs. Based from lodges,  permanent tent camps and a custom designed mobile camp (with generator-powered recharging and photographic download station)  ideally situated for seasonal access to wildlife movement, we travel in retrofitted 4 x 4 Land Cruisers fully equipped with window seats and open hatch assuring unencumbered wildlife observation and photography. A flight from Serengeti back to Arusha minimizes driving time and rugged overland travel. 

	Interact with local Maasai as you learn about their way of life and customs.

DAY 1 :  ARRIVAL IN TANZANIA

Arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport where youll be met after passing through customs and transferred to Moivaro Plantation. Set amidst a tranquil coffee plantation in the outskirts of Arusha, Moivaro is a collection of duplex bungalows scattered over beautifully landscaped grounds. Enjoy cozy fireplaces, gauzy mosquito nets, and private bathrooms with hot and cold running water. Onsite facilities include a massage room and Internet services, and a pool. Extensive walking trails and gardens will allow for a stroll in the morning. Overnight at Moivaro Plantation. [Meals on your own]

Elegant giraffe greet us in the warm afternoon light--perfect for photography!

DAYS 2-3 :  TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast we will meet for our safari briefing before heading out on the road to Tarangire National Park. Tarangire is the third largest national park in Tanzania. An unusually large population of elephants inhabits this sanctuary. Majestic baobab trees create fantastic landscape photos as they dwarf the animals that feed beneath them. During the dry season animals concentrate along Tarangire River, which provides the only permanent water supply in the area. The area supports a great diversity of wildlife, including giraffe, buffalo, lesser kudu, eland, and zebra. Lion, leopard and cheetah are also present.  Up to 6,000 elephants inhabit Tarangire in the dry season.  Enjoy panoramic views of animals drinking at the Tarangire River from atop a high bluff in the lounge and dining room of the Tarangire Safari Lodge. The open-sided design allows an uninterrupted view of the landscape and wildlife below, and captures the cooling breeze while you dine on the delicious home cooked safari cuisine. Take a dip in the pool to wash off the safari dust after a game drive and enjoy rooms with ensuite bathrooms, hot and cold water and electricity. [BLD]

DAY 4 :  LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK AND GREAT RIFT VALLEY

Today we pass through the Great Rift Valley where well look for animals along the shore of Lake Manyara.  Well visit a local school and learn about education in Tanzania. Finally, well climb up the wall of the rift valley to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.  Overnight tonight on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. Strung along the eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, rooms at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge have views out to the crater floor below.  Floor to ceiling windows are set next to an inviting rocking chair, a perfect place to see Cape buffalo dining on lodge landscaping. Watch sunset from the pool or the bar, and enjoy the large central fireplace in the restaurant. Overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa. [BLD]

	Up-close encounters allow us to bring home some amazing wildlife shots!

DAYS 5-6 :  NGORONGORO CRATER NATIONAL PARK

Get up early to be one of the first vehicles in the Ngorongoro National Park. Ngorongoro is one of the most spectacular game haunts in Africa and has been designated a World Heritage site. Here animals are found throughout the year due to the permanent availability of grass and water. Nearly 100 square miles, it contains an impressive variety of wildlife including black-maned lions, the highly endangered black rhino, herds of gnu, zebra, elephants, hippo and hyena, the most important predator within the crater.  Bird life is also prolific, with flocks of flamingos on the soda lake, plus other species of water and plains birds.  Were allowed a maximum of 6 hours game driving in the crater.  We may take short walks and hikes in this area during free time. Overnights at Ngorongoro Sopa. [BLD]

	Flamingoes in Ngorongoro are ideal subjects to capture the rich colors and textures of Africa.

DAYS 7-10 :  NGORONGORO AND TO THE SERENGETI

We'll make one last short game drive through the crater as we depart Ngorongoro headed for the Serengeti. En route stop at Olduvai Gorge, the famous archeological site where the Leakeys discovery of Australopithecus, Homo habilis and Homo erectus remains brought crucial understanding to the study of the evolution of the human species.  Continue on to the Serengeti through the Naabi Gate. Spend the next days photographing at varying locations in the Serengeti, from the granite Kopjes to the long plains. The Serengeti is one of the most productive habitats and impressive wildlife sanctuaries in the world. Witness a portion of the 1.5 million wildebeest and zebra concentrated in vast herds as they migrate through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem.  Overnight for three nights in a private mobile camp, set up just for our group. Tents are comfortable with wood frame beds with attached bathrooms with flushing toilets and fire-warmed bucket showers. There is no electricity in the rooms, but we will have a charging/downloading station for photographic equipment. [BLD] Note: Your beverages and laundry are included at the mobile camp.  

	Enjoy great opportunities for viewing the "Big Five" in Tanzania's expansive Serengeti National Park.

DAY 11 :  DEPARTURE OR EXTEND YOUR TRIP

Take your last looks at the Serengeti today before transferring to the airstrip for your flight to Arusha. Our air route takes us over the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater and reminds us of the sights weve seen in the last day. Upon arrival into Arusha well have dayrooms at Moivaro Plantation in Arusha in preparation for our return flight to the US this evening. Take a final stroll around the grounds, a dip in the pool or photography the beautiful gardens and stunning views of Mt. Meru. For those travelers who are staying on for an extension, you will overnight at Moivaro Plantation. [BLD]

Questions? Ask Our Program Directors.

. C o n t a c t Lyndsay Harshman 1(800)345-4453