Safari
The Serengeti is a savanna covering a 60,000 square kilometer area which sprawls across Tanzania and Kenya. The migration that occurs there every six months is considered amongst many to be one of the seven tourist travel wonders of the world. The area contains several game reserves and national parks. Its name come from the Maasai language and means “Endless Plains”.
The Serengeti has thousands of predators and more than 2 million herbivores. Gazelles, blue wildebeests, buffalos and zebars are the most common animals found in the region.
The largest and longest overland migration in the world happens in the Serengeti every six months. Nearly 2 million herbivores travel from the northern hills in October, and head toward the southern plains, where they cross the Mara River, in pursuit of the rains. They then return to the north through the west in April, again crossing the Mara river. This phenomenon is sometimes called the Circular Migration. 250,000+ wildebeest alone will die during the journey from Tanzania to then Maasai Mara reserves in upper Kenya, a journey that covers 500 miles. Death is often caused by exhaustion, injury, or being attacked by predators such as the big cats of the region.
The area is also home to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which contains the Olduvai Gorge, where some of the oldest hominid fossils are found, as well as the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera.
The iCrossing Kili Climbers have the following itinerary for visiting the Serengeti:
10 Sept 07
Depart Moshi and drive westwards to Lake Manyara National Park . Lake Manyara is tucked beneath the Rift Valley wall, a thin green band of forest flanked by the 600 metres sheer high red and brown cliffs of the escarpment and the shores of the soda lake which gives name to the park. Famous for its tree-climbing lions, Manyara features nearly 400 different species of bird, red-billed quelea, pelicans, cormorants and thousands of flamingos. Game drive till late afternoon, with picnic lunchen route. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Tented Lodge (www.moivaro.com).
11 Sept 07
Early walk to shores of Lake Manyara with a guide from the Mto Wa Mbu Cultural Tourism Programme. A rare opportunity to see wild animals drinking from the streams heading into the lake. Drive onwards to Lake Natron . The drive is bumpy and long on this very rough road. Lake Natron is an almost surreal soda lake, set at an altitude of 610m, below the Rift valley escarpment, which offers incredible bird and game viewing. Late afternoon walk to the waterfalls where you can have a swim. Dinner and overnight Lake Natron Tented Lodge (www.moivaro.com)
12 Sept 07
Drive to see this beautiful highly scenic Lake Natron . It is the only breeding ground for East Africas millions of flamingos, which usually congregate to breed here between August and October. Set off for Serengeti with a game drive en route with picnic lunch. The legendary Serengeti is the archetypal safari destination and is renowned for its wealth of leopard and lion. Serengeti, , derived from the Maasai word siringetu meaning endless plains, is home to the annual migration of more than a million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomsons gazelle undertaking their long trek to new grazing grounds. Dinner and overnight at Lobo Wildlife Lodge (www.hotelsandlodges-tanzania
13 Sept 07
Discover the Serengeti plains with a full day tour. The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth. The essential features have changed little in a million years; Serengetis famous plains are interspersed with wooded hills, towering termite mounds, rocky kopjes and rivers lined with acacia trees. Dinner and overnight at Seronera Wildlife Lodge (www.hotelsandlodges.com).
14 Sept 07
Optional early morning game drive. Return for breakfast and then continue with a game drive till lunch. After lunch, head back to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area via Oldupai Gorge. The Oldupai Gorge provides evidence of the earliest signs of mankind, where hominid footprints are preserved in volcanic rock 3,600,000 years old. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is unique in that over 40,000 Maasai pastoralists with their cattle goats and sheep to live alongside the abundant wildlife in a natural setting. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge (www.hotelsandlodges.com).
15 Sept 07
After an early breakfast descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a six hour tour. Ngorongoro Crater is the world largest caldera measuring 600 metres in depth and covering 250 square kilometres in area. It is a spectacular setting and contains an abundance of wildlife with over 20,000 large animals including Tanzanias remaining black rhino. Late afternoon head to KIA Lodge (www.moivaro.com) for overnight.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed