Tanzania Safari - The Great Migration in the North of the Serengeti and Lake Natron

Departure in the morning from Arusha for Lake Manyara National Park, Fotosafari. Lake Manyara, under the Rift Valley escarpment, hosts extremely varied environments, despite its small size (330 sq km, of which 200 are occupied by the lake). They range from the dense forests fed by the springs that emerge at the foot of the Rift Valley, to the savannahs, to the marshy areas on the edge of the lake. Numerous animal species, including large colonies of baboons, vervets and other species of monkeys, elephants, giraffes and 380 species of birds. Here, during the period from December to March, large flocks of pink flamingos settle, which then migrate to Lake Natron between June and October. Among the predators there are numerous leopards and lions; the latter, bothered by the humidity of the ground and by insects, have acquired the habit (quite rare among these big cats and found only in a few other areas) of climbing tree branches.

Photo safari in the Ngorongoro Crater. The Ngorongoro Crater is a unique environment, without equal in the world. It is what remains of an ancient volcanic cone, the top of which collapsed about 2.5 million years ago, leaving room for the current caldera: a truncated cone, which inside houses a "pan" with a diameter of 16 / 20 km, with the raised edges of about 600 m above the bottom, within which a savannah has developed where more than 25,000 large animals live. All the typical species of the region, with the exception of giraffes (which do not find nourishment here) live in the Ngorongoro Crater. The edge of the crater reaches an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level and offers breathtaking views. The outer slopes of the walls are covered with a dense blanket of primary forest. In the evening we reach the central Serengeti.

The Serengeti ecosystem is home to more than 1,500,000 wildebeest, about 300,000 zebras, 500,000 Thompson's gazelles, more than 2,700 lions, 1,000 leopards, 500 cheetahs, huge herds of elephants, eland, impala, water antelope, giraffe, ostrich, genets, and the waterways are populated by crocodiles and hippos; there are more than 400 bird species. The 15,000 sq km of the Serengeti National Park constitute only the largest portion of a larger ecosystem, which also includes the Ngorongoro Plains (the flat region north-east of the Ngorongoro Crater, which plays a very important role in the famous migration and is administered by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area) and the Maasai Mara (located further north, in Kenya). - Between July and October - the great herds of wildebeest and migrating zebras gather in large numbers along the course of the Mara river, it is time for the famous crossings.

The orography of the Serengeti, the composition of the soils and, consequently, the type of vegetation, allow sightings of animals without equal in Africa. The subsoil, made up (especially in the southern part) of volcanic rocks, prevents the growth of tall trees in most of the Serengeti and grasslands prevail, so the open environment favors sightings. The Great Migration between - July and October - The wildebeest and zebras of the Serengeti, always in search of new pastures and water, are the actors of the largest migratory movement of wild animals in the world: it is the famous Great Migration of the Serengeti, which between July and October affects the northern sector of the Park. It is time for the famous crossings, which see some specimens succumbing in the jaws of ferocious reptiles. Witnessing the great migration is the best experience you can have on a safari in Africa.

In the morning, last game drive in the north-eastern portion of the Serengeti before leaving the park and reaching the Lake Natron region along an impervious track that offers magnificent views. About fifty kilometers long and about 25 wide, Lake Natron is a strongly alkaline lake that occupies a depression created by the Rift Valley, in a region of ruggedly beautiful lava desert, in the far north of Tanzania. The Natron is the usual nesting area for millions of pink flamingos which, greedy for the cyanobacteria present in very high concentration in the lake waters, especially during the dry season (June-October), crowd its banks. The extremely arid area is dominated by the perfect cone of Oldoinyo Leng'ai. We suggest including this stop to all travelers who want to have a different experience than the classic safari.

With an altitude of almost 3000 meters above sea level, Oldoinyo Leng'ai is the only volcano in the world to emit natro-carbonatitic lava. In the afternoon there is an excursion on foot along the Engare Sero stream which flows in a narrow rocky gorge, up to a beautiful waterfall where it is possible to swim. It is not a difficult trek, but you walk at times with your feet in the water (which rarely reaches knee height): it is therefore necessary to wear a bathing suit and non-slip shoes. We suggest including this stop to all travelers who want to have a different experience than the classic safari.

In the morning excursion on foot to the shores of Lake Natron, through a rugged and almost lunar landscape. Follow the scenic track that crosses a valley flanked by volcanic peaks resulting from the earthquakes resulting from the invoicing of the Rift until you reach Mto wa Mbu and proceed to the Tarangire Park. Photo safari in the afternoon.

Photo safari in Tarangire Park. With its 2,600 square kilometers, the Tarangire National Park constitutes a different environment from the other parks in the North.

The Tarangire constitutes a different environment from the other Parks of the North. About thirty kilometers wide in an east-west direction and a hundred kilometers long in a north-south direction, the Tarangire is the "park of the giants": it hosts colossal baobabs and large herds of elephants, as well as lions, leopards, antelopes, gazelles, wildebeest, zebras, buffaloes and about 500 species of birds (both sedentary and migrant), the highest concentration in Tanzania. The hub of life is the river of the same name, which during the dry season becomes, together with the Silale Marsh, the only source of water available and attracts a large number of animals.

usha Airport