Tanzania Safaris

Great Migration River Crossing Season

August is the end of Tanzania’s dry season, when the wildlife comes from the Wilderness and takes up residency near the Tarangire River.

Located minutes from our camp, our safaris concentrate on the huge marsh that boarders the Wilderness.  Beautiful acacia trees are home to lions, leopard, ostrich and more.  The marsh is a fantastic area to view herds of elephants feeding, playing, drinking, swimming, and dusting.

We explore more of the park in search of park specialties including lesser kudu, Oryx, and birds such as the lilac-breasted and purple rollers, blue-cheeked bee-eaters, and the open-billed stork. If we are lucky, we might also see and photograph wild dogs.

We continue our safari by driving out of the park, up the rift valley, and on to Serengeti National Park to our Tented camp in the Central Serengeti.  That afternoon we will have our first hunt for leopards.  There are a couple of families that inhabit the Seronera River Valley.  Mothers and cubs are especially fun to photograph

While the highlight of this area is the leopards, there are also prides of lions, elephants, a spectacular hippo pool and much more!

We continue our safari with a game drive that heads north to the Mara River.  Located in the far northern Serengeti this camp gives up access to some of the most spectacular country in the world.  There are rock formations called Kopjes (after the Africans word for head) where leopards and lions live and scout for prey.  We will visit my favorite place called Cheetah Valley where there are rolling hills and valleys covered with golden grass as far as the eye can see with umbrella acacia trees that look as if they were placed just so to give a view of paradise.

The main event is the migration’s crossing of the Mara River.  Seasonal afternoon showers cause new grasses to appear.  When the wildebeest smell the rain, they are driven to gather at the river and cross in unbelievable numbers!  If it rains again on the other side they will cross back!

From the North Serengeti we move on to one of the most dramatic World Heritage Sites, The Ngorongoro Crater.  As usual, an early start is the best for seeing wildlife action and gets you into the Crater before any other vehicles.  Mornings are hands down the best time to be in the Crater.  Here we have chances to see black rhino, huge bull elephants, herds of gazelles, zebra and buffalo.  There are lakes and ponds that can have flamingos, saddle bill storks, Grey heron, hammer cop and especially African crowned crane.  Lions are always active and we have every hope to see serval cat!  We usually eat a late breakfast after the day warms up and the activity slows down.  There is only one admission to the Crater per day so when we leave we have the rest of the afternoon to relax, do photography along the rim for many different mountain bird species, and work on photo editing.

In the afternoon there is an optional visit to a Maasai village for a one of a unique cultural experience.  It’s a great photo op!