KENYA SOUTHERN CIRCUIT
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THE GREATER MASAI MARA
The Masai Mara lies in the Great Rift Valley, which is a fault line some 5,600km long, extending from Ethiopia's Red Sea through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and into Mozambique. There are four main types of topography in the Mara: Ngama Hills to the east with sandy soil and leafy bushes and loved by black rhino; Oloololo escarpment forming the western boundary and rising to a magnificent plateau; Mara Triangle bordering the Mara River with lush grassland and acacia woodlands supporting masses of game especially migrating wildebeest; Central plains forming the largest part of the reserve, with scattered bushes and boulders on rolling grasslands favoured by the plain’s game. There is an abundance of wildebeest, zebra, impala, topi, giraffe and Thomson's gazelle on the plains. Visitors often spot leopards, lions, hyenas, cheetah, jackal, bat-eared foxes and even black rhinos. The Mara river is filled with hippos and enormous Nile crocodiles. Every July (sometimes August), the wildebeest travel from the Serengeti plains to the Masai Mara. In October or November, once they have feasted and the grass has all but gone, they return to the Southern Serengeti. The Mara birds appear in every size and colour including the beautiful lilac-breasted roller and plenty of large species such as eagles, vultures and storks.
The Serengeti is one of the areas that offers good game viewing all year round. While all seasons offer something spectacular, it is perhaps more important to decide what part of the Serengeti you would like to explore during your visit. This will largely depend on your sightseeing priorities and the timing and length of your visit.
SOUTHERN PLAINS AREA:
December – March: You will see herds of Wildebeest
February: Calving season is particularly rewarding, but wildlife sightings are down during the dry season.
CENTRAL SERENGETI AND SERONERA AREA:
Year-round: Very popular for wildlife viewing and offer the most lodging options. It is also the most crowded section of the park.
WESTERN SERENGETI AREA OR WESTERN CORRIDOR:
May – June: Offers decent wildlife viewing all year round with the migration reaching the Grumeti river around May or June. The river is also a great place to see crocodiles and hippos.
NORTHERN SERENGETI AREA (KOGATENDE, LOBO, LOLIONDO):
July – October: It is the least visited and most remote section of the Serengeti but also offers some of the top luxury camps and lodges in the country. There is a good possibility of seeing the Mara River crossings. Several camps in the north offer walking safaris and off-road experiences.
GAME DRIVES
The Serengeti National Park is without doubt the best wildlife game viewing destination in Africa. One of the highlights and reason for the most visits to the Serengeti is the wildebeest migration which is found 12 months of the year in the Serengeti. The Serengeti open plains are dotted with a number of granite outcroppings also known as “kopjes” where prides of lions are found spending most of their day resting at the rock. You can explore the natural dramas of the Serengeti in our state of the art 4×4 safari vehicles during morning, afternoon or full day game drives.
BIRD WATCHING
The Serengeti has more than 500 bird species recorded. The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of Africa’s endemic bird areas, hosting five bird species found nowhere else, half of which are confined to the Tanzanian portion of the ecosystem. Birding in Serengeti can be enjoyed throughout the year though we recommend November to April, the breeding period for most of the birds and they are nesting. Migrating birds from Europe and North Africa enable birders to break sighting records on a daily basis during this period.
HOT AIR BALLOON SAFARIS
Some things are worth waking up early for and this is one of them. You’ll be collected from your camp or lodge before the birds rise for departure to the launch site. Your pilot will give you a thorough safety briefing while the crew prepares the balloon for launch. As you rise into the lightening sky, the full scale of the Serengeti will unfold beneath you as the peace of the early morning descends. Untethered by roads, we’re able to float high over the plains, or descend to gently brush across the grassland seeking the herds of wildebeest or lions out on a hunt. Extend the magic by joining us for a full “Out of Africa” style breakfast laid out under an acacia tree as you relive the memory of a unique flight.
Flying daily from
- North Serengeti (June to end of October)
- Central Serengeti (Year-round)
- Western Serengeti (June to end of October)
- Grumeti Reserves (Private charters arranged through Singita)
SERENGETI VISITOR CENTRE:
This center at Seronera has a self-guided walk through the Serengeti’s history and ecosystems and it’s well worth spending time here before exploring the park. The gift shop sells various basic booklets and maps and there’s a coffee shop with snacks and cold drinks.
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
Amboseli National Park is located in Loitoktok District, Rift Valley Province of Kenya. The park is 392 sq. km in size at the core of an 8,000 sq. km ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border. The park is famous for being the best place in Africa to get close to free-ranging elephants among other wildlife species. Other attractions of the park include opportunities to meet the Maasai people and also offers spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Amboseli is a very fragile ecosystem, submitted to great seasonal variations. The overall sensation is of a dry land with an annual rainfall of between 350 - 400mm. During the wet season, the rains flood the lakebed and the surrounding area. Because of the high salt deposits in the lakebed few trees grow in the park, with only small patches of acacia and some palm trees far off the lake. Salt-rich pastures are appreciated by the herbivores. Despite the first impression of a dusty and arid land, Amboseli is actually overflowing with water all year round below the ground surface. Waters converge into various underground streams that rise in two clear water springs in the centre of the park, giving birth to large marshes like the Loginya Swamp where elephants, hippos and buffalos find shelter.
June through to November: We recommend that you visit the park in the dry months as most of the animals will head towards the Tarangire river to remain hydrated. This will provide travellers with excellent game viewing opportunities. It is primarily a dry season park - not because animals are impossible to spot in the rains, but because animals actually migrate out of the park in the lower season months.
GAME DRIVES
It's a beautiful park, typified by century-old baobabs that stand sentinel above the open grass plains and riverbeds. The varied habitats are home to 94 mammal species of which huge numbers concentrate around the permanently flowing waters of the Tarangire river (particularly during the dry season). In fact, given its dense concentration of animals, there is every chance that you will enjoy a higher incidence of sightings than in the Serengeti. Elephants are particularly common, with herds numbering in the hundreds.
BIRD WATCHING
Home to more than 550 species, the park is a haven for bird enthusiasts who can expect so see dozens of species, even in the dry season. The swamps are the focus of the largest selection of breeding birds anywhere in the world. Yellow-coloured Lovebirds are commonly seen in the trees along the Tarangire river.
WALKING SAFARI (Conservation areas around the park)
There is no better way to get up close and personal to the wild than by taking a walking safari. Feel the ancient earth beneath you as you tread on the tracks of animals that might have walked the same path just minutes before. Accompanied by an experienced guide, you will learn about the flora and the fauna and begin to understand the true majesty of the indigenous peoples that live and thrive on the land.
NIGHT GAME DRIVE (Conservation areas around the park)
Often done just after dusk, a night game drive in Tarangire is a rare opportunity to see how the bush comes alive after dark. Accompanied by an experienced, qualified guide, the night drive will provide some insight into the nocturnal wildlife that is often overlooked or inaccessible to visitors who remain in the confines of the national parks. Clients with a keen, focused eye, will not be disappointed with the wonders of a night drive.
CHYULU HILLS NATIONAL PARK
Hemmingway described them as the ‘green hills of Africa’. Rising to an altitude of 2,188m high and 150km long, and situated approximately 200km south-east of Nairobi, the Chyulu Hills are tucked between the famous Amboseli – Tsavo ecosystem. The little visited Chyulu Hills is an extension of the more popular Tsavo West National Park. Chyulu is a rugged wilderness still showing signs of its volcanic origins – and boasting some of the best views of Kilimanjaro. The reserve is a rugged jumble of ancient volcanic cones and craters, as well as the longest lava tube in the world. The volcanic mountains offer a fascinating mix of volcanic ash cones and barren lava flows. Big black rocks also pay testament to the volcanic origin of the mountains. The lava flows are sparsely vegetated, but the upper slopes are home to 37 species of orchids. Deep beneath the hills is a catacomb of mostly unexplored caves. Large mammals include buffalo, bushbucks, elands, elephants, leopards, giant forest hogs, bush pigs, reedbucks and giraffes along with various reptiles and insects. There is no accommodation inside the park, but there are two exclusive lodges offering a full range of activities in Masai concessions on the foothills of the Chyulu Hills.
Park can be accessed throughout the year.
June - October: Best time to see large mammals
November - July: Ideal time for bird watching
GAME VIEWING
Lake Manyara is the ideal location for a game drive because of its many ecosystems. It is said to have 11 different systems and the area is a hotspot for all types of animals and plants. The lake, the rift valley cliffs, the ground water forest, Ngorongoro highlands and the dry Tarangire system are but some of the wonderful sights on offer. During the game drives you will encounter elephants and huge number of baboons. Due to its varied landscape, other species easily spotted are lions, blue monkeys, hippos, giraffes, impalas and cheetahs.
NIGHT GAME DRIVES
These outing start at 19h00 and end at 23h00. Night game drives open up a whole new world of nocturnal animal species. It will give you a different perspective of the park and wildlife.
Additional fees apart from park fees.
BIRD WATCHING
The park offers a delightful diversity of bird species. It has over 390 bird species consisting of migrants and residents. You should even see flamingos as they perpetually migrate. Other large water birds seen here include pelicans, cormorants and storks.
What are the bird watching hotspots?
- Hippo pool view points
- Boardwalk way at Majimoto
- Ground water forest (the later for breeding species)
Best time for bird watching- November to July is ideal time for bird watching.
No additional fee for this activity.
TREE WALKWAY
This walkway takes you on a sky-high adventure through the beautiful forest of Lake Manyara. Walk among the treetops and experience untouched nature and wildlife from a unique perspective. This 370m airwalk starts with a short board-walk that gradually rises from ground level up through the canopy of the forest. You will walk over a series of suspension bridges with thick netting on the sides and reach a height of 18m off the ground. Each of the bridges end on a viewing deck situated around tree trunks. These treetop platforms are perfect places to stop and enjoy life in the canopy amongst butterflies, monkeys and birds. During this walk the guides will point out interesting facts about the Lake Manyara flora and fauna, while you can enjoy a unique birds-eye view of the world around you. This is Tanzania's first treetop walkway and one of the longest in Africa. It is a great outdoor activity for nature lovers and adventure seekers. Families, couples, individuals and groups are all welcome.
Additional fees apart from park fees.
WALKING SAFARI
Hike down the Great Rift Valley, through a dense ground water forest. View birds, monkeys, bush buck and other forest animals. Immerse yourself in the sounds of the forest with fresh streams and waterfalls surrounding you. Walking safaris last 2 ½ - 3 hours.
Additional fees apart from park fees.
CANOEING
Lake Manyara is home to an incredible array of bird life, including thousands of pink-hued flamingos. You can get very close to giraffes, elephants, buffalos and other animals grazing on the shoreline, all from the comfort of your canoe. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery and the beauty that surrounds you on this 2.5-hour canoe safari. Additional fees apart from park fees.
HELL’S GATE NATIONAL PARK
Hell’s Gate National Park is unique in the fact that you can enter without a car and a guide. Named for the intense geothermal activity within its boundaries, the Hell's Gate National Park is a remarkable quarter of the Great Rift Valley. Spectacular scenery including the towering cliffs, water-gouged gorges, stark rock towers, scrub clad volcanoes and belching plumes of geothermal steam make it one of the most atmospheric parks in Africa. Hell’s Gate is an ideal venue for a day trip from Nairobi where, in addition to the biodiversity that includes raptors, visitors can enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing and a natural spa.
The Ngorongoro Crater is year-round attraction but can become quite busy during the high season from June to October.
Sweeping grasslands join the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti. As such, it forms part of the annual migratory route of hundreds of thousands of wildebeests, zebras, antelopes and their predators who come to graze and calve between December and March.
GAME DRIVES
Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the endangered Black Rhino, as a small population is thriving in this idyllic and protected environment. It is currently one of the few areas where they continue to breed in the wild. Your chances of encountering leopard here are also good, and fabulous black-maned lions. Many flamingos are also attracted to the soda waters of Lake Magadi.
OLDUVAI GORGE
This is known as the cradle of mankind. Layer upon layer of volcanic deposits were laid down in orderly sequence over a period of almost two million years, making Olduvai Gorge a remarkable site that documents ancient life. It is here that Leakey discovered ‘Nutcracker man’ after nearly 30 years of excavation. There is a museum with a lot of information for those interested in history and/or archaeology.
MASAAI VILLAGE
A visit to a Maasai boma is an interesting experience. As you arrive at the village, you will be welcomed with song and dance. One of the dancers will jump up and down gracefully in intervals. These jumps can be several feet high! You will then be welcomed into one of the homesteads in the village. The village huts (called Manyatta) are made of cow dung and clay plastered over stick frames. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the history and lifestyle of the Maasai.
BALLOON SAFARI
This is probably the most beautiful balloon flight in the world and the ultimate safari experience! We will take off at dawn, rising as the sun rises and float in whichever direction the morning wind takes us. Your pilot has precise control over the altitude of your balloon, sometimes flying at treetop height, sometimes lower, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities of the wildlife below. After the flight you can enjoy some sparkling wine before sitting down to a full English breakfast prepared and served in the bush in “Out of Africa” style.
Flying Daily from:
Ndutu (December to end of March)