7 DAYS CURCUIT SAFARI : LAKE NAKURU / MASAI MARA / ISEBANIA / SERENGETI & NGORONGORO CRATER

This itinerary stringing together Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Isebania, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater offers a fantastic opportunity to witness a diverse range of East Africa’s iconic wildlife and landscapes. It involves crossing the border between Kenya and Tanzania at Isebania. Here’s an overview of what you can expect:

Kenya Leg:

• Lake Nakuru National Park: Located in the Great Rift Valley, this park is famous for its stunning flocks of pink flamingos (though their numbers can fluctuate). It’s also a significant sanctuary for both black and white rhinos and Rothschild’s giraffes, making for excellent and relatively easy wildlife sightings. The park also boasts diverse birdlife and other mammals within its acacia woodlands and grasslands.
• Masai Mara National Reserve: Kenya’s most famous wildlife reserve, an extension of Tanzania’s Serengeti. It’s renowned for its exceptional year-round game viewing, including the “Big Five” and numerous other predators and plains game. The annual Great Wildebeest Migration (typically July-October) is a spectacular highlight. You’ll experience classic savannah landscapes and have opportunities for cultural encounters with the Maasai people.
• Isebania: This is the border crossing point between Kenya and Tanzania. Be prepared for immigration procedures here as you transition between the two countries.

Tanzania Leg:

• Serengeti National Park: The vast, seemingly endless plains of the Serengeti are world-renowned for the annual Great Wildebeest Migration, a truly awe-inspiring spectacle involving millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles. The park boasts incredible year-round game viewing opportunities with high concentrations of predators and herbivores across its diverse ecosystems.
• Ngorongoro Conservation Area & Crater: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder – a massive, intact volcanic caldera teeming with a remarkable concentration of wildlife. Descending into the crater offers a unique and unforgettable game viewing experience, often with high chances of spotting the “Big Five,” including the endangered black rhino. The surrounding conservation area also holds significant ecological and cultural importance, with Maasai communities coexisting with wildlife.

Overall Experience:

This itinerary provides a fantastic opportunity to compare and contrast the wildlife and landscapes of two of East Africa’s premier safari destinations. You’ll witness the concentrated game viewing in the crater, the vastness of the Serengeti and Mara, and the unique birdlife of Lake Nakuru. The border crossing at Isebania is a logistical point in your journey. Be prepared for varied terrains and potentially longer travel days between locations. The best time to visit for optimal wildlife viewing generally aligns with the dry seasons in both countries.