3 Days Ngorongoro wildebeest safari
A 3 day safari in Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a high-value, high-impact trip, perfectly meant to witness one of Africa’s greatest concentrations of wildlife. While the Ngorongoro Crater provides a guaranteed spectacle of resident animals, the surrounding NCA plains are important components of the larger Serengeti-Mara ecosystem and often host parts of the Great Wildebeest Migration, particularly during the calving season (December to March). This itinerary increases your time to experience both the renowned crater and the vast plains.
Tour Highlights.
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha and Ascent to the crater highlands.
Day 2: The crater descent and then wildebeest tracking.
Day 3: Departure.
Detailed itinerary.
Day 1: Arrival in Arusha and Ascent to the crater highlands.
On the first day of the safari, your journey begins early morning with a pickup in Arusha by your safari guide from African Vacation Safaris. He will welcome you and then brief you about the safari. After the briefing you will start on your scenic drive that gradually takes you from the bustling city into the fertile highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This drive is captivating, offering beautiful views of the Great rift Valley wall and passing through the traditional farming villages.
And once you reach your lodge near the crater rim or near the Karatu area, you will check in and then have the spectacular views of the caldera below that offer you an incredible prelude to the next day’s adventure. You will relax, then later take a nature walk depending on your location and then later enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 2: The crater descent and then wildebeest tracking.
On the second day of the safari, waking up early in the morning is the undisputed highlight of the trip; it begins with an early descent into Ngorongoro crater. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an extinct volcanic caldera that acts as a natural ‘’Noah’s ark, with over 25,000 animals within its 260-square-kilometer floor. You will spend a thrilling morning exploring the short grass plains, the alkaline Lake Magadi, and Gorigor swamp.
The area offers you the highest chance in Africa to spot the endangered Black Rhino. Therefore, it is more relevant to the ‘’Wildebeest safari’’ theme, the crater floor sustains a significant resident population of wildebeest and zebra year-round, which you will encounter in large numbers alongside lions, elephants, hyenas and countless gazelles. After a picnic lunch on the crater floor, you will ascend the crater wall. The afternoon is dedicated to a game drive on the vast short-grass plains of the NCA this is where the main body of the Great Migration often gathers, particularly during the calving season (December to March), which offers you the best opportunity to see massive herds of wildebeest outside the confines of the crater. Later you will return back to the lodge for dinner, relaxation and an overnight stay.
Day 3: Departure.
On the last day of the safari, wake up early in the morning and enjoy breakfast. After breakfast you will opt for a final short game drive on the NCA plains if the migration is close or participate in a cultural visit to a nearby Maasai Boma (village) where you can learn about the traditions of the nomadic Maasai people who share the conservation area with the wildlife.
You will return back to the lodge and enjoy breakfast; you will check out and begin the drive back to Arusha or directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). The return journey is scenic and gives you time to reflect on the incredible wildlife density of the crater and the vastness of the surrounding plains. You will dropped off at the airport or your connecting hotel in the afternoon; that makes your safari come to an end.
Ends of 3 Days Ngorongoro wildebeest safari
Safari inclusions.
Park and conservation fees.
Crater fees.
Accommodation and meals.
Transport and guiding.
Bottled water.
Safari exclusions.
Flights.
Visa fees.
Gratuities.