Ride The Serengeti & The Great Migration

(July - October variant)

7 DAYS

WHY THIS ADVENTURE?

The perfect series of adventures for those that want to see the Great Migration, mountain bike the greater Serengeti eco system and Ngorongoro Crater. A great adventure! LINKS: Serengeti NORTH (Klein’s / Lobo / Kogatende / Lamai) to SOUTH (so Olduvai / Ndutu / Ngorongoro).

HOW TO BOOK

Please head to our BOOKING FORM and enter your full details for our planning preparation, wait for the invoice to be sent to you, pay (trips sooner than 45 days out please pay in full) and get ready for an amazing adventure!

HIGHLIGHTS

The migration of some almost 2 million wild animals in the Serengeti. Mountain biking in areas you never thought possible! Serendipitous meetings with Maasai in very remote areas far away from the normal tourist circuit. Different riding conditions and options to extend the rides. Cave paintings and fossils and then the 8th natural wonder of the World, Ngorongoro Crater..

DESCRIPTION

This is a 6 night, 7 day program that connects different parts of the truly masssive Serengeti eco system. This system comprises of the Masai Mara, Serengeti north and south and then the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). Very few, if any, programs exist other than this unique trip to allow access to so many parts of the eco system, not least with mountain biking added in. You’ll visit rarely visited by tourists special sites, remote camps, meet local people and be guided by locals too. The combination and sequencing of the camps, lightweight leave no trace fly camps and luxury finale make for a super flow.

ITINERARY IN SHORT

Day 1: Transfer to Serengeti. Game drives. Overnight Serengeti Camp (picnic lunch, dinner)

Day 2: Game drives. Overnight Serengeti Camp (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 3: Tranasfer to Klein’s gate. Ride to Oloipiri (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 4: Ride to Losoitok Camp (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 5: Ride to Piyaya Camp. Fossils & cave paintings (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 6: Ride to Olduvai. Museum visit. Transfer Ngorongoro + crater game drives. Overnight Wilderness Crater Rim (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 7: Transfer to Arusha. Transfer to Kilimanjaro airport (breakfast, lunch boxes)

ITINERARY IN FULL

DAY 1 – SERENGETI - the great migration

Transfer (please book your own transfer) to Kilimanjaro airport to catch the Coastal flight JRO - Kogatende (flight is 11:15 hrs so be there by 9:30am to be safe). ETA is 12:45 hrs at Kogatended airstrip where your private vehicle and driver guide meet you. From here it's game time! Your driver will have picnic lunches already in the vehicle and so you have the flexibility to move around as needed and game drive all the way to your tent camp. This small tented camp is moved seasonally to ensure guests have access to the migrating animals. Designed as a low impact camp with solar power, hot water for showers is provided on demand to your tent. The crew settle you in and after a hot shower sundowners around the campfire are a lovely end the day. Dinner & overnight Kirurumu Under Canvas Serengeti North Camp (full board).

DAY 2 – SERENGETI - the great migration

With a full day to game drive, and with reference to the first day, you really have the freedom to game drive as you see fit. Early game drives, resting up in the heat of the day and afternoon game drives are an option, as is heading out with a picnic lunch to stay out all day. Work with your driver guide to craft a plan that works for you! As well as the throngs of migrating wildebeest and zebra, this rea has great lion populations and other cats too. Dawn and dusk light is generally best for photography, but action can occur throughout the day. Dinner & overnight Kirurumu Under Canvas Serengeti North Camp (full board).

DAY 3 – Oloipiri

We depart this morning around 7am and drive out of the official Serengeti gate to ride in the buffer zones and greater Serengeti eco system. Without these areas outside the main boundaries the carrying capacity of the parks would be greatly reduced as they give the vast herds space to roam, and more importantly feed on seasonal grazing lands. Our next few nights we camp in remote, unique camps. These are all in community areas where we pay for exclusive access. Money going into these communities gives a clear incentive to protect these areas for future generations, and gives us a once in a lifetime adventure. Dinner & overnight Oloipiri camp (breakfast - lunch - dinner).

DAY 4 – Losoitok

Moving camp every day, we rise with the sun, take freshly brewed coffee (or a hot drink of choice) and then have breakfast while the camp is packed. We then ride across open plains and Acacia woodlands to our next camp set on a stunning rocky outcrop or kopje. Here life is changing fast - mixing agriculture and herding the Maasai live a life far distanced from the bustle of larger towns and cities and yet the advent of technologies like solar power and affordable motorbikes are creating new opportunities for trade and lifestyle. The juxta position of the new and the traditional are everywhere and part of the backdrop to the stories you will hear from our local guides. Overnight Losoitok Camp (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

DAY 5 - Piyaya

Today the ride is approx 75km but can be "cherry picked" for those that want to! By mid afternoon we arrive at another very special place where we can also truffle around for lithic tools, fossils and even cave paintings. The riding is varied from gravel roads to single track, open plains to woodlands. Your guides are on hand to provide information and support as you ride. Once in camp there are hot bush showers, an open fire and cold drinks to lead you into the starry night! Dinner & overnight Piyaya Camp (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

DAY 6 – NGORONGORO

This morning you ride into the Ngorongoro Conservation area, riding along grassy rolling hills and then on to gravel tracks of the conservation area. It is mostly downhill and the riding ends at the world famous Olduvai gorge. You have entrance paid for, and we really recommend a visit to see the information boards, fossils and tools. Can you spot and similar fossils and tools that you saw on your journey? After this archaeological delight it's time for the fabled Ngorongoro crater itself. This is a very action packed day.. The drive to the crater takes around 1 hour and a half and then you descend down into the crater, home to around 20,000 large mammals. It is not a huge space, and so other vehicles will invariably be encountered, but the majesty and massive walls of this unique caldera are undeniably awe inspiring! It is also the best place to potentially spot black rhino and so work hard on this final day in the bush, it's worth it! At the end of the day you head up the Lemala ascent road to a delight of a lodge set on the rim. A new property with inspirational design elements, your final night is well placed and super romantic too. Dinner and overnight Wilderness Collection Crater Rim (full board).

DAY 7 – Depart

After a very intense set of experiences and early starts, this morning is much more relaxed. Enjoy the surrounding and views (or snuggle up nice and cozy if the mist is down!) and after a slow start and a languid breakfast, transfer to Arusha for some final shopping and then to Kilimanjaro airport by 14:55 hrs to connect to 17:55 hrs flight.

END OF SERVICES

INCLUDES

  • Support vehicle with fridge (water + some soft drinks)

  • Picnic hamper with teas / coffee

  • Meals as noted in itinerary

  • Mountain bike with front suspension (send size info in advance, failure to do so may result in a smaller or larger bike than you are used to) - current stock is Titan Racing Drone ELITE model. Full suspension and electric on request (additional payment).

  • WFR certified bike guide

  • Wild camp “fly camp” fully serviced and independently moving

  • Simple bar in camp (red wine, beers, sodas, gin)

For a full list of includes and excludes please refer to your tour operator as itineraries in this region can be complicated and require many moving parts.

WHAT TO WEAR/ BRING

  • Sun hat

  • sunglasses

  • head torch

  • buff or lightweight neck gaiter (for keeping out dust)

  • rain shell

  • light fleece

  • long sleeve t shirt x 3

  • Cycling tops (guideline 3)

  • hiking trousers (zip off style are recommended so you have shorts too)

  • Mountain biking shorts (padded a good idea x 2)

  • Your own peddles if clips are to be used (you can request in advance for our double sided ones too)

  • waterproof trousers

  • socks x 3 pairs

  • hiking shoes preferably with some decent ankle support

  • teva or flip flops for in camp

  • walking poles

  • gaiters for those that have low cut hiking shoes

  • water bottles x 3 enough to hold 3 Liters OR Camelbak / bladder style