How fit do I need to be to do this trek?

Annapurna Base Camp is a Grade B or a moderately difficult trekking route. So any fit person can do this trek, even if you do not have any previous experience. You should be aware of what to expect and mentally prepare for it. Then, as long as you will to, you can.

How long do we walk every day when doing Annapurna Base Camp trekking?

On average, you walk about 4 to 6 hours per day. One or two days can be as less as 3hrs and one or two days can be as long as 7hrs.

What is the highest altitude reached in this trek?

The highest altitude reached is 4190m. This is the elevation of Annapurna Base Camp. ABC is the highest we will climb in this trek.

What about battery charging and hot shower facilities?

Yes, you can charge batteries en route. Charger should be brought. There are hot shower facilities as well. You may have to pay certain amount for both ($1-$2). Negotiate. Also, hot water facility could be free at lower elevation.

Are there ATMs on the way to Annapurna Base Camp?

No. There are no ATMs on this trek route. You will have to draw enough cash in Pokhara or Kathmandu. There are a number of ATMs in these cities. Everything is paid in Nepali rupees. So money should be exchanged before the start of the trek.

What about internet access?

Yes. Internet can be accessed in most places. Sometimes, there might be some technical problems. Internet in Nepal is not as fast as you are used to and at times you can just lose connection.

Is it necessary to hire Guides/trekking agency for Annapurna Base Camp trekking?

Not really. It depends on you. If you want, ABC trekking can be done independently. You could hire a guide and a porter by yourself instead of going through an agency or not hire a guide at all. Although, not having a guide can be a little problematic during off season. It really depends on you. Is it your first time in Nepal? How confident are you of being able to find your way around? How pressed on time are you? If you go through an agency, it will be costlier but everything will be planned. You will only have to come, trek and return.

How much do guides and porters cost?

For Annapurna region, pay for guides range from $20 to $30 per day and porters take $15 to $25 per day.

8 DAYS CALVING SEASON MIGRATION SAFARI

Name: 8 DAYS CALVING SEASON MIGRATION SAFARI
Brand: Kitano tours and safaris
Rating: 5 (910 reviews)

ABOUT 8 DAYS CALVING-GREAT SERENGETI MIGRATION SAFARI IN NGORONGORO (NDUTU AREA), SERENGETI, TARANGIRE, LAKE EYASI AND LAKE MANYARA (DRIVE IN-DRIVE OUT)

This 8-Day Calving Season Great Serengeti Migration, Kitano Tours and Safaris has been designed Safari package with specifically to focus on and to increase your chance to see the great Serengeti Wildebeest Migration in Ndutu Area. We have designed the itinerary to include both the Ndutu Area where the majority of the wildebeest migration can normally be found from January to March. This itinerary has been designed that you Drive in- Drive back to Arusha town.

Calving usually takes place between January – February to March of each year. In January the herds begin making their way to the south of the Serengeti after the rains start falling. The question of how the herds know when it is raining or not is something many people have questioned and the answer is that we actually do not know! Many people say that they can smell the rain, others believe they can sense when the pressure in the air changes. The only thing we know for sure is that where it rains, the herds follow. Within a two to three-week time period, over half a million wildebeest are born with as many as 8 000 wildebeest being born on the same day! So, us Kitano Tour Safaris we have designed the itinerary to include the Ndutu Area and Ngorongoro Crater where the majority of the wildebeest migration can normally be found from January to March. This itinerary has been designed that you Drive in - Drive back from the Serengeti National Park to Arusha town.

0. Kilimanjaro Airport - Arusha
1. Arusha – Tarangire National Park
2. Lake Manyara Full-Day Tour
3. Tarangire - Ngorongoro (Ndutu area)
4. Full-Day Ngorongoro (Ndutu area)
5. Ngorongoro (Ndutu area) – Central Serengeti
6. Central Serengeti - Ngorongoro
7. Ngorongoro Crater – Manyara
8. Lake Manyara - Back to Arusha

DAY O : Arrival - Kilimanjaro

Upon arrival at Arusha/Kilimanjaro airport, your Tanzania Kitano Tours and Safaris guide will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel in Arusha or Moshi Tanzania. Settle into your accommodation, relax and get used to the African atmosphere. Ready to start your 7 Days Great Tanzania Serengeti Migration safari (NdutuCulving Season) the next day. Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania and the capital of the Arusha Region, with a population of 416,442 plus 323,198 in the surrounding Arusha District Located below Mount Meru on the eastern edge of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley, Arusha has a temperate climate. The city is close to the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, Olduvai Gorge, Tarangire National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Arusha National Park on Mount Meru.

Accommodation: (OPTIONAL)

DAY 1: ARUSHA TO TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

The first day of your safari will begin by 8AM in the morning with a pick up from your hotel at Arusha. Once everyone is aboard, you will head towards Tarangire National Park. The 150 Km drive will be covered in about 3hrs.

The national park is extremely famous and special for its diverse landscape and nine different vegetation zones. As you begin your game drive, you will be welcomed by the ancient and gigantic Baobab trees, which make even animals like the giraffe look tiny. The game drive goes on till about late afternoon and includes a small stop for a picnic lunch. The 3,000 Sq Kms park gets its name from the Tarangire river that flows through it. The river attracts a lot of diverse animals and you should be able to spot a lot of elephants, giraffe, lions, antelopes and zebra.

If it’s your lucky day, you might be able to spot the tree climbing python and the long-necked Gerek. The Tarangire National Park has the highest concentration of elephants, which offers a unique chance for you to observe interactions between elephant families. Don’t forget to capture this beautiful scenery with your camera ready at hand. Post the game drive, you will head back to your camp/lodge where a delicious dinner awaits you. Have good night’s sleep for tomorrow’s adventure.

Overnight at Public camp/Tinted Camp/Lodge at Manyara.

DAY 2: Manyara/Karatu – Lake Eyasi – Back Manyara/Karatu

Explore wild, uncharted territory in southern Serengeti. Lake Eyasi, located in the immediate southwest of Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater Highlands area of Tanzania, is one of the several beautiful lakes in the East African Rift Valley. The mildly alkaline lake stretches for about 50 km to the southwest with the vast plains of the Serengeti in its north. Enjoy walks along the shores of the lake and spend afternoons exploring the area dotted with ancient Baobab trees. Go on a hunting expedition with a Hadzabe family – Africa’s last remaining hunter-gatherers, to see their astonishing ability to track and hunt small game!

Early in the morning, we depart to the village for local hunting experience with Hadzabe and Datonga tribes. This is not a mere performance. The bushmen rely on these techniques to survive and you'll need to be very attentive and at times quiet, while they demonstrate their use of locally made poisons in incapacitating the poor creatures on which they depend for survival. We return to your Accommodation for a late breakfast.

After Breakfast you will be introduced to the extraordinary people who belong to an indigenous tribe known as the 'Hadzabe' (hunter-gatherer bushmen). The tribe inhabits the shores of Lake Eyasias do the Nilotic-speaking Datoga tribe. You will visit these tribes, which will include a visit to their homesteads, learn about their way of life, animal tracking, medicinal plants, and much more. Some wildlife and a wide range of bird species can be viewed during walks around the lake, which will be arranged.

At late Afternoon we drive back to Manyara/Karatu for Overnight

Day 3: Drive to Ngorongoro (Ndutu area)

You will kickstart your day after a delicious breakfast, by about 8AM. The destination for today is the Ndutu region which is a 3hr drive from your accommodation in Manyara/ Karatu. After about an hour commencing the drive, you will enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) where you will notice the landscape changing from hilly forests to plain and green grasslands as you drive further.

Once you reach Ndutu you will begin your day game drive with a convenient stop for your picnic lunch. Sweeping grasslands of the Ndutu cover the region which gradually fades into the Serengeti. Ndutu forms a part of the route for the annual migration of more than 2 million wildebeests and thousands of zebras, antelope and gazelle. During game drives at the right season between December and April, you will be able to see the fertile plains turn into calving grounds and nursery for the great migration.

The calving season attracts hordes of predators prying on vulnerable young wildebeest. Crested with Ndutu Lake and Lake Masek, these waterholes offer plenty of wildlife game during the dry season. The Ndutu is also the home ground for 6 species of big cats – leopard, lion, cheetah, caracal, serval and wildcat. The action-packed game drive will end late in the evening by around 5PM.

You will now head towards your choice of accommodation, where a freshly prepared dinner awaits you. Ensure you get some good rest and recharge yourself for another eventful day.

Overnight at Public/ Tented Camp at Ndutu.

DAY 4: FULL DAY GAME VIEW IN NDUTU

Stunned by the previous days spotting of the migration, today you get another chance to view the beautiful wildlife spectacle. The Ndutu region is a part of the glorious Serengeti National Park as well as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA).

Heading out for a full day game drive after breakfast, today you will be following the migration depending on its location in either NCA or Serengeti. During game drives at the right season between January to March, you will be able to see the fertile plains turn into calving grounds and nursery for the great migration. This season attracts hordes of predators prying on vulnerable young wildebeest. Watching the circle of life take its course will be an unforgettable experience etched for life.

The action-packed game drive will end late in the evening by around 5PM. You will now head towards your choice of accommodation, where a freshly prepared dinner awaits you. Ensure you get some good rest and recharge yourself for another eventful day. Tented Camp at Ndutu.

DAY 5: NDUTU TO SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

The excitement for today will be quite high as you make your way into the most celebrated wildlife park in the world – The Serengeti. After finishing up a good breakfast, you will head out towards the Serengeti National Park and travel in the midst of the never-ending plain grasslands. Serengeti means endless plains in the local African language and watching the grassland stretch out as far as the eye can see and eventually merging with the sky at the horizon is an absolutely breathtaking view.

With an overall land area of 14,763 Sq Kms, it puts our notion about distance to shame. The Serengeti also houses the glorious “Big 5” (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and leopard). Along with the “Big 5”, a very pleasant sighting would be one of Africa’s most beautiful animals – The Impala. The Serengeti ecosystem supports the greatest remaining concentration of plains game in Africa. You must also look out for the Serengeti “Kopjes” which are massive boulders of granite standing in a sea of grass. They provide ample shelter to a large variety of flora and fauna.

A picnic lunch will be done during the day long game drive itself. The eventful day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good night at public camp/Tinted Camp/Lodge at Central Serengeti.

(An option of doing a Hot Air Balloon is also in this area)
Serengeti Balloon Safaris: There are no words that can do the experience of floating over the Serengeti justice.” Get a birds-eye view of the park as you rise alongside the sun. The flight lasts about an hour, after which passengers gather round a table, surrounded by the park’s lush plains, for an “Out of Africa” English-style breakfast.

DAY 6: SERENGETI TO NGORONGORO CRATER RIM,

In the morning, at 7am, you will head out for a short game drive in the Serengeti after a good breakfast. After completing a half day game drive along with a picnic lunch, we will branch out and head towards the Ngorongoro crater rim.

The 75km drive to Ngorongoro Crater rim will take about 2.5 hrs., with mild game action to see on the way. The crater is one of Africa’s impressive geological attraction and supreme mecca of wilderness. The day comes to an end with a heavy dinner and a good rest in your choice of accommodation. Get a good rest and refuel yourself, for the following day you will descend into the massive crater.

Overnight at Public camp/Tinted Camp/Lodge at Ngorongoro

DAYS 7: NGONGORO (Crater game drive) TO MANYARA

On this day of your safari, you will have an early start. Finishing up with a quick breakfast you will make an early descend at around 6:30am into the crater floor. The Ngorongoro crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. It has a massive floor of about 260 sq kms with a depth of over 2000 feet. The 5-hour game drive in the crater floor, will show you a lot of animal action. Keeping the camera ready is definitely recommended.

The African elephant, buffalo, Black rhino, Hippos, Hyenas, Cheetahs and Lions are found in plenty. Post the picnic lunch at the beautiful Hippo pool, you will begin a steep ascend to the top exit of the crater. After game drive we drive to Karatu/MtowaMbu for overnight.

Overnight at Public camp/Tinted Camp/Lodge at MANYARA.

DAYS 8: LAKE MANYARA DRIVE TO ARUSHA

Today we drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a full day of game drives. This is one of Tanzania’s smaller parks but still offers a rewarding and diverse safari experience.

Lake Manyara National Park is an unspoiled paradise of ground water forest fed by underground springs and teeming with wildlife such as elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes, and some of the largest baboon troupes in Africa. The lake shore at Manyara teems with birdlife, and while you are looking for the birds, you might spot one of the elusive tree-climbing lions, and people flock from all over the world to see these iconic predators lounging in the trees

There are a surprising number of other large mammals and the striking cliffs on the Rift escarpment form a dramatic backdrop This is the last leg of your safari, with a 4hr drive left to Arusha. You will be dropped off to your preferred location at Arusha by 6PM in the evening. With an incredible experience and loads of memories to cherish, this is the time you bid goodbye to your team.