Day notes
Arrive at The Highlands today (or earlier if you wish to visit the Ngorongoro Crater or enjoy other activities in the region), located on the side of the Olmoti Crater in the Ngorongoro Highlands. Enjoy an afternoon relaxing and enjoying views over the rolling Maasai land, and perhaps visit one of the local Maasai villages nearby this afternoon — these visits are authentic and unrehearsed, offering genuine insight into the day to day of the community. Guests often join in with what’s happening when they arrive, whether that’s milking cattle or herding goats in the late evening, accompanied by your guide. Your Wayo walking safari guide will meet you this evening to discuss the next days of walking and you can enjoy a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep in your geodesic dome tent before your adventure begins tomorrow.
Overnight: The Highlands (GP basis)
Fully Guided Trip from Lake Manyara Airstrip to The Highlands
Asilai Adventures
Fully Guided Trip
Safari Vehicle
Lake Manyara Airstrip
The Highlands
Check-in to The Highlands
Expert tips:
The Highlands redefines the traditional Ngorongoro experience. Set high on the slopes of the Olmoti volcano and far from any other camp, The Highlands offers views all the way to the Serengeti and easy access to the famous Ngorongoro Crater. This warm and stylish high-altitude camp, deliberately positioned deep in the highland wilderness for maximum privacy, offers a richness of adventure and range of activities not possible elsewhere in Ngorongoro.
Day notes
Enjoy an early breakfast before you depart after sunrise with your expert walking guide, hiking down the side of the Olmoti Crater and walking eastwards towards the Serengeti plains. There are no roads here, so you will be truly off the path on your explorations, passing small Maasai settlements and cattle herdsmen wrapped in their bright red shukas walking across this high country.
Whilst you are not in a national park here, there is wildlife in the forested areas including buffalo, various species of monkey and of course plentiful birdlife — all of which your guide will point out. Reach tonight’s fly camp in the early afternoon with plenty of time to rest up and regain your energy.
The camp will be a very lightweight one, carried in by donkeys as there is no vehicle access to this area. Tonight enjoy a hearty dinner cooked over the campfire, and some spectacular stargazing if skies are clear.
Overnight: Wayo walking fly camp
Check-out from The Highlands
Hike from The Highlands to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 1
Asilia Adventures
Hike
The Highlands
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 1
Check-in to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 1
Expert tips:
FLY CAMP FACILITIES:
Lightweight nylon mountain tents with mattresses on the floor, pillows, bed linen or good quality sleeping bags if cold. There are outdoor long-drop toilet a few metres from sleeping tent. Dining is mostly outdoors when the weather permits, but there is a mess tent when shelter or shade is needed. Bucket showers are also available.
For the first night where the fly camp is carried in by donkeys rather than by vehicle, the set up will be very simple but still perfectly comfortable. Due to the altitude around the Ngorongoro region, the nights can be cold so we recommend bringing some warm clothes, thick socks and a woolly hat.
NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA - SEASONALITY & WILDLIFE VIEWING
DECEMBER: If the rains have not yet fallen, they are still possible at this time. Otherwise conditions remain consistent: excellent game viewing and pleasant day times. As we approach the festive season crowds and vehicle numbers will increase to the highest volumes seen all year.
JANUARY: The short rains are ending but the landscape is still green and lush. Day time temperatures are comfortable and both game viewing and birding is excellent. These ideal conditions mean increased visitor numbers.
FEBRUARY: The days are dry and comfortable with good game viewing. If you are trying to escape the crowds, why not suggest an afternoon drive to the crater floor rather than the more popular morning visit?
MARCH: Mid-March sees the start of the long rainy season and most days have intermittent rain. This is when many animals calve, which can attract predators and make for quite spectacular game viewing! A great time for those looking for fewer vehicles on the crater floor.
Day notes
Wake as the first rays of sun hit the plains, enjoying the stunning dawn chorus of birdsong from your fly camp. After a hearty campfire-cooked breakfast you’ll start walking, continuing to wind your way through the Ngorongoro Highlands towards the eastern edge of the Serengeti National Park.
Today will be a lot of downhill walking, so sturdy, supportive hiking boots with ankle support are recommended, and you may find that lightweight trekking poles offer additional support. Your destination today is the Salei Plains where your fly camp awaits along with the team who will cook up a feast. You should arrive in the early/mid-afternoon with time for a siesta, or a short late afternoon stroll if you wish, accompanied by your guide.
Overnight: Wayo walking fly camp
Check-out from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 1
Hike from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 1 to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 2
Hike
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 1
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 2
Check-in to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 2
Day notes
Another sunrise start today, getting out on foot before the heat of the day sets in. You will walk across the beautiful and unspoilt Salei Plains, looking out for gazelle, bat-eared fox, jackal, warthog and other wildlife as you go.
Tonight’s fly camp location will be at the entrance to the Olkerien Gorge which you will explore tomorrow. Enjoy an afternoon relaxing in camp, resting your somewhat weary legs and feet before a big walking day tomorrow.
Overnight: Wayo walking fly camp
Check-out from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 2
Hike from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 2 to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 3
Hike
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 2
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 3
Check-in to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 3
Day notes
Today you will hike through the spectacular Olkerien Gorge while the fly camp team relocate the camp the other side of the mountains. The gorge lies to the east of the Gol Mountains and is a key nesting site for the Ruppell’s Griffon vulture which is critically endangered. Enjoy views of the large volcanic dome of Ol Doinyo Lengai on the horizon from here. This will be an incredible day of walking through varied terrain, enjoying the fact that you haven’t seen another soul for several days. The rarity of being able to explore this part of the Serengeti, and lack of camps and vehicles in this region, makes this adventure all the more special.
Overnight: Wayo walking fly camp
Check-out from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 3
Hike from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 3 to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 4
Hike
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 3
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 4
Check-in to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 4
Day notes
After an early breakfast, depart on the day’s walk, crossing open plains along a large floodplain. Today you will encounter numerous Maasai cattle herders bringing their cattle to drink — offering a truly authentic insight into a typical part of daily Maasai life that few travellers bear witness to.
Tonight’s fly camp will await you at the edge of the plains located at Nasera Rock, which you can easily imagine as the setting to the famous Pride Rock scene in The Lion King.
Overnight: Wayo walking fly camp
Check-out from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 4
Hike from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 4 to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 5
Hike
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 4
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 5
Check-in to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 5
Day notes
Today you will hop in a 4x4 safari vehicle for a short drive to cover some of the large distance you need to make today, entering into the Serengeti National Park to rest your legs before you walk the rest of the way. Your destination is the Barafu Kopjes, a cluster of seven granite rocky outcrops near the Barafu Gorge which crosses through the eastern-most part of the Serengeti. This will be your destination for the night, and your fly camp and friendly camp team await your arrival here.
You are starting to enter cheetah country by now, with vast open plains that stretch unendingly and there will be plenty of time to search for wildlife and enjoy any sightings you encounter, under the guidance of your walking guide. Soak up the solitude for your final night of fly camping out in the wild before you reach the civilisation of a permanent safari camp tomorrow.
Overnight: Wayo walking fly camp
Check-out from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 5
Hike from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 5 to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 6
Hike
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 5
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 6
Check-in to [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 6
Expert tips:
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK - SEASONALITY & WILDLIFE VIEWING
DECEMBER: It is at this time of year when you would expect to see heavily pregnant wildebeest, they will be making that journey south all the while grazing the grass to prepare for the next birthing season. Visitor numbers increase as we approach the festive holidays. All camps open.
JANUARY: The short rains are ending and by late January we would expect calving season to have begun with zebra, wildebeest and other antelope gathering in the southern areas of the Serengeti. Resident game is abundant in all other areas. All camps open.
FEBRUARY: The southern Serengeti is getting busy, both in terms of visitors and animals – millions of wildebeest are in this area grazing and giving birth to young. With all these babies around, sighting of predators such as lion and cheetah can be frequent and exciting! All camps open.
MARCH: March is traditionally when the long rains start. The wildebeest continue to graze, eat- ing a tremendous amount of grass as they inch closer to the central area of the Serengeti and prepare for the long journey north. All camps open.
Day notes
A final morning of walking from the Barafu Kopjes heading westward to the beautiful Namiri Plains, where your adventure concludes in the early/mid-afternoon. Spend the afternoon relaxing in camp, before one final celebratory dinner this evening with your guide, reflecting on the distances you have covered in the past week and the sights you have seen.
Overnight: Namiri Plains (FB basis)
Check-out from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 6
Hike from [DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 6 to Namiri Plains Camp
Hike
[DISABLED]Wayo Walking Fly Camp 6
Namiri Plains Camp
Check-in to Namiri Plains Camp
Expert tips:
After being off-limits to tourists for two decades for big-cat research, this section of the eastern Serengeti is home to a staggering density of predators.
The recently upgraded Namiri Plains has been designed to maximise views of the water source in front of the camp. Its 10 elegant and spacious tents — each with its own veranda and private outdoor bath — provide the perfect setting from which to watch the wildlife that congregates here to drink. When The Great Migration moves into the area, the plains explode into action, with massive herds heading south to calve, followed by the big cats that prey on them.
Day notes
A leisurely morning in camp, enjoying breakfast before you bid your Wayo guide farewell and depart for the Seronera Airstrip.
Alternatively, you can extend your stay at Namiri Plains for some additional nights of game drive safari in the region.
Check-out from Namiri Plains Camp
Transfer from Namiri Plains Camp to Seronera Airstrip [SEU]
Transfer
Namiri Plains Camp
Seronera Airstrip [SEU]
