Experience eight days of breathless adventure on safari in northern Tanzania with this odyssey that explores three national parks and a conservation area. ‘Safari’ comes from the Swahili word for ‘journey’ and over the course of this unforgettable itinerary, you will undertake a journey like no other: you will discover some of the most dramatic landscapes in the world, come face to face with wildlife and encounter intriguing cultures.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Tarangire National Park: lush and green wetlands provide an ideal habitat for hundreds of species of birds. Famous for its abundance in elephants, tree-climbing lions, leopards and pythons. The park hosts a large number of baobab trees and termite mounds.
Lake Manyara National Park: a lush habitat where tree-climbing lions, huge hippos, zebras and wildebeest herds can be seen. The shores of the lake, encrusted with pink flamingo, attract more than 400 species of birds. Large herds of buffalo, cheetah, giraffe and impala roam the lake shores and the forested valley slopes.
Serengeti National Park: Home to millions of wild animals and the famous location of the yearly wildebeest migration. The resident population of lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and birds is also impressive. Its unique ecosystem has inspired writers such as Ernest Hemingway, filmmakers like Hugo von Lawick and Alan Root.
Ngorongoro Crater: the planet’s largest intact volcanic caldera is a world within a world in which humans and wildlife perfectly cohabit. Due to its size and diversity, the crater floor is comprised of several distinct areas, ranging from forest, swamps, lakes and springs, to open grassland and some sandy dunes. This area promises you a truly unique wildlife experience.
Day 1: ARRIVAL KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – ARUSHA (55km – 1.5 hrs)
After landing at Kilimanjaro International Airport, a tour representative will meet and greet you before guiding you to your transfer to Arusha. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure, be that heading out to explore Arusha at your own rhythm, or perhaps taking advantage of the hotel facilities.
Overnight in Arusha.
Day 2: ARUSHA – TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK (150km – 3 hrs)
Following breakfast, depart to Tarangire National Park. Once you pass the park gate, game view en route to the lodge arriving for lunch. Following lunch and a chance to enjoy the lodge’s facilities, you set out on an afternoon game drive. Return to the lodge for sunset with dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight in Tarangire.
Day 3: TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK – LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK (120 km – 3 hrs)
Early morning game drive and return to the lodge for breakfast. Then depart to Lake Manyara National Park arriving at the lodge for lunch. Following lunch and a chance to enjoy the lodge’s facilities, you set out on an afternoon game drive. Return to the lodge for sunset with dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight in Lake Manyara.
Day 4: LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK – SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (245km – 5 hrs)
Depart to Serengeti National Park arriving at the camp for lunch. Following lunch and a chance to enjoy the camp’s facilities, you set out on an afternoon game drive. Return to the camp for sunset with dinner and overnight at the camp.
Overnight in Serengeti.
Day 5: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
In the morning, wake up to breakfast at the lodge and depart for the game drive. The Serengeti National Park is famed for being home to millions of animals and the annual Great Migration of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles but the dramatic landscapes in which the wildlife prowls are themselves worthy of admiration during the morning and afternoon game drives, with a stop around midday to have lunch at the lodge. Riverine forests and woodlands, rocky outcrops called kopjes and volcanic grassland are just some of the backdrops in which the animals can be spotted during the game drives. With some luck, here you will see the Big Five: the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. Birds and reptiles are also plentiful in the national park. In the evening, enjoy dinner at the lodge.
Overnight in Serengeti.
Day 6: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK – NGORONGORO CRATER (190km – 4 hrs)
Depart to Ngorongoro Conservation Area with game viewing en route. You stop at Olduvai Gorge for a chance to see the site where the Leakey family made several important archaeological discoveries. A small museum with some of the artifacts found can be viewed. You also visit a cultural Maasai village. Arrive at the lodge for late lunch and time at leisure. You have a special Boma dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight in Ngorongoro.
Day 7: NGORONGORO CRATER
Early departure and descend to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater. You game drive in this paradise. With a space of only 102 square miles and a resident wildlife population of more than 30,000 mammals, there is a great chance that you might see all of the big five. A picnic lunch box is provided at a scenic picnic site within the crater. In the afternoon, you return to the rim of the crater and return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight in Ngorongoro.
Day 8: NGORONGORO CRATER – ARUSHA – DEPART KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (240km – 5 hrs)
Depart to Arusha after breakfast arriving at Arusha Coffee Lodge for lunch. Transfer to Arusha Airport or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward connections.
Passengers should bring only soft-sided bags on safari. Passport/ identity card required for internal flights, for which baggage is limited to 15kg per person, including hand luggage. Excess baggage will be charged at check-in. Passengers arriving Tanzania may be asked to present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate. Travellers’ cheques are generally not accepted in East Africa. US banknotes cannot be older than 2012 and must have the most current security markings (large portrait of the president). Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.
