itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVAL AND WELCOME
On arrival in Tanzania, you will be met and taken to your hotel. Here you can relax, have a cool drink at the bar, and recover from your journey.
Accommodation: Moivaro Lodge (Bed and Breakfast)
DAY 2: TO TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
This initial safari day commences with a 2 hour drive through the bustling city of Arusha and out towards Tarangire National Park. Travelling through the beautiful open grassland and rolling hills, Masai can be seen herding cattle and goats. On arrival at Tarangire National Park, an extensive game drive takes place, with packed lunch provided. This park is famous for its giant baobab trees, large herds of elephants, plains game, predators and spectacular bird life. The guide will point out many aspects of animal behaviour, including the fascinating way that elephants communicate with subtle interactions.
Accommodation: Migunga Tented Camp (full board)
DAY 3: TO LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE
The trip to Lake Manyara National Park begins after breakfast (roughly one hours drive). On entering the park, the game drive passes first through lush forest and then out to open grassland and the lake edge. This is a bird watcher’s paradise, with many endemic species. A variety of animals such as impala, elephants, dik-dik, bushbuck and hippos can be seen and, if you’re lucky, you might even spot Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions.
Accommodation: Migunga Tented Camp (full board)
DAY 4: LAKE MANYARA TO NGORONGORO
If the weather is clear, the drive up the amazing Rift Valley escarpment offers beautiful views of Lake Manyara, with great photo opportunities (roughly one hours drive). The journey continues through farmland to the town of Karatu, which marks the start of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the gateway to the Serengeti. A pretty drive through the farmlands and coffee plantations will take you to your accommodation for the next two nights.
Accommodation: Crater Forest Tented Camp (full board)
DAY 5: NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA AND CRATER
After breakfast, the drive to the stunning crater in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area begins. This crater – or ‘Caldera’– is over 20 kilometers wide and approximately 600 meters deep. If you are lucky and have a clear day, it’s possible to see all the way round the crater walls. A breath-taking game drive takes place across the crater floor, passing through grassland and forest, with lovely views of the Lake Makat soda lake. Ngorongoro Crater is famous for the presence of the Big Five – buffalos, black rhinos, elephants, lions and leopards. It is also home to many other animals, such as cheetahs, zebras, hippos, serval cats, hyenas and wildebeest.
Accommodation: Crater Forest Tented Camp (full board)
DAY 6: NGORONGORO TO SERENGETI
The day begins with breakfast at camp, followed by a drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, often referred to as the gateway to the Serengeti. If the weather is favourable, it’s possible to stop at a vantage point for wonderful elevated views of the Ngorongoro Crater. Before reaching the Serengeti gate, there is the option to visit the archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge. This site is famous for the Laetoli hominid footprints and many other archaeological discoveries that have been made during its 70 years of excavation by the Leaky family and other researchers. There is a short stop on arrival at the Serengeti gate, followed by a game drive across the Serengeti to the overnight accommodation. Excluding stops for game viewing, the drive usually takes around 4 hours.
Accommodation: Ikoma Tented Camp (full board)
DAY 7 AND 8: FULL DAYS IN SERENGETI
Each day after breakfast in camp, a full-day Serengeti game drive takes place. Serengeti means ‘land of the endless plains’ and the park covers an area of 14,763 square kilometres, with a range of different habitats including open grasslands, marshes, forests and kopjes. Days are spent moving around the different habitats looking for animals such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, elephants, hippos, impala, zebras, wildebeest and many others. There is a plethora of bird life to enjoy. The sheer size of this park and its’ amazing changing scenery make for unforgettable game drives.
Accommodation: Ikoma Tented Camp (full board)
DAY 9: FLY BACK TO ARUSHA AND ON TO KILMANJARO AIRPORT
After breakfast there’s a short game drive to the airstrip for the flight to Arusha. On arrival at Arusha Airport, a driver will be waiting to transfer you to Kilimanjaro Airport in time for your onward flight.
