Day 1 - Arrival At Arusha
You will arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and be met by your personal guide who will host your safari in Tanzania. You will be transferred by road to the nearby town of Arusha to overnight. On arrival at the lodge which is located about 30 minutes away, you will check in, refresh then later have dinner and overnight in a River Cottage. ‘Rivertrees Country Inn’ is a charming country estate that was once an old coffee farm, and still retains the nostalgic air of a well-loved homestead. Sprawling ten acres of fertile greenery, the grounds are a natural extension of Mt Meru’s sloping foothills, and offer a sanctuary for the birds and wildlife indigenous to the area.
Booked on Full Board basis (B,L,D)
Day 2 - Arusha National Park – Tarangire Area
In the morning, after enjoying an early breakfast, you will venture out to experience your first wildlife viewing in Arusha National Park, which is conveniently located just 20 minutes away. This park offers stunning volcanic landscapes, breathtaking views of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro (on clear days), a lush rainforest, and a diverse array of wildlife. The park's highlights include Ngurdoto Crater and the Momella Lakes, known for attracting numerous bird species, including a remarkable number of flamingos. Upon arrival at the park, you will embark on a guided hike from Momella Gate to Tululusia Waterfalls, with a return to the gate. This moderate hike will give you an opportunity to stretch your legs while safely enjoying the captivating African landscape up close. An armed park ranger will lead the hike to ensure proper guidance and safety. Afterward, you will enjoy a game drive and savor a picnic lunch at one of the designated picnic sites within the park. This compact park is a paradise for photographers. In the afternoon, you will depart from the park, driving through Arusha and the Maasai Steppe region, until you reach a private concession nestled between Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks. You will spend the night at 'Maramboi Tented Lodge,' a permanent tented lodge that harmoniously blends into the vastness of its surroundings, hidden among palm trees, ancient baobab trees, and golden grasses.
The lodge provides Full Board accommodations, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Day 3 - Tarangire National Park
Depart from the tented lodge after a very early breakfast armed with your packed lunches as you drive to Tarangire National Park which is located about 1 hour away. This is Tanzania's sixth largest national park and it is unique and famous for its huge numbers of Elephants herds, ancient and magnificent Baobab trees and tree climbing African pythons and countless number of different and beautiful birds’ species. You will enjoy a full day game drive within the park before driving out and head back to the same lodge to overnight. You will then have a guided walk ending at the beautiful lake shore and this will enable you to stretch your legs and enjoy the amazing nature found in the area.Booked on Full Board basis (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Tarangire - Lake Manyara National Park
You will check out and depart from the tented lodge after a late breakfast and drive to the township of Mto wa Mbu located within the Great Rift Valley area. That drive will take just under 90 minutes hence you will reach the area late that morning. ‘The people are the country’, Tanzania has 130 different tribes representing all the African ethnic groups and Mto wa Mbu is one of the few areas the country where all the local tribes and cultures are clearly visible. You will be immersed into the local culture of the village through a banana plantation tour and before visiting a local farming family. After tasting various fresh banana products as well as enjoying a delicious local lunch prepared especially for you, a visit to the colourful market will follow. Later that afternoon you will enter the Lake Manyara National Park for a half day game drive. This is a beautiful little reserve surrounding a Rift Valley’s alkaline lake and has a lot of breath-taking views. The landscape is a mixture of dense forest, small open plains and lush waterside grasses, a feast for herbivores such as buffalo, a very scenic home to hippos, elephants, flamingos, plains game and the famous tree-climbing lions that reside here. Late that afternoon you will head up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to overnight. Facing the always magnificent sunsets to the west, and located at the highest point on Ngorongoro crater’s entire rim, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge stands well over half a kilometre above the crater floor and offers unparalleled views across this enormous caldera. The lodge being located within the conservation area will give you a chance to enjoy the wonderful nature at the comfort of your lodge.Booked on Full Board basis (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Ngorongoro Crater
Start your day by departing from the lodge with a packed breakfast and lunch, ensuring you're among the first to reach the crater floor. Experience one of nature's remarkable wonders as you explore the 12-mile diameter and 2,000-feet deep collapsed volcanic crater. The abundant wildlife is drawn to the fertile soil and the lake, providing ample opportunities to spot various species amidst the forests, grasslands, and plains. Enjoy a full day of game drives, with a picnic breakfast and later lunch at designated picnic sites. Keep your eyes peeled for the majestic 'Big 5,' including the rare and endangered Black Rhino. After a morning and afternoon of wildlife viewing, depart in the early evening and return to the exquisite Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge for an overnight stay. Take in the breathtaking views and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of the lodge during your leisurely evening. Your booking includes full board basis (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Day 6 - Ngorongoro Crater - Serengeti National Park
Following an early morning meal, proceed on your Tanzania adventure towards the Serengeti Plains. Along the way, make a stop at a Maasai village, offering a unique opportunity to engage with and learn about the fascinating lifestyle of these majestic warrior tribes. Despite the surrounding changes, the Maasai have remarkably preserved their cultural heritage. Upon reaching the central part of the Serengeti, explore the 'Kopjes' areas, known for their frequent sightings of impressive big cats. As night falls, settle into the charming Kubu Kubu Tented Lodge, strategically positioned in a less crowded section of the vast park. This carefully selected location allows for exceptional wildlife and Migration viewing during the appropriate season, away from the more bustling areas. Enjoy your stay at the lodge on a Full Board basis, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Day 7 - Central - North Serengeti National Park July/August/September
You will check out and again depart from the lodge taking packed lunches with as you head to the Mara River area which borders the Maasai Mara in the park's northeast corner in search of the most amazing spectacle in the safari world - the legendary Wildebeest Migration and the amazing Mara River crossing if you are lucky. After reaching North Serengeti, you will spend a half-day enjoying this most remote and exclusive part of the country deep in the Serengeti before driving for a short distance heading on to the luxury seasonal tented camp to overnight. It will be a very long day but worth every kilometre covered. Set closest to the banks of the Mara River, and boasting the dramatic views out across the wide plains of the northern Serengeti, ‘Mara Under Canvas Camp’ offers an exclusive window and unparalleled access to the greatest migration on the planet.
Booked on Full Board basis (B,L,D)
Day 8 - North Serengeti National Park
You will depart from the camp very early this morning for a Hot Air Balloon flight over the magnificent North Serengeti and then enjoying a Champagne breakfast out in the wild on landing. This is truly once in a lifetime activity and will offer wonderful memories once experienced. After breakfast; you will head out again for another full day game drive in other locations deep within the same Mara River area tracking the Great Migration and the other resident game. The Serengeti eco-system is the oldest on the planet. It boasts a diversity of plants and animals that is unavailable anywhere else on the globe. The world-famous ‘Great Migration’ should be in the north of the park at this time of the year and it is indeed an amazing spectacle to experience. The Great Migration is the largest overland migration in the world. The animals travel a total of 800 kilometres or more during each cycle whereby approximately over a million Wildebeest and thousands of Zebras and Gazelles form one super herd. This will be another wonderful full day game drive with picnic lunch held out in the wild again.
Booked on Full Board basis (B,L,D)
Day 9 - South Serengeti National Park
You will depart from the camp very early this morning for a Hot Air Balloon flight over the magnificent South Serengeti and then enjoying a Champagne breakfast out in the wild on landing. This is truly once in a lifetime activity and will offer wonderful memories once experienced. After breakfast, you will enjoy another full day game drive deep in the area enjoying a spectacular game drive with picnic lunch held out in the wild, seeking out the migratory animals, the big cats, buffalo, giraffe and many others that habituate the vast open plains of this huge park. The sheer scale and seemingly endless horizon in this part of Africa is simply spellbinding. You will return to your lovely lodge early this evening to enjoy the lovely setting and overnight.
Day 10 - North/South Serengeti Np - Arusha
After breakfast, you will check out and taking some packed lunches one more time, you will have a road transfer to the nearby Kogatende/Ndutu Airstrip for a morning scheduled flight back to Arusha Airport to be there by noon. This will be a very scenic way of seeing almost all the beautiful areas you had visited in this trip from above and it will also make you avoid going back to Arusha using the same long, bumpy and dusty route you used to reach Serengeti. Once back in Arusha you will either proceed with your pre-organized next stage of your trip or you will be transferred back to Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your flight out.
