Get ready for an in-depth exploration of northern Tanzania’s spectacular wildlife arena and observe the Big Five on this eight-day safari adventure!

Enjoy a front row seat to the stunning landscapes and wildlife of Tanzania’s four most impressive national reserves as you embark on this thrilling journey with us. Our series of morning and afternoon game drives will take you to Lake Manyara National Park, Tarangire National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, where the supreme wildlife viewing and diverse topographies between parks will astound you.

A safari fully adaptable to your needs

As with all of our safari packages, this suggested itinerary can be adapted to suit your own personal needs and preferences with departure dates that are completely flexible.

Accommodation

On this safari, you will spend your 7 nights in 4-star lodges or tented lodges situated on the outskirts of the national parks or inside the national parks, depending on availability and itinerary.

Please note however that we have something to offer for every budget, from basic camps with facilities, to mid-range accommodation, to superior and luxury tented camps and lodges, so do not hesitate to contact us if you should require a price for another type of accommodation or if you would like to add any additional visits or experiences to your itinerary (for example: a visit to a traditional Massai village or a hot-air balloon flight over the Serengeti Plains).

Itinerary

Day 1

Moshi or Arusha - Lake Manyara National Park

Activities: Travel (4.5 hrs from Moshi or 2.5 hrs from Arusha) / Half-day game drive in Lake Manyara National Park
Meals: Lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge or tented lodge

Meet your professional tour guide/driver in Moshi or Arusha and receive a short briefing about your safari before hitting the road in direction of Lake Manyara National Park. As we arrive in Manyara we will head straight to Msasa picnic area inside the park for lunch. Here you will enjoy a nice view of the lake. After lunch we will head out on our first game drive.

Lake Manyara National Park is a relatively small but diverse park, known for its massive but shallow soda lake that covers two-thirds of its surface, flooding and drying with the seasons and home to thousands of flamingos and 500 other bird species. Located at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment, the park’s varied habitat attracts a wide variety of animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of elephants, as well as monkeys, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes and the famous tree-climbing lions, although they are a rare sight.

After an event-filled afternoon, we will head to the lodge or tented camp in the town of Karatu for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 2

Karatu - Serengeti National Park

Activities: Travel (6 hours) to Serengeti / Afternoon game drive
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge or tented lodge

After breakfast, we head out towards Serengeti National Park via the beautiful high lying farmlands of Karatu and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As we leave the highlands behind us, we descend into the heart of wild Africa with endless plains rolling in the distance as far as the eye can see, as well as diverse landscapes such as swamps, lakes, savannah, and mountains. These sublime landscapes are home to the Maasai herdsmen who live in relative harmony alongside the region’s abundant wildlife. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to an incredible abundance of animals, including Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, giraffes, wildebeest, zebra and large herds of buffalo.

Upon arrival at the entry gate to Serengeti National Park, we will stop for a hot lunch before heading out to the central park area known as Seronera, one of the richest wildlife habitats in the park. Here, the Seronera River provides a valuable water source to the area and therefore attracts an abundance of wildlife, well representative of most of the species common to Serengeti.

Our first Serengeti game drive will end at sunset as we travel to our lodge or tented camp where you will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 3

Serengeti National Park

Activities: Full day game drive in Serengeti
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge or tented lodge

After breakfast, we will continue our exploration of the Serengeti following the Sogore River Circuit, which loops into the plains south of the Seronera River. This area is good for spotting lions, Thomson gazelle, topis, ostriches and cheetahs among other animals. The Visitor Centre is well worth a visit after the morning’s game drive. This nicely designed centre offers some interesting wildlife displays as well as a gift shop selling information leaflets and maps of the area. Here we will enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch in the shade of the giant acacia trees.

After lunch, our game drive will continue on the Kopjes Circuit, which goes anti-clockwise around the Maasai Kopjes. This area usually attracts a number of lions and some large cobras. Kopjes are weathered granite outcrops, scattered around the plains, most of which are miniature ecosystems, providing shade and drinking water in pools left in the rock after the rains. This makes the kopjes particularly good for spotting wildlife in the dry season – including predators such as lions who like to lie in wait of their prey as they go there to quench their thirst.

Our game drive will end at sundown as we travel back to the same lodge or tented camp as the previous night for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 4

Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Crater

Activities: Half-day game drive in Serengeti / Travel (4 hours) to the Ngorongoro area with an en-route game drive
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge or tented lodge

After breakfast we will go on a final game drive in Serengeti before heading towards the Ngorongoro Crater area after lunch.

Along the way, we will stop at Olduvai Gorge, boasting a history that dates back to the dawn of time. It was here that the anthropologists Lois and Mary Leakey discovered the skulls of the ‘Nutcracker Man’ and the ‘Handy Man’, both very significant links in the chain of human evolution.

We will arrive at our lodge in the early evening for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Optional: Be one of the fortunate few to glide in a hot air balloon over the Serengeti Plains at sunrise, floating silently above the awakening bush, across rivers and over numerous small villages while spotting wildlife and enjoying the amazing Tanzanian scenery. (Available at an additional cost / pre-booking is required).

Day 5

Ngorongoro Crater

Activities: Full day game drive (until 3:00 p.m.) / Travel to Karatu (2 hours)
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge or tented lodge

After breakfast, we will embark on an unforgettable safari across the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater for a chance to see the endangered black rhinoceros in full view.

The crater alone is home to approximately 25,000 animals, all of which live together in this natural enclosure, including some of Tanzania’s last remaining black rhinos. Here you will spot the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhinoceros) as well as a multitude of other wild animals, from the pink flamingos of Lake Makat, to large herds of wildebeest, zebras, buffaloes, elands, and warthogs. Another big attraction in this picturesque national park is its dense population of predators, which includes hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, which sometimes requires a trained eye to spot. We will also visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the south-western corner of the crater. Here we will enjoy our lunch surrounded by hippos and a number of water birds.

At approximately 3:00 p.m. we will leave the crater and head to the town of Karatu where we will be spending the night.

On the picturesque drive to Karatu, we will be passing through the verdant hills of the highlands. You will see the vast fields that cover the slopes of the Ol Deani volcano, as well as the many farms and coffee plantations that surround Karatu. The cool climate and beauty of the region make this area very popular among locals and farmers, with coffee being one of the main crops grown for export. Karatu offers magnificent views of the northern highlands and is a popular overnight stop for travellers on their way to the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti.

We will arrive at our lodge in the early evening for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 6

Karatu - Tarangire National Park

Activities: Travel (3.5 hours) to Tarangire National Park / Half-day game drive 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge or tented lodge

 After breakfast, we depart for Tarangire National Park. This park runs along the Tarangire River and is made up of low-lying hills on the Great Rift Valley floor. The park is defined by lush grasslands studded with giant baobab trees and sun-baked termite hills, and is a key staging ground of the annual Great Migration. Tourists who prefer to visit its more famous neighbours often ignore this lesser-known game reserve; yet during the dry season, it has a greater concentration of wildlife per square kilometre than any other park in Tanzania. The huge swamp areas in the south attract large numbers of animals such as zebras, wildebeest, buffalos and giraffes, to name just a few. Moreover, the reserve is not only notorious for having some of the largest elephant herds in Africa, but also for being home to three very rare species that are almost impossible to find in other Tanzanian parks – the Oryx, the Elk and the Greater Kudu.

At sundown we will retire to our lodge or tented camp for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 7

Tarangire National Park

Activities: Full day game drive 
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mid-range lodge or tented lodge

After breakfast, we will enjoy a full-day game drive in Tarangire National Park, exploring the vast and beautiful baobab & acacia studded landscapes in regions that we did not see the previous day.

After sunset we will head back to the same lodge or tented camp as the previous night for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 8

Tarangire National Park - Arusha or Moshi

Activities: Relaxing morning at the lodge (check-out at 11:00 a.m.) / Travel (3 hours to Arusha or 5 hours to Moshi)  / En-route Maasai village visit
Meals: Breakfast & lunch

After breakfast, we will enjoy some free time relaxing at the lodge before heading back to Arusha or Moshi.

Along the way, we will stop at a traditional Maasai village to learn about their culture and daily activities, as well as participate in a traditional dance ceremony.

Included in package

• Professional English speaking driver/guide
• Pick-up at Kilimanjaro or Arusha Airport if arriving on the day before the start of your safari
• Pick-up at your hotel in Moshi or Arusha on Day 1
• Drop-off at your hotel or Kilimanjaro/Arusha Airport on Day 8
• All meals except breakfast on Day 1 & dinner on Day 8
• Bottled water
• Mid-range lodge or tented-lodge accommodation

Not included in package

• Flight tickets
• Visa fees
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, soft drinks, juice or alcoholic beverages, any other items of a personal nature)
• Tip for your safari guide (suggested amount: $30 per day per vehicle)