Day 1: Arrival Kilimanjaro Airport – Tarangire National Park
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro airport, your driver will meet you at the exit of the arrivals area. Today we drive in about 2 hours from Arusha to the beautiful Tarangire National Park. If you love elephants and birds this is the place to be. It is not only home to the largest population of elephants in East Africa but also to more than 550 bird species. Especially during the dry season, animals flock around the Tarangire River. Settle into your accommodation in the afternoon. Tarangire Sopa Lodge lies among the ancient baobab trees and grassland of the national park. Relax and enjoy dinner, before your safari starts in the morning.
Day 2: Tarangire National Park
Enjoy a full day game driving in this elephant and bird paradise. The landscape is incredible diverse and giant baobab trees scatter the park. Tarangire still has an authentic rawness and is as ‘wild’ as it gets in the northern circuit. One of the highlands of Tarangire is the lively Silale Swamp. Here you can see the largest selections of breeding birds anywhere in the world, including orange-bellied parrots, lovebirds and the largest flying bird, the Kori Bustard. The swamps is also the place to see lots of leopards and lions.
Day 3: Tarangire – Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast we drive towards the Ngorongoro Crater via Mto wa Mbu. This small village lies at the foot of the Rift Valley and is a colourful mix of 120 African tribes. We can stop here for a break to watch the daily life of the villagers or visit the local market. We continue driving to the Ngorongoro Crater which is about a 2 hours’ drive from Tarangire. Dinner and overnight will be at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, which is located at the rim of the crater, offering great views down over the crater floor.
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater
Explore one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders today on a full day game viewing. Millions of years ago the peak of a huge volcano, larger than Kilimanjaro, collapsed and formed a crater of 20 km (12,5 mi) across with sides up to 600 metres (2,000 feet) deep. It has become home to all of Africa’s famous wildlife and has its own unique ecosystem. The view from the rim into the crater floor is simply unreal with its pastel-coloured landscape and wildlife roaming the floor. Leopards, lions, hyenas and jackals can be found on the savannah as well as elephants, buffaloes, wildebeest, zebras, ostriches and rhinos. Lunch will be served at a lovely lakeshore in the crater. At the end of the afternoon we arrive at Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge where you can relax and witness the sun dipping behind the rim of the crater.
Day 5: Ngorongoro – Serengeti National Park
En route towards the Serengeti we drive through Olduvai Gorge, also known as the ‘cradle of mankind’. At this site the earliest human skull in the world was discovered and footsteps dating back three million years. Therefore this place is prehistoric and significant in understanding the early human evolution. Ulduvai Gorge is a steep valley of about 50 km (32 mi) long, situated in the Great Rift Valley, in the eastern part of the Serengeti. Dinner and overnight will be at the remote Serengeti Heritage Camp, where you stay close to nature.
Day 6: Serengeti National Park
Full day of game drives on the endless plains of the Serengeti. Discover why this is one of the best places in Africa to go on safari. Flat-topped acacia trees and rivers dot the savannah. The abundance and variety of wildlife in this beautiful park is unsurpassed. It is the best place to witness the Big Five (rhino, elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion) and the largest overland migration of wildlife on earth. Return to Serengeti Heritage Camp in the afternoon where you can watch the sunset and enjoy dinner and some rest before your next day of game driving.
Day 7: Serengeti National Park
Explore the Serengeti today during morning and afternoon game drives. Wildlife viewing in the Serengeti is good throughout the year, but if you want to witness the Great Wildebeest Migration, you need to be in the right area at the right time. Depending on what time (season) you choose to go on safari, your guide knows where to go in the Serengeti. From July to October you can find the herds around the Mara River. Steep river banks, hungry crocodiles and fast flowing rivers make this river crossing extremely dangerous for the herds. Witness the epic battle of life and dead between predator and prey. The sights are spectacular, impressive as well as dramatic. In the afternoon we drive back to Serengeti Heritage Camp, situated at the Seronera area.
Day 8: Serengeti National Park
On this last day of your stay in Serengeti National Park, we will set out to another part of the park. Serengeti is immense and spans roughly 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq. mi), so there is so much to explore on a game drive. The flora and fauna have remained almost unchanged over the past hundreds of centuries. All three African big cats are abundant as well as the Big Five and several very rare species like the black rhino, pangolin, black-and-white colobus monkey, Oryx and wild dog. Expect to be impressed by the natural beauty of the world’s most famous park. Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Heritage Camp.
Day 9: Serengeti – Lake Manyara National Park
This morning we drive to Lake Manyara National Park. On the way we will stop at a Maasai village to experience the lifestyle, culture and traditions of this famous tribe. To see these graceful warriors dance and sing in their brightly coloured clothes, with their circular bomas and cattle is a special cultural experience. In the afternoon we arrive at Olea Africana Lodge, set in a beautiful garden in Karatu.
Day 10: Lake Manyara – Arusha
After breakfast you can enjoy your last safari day in Lake Manyara National Park. This park is not dominated by savannah, but by an enormous soda lake with huge flocks of flamingos. You can spot hundreds of olive baboons, elephants, hippos and if you are lucky Manyara’s tree climbing lions. It is also a perfect place to see the spectacular 400 meter high Rift Valley Escarpment. After this memorable game drive, your safari adventure has come to an end. We drive back to Arusha and bring you to Kilimanjaro Airport for you flight home.
Note. We can create a customized itinerary exactly the way you wish. You like to add other parks or extend your safari with a beach holiday on Zanzibar? Contact us to design your ideal safari.
Check our Travel Tips:
What to wear on safari in Africa
Best things to see and do in Serengeti National Park
Best time to see the Serengeti Migration
Fun things to do in Zanzibar