Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Day 1
Your adventure begins with your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where I will meet you and welcome you to Tanzania.
From the airport, we will embark on a scenic, 45-minute drive to the vibrant city of Arusha, nestled at the base of Mount Meru. Along the way, you will get your first taste of the picturesque landscapes, local villages, and colorful culture of Tanzania.
I will help you check in to Gran Melia Arusha, where you can enjoy dinner and spend the evening relaxing and anticipating the exciting adventure ahead.
Gran Melia Arusha
TRANSFER: Arusha airport to accommodation
ACCOMMODATIONS: Gran Melia Arusha
MEALS: Dinner (included). Wine, beer and alcoholic beverages (optional).
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES: Spa treatments (costs vary)
Tarangire National Park
Day 2
After an early morning breakfast, we will journey to Tarangire National Park, a hidden gem known for its diverse landscapes and abundant wildlife. As we enter the park, you will be greeted by the iconic baobab trees that dot the horizon, creating a surreal backdrop for your safari. Tarangire is home to large herds of elephants, wildebeest, zebras, and giraffes, offering you the opportunity to witness these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. You may also encounter big predators like lions, leopards, hyenas, and cheetahs. After a lovely picnic lunch, we will resume our exploration and wildlife drive.
Your day concludes as you are welcomed at your reserved accommodation Maromboi Tented Camp located in a special reserved buffer zone located just outside of Tarangire National Park. Animals freely roam between the park and the lodge zone, so tonight you will fall asleep to the hypnotic song of African wildlife.
Maromboi Tented Camp
ACTIVITIES: Drive to Tarangire National Park, wildlife viewing in Tarangire
ACCOMMODATIONS: Maramboi Tented Camp
MEALS: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (included). Wine and beer (included). Other alcoholic beverages (optional).
Tarangire and Maasai Community Experience
Day 3
After breakfast, we return to Tarangire National Park. You can choose to spend the morning exploring the wonders of Tarangire’s wildlife on a game drive or take advantage of a unique opportunity for a guided walking safari, to immerse yourself in the wonder of Tarangire’s flora and fauna.
Following an early lunch, we will drive to a Maasai community where you will experience African culture as it has been practiced for generations. Tanzania has over 100 different tribes, each with their own language and traditional practices. We work closely with local villages to empower Maasai people who want to share their proud traditions in an authentic and meaningful way. You will never forget this one-of-a-kind, personal experience and the invaluable insights you gain about this uniquely African community.
Reflect on your visit as we drive through Tanzanian countryside and villages to the Ngorongoro region, where you will be welcomed at the stately Ngorongoro Farm House Lodge, on the slopes of Ngorongoro just five minutes from the park gate.
Ngorongoro Farm House Lodge
ACTIVITIES: Morning game viewing (drive or nature walk) in Tarangire National Park. Afternoon Maasai community visit and transfer to Ngorongoro crater.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Ngorongoro Farm House lodge
MEALS: Breakfast lunch, dinner (included) wines, beers, soda, alcohol beverages (optional)
Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Region
Day 4
After an early breakfast, we will depart for Ngorongoro crater and descend to the crater floor. Nearly three million years old, the ancient caldera of Ngorongoro shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on Earth. Within its rim, giant tusked elephants wander the forests, male lion stalk the grasslands, populations of herbivores crowd the crater floor. The endangered black rhino has been reintroduced to this protected sanctuary.
We will explore the crater, seeking out wildlife and observing their behavior. Ngorongoro crater is a unique ecosystem inhabited by more than 25,000 resident animals. In the acacia forest and grass plains, you can encounter almost every animal species of the East African savanna, including the “Big Five” (rhino, elephant, cape buffalo, lion, and leopard).
We will pause to enjoy a picnic lunch and then continue with an afternoon drive in the crater before ascending the crater back to return to our accommodations.
ACTIVITIES: Full Game viewing in Ngorongoro crater.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Ngorongoro Farm House Lodge
MEALS: Breakfast lunch, dinner (included) wines, beers, soda alcohol beverages, (optional)
Central Serengeti National Park
Day 5
After an early morning breakfast at the lodge, we will head towards the great plains of the Central Serengeti, the land is so flat that the Maasai call this area ‘Siringit’ in Swahili which means endless plains. This is where the word ‘Serengeti’ comes from.
The heart of the park is filled by an endless variety of wildlife, attracted by the ancient underground water springs flowing all year round.
Here we’ll be looking for the big cats of Africa (lion, leopard, cheetah), elephant, hippos, giraffes, several varieties of antelopes, and countless varieties of birds.
We’ll have another picnic lunch in the bush. Afterwards we will continue exploring the central plains. As the sun starts to set, we will arrive at Into Wild Africa Luxury Tented Safari Camp, our reserved accommodation in the park.
Into Wild Africa Luxury Tented Safari Camp
ACTIVITIES: Wildlife viewing in Serengeti
ACCOMMODATIONS: Into Wild Africa Luxury Tented Safari Camp Serengeti
MEALS: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (included). Wine, beer, alcoholic beverages (optional).
Central Serengeti National Park
Day 6
Today, you will venture to the heart of the Central Serengeti, exploring the central region of this world‑renowned national park. Here, you will encounter an astounding array of wildlife from Antelopes to Zebras, including elephants, giraffes, hippos, and diverse species of birds. Central Serengeti also provides opportunities to spot predators—lions, leopards, and cheetahs—as they prowl the savannah in search of their next meal.
A full day of wildlife exploration in this remarkable ecosystem will leave you in awe of the beauty and interconnectedness of nature. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and will arrive at Into Wild Africa Luxury Tented Safari Camp Serengeti in time for dinner.
ACTIVITIES: Wildlife viewing in Serengeti
ACCOMMODATIONS: Into Wild Africa Luxury Tented Safari Camp Serengeti
MEALS: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (included). Wine, beer, alcoholic beverages (optional).
Northern Serengeti (Great Migration River Crossings)
Day 7-9
After breakfast at leisure in your camp, we head to the northern part of Serengeti National Park. As we drive, we will search for game in route to the great Mara river. We will be looking for the great migrating herds of wildebeest and zebra. Throughout our visit to the Northern Serengeti our focus will be on observing a great wildebeest migration river crossing. The wildebeest have several natural locations along the Mara River where they can cross. Anticipation builds as the herds congregate along the cliffs of the river. Will they or won’t they cross? If they do, the experience is life changing. The certainty of this natural wonder is not guaranteed but in August there is an extremely high likelihood of witnessing this National Geographic moment, maybe even more than once. In addition to the migration herds the northern Serengeti is inhabited with the endless variety of native eastern African wildlife, lion, cheetah, leopard, hippo, giraffe, elephant, hyena, cape buffalo as well as raptors and other bird species.
On these three nights we will stay at the mobile Mara Kati Kati Tented Camp perfectly designed to make you feel connected to nature. Star filled night skies, delicious locally sourced meals, protected, escorted walks to and from your private tent accommodations, the famous ‘bucket showers’ and drifting off to sleep to the sounds of the Africa wilderness will make your experience here unforgettable.
Mara Kati Kati Tented Camp
ACTIVITIES: Game view drive to Serengeti
ACCOMMODATION: Mara Kati Kati Tented Camp
MEALS: Breakfast, lunch, dinner (included). Wine, beer, alcoholic beverages (optional).
Flight & Drive to Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya
Day 10
We’ll have breakfast at the camp then take an easy drive to the Kogatende airstrip for the flight toward Maasai Mara in Kenya where a new adventure awaits.
On our arrival at the Nairobi airport we will be welcomed into Kenya then embark towards the Maasai Mara National Reserve via Nairobi, the most vibrant city of East Africa. In the late evening we will arrive at the Mara Serena Safari Lodge located with in the Maasai Mara National Park.
Mara Serena Safari Lodge
ACTIVITIES: Transfer from the airport to the lodge, enjoying the vibrant town and a late evening game viewing in route.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Mara Serena Safari Lodge
MEALS: All in Full Board.
Maasai Mara National Reserve
Day 11
We will have an early breakfast, and as the sun starts to crest the horizon, we will be on the escarpment drop of the Maasai Mara, where water attracts thousands of animals who make this place their home. These early mornings are the best time for observing animal behaviors and interaction, big cats like lions, leopards, cheetahs, clans of hyenas, herds of the elephant and cape buffalo. Giraffes, vultures, eagles, and many other species that inhabit these lands.
After a bush picnic, we will continue game viewing followed by an easy return drive to our reserved accommodations at sunset.
ACTIVITIES: Full day game viewing
ACCOMMODATIONS: Mara Serena Safari lodge
MEALS: All in Full Board.
Maasai Mara Day 2
Day 12
After breakfast at the lodge, we will take off on another day of adventures in the Maasai Mara. We will continue to enjoy new bird life discoveries and look out for the smaller and rarely seen serval cat, or bat eared fox. We will continue our pursuit of the endless array of giant wildebeest herds, big cats, elephants, hippos, wildebeest, giraffes, and possibly rhinos around the park. We will return to the lodge for a hot lunch.
After lunch we can choose to head out on another game drive or simply return to our accommodations to relax and enjoy the afternoon.
ACTIVITIES: Game drive and relaxation at lodge
ACCOMMODATIONS: Mara Serena Safari lodge
MEALS: All in Full Board.
Lake Nakuru
Day 13
After an early morning breakfast, we head north towards Lake Nakuru for a full day game drive. Lake Nakuru National Park is on the drop of Gregory Rift. It is known as a saline lake. Its abundance of algae attracts thousands of flamingoes. In this park we can also observe an interesting collection of unique bird species. In addition, we will certainly view giant herds of elephants and giraffes.
There is also a possibility of observing the re-introduced, nearly extinct species in the wild, eastern black rhino and the southern white rhino. At sunset, we head to our accommodation at the Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge.
Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
ACTIVITIES: Full day game drive at Lake Nakuru National Park.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge
MEALS: All in Full Board
Local Community Visit and Airport Departure
Day 14
After enjoying breakfast and a relaxing morning at the lodge, we will say farewell to our East Africa. On our way back to Nairobi, we will make a visit to a local community, to experience the warmth and love of Africa one more time. We will then proceed to Nairobi airport for your flight back home.