Arriving Arusha
Day 1
You will be picked up from Kilimanjaro airport by your driver and driven to Arusha town. Upon arrival, you will be dropped off at your lodge where you will have dinner and spend the night.
Tulia Boutique Hotel and Spa
Arusha National Park Nature Walk
Day 2
After breakfast depart with picnic lunch to Arusha National Park. At the Momella Gate, an armed ranger will be waiting for you to accompany you on your walking safari that will give you the chance to experience the wildlife up-close. The walking safari takes 1-2 hours; the walking safari will be through rain forests and other natural vegetation in the park. Arusha National Park has an incredible variety of fauna and flora, which cannot fail to impress. Hollywood also chose this region to film the movie "Hartari" in which Hardy Kruger starred alongside the legendary John Wagne. Your trip will include a visit to the Ngurdoto Crater, often labeled as the little Ngorongoro. Buffaloes, waterbucks, giraffes, warthogs, zebras and Guereza can be seen all year round as well as many different bird species. The elephants are a little shyer than the elephants in the Serengeti but can also be seen at Arusha National Park. Occasionally, one may also spot a leopard. Lunch will be taken at a picnic place and in the afternoon, you will continue your tour in the safari vehicle through the Arusha National Park. After plenty of time allocated for you to observe the wildlife, we will take you back to your hotel accommodations in Arusha.
Arusha to Tarangire
Day 3
After breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up from your hotel and you will enjoy the 2-hour leisure drive to Tarangire National Park. Tarangire has the highest concentration of elephants in Northern Tanzania and you can view these animals all year round where elephant herd populations can reach as many as 3,000. The Tarangire River has water all year around. During the dry season (July-October), many animals from the surrounding areas come to the river to drink. If you visit the park during the dry season, you will witness an unforgettable natural wonder as you observe exotic big mammals such as lions, giraffes, buffaloes, wildebeests, zebras and various types of antelopes such as gazelles. During the dry season, Tarangire is a haven for bird watchers with over 550 different species including the Maasai Ostrich-the world’s largest bird. Around lunchtime, you will stop at a suitable picnic place. The afternoon is dedicated to more wildlife watching. Tonight our accommodations will be provided at Maromboi Tented Lodge.
Maromboi Tented Camp
Tarangire Game Drive
Day 4
Today we will take the day to explore the Tarangire National Park a little further. This park is often referred to as the "home of elephants". Here you will have a great chance to spot elephants in large groups gathering around the Tarangire River. Other animals to be spotted include leopards, lions, giraffes and even tree-climbing pythons.
Your day will conclude as we drive to your accommodations at the Marera Valley Lodge for dinner and relaxation.
Marera Valley Lodge
Serengeti National Park
Day 5
After breakfast, we'll set off for the Serengeti National Park, passing through the verdant Ngorongoro Crater Highlands. The Serengeti, deriving its name from the Maasai word "siringitu," meaning "endless plains," truly lives up to its name with vast grassland savannas stretching as far as the eye can see. The landscape is varied, featuring Acacia savannas, densely wooded hills, rocky outcrops known as kopjes, and numerous pans and lakes. The park's abundant African wildlife, including lions, buffaloes, impalas, hippos, waterbucks, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, and many other species, along with over 400 bird species, makes it a premier safari destination. Upon arriving in Serengeti, we'll embark on an afternoon game drive in search of wildlife. As evening approaches, we'll proceed to the camp for some leisure time and a hot dinner. After a full day of game viewing, you'll retire to the comfortable accommodations at Kati Kati Tented Camp.
Kati Kati Tented Camp
Central Serengeti
Day 6
The entire day is dedicated to game viewing in the central Serengeti. Predators like lions, leopards (in the acacia trees) and cheetahs are seen in this great park. During the short rainy season in November and December the herds move from the hills in the north to the plains in the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June they return up central heading west. As the migration is completely dependent on the yearly rainfalls, the location of the herds may vary from year to year.
After a full day wandering through the Serengeti central plains, you will head back to your camp for evening leisure and hot dinner.
Serengeti to Ngorongoro
Day 7
After a filling breakfast, depart for your final Serengeti game drive and yet more heart-stopping photo opportunities! In the afternoon you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch before setting off for the natural wonder that is the Ngorongoro Crater. Upon arriving at the Crater, you will stand on the rim and gaze a spectacular half mile down to the Crater floor and out over its 100 square mile expanse. Following a picnic lunch, there is an optional hour’s walk along the Crater rim accompanied by an Ngorongoro Crater ranger. Following this preview to tomorrow's descent into the Crater, we proceed to your accommodations at the Ngorongoro Farm House Lodge for dinner and evening leisure.
Ngorongoro Farm House Lodge
Ngorongoro to Arusha
Day 8
After breakfast, we drive to the Ngorongoro Crater and descend into it for a half-day of game viewing. Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest volcano caldera formed three million years ago and is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world and one of Africa's most remarkable geological sites. The Big Five (rhino, elephant, Cape buffalo, lion, leopard) and most of the animal species found in the Serengeti, including zebra, hippos, wildebeest, and cheetahs, can be viewed close up. The Ngorongoro Crater ecosystem maintains the historic balance between people and nature in a way that is not possible in other parks.
Depending on your flight departure time, you will ascend and proceed to Kilimanjaro airport for your flight home.