Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arusha to Lake Manyara

   • At around 08:30 am, leave Arusha town and drive for two hours to Lake Manyara National Park. 
   • Arrive in time for lunch at the lodge and enjoy an afternoon game drive in the Lake Manyara National Park. 
   • Its varied habitat attracts a wide variety of African animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of elephants, Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions, as well as large flocks of flamingos, attracted by the algae in the lake.

   Non game-viewing travel time: 2½ hours

   Distance: 130km  

2. Day 2: Lake Manyara to Lake Eyasi

   • After breakfast, drive to the shores of Lake Eyasi. We arrive in time for lunch at the Tindiga Tented lodge. Lake Eyasi is a very scenic soda lake found on the southern border of the Ngorongoro conservation area. This less visited lake lies at the base of the Eyasi escarpment on the western rift valley wall. 
   • This afternoon you will be introduced to the extraordinary people who belong to an indigenous tribe known as the ‘Hadzabe’(hunter-gatherer Bushmen). The tribe inhabits the shores of Lake Eyasi, as do the Nilotic-speaking Datoga tribe. 
   • Visit these tribes, which will include a visit to their homesteads, learn about their way of life, animal tracking, medicinal plants, and much more. Some wildlife and a wide range of bird species can be viewed during walks around the lake, which can be arranged.

   Return for dinner and overnight at Tindiga Tented Lodge.

   Non-game viewing travel time: 2½ hours

   Distance: 110km

3. Day 3: Lake Eyasi to Ngorongoro

   • Early morning, depart to the village for local hunting experience with Hadzabe and Datonga tribes. This is not a mere performance. The Bushmen rely on these techniques to survive, and you’ll need to be very attentive and at times quiet while they demonstrate their use of locally made poisons in incapacitating the poor creatures on which they depend for survival. 
   • Return to the Tindiga Tented Lodge for a late breakfast and then travel to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. 
   • Late afternoon drive to a Masai Village. 
   • Visitors meet the village elders, get an insight into the Masai way of life, visit the bomas, learn about their prized cattle and visit the local school.

   Enjoy dinner and overnight at the Ngorongoro Sopa lodge.

   Non game-viewing travel time: 4 hours

   Distance: 150 km

4. Day 4: Ngorongoro to Serengeti

   • After breakfast at the lodge, descend over 600 meters into the crater to view wildlife for a half day’s tour. Supported by a year-round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro Crater supports a wide variety of animals, which include herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo, and giant African elephants. 

   • Another big draw card to this picturesque national park is its dense population of predators, which include lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard, Visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually be seen here.

   • Return to the lodge to enjoy lunch and then head towards the Serengeti National Park with a stopover at Olduvai Gorge, boasting a history dating back to the dawn of time. It was here that the anthropologists Drs. Lois and Mary Leakey discovered the skulls of the famous ‘Nutcracker Man” and ‘Handy Man’, both very significant links in the chain of human evolution. 

   • Leaving the highlands behind, descend into the heart of wild Africa – the Serengeti National Park – with its endless plains, rolling into the distance as far as the eye can see. 

   • Do a late-game drive en route to the lodge.

   Enjoy dinner and overnight at the Serengeti Sopa Lodge.

5. Day 5: Serengeti

   • We will offer you an ideal opportunity to do an optional but unforgettable Hot Air Balloon flight, followed by a delightful champagne breakfast (available at a supplementary cost but can be booked in advance).

   • After breakfast, head to the south-eastern side of the park, visiting the Barafu Kopjes and the Ngare Nanyuki River area for our morning and afternoon game drives. 

   • Apart from the lion prides you find in the area, the Barafu Kopjes is the place to visit for possible cheetah sightings. The Ngare Nanyuki River area is also well known for being packed with game.

   Enjoy dinner and overnight at the Serengeti Sopa Lodge.

6. Day 6: Serengeti to Lake Manyara

   • Go for an early morning game drive and return to the lodge for a late breakfast.
   • After breakfast, head to the Lake Manyara National Park. Visit and enjoy lunch at Gibbs farm en route (a small lodge, surrounded by coffee farms, on the slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater.

   Enjoy dinner and overnight at the Kirurumu Tented lodge.

   Non-game-viewing travel time: 6 hours

   Distance: 205km

7. Day 7: Lake Manyara to Arusha

   • After breakfast, visit the local Market and villages around the Karatu, experience life in the local village setting, meeting local people, learning about their culture, agriculture, and history of the area.  

   • Return to the lodge for lunch and then transfer back to Arusha Town.