Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

   • Welcome to Tanzania! A Jairos Adventure staff will pick you up from the airport and transport you to your Arusha lodging.
   • Depending on when you arrive, you should have enough time to unwind and get ready for the once-in-a-lifetime experience! Most visitors to northern Tanzania go through bustling Arusha at some point, and it's a vital aspect of safari life here.

   Accommodation: Arusha Planet Lodge

2. Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park

   • Your safari guide will pick you up from your accommodation after breakfast. 
   • This morning, you will drive to Tarangire National Park. The transit drive is approximately two and a half hours on good tarmac roads. The park is named after the Tarangire River which runs through it. 
   • This ‘river of warthogs’ is the only source of water for wildlife in the region during the dry season. The park is well known for its elephant families, which can often be seen congregating by the river. 
   • You may also see giraffes, bushbucks, and hartebeests. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators, including lions and leopards. 
   • There are more breeding species of birds found in Tarangire than anywhere else on the planet! The huge and ancient baobab trees can be seen here. Some of them are said to have lived for more than a thousand years.
   • Lunch will be at a picnic site inside the park. After your game drive, you will transit to your accommodation in Karatu. 

   Accommodation: Africa Safari Laka Manyara

3. Day 3: Karatu to Central Serengeti National Park

   • After breakfast, you will drive up into the cooler regions of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. 
   • There will be a chance to stop and see the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. 
   • You will then transit through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the Serengeti, entering the south of the park.
   • The Serengeti is truly spectacular. It is famous for its vast open grasslands which allow for excellent sightings of wildlife. 
   • The Serengeti boasts an abundance of wildlife such as impalas, buffalos, crocodiles, and hippos. In addition to the iconic landscapes, you have a good chance of encountering predators and you may see lions, cheetahs, and leopards.
   • After your game drive, you will head towards your accommodation in time for dinner.

   Accommodation: Central Serengeti Camp

4. Day 4: Central to Northern Serengeti National Park

   • After breakfast, you will wend your way through the Serengeti towards the Northern region, stopping off to experience more wonder on the way! 
   • While it boasts abundant wildlife, the Serengeti is best known for its annual Great Migration. Vast numbers of wildebeests, zebras, and antelopes move in an annual pattern, constantly seeking fresh grazing. 
   • The migration can be found during any given month, you just need to know where to look! 
   • At this time of year, the migration is normally in the Northern Serengeti National Park.
   • Your overnight stay will be a mid-range seasonal tented camp.

   Accommodation: Heritage Mara Camp

5. Day 5: Northern Serengeti National Park

   • The landscape is different in this part of the Serengeti and is made up of hills, riverine forests, plains, and rocky outcrops. The immense Mara River cuts through this area, which provides the setting for the mind-blowing river crossing during your time here. 
   • During the river crossing, over two million wildebeests, and hundreds of thousands of zebras and antelopes attempt to cross the Mara River in search of grazing and water. 
   • While they undergo their greatest feat during the migration, Nile crocodiles do not make it any easier for them. 
   • On the other side, lions, hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs can be found waiting with growling stomachs and high hopes!

   Accommodation: Heritage Mara Camp

6. Day 6: Return to Central Serengeti National Park

   • After breakfast, you will slowly return to Central Serengeti, with an en-route game drive. 
   • You may wish to continue your search for the migration before leaving this special place.
   • Every day is different in the Serengeti and there is always plenty to explore.

   Accommodation: Central Serengeti Camp

7. Day 7: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

   • This morning, you will gently wend your way back through the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, seeing more animals only the way. You should reach the crater by lunchtime.
   • When you first see Ngorongoro Crater, it looks like a forgotten world. It is concealed by the steep volcanic walls and is a pristine wilderness including sweeping savannah, pockets of acacia woodland, and glistening lakes and swamps. 
   • The Crater was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself two to three million years ago. 
   • The drive down into the Crater is an adventure in itself and when you reach the Crater floor, you quickly find yourself amongst large numbers of wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, and more than 500 bird species. 
   • The Crater provides you with the best chance of seeing the endangered black rhinos, which can sometimes be spotted in the open grasslands.
   • After an afternoon game drive, you will drive to your accommodation in Karatu.

   Accommodation: Africa Safari Lake Manyara

8. Day 8: Lake Manyara National Park to Arusha

   • This morning, you will drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Your final destination on this epic safari! Manyara is a small but diverse park 120km west of Arusha. 
   • Everything you’ll see here is on a different scale. It is both compact (this is one of the narrowest parks in Africa) and epic (the Great Rift Escarpment towers over Lake Manyara’s western boundary). 
   • The park’s namesake is a shallow, salt lake. It covers a large area of the park, flooding and drying with the seasons, and is home to thousands of wading birds (including flamingos and over 500 other bird species). 
   • You may see baboons and elephants in the park’s thick evergreen forest, and watch for the tree-climbing lions that have become famous throughout Africa. 
   • You will enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park.
   • After your game drive, you will be dropped off at a place of your choosing Arusha, Kilimanjaro Airport, or Arusha Airport. We hope you have enjoyed your adventure with Jairos Adventure!