Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival in Kilimanjaro International Airport

   • Arrive anytime at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and head to Arusha Safari Lodge.

   • Spend the rest of the day at leisure. 

   • Remember to head for a pre-safari briefing and an equipment check.

   Dinner and overnight at Arusha safari lodge: Half board.

2. Day 2: Game Drive in Tarangire National Park

   • Head to Tarangire National Park. The park, which has its own source of water, is the largest hub of wildlife during the dry season. Birdlife congregate on the Tarangire River, and herds of giraffe, zebra, buffalo and, in particular, elephants can be seen accessing the cool waters. Predators such as lions and leopards are also regularly spotted here.

   • In the late afternoon, make a short journey from the park to your special tented camp.

   Dinner and overnight at Kirurumu tented camp: Full board.

3. Day 3: Game Drive in Serengeti National Park

   • Head towards the Serengeti National Park. En-route, there is an opportunity to visit Olduvai Gorge, where that Louis and Mary Leakey made some of the world’s most important archaeological discoveries in the 1950s. You can see evidence of our ancestors that have been dated back 2.5 million years.

   • After lunch, drive into the Serengeti itself, and the rest of the afternoon is spent game viewing in the vast plains that are broken only by stands of acacia trees and the occasional kopje. In December, January and February, you will normally meet the migration with large herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle. There are plenty of resident animals, such as giraffe, buffalo, and elephant, and large predators such as lion, cheetah, and leopard, that are found lurking in every corner of the park.

   • Return to your special tented camp for the night.

   Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Kirurumu tented camp: Full board.

4. Day 4: Game Drive in Serengeti National Park

   • Take another full day of game viewing in this wonderful park. You are advised to wake up early to make the most of your time. 

   • Spend time at the Hippo pool watching these majestic animals laze about in the cool water, coexisting alongside the crocodiles.

   • During the migration season, you can spot predators in the middle of their hunt, surrounded by wildebeest and zebras.

   • Journey from the wide-open plains to the kopjes: these volcanic rocky outcrops provide protection and shelter for a wide variety of wildlife.

   • From the top, you can look out across the vast grasslands of the Serengeti. This diverse and interesting landscape will provide you with the ultimate in game viewing, as well as glimpses of the interesting birdlife, from the elegant secretary birds to the flightless ostrich.

   • Return to your special tented camp for the night.

   Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Kirurumu tented camp: Full board.

5. Day 5: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater

   • Have a final game drive in the Serengeti before heading back into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro special due to the fact that it is a Conservation Area, not a National Park. The whole area is managed for both the animals and the local Maasai people, who graze their cattle alongside the indigenous wildlife. During the drive in Ngorongoro, you'll get a glimpse of the Maasai way of life.

   • After stopping at the entrance gate, to learn more about this fascinating volcanic landscape, drive around the rim of the Crater itself. From here, we can look down and see the herd of wildebeest or buffalos.

   • Descend into the crater. The crater walls provide a natural sanctuary for the animals, which means there is plenty to see: lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos and leopards (if you are lucky). The only animal you won’t see in here is a giraffe, whose long legs are unable to cope with the steeps sides of the crater.

   • In the late afternoon, travel back to your special tented camp.

   Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Kirurumu tented camp: Full board.

6. Day 6: Full Day Game Drive in Ngorongoro Crater

   • Descend 2000 feet (over 600 meters) to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater for your crater tour. Here you will explore the forest areas inhabited by monkeys and elephants, the lake area, where flamingo sightings are common. 

   • Also, visit the open savannah where the lions hunt. Picnic lunch will be served in the crater.

   • In the late afternoon, make a short journey to Lake Manyara at Kirurumu tented camp.

   Dinner and overnight at Kirurumo tented camp: Full board.

7. Day 7: Game Drive in Lake Manyara National Park

   • Depart from the camp and proceed to Lake Manyara National Park. Although small in size, this park is one of the most diverse reserves in the country. Lake Manyara covers two-thirds of the park. At the backdrop is the wall of the Great Rift Valley, before which lies the groundwater forest, areas of open grassland near the lake foreshore, and the Soda Lake.

   • Enjoy a picnic lunch in the open grassland, with hot springs, dense woodlands and steep mountainsides to give you company. Lake Manyara National Park is a birding paradise that has more than 350 species of bird. The park is also famed for its unique and elusive tree-climbing lions.

   • After lunchtime, drive to Kilimanjaro International Airport for the evening flight.