DAY 1: GAME DRIVE IN LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK.
We depart from your lodge in Arusha or Moshi 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. We enjoy a picnic lunch in this area, consisting of open grassy areas, hot springs, dense woodlands, and steep mountainsides. 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.
Dinner and overnight at Jambo campsite: Bed, dinner, breakfast, and lunch.
DAY 2: GAME DRIVE IN NGORONGORO CRATER.
We start the day with an early morning game drive before heading to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro is a special place in that it is a Conservation Area, not a National Park; this means that the whole area is managed for both the animals and the local Masai people who graze their cattle alongside the indigenous wildlife. During the drive-in Ngorongoro, we have a chance to glimpse something of the Masai way of life. After stopping at the entrance gate, where there is a chance to learn more about this fascinating volcanic landscape, we will drive around the rim of the Crater itself, and from here, we can look down and see the herd of wildebeest or buffalos. Finally, we descend into the Crater. The crater walls provide a natural sanctuary for the animals, which means there is plenty to see: lions, elephants, buffalo, rhino, and leopard (if you are lucky). The only animal you won’t see here is a giraffe, whose long legs cannot cope with the steeps sides of the Crater. In the late afternoon, we travel back to our budget campsite.
Dinner and overnight at Simba campsite: Bed, dinner, breakfast, and lunch.
DAY 3: GAME DRIVE IN SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK.
We proceed to Olduvai Gorge, known as the ‘Cradle of Mankind’. In the Great Rift Valley, it was here that the remains of early hominids dating back 2 million years were uncovered. Afterwards, we visit the most famous wildlife sanctuary in the world – Serengeti National Park. The word ‘Serengeti’ means ‘endless plains’, which describes the park’s 5,600 square mile boundary. Yet, for its sprawling area, the Serengeti does not disappoint when it comes to rich game-viewing. The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth. Dinner and overnight at Seronera campsite: Bed, dinner, breakfast, and lunch.
DAY 4: ANOTHER FULL DAY GAME DRIVE IN SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK.
We embark on an encore game drive in the expansive Serengeti National Park. You can add an optional hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti for $599 per person. The Serengeti boasts one of the most varied collections of wildlife on the planet. Annually, from May to December, millions of animals embark on a migration, bringing them from central Serengeti to Kenya’s Masai Mara and back again in an incredible spectacle. Even during the ‘down-time’, vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle roam here, along with groups of elephant, giraffe, and buffalo, as the lions, leopard, cheetah, hyenas, and jackals stalk their meals.
Dinner and overnight at Seronera campsite: Bed, dinner, breakfast, and lunch.
DAY 5: GAME DRIVE IN SERENGETI VIA NGORONGORO TARANGIRE.
Today you’ll experience the culture and traditions of the local Maasai on the way from Serengeti to Tarangire National Park. Your local guide will show you a Maasai Boma and explain how Maasai lives in the conservation area; after a short visit to the Maasai boma, we will drive straight to Tarangire National Park.
Dinner and overnight at the campsite: Bed, dinner, breakfast, and lunch.
DAY 6: GAME DRIVE IN TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK.
After breakfast, we depart from your campsite and proceed to Tarangire National Park. One of Africa’s little-known gems should be on the itinerary of all lovers of wilderness and solitude. We stay and overnight inside the park at the campsite.
Dinner and overnight in Tarangire at the campsite: Bed, dinner, breakfast, and lunch.
DAY 7: GAME DRIVE IN TARANGIRE VIA ARUSHA TO THE AIRPORT.
We begin early before the sun rises at 6:00 am this morning. We will view animals from 6:00 am until 8:30 am, which is considered prime viewing time. At 8:30 am, we will return to the campsite for breakfast and check out. After breakfast, we continue with our game viewing until we head back to Arusha or Moshi. The viewing time will depend upon the time of your departure flight. We can drop you off at Arusha or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO).
