“Karibu!” – welcome in Swahili. Looking for a new adventure? Have you dreamed of seeing wildlife in its native habitat? Do you desire to learn about new cultures? If so, this quintessential Tanzania safari is for you. Admire herds of elephant as they thunder across the savannah grasslands, see a pride of lions lounging in the African sun, and witness the free spirit of the birds flying overhead.
A highlight on this safari is Serengeti National Park, Tanzania’s largest park and home to the annual wildebeest migration. Here embark on three game drives where you may spot the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo. We have also arranged an exclusive bush breakfast, a truly memorable experience!
A full-day game drive in Ngorongoro Crater offers you the best possibility of seeing the rare black rhinoceros. Other stops include Lake Manyara National Park, home to the world’s largest concentration of baboon and Tarangire National Park, where a permanent water source draws in elephant, eland, zebra, Cape buffalo, wildebeest, and more. Tanzania offers much more than a great safari destination and this tour also gives you insights into the local culture. Visit a local family’s home in Tloma as well as a local primary school, where you’ll learn about the educational system in rural Tanzania.
Highlights:
- In ARUSHA, visit the Shanga workshop
- In TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK experience three game drives
- At LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK enjoy two game drives
- At TLOMA visit a local family’s home to learn about Iraqw culture and visit a local primary school
- At NGORONGORO CRATER take in a full-day game drive
- At the SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK enjoy three game drives; sundowner drinks; traditional Maasai dance performance; bush breakfast
Day 1: Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Welcome to Africa! Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Day 2: Arusha/Tarangire National Park
Start today with a visit to the SHANGA WORKSHOP, a remarkable place dedicated to providing employment opportunities to Tanzanians with disabilities. Here, workers use recycled materials to make a variety of handicrafts. After lunch, drive south to TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK, where the savannah grasslands are dotted with baobab and acacia trees. Enjoy a GAME DRIVE en route to your lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Tarangire
Today features MORNING & AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES. The Tarangire River provides the park a permanent water source, which makes for great game viewing year round. This is highlighted by a large population of elephants. You can also see wildebeest, eland, zebra, and Cape buffalo congregate around water holes. Relax at your lodge during the heat of the day.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Tarangire - Lake Manyara National Park
This morning, depart for LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment. This small park is ecologically diverse, with groundwater forests, grassy plains, and alkaline Lake Manyara itself. Enjoy MORNING & AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES, with the chance to see elephant, giraffe, zebra, and Cape buffalo. The park is also home to the world’s largest concentration of baboon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Lake Manyara-Tloma-Ngorongoro Center
Journey to the nearby village of TLOMA. Here, you will visit a LOCAL FAMILY’S HOME to learn more about the local Iraqw culture and their traditional way of life. Also, stop at a LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL to visit with the children and learn about the educational system in rural Tanzania. After lunch at beautiful Gibb’s Farm, continue on to the rim of NGORONGORO CRATER, which is part of the larger Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Ngorongoro
Descend into the crater for a FULL-DAY GAME DRIVE. Ngorongoro Crater is technically a caldera—the world’s largest unflooded one, in fact, at more than 2,000 feet deep with a floor covering over 102 square miles. Game viewing here is fantastic, as most of the animals stay in this area year round. You can see lion, Cape buffalo, hippo, elephant, and flamingo. This is also your best chance to see the rare black rhinoceros. A picnic lunch will be served in the crater.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Ngorongoro-Serengeti National Park
This morning, depart Ngorongoro Crater for SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK, Tanzania’s largest and most famous park. Home to the annual Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra, generally between late November and July, the Serengeti attracts visitors from around the world and is great for game viewing year round. After lunch at your lodge, embark on an AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE. As the sun sets, savor SUNDOWNER DRINKS and watch a TRADITIONAL MAASAI DANCE PERFORMANCE.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
NOTE: The Great Migration is a natural event, and the exact arrival/departure of the migrating herds varies slightly from year to year.
Day 8: Serengeti
The Serengeti covers an area of roughly 5,700 square miles, so it is no surprise that the name comes from the Maasai word siringit, meaning “endless plains.” Rise early for a MORNING GAME DRIVE. Your skilled guide will help you search for the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, elephant, and rhino—as well as an abundance of other animals, including cheetah, giraffe, warthog, gazelle, and eland. Afterwards, an exclusive BUSH BREAKFAST awaits. Sip on a mimosa as you savor every moment of the memorable experience! Return to your camp and relax prior to your AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Serengeti/Arusha/Home
This morning, fly back to Arusha, where your tour ends. We have secured a day room at the Mount Meru Hotel for you to use prior to your homebound flight. Book homebound flights after 5 pm.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
