Arusha

On arrival into Kilimanjaro airport, transfer to the Lake Duluti Serena Hotel in Arusha for one night. Enjoy a comfortable start to your safari in this lodge set amidst coffee plantations on the shores of pretty Lake Duluti.

Overnight: Lake Duluti Serena Hotel.

Arusha to Lake Manyara

Today travel to Lake Manyara in time for lunch. Embark on an afternoon game drive in this small but richly populated national park, whose best known inhabitants are its tree-climbing lions. The park also plays host to hippo, monkeys and abundant bird life, and its seasonal soda lake attracts clouds of pink flamingo. Arrive at the Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp late this afternoon — a simple but comfortable camp which lies approx. ten minutes from the entrance of Lake Manyara National Park. Accommodation here is a mix of canvas tented chalets and self-contained cottages, which are spread throughout the grounds and designed to blend in with the natural environment. You will stay in one of the safari-style tents on stilts with canvas walls. Settle in to your room then enjoy dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp. B, L, D.

Lake Manyara to Serengeti

After breakfast, depart for the Serengeti National Park, with a picnic lunch en route. On reaching the national park, enjoy an afternoon game drive seeking out magnificent wildlife amongst the rolling plains. Perhaps spot herds of wildebeest, leaping gazelles, or a pride of lions lounging in the shade. Dinner is at the Serengeti Explorer Camp, where you will stay for three nights. This is a semi-permanent camp – it moves between three exclusive locations inside the national park depending on the time of year and the whereabouts of the most prolific wildlife. All of the locations are excellent for game viewing and for witnessing the herds of the great migration. Typically, from December to mid-March camp will be set up in the Ndutu area in the south-central area of the park, towards to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From June to mid-August it sits in the western corridor close to the Grumeti River, and from mid-August to October you’ll find it in a more north-central spot. The camp is comprised of ten fully furnished en-suite tents that have recently been renovated.  All tents have a spacious private terrace, and recharging points are available for cameras and laptops. At night, a line of oil lanterns will light the way back to your tent. This is authentic but impressively comfortable bush camping. You’ll enjoy meals cooked by your personal camp chef and served by the camp’s waiter in the dining tent, and prices include local beer, house wine and soft drinks. Lunch can be served al fresco at the camp or you can arrange to have a picnic lunch, which allows for extended game viewing. The camp has an environmentally friendly ethos to ensure the conservation of the ecosystem in which it operates.

Overnight: Serengeti Kati Kati Camp. B, L, D.

Serengeti

Today you can enjoy a full day in the Serengeti, with your expert driver/guide taking you to the very best wildlife viewing areas to seek out big game. Known locally by its Maasai name, ‘Siringitu’ – ‘the place where the land runs on forever’ – Tanzania’s oldest national park was originally created to protect the path of the annual Great Migration.

Overnight: Serengeti Kati Kati Camp. B, L, D.

Serengeti

Spend another full day discovering the Serengeti’s rich and diverse ecosystem, with thrilling morning and afternoon game drives.

Overnight: Serengeti Kati Kati Camp. B, L, D.

Serengeti to Ngorongoro

Today you’ll leave the Serengeti and drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a picnic lunch en route. On arrival, take a crater tour and descend 600 metres to the floor of this volcanic crater that is home to the Big Five, cheetah, hyena and herds of elephant, as well as dramatic and beautiful landscapes. There is good game viewing year-round here, as most animals do not leave the crater. Maasai tribesmen are allowed to graze their cattle during the day to be sure to look out for their traditional scarlet robes as they guide cattle down the steep crater walls. Later you will visit the archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge where some of the earliest humanoid remains were discovered. Known as the ‘cradle of mankind’, it is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world. Spend tonight at the Ngorongoro Farm House – a welcoming working farm with 50 cottage-style rooms and a swimming pool. Built in the style of an old colonial farm, the house sits a short distance outside of the national park, facing the Oldeani Volcano. Rooms are spacious with four-poster beds and private terraces.

Overnight: Ngorongoro Farm House. B, L, D.

Ngorongoro to Arusha

Leave Ngorongoro this morning to travel back to Arusha and transfer to the airport for your return flight.