Tanzania – The Great Migration

Arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by one of our experienced driver guides, ready to greet and escort you to Arusha and your chosen hotel. He will introduce you to this wonderful city and country. After your long flight, you will be pleased to discover that Arusha – the undisputed ‘safari capital’ of East Africa-is perched at 1400 meters above sea level, keeping the temperatures and humidity relatively low. All around this important city are some of Tanzania’s greatest delights. Mount Meru towers above Arusha, while even distant Kilimanjaro can be seen on a clear day. Arusha provides the ideal starting-point for safari-lovers, within reach of Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. The city even has its own natural attraction, Arusha National Park, close by. Named after the Wa-arusha residents of the town, this busy agricultural, administrative and tourist centre is the perfect place to relax after a long journey and before you set off on safari, the holiday of a lifetime. Welcome to Arusha and welcome to Tanzania! Meal Plan: Dinner Journey time and Distance: 1 hour, 55 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha​

From your Arusha accommodation, and after your breakfast, your driver guide will transfer you to Serengeti National Park (via Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Lake Manyara) in the Central Serengeti. On arrival, you will be met by your tourist information officer, who will take you to your camp to enjoy a hot lunch. After your meal, you leave on an afternoon game-drive for your first taste of the Central Serengeti. Between June and October, there can be simply astonishing numbers of animals gathering along the banks of the Marariver. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Hot lunch and Dinner Journey time and Distance: 6 hours, from Arusha to Seronera in Central Serengeti

As you awake for your second day in Central Serengeti, you can contemplate that parts of this northern area can easily match the Southern Serengeti for the abundance of wildlife viewing, especially between June and September. After your breakfast, you will embark with your driver-guide on a full-day game drive, looking out for elephant and buffalo, eland and gazelle. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to spot something really special: perhaps a cheetah, or even a rare black rhino, of which a small population are resident here. Of course, during these months the Great Migration remains the real focus, with the mighty Ndutu proving the obstacle for wildebeest as they seek to cross to and from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in neighboring Serengeti National Park. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner

Before leaving the Central part of amazing Serengeti, we take the opportunity this morning to spend more time observing this wonder of the natural world. As well as the huge herds, other animals in the Serengeti include giraffe, gazelle, impala, hartebeest and waterbuck – your driver-guide will be on the lookout for these, as well as some of the over 500 species of birdlife that have been spotted here, and will be able to tell you all about them. In the afternoon, we return to the central part of Serengeti, where you will be taken to your chosen accommodation for relaxation and your evening meal. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner Journey time and Distance: 5 hours, 155 km from Central Serengeti to Northern Serengeti

Waking up in the Serengeti is something really special. Sights, sounds and smells of Africa are all around us, and ahead is a full day of adventure in the world’s most famous national park. After breakfast, we start today with the morning section of our game drive in Serengeti National Park, marvelling at the stunning scenery, ever changing light and always entertaining wildlife, all explained to you by your expert driver-guide. After our picnic lunch, we set off again, searching for wildlife in this awe-inspiring park. Serengeti’s wonders evolve subtly as the day progresses. The myriad animals and birds are the ‘stars of the show’ and Nature’s dramas can unfold at any time. Of course, the animals don’t work to any schedule, so we may find lion or leopard, elephant and zebra, cheetah and antelope at any time on our drives. At the end of the afternoon, we return to the camp for dinner and some much needed rest. Note : For those who have booked the Balloon Safari for today, you will be picked up from the camp at 05.00 hours for a 06.00 hours departure. If you wish to book balloon safari, please let us know in advance, The price is $545 per person. After your 60 – 90 minute (depending on wind condition) aerial adventure, experience bush breakfast and champagne, thereafter your driver guide will pick you up for your full-day game drive. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner

The exciting sounds of Africa will wake you from your sleep. We make the most of the day with a 08:00 start, heading off on our morning game-drive. Later, the adventure will continue when we travel up to Ngorongoro, another African icon. It’s almost impossible to spend too much time in Serengeti and with more than 1.6 million herbivores – plus thousands of predators – there’s always something new and interesting to see. The changing seasons and natural light simply add to the diversity. This morning your driver-guide will help you spot some more of the many species at Serengeti, teaching you about their fascinating habits and habitats. After a pleasant picnic lunch, it’s time to drive eastwards to visit another spectacular setting for Tanzania’s wildlife, the famous Ngorongoro Crater. On arrival, settle in at the lodge while a tasty, hot dinner is prepared for you. Tomorrow, the wonders of the crater await us. Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today may be ‘departure day’, but there will be plenty of time to enjoy another true spectacle, before your thoughts turn to home. Ngorongoro Crater is often referred to as a wonder of the world and your early morning game drive shows you why. First, there’s the volcanic caldera (the world’s largest), full of grassland, forest and swamp, a setting of jaw-dropping beauty. Secondly, the permanent water of the crater floor supports a resident population of more than 25,000 large mammals. Here you’ll find many of the reasons you chose to come on safari: elephant, lion, leopard, hyena, jackal, wallowing hippo, waterbuck, baboons... even the rare black rhino finds shelter here. After your early morning game drive, we have our picnic lunch in the crater before we return to the airport for your flight home. You will drive for 5 hours from Ngorongoro Crater Floor to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Meal Plan: Breakfast and Packed Lunch Journey time and Distance: 5 hours, 245 km from Ngorongoro to Airport