An iconic itinerary during which you will have the chance of, not only visiting all the parks of the Northern Safari Circuit of Tanzania (including 3 nights in the Serengeti which is, for us, the ideal timeframe), but also have fascinating cultural experiences in lake Eyasi with the Hadzabe tribe.
Extra tour that could be done: Night game drive inside the park
We will pick you up from your hotel at 8am and take you to a very special national park. Tarangire is famous for its diverse landscape with nine different vegetation zones. The park is particularly known for the abundance of Ancient Baobab trees (the largest trees in the continent) which fill the landscape and dwarf the animals next to them. The river of the park is full of wildlife ranging from a large variety of birds to lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes and, of course, elephants. In fact, the park has the largest concentration of elephants in the whole country and provides unique chances to observe the interaction between elephant families. The lunch area is fascinating, boasting an observatory with amazing views to the river and wildlife (with good chances of seeing a hunt while having your picnic). In the afternoon we will still do a game drive before continuing to your accommodation. Dinner and overnight at campsite or lodge.
Extra tour recommended: Cultural bike tour in Mto Wa Mbu village
Beautiful short journey across the Great Rift Valley until Lake Manyara National Park for a full day game drive. Although small in dimension (205 sq. miles), the park has breathtaking scenery and well famous for its lush acacia forest, giant figs and mahogany trees, as well as to a growing population of baboons and blue monkeys. Permanent residents of this park also include giraffes, elephants, impalas and a huge amount of buffaloes. The lake is also home to a large number of hippos. Some unique facts about this park include the tree climbing lions, flamingos in the lake shore, as well as the Ground Hornbill and the Crested Eagle. The landscapes of Lake Manyara are something that can not be described with words, and the game drives along the lake provide stunning photo opportunities of giraffes and buffaloes in the foreground and the lake (and its flamingos) in the background. During this day, some extra tours are possible, including a bike tour or a boat excursion. In the afternoon, transfer to the camp for dinner. Dinner and overnight at campsite or lodge.
After an early breakfast, depart towards the most famous National park in the World, the Serengeti. The driving itself, although long, is spectacular. You will drive up the crater highlands, making a quick stop at the rim for an out of this world view of Ngorongoro Crater. This will be an unforgettable moment for anyone seeing it for the first time. As you progress well into the Serengeti, you will see why the name means, in local language, "endless plains". The park has 6,900 sq. mile (18,000 sq. km) and for most of it, the plains will stretch to the horizon defying your senses and perception of distances. It is the home of the Great Migration and to 2 million wildebeests, hundreds of thousands of zebras and all kinds of antelopes including the abundant impalas and Thomson's gazelles. As for Big Cats and large predators, it's the place of choice to look out for lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, with many television scenes like the famous river crossings having been filmed in this park. Smaller animals like foxes, mongoose, honey badgers, jackals, monkeys, baboons, rock hyrax and African hares, together with more than 500 species of birds, also inhabit this park. Dinner and overnight at campsite or lodge.
Extra tour recommended: The wonderful balloon flight over the Serengeti plains.
Full days in the Serengeti National Park. We are completely flexible with your preferences and this day will be organized according to your wishes. On every day of the safari, your guide will discuss with you the best timings for you, including the game drives and the wake up time. For example, on this day, you could do a morning game drive, return to the camp for lunch and relaxation and finish with an afternoon game drive, or you could do a full day game drive with picnic lunch. Dinner and overnight at public campsite or private tented camp / lodge.
Possibility for an afternoon walking safari in Ngorongoro highlands.
On this day we suggest a very early wake up in order to do an early morning game drive (when the animals are more active) and see one of the best sunrises you'll ever witness. It's really one of the most beautiful experiences to have. After the game drive, we return to the camp for a rewarding brunch and then we'll proceed to Ngorongoro, the 8th wonder of the Natural World. The crater spreads for 102 sq. miles and has 2.000 ft high walls, making it virtually a Noah's ark and inhabiting almost every species of wildlife that is indigenous to East Africa. It's one of the very rare locations in the whole continent where you can witness the black Rhino. The concentration of African wildlife if the greatest in the continent. The crater has a river, several swamps, a soda lake with a great concentration of flamingos, a forest and open plains. It's also famous for its elephants which are the largest in the world and have huge tusks. This is due to the rich mineral content of the volcanic soil and its grasses. Ngorongoro Crater is truly a Wonder of the Natural World. You will reach Ngorongoro in time for a sundowner. Dinner and overnight at campsite or lodge.
Possibility to add a walking safari in the afternoon, after the game drive in the Crater.
We will start the day very early and descend into the crater floor for an incredible morning of wildlife in one of the most stunning places on Earth. After the game drive, there will be time for a picnic lunch near the beautiful hippo Lake. After lunch, we will have time for a short game drive and then ascend the crater and exit Ngorongoro Conservation Area towards Lake Eyasi, where you will have a unique and fascinating cultural experience on the next day.
Today will be a very special and different day. You will wake up very early, just before sunrise, and follow your guide until he finds the Hadzabe tribe, one of the last true nomadic tribes in Africa. After some explanations about the tribe, you will join them in their daily morning activities. This experience is out of the beaten track and does not feel touristic by any means. The photographic opportunities are out of this world. This tour will definitely be a highlight of your safari. The experiences you do with the tribe can either be joining the men in their daily hunting, or the women in their fruit gathering session. In either of them, you will learn about many aspects of the hadzabe way of living. After finishing the activities with the tribe, we will visit the beautiful Lake Eyasi, a season shallow salt lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley and then return to Arusha. We expect to be back in Arusha around 5pm although we are flexible in case there is a flight to catch or another situation.