Tanzania - A Safari in the Great Serengeti Savannah

Fly into the Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania. Our representative will meet you at the airport, guide you through arrivals, and drive you to your hotel, the Grand Melia Arusha, where you can relax for the afternoon.

Arusha is located at the foothills of Mount Meru on the eastern side of the Great Rift Valley. This is the gateway to the northern safari circuit, with easy access to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Mount Kilimanjaro, and Mount Meru. Despite its proximity to the equator, Arusha's elevation at 1,400 m (4,600 ft) ensures relatively cool temperatures of between 10 and 30 C (50 and 86F), with little humidity because of the altitude. There is some good shopping available, including the impressive Cultural Heritage, with curio shops, a jewelry boutique, a Tanzanite and precious stone counter, a bargain center, and an art gallery.

In the evening, we'll meet in the lounge for cocktails, take the time to get to know each other, and drink a toast to the start of an exciting African adventure. 

We'll dine at the Machweo Fine Dining Restaurant tonight. Prepare to experience an exquisite dining experience that combines the best of French and African cuisines. Take in breathtaking views while savoring a delicious meal made with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Today, the adventure begins. After breakfast, we'll check out of our hotel and drive to the Great Rift Valley. The planet’s longest land valley stretches 6,000km from Lebanon in the Middle East to Mozambique in south-eastern Africa. Our destination is the best-kept secret on this side of the equator. The Tarangire boasts ancient baobabs, mighty elephants, big cats, and stunning vistas. The Baobab is the world’s largest succulent. 

We're off to the Tarangire National Park.  This is an awe-inspiring place for those who want to experience an adventurous safari with ample comforts. The park boasts large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest, and eland. Not surprisingly, predators like lions, leopards, and cheetahs follow.  

We'll stop for a game drive along the way. Tarangire Elephant Springs Camp is our home for the next two nights. After an exquisite lunch, we'll check in and relax before leaving for an afternoon game drive. 

In the evening, enjoy a lovely dinner with lively exchanges about the terrific Tarangire.

Today, we'll embark on an early morning game drive, embracing the stunning sunrise and vibrant wildlife. After this adventurous start, we'll return to the camp for breakfast and a relaxing morning amidst nature's tranquility.

We'll savor a delightful hot lunch at the camp, taking time to unwind and share stories and photos. In the late afternoon, we'll set off for another game drive, capturing the wildlife in the golden light.

As the sun sets, we'll share a toast to the magic of the day.  What a perfect way to end the day, unwind, and reflect on the day's adventures. Take this opportunity to savor a refreshing beverage and connect with nature. As the setting sun bathes the landscape in warm hues, it creates a magical atmosphere, enhancing the sense of adventure and appreciation of the wilderness. We can share stories of our adventure to date and marvel at the sights and sounds of the African bush as the day transitions into night. It's a time to pause, reflect, and fully immerse yourself in the unique beauty of the safari environment.

We'll end the day with a delicious dinner under the stars, and a restful night's sleep to prepare for tomorrow's adventures. 

After breakfast, we'll drive to Karatu in the green hills of Tanzania’s northern highlands. We will do a game drive en route. Presided over by the towering Ol Donyo Lengai Volcano, this small, colorful town is a popular overnight stop for visitors exploring the area’s many game parks. 

Karatu Acacia Farm Lodge is located on virgin bush in the Ngorongoro volcanic landscape, 20 minutes from the rim of the crater. Ngorongoro Crater has the highest concentration of wildlife in Africa.  

We will arrive in the early afternoon to be greeted by our butler and served lunch overlooking the beautiful gardens. 

After lunch, settle in and relax. 

Why not indulge in a spa treatment or enjoy one of the fantastic activities like the Bird & Butterfly Walk or a Coffee Farm Tour? 

This evening, we'll feast at the lodge, lounge around the fire pit, and share stories.

After breakfast, we'll take an exciting early morning drive to the crater’s floor to find black rhinos, lions, leopards, and more. We'll spend the day in the crater. It’s 610 meters (2,000 feet) deep and 260 square kilometers -100 square miles in area.

En route to the crater floor, we'll stop at a Maasai Bombas Village to immerse ourselves in the Maasai culture and traditions. For centuries, the Maasai have co-existed with African wildlife because the wildlife, like the large cattle herds owned by the Maasai, need wide spaces to survive.

Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the world's largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. It formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago. 

Mid-day, we'll snack on our picnic lunches at a special location on the crater floor. We hope to see some of the "Big and Ugly Five." 

We'll return to our lodge for a sunset dinner, nightcap, and campfire if you wish. 

After breakfast, we'll proceed to the Manyara airstrip to board a flight to the Central Serengeti. We'll take a thrilling game drive en route to the camp. The safari in the Serengeti is in open-air vehicles, so we can get an up close and personal experience with the wildlife. 

Serengeti National Park is a remarkable place known for its expansive landscapes and diverse wildlife. The Great Migration, where thousands of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles migrate in search of fresh grazing areas, stands out as one of the most incredible Serengeti experiences. As the short rains begin in November, the migration starts, so if we are lucky, we will see the start of this awe-inspiring experience, witnessing these animals crossing the plains and rivers. 

We'll savor a delicious lunch with time to check in and relax once we reach the camp. Serengeti Sametu Camp, along the serene banks of the Ngarenanyuki River, is our home for the next two nights. Our camp is a luxurious oasis in the stunning beauty of one of Earth's last true wildernesses.

After a rest, we're off on another exciting game drive, returning at sunset for dinner and a restful night in the Serengeti. 

Today, we'll depart for an early morning optional hot air balloon safari followed by breakfast on the plains. Wildlife is best seen at sunrise. The hot air balloon safari is an optional activity that offers a breathtaking chance to view the animals and the great plains from above. 

For the rest of the morning and early afternoon, we'll do a game drive on our way back to camp. We'll have lunch and a relaxing break before our afternoon trek back into the bush. 

We'll relax over a sunset dinner and share our impressions of the day. 

After a sumptuous breakfast in the Serengeti and a game drive en route to the airstrip, we’ll fly back to Arusha for your return flights that night or the next day. You'll take home many memories of an amazing African safari with new friends. 

In the words of Dr. Bernhard Grizmek of the ‘Serengeti Shall Not Die’ fame: “Large cities continue to proliferate. In the coming decades and centuries, men will not travel to view marvels of engineering, but they will leave the dusty towns to behold the last places on earth where God’s creatures are peacefully living. Palaces can be rebuilt if they are destroyed in wartime, but once the wild animals of the Serengeti are exterminated, no power on earth can bring them back.” 

We'll stop for lunch at the Tumbili Lodge restaurant and be amazed at their lovely gardens. Lunch is at our own expense today, and we can enjoy lively exchanges about our adventures. 

You'll be welcomed back.