On arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) you will be met and transferred to your lodge on the outskirts of Arusha, the launchpad for all Northern Tanzania safaris. We will have a trip briefing and the rest of the day will be spent recouping from the long flight. Tomorrow, we begin our journey of a lifetime!

After an early breakfast, we head for Tarangire National Park and the Lake Manyara region. These days will include game drives filled with diverse wildlife viewings including large heards of elephants, giraffe, and vast gatherings of flamingoes (“flamboyance”). We will overnight on the banks of Lake Manyara at Maramboi Tented Lodge.

We’ll be departing for Karatu today, traveling through the Great Rift Valley - a truely amazing landscape. In Karatu we will tour a coffee plantation and have several cultural opportunities, finishing our day and overnighting at the Ngorngoro Farm House where we will have the freedom to relax in the quite beauty of the 500 acre private coffee farm.

After breakfast, we are off to the majestic Ngorongoro Crater, descending 600 meters into the epicenter of a collapsed volcano that hosts almost every species of wildlife present in East Africa. The crater never disappoints with its resident wildlife and majestic landscapes. We end our day with indescribably sunset crater rim views at the Serena Ngorongoro Lodge.

We are off to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, passing through Maasai land and hopefully time with the native Maasai as they welcome us into their villages (Manyattas) and homes (Bomas). We will also spend time around Lake Masek, which is a top safari area in Tanzania due to resident and migrating animal herds. Tonight we will treat ourselves to Lake Masek Tented Lodge.

We’ll be departing on morning and afternoon game drives these days as we enter the vast “endless plains” known simply as the Serengeti, which spans over 12,000 sq. miles. This is big cat territory, with plentiful views of cheetah, lion, and leopard, and scenic views of the Seronera River. We overnight at KubuKubu Tent Lodge surrounded by panoramic views of the savannah.

Today we fly over the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Highlands back to Arusha for some afternoon shopping. You will be transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport in time for your check-in and evening flight.

Chimpanzee Trekking (Mahale and Gombe National Parks)

Visiting Maasai, Hadzabe, or Chagga villages

Zanzibar tropical beach escape

Balloon rides over the Serengeti