Tanzania Ngorongoro & Serengeti

Your safari begins with an early pick-up from your Arusha hotel or Kilimanjaro International Airport. We drive through the scenic Great Rift Valley escarpment to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its dense groundwater forest, tree climbing lions and vast flocks of flamingos along the alkaline lake shore. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in search of elephant, giraffe, hippo and the park's rich birdlife before checking in to your lodge or tented camp for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, drive up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, arriving in time to settle into your lodge with panoramic views over the world's largest intact volcanic caldera. The remainder of the day is free to relax and take in the views, with an optional visit to a local Maasai boma (village) to learn about traditional pastoralist life - a rewarding cultural add-on many of our guests choose to include.

Descend at dawn into the Ngorongoro Crater floor - a natural amphitheatre 600 metres deep and home to an estimated 25,000 large mammals, including one of Africa's best chances of spotting the elusive black rhino. Expect dense concentrations of lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, zebra and wildebeest against a backdrop of Lerai Forest and the crater's soda lake. After a picnic lunch beside the Ngoitokitok springs, we climb back up the rim and continue across the short
grass plains of the Ngorongoro Highlands into the Serengeti, arriving at your camp in time for sundowners.

A full day exploring the Serengeti's classic Seronera Valley, one of the richest big-cat territories in Africa year-round thanks to its permanent water sources. This is prime territory for leopard sightings along the river's sausage trees, as well as resident lion prides, cheetah on the open plains, and (depending on the season) the spectacle of the Great Wildebeest Migration. Game drives are conducted at dawn and dusk when wildlife is most active, with a relaxed picnic lunch out in the bush.

Enjoy one final sunrise game drive as we make our way out of the Serengeti, keeping eyes open for any last sightings, before the drive back to Arusha via the Ngorongoro Highlands, arriving in the late afternoon in time for your onward flight or transfer. For guests wishing to extend the adventure, this safari connects seamlessly with our Zanzibar Beach Escape for the classic 'bush and beach' combination.