Day 1 : ARRIVAL ARUSHA LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK (120km 2 hrs)
Meet your tour driver-guide at Arusha Serena hotel at 12:30 pm (travellers must arrive earlier or have stayed overnight at an Arusha Hotel to join the scheduled safari. The safari will continue without clients that have not arrived by the departure time and additional costs incurred to arrange for the clients to meet up with the safari group will need to be borne directly by the client on the ground). Depart Arusha passing through the Maasai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee and banana plantations. At the town of Makuyuni turn North West and continue the journey through a scenic escarpment that brings you to your lodge, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley with stunning views over the distant Lake Manyara. Standing high on the edge of a towering terracotta escarpment with panoramic views over the glittering alkaline waters of Lake Manyara, Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge offers a unique blend of tranquillity, wildlife discovery, and ornithological richness. Designed to reflect the brilliance of Lake Manyara's unique birdlife, the architectural motif melds swooping avian curves with the gentle concentric patterns of traditional Maasai Bomas' , while the vibrantly coloured wall frescoes depict the colourful intricacy of bird migratory patterns.
Overnight in Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge
Day 2 : LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (245km 5 hrs)
After a delicious breakfast, there is a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Return to the lodge for lunch. Afterwards, leaving Lake Manyara behind, the journey continues North West across the stunning hilly countryside of the highlands which is filled with wheat and coffee plantations, and then into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From here lie the vast plains of the Serengeti, where you begin spotting wildlife as you approach the entrance gate. Complete the formalities and enter the park with game viewing en route to the lodge. Arrive at Serengeti Serena Lodge, check-in and enjoy a tasty dinner. Set high on the saddle of a tree-clad ridge, commanding panoramic views across the Serengeti, this lodge is the ultimate fusion of traditional African architecture and world-class style. Centrally located adjacent to the famous Western Corridor and Grumeti River, the lodge has been designed to blend completely into the living landscape. The lodge has been styled to offer a showcase of cultural performance, heritage and traditional art. This is best illustrated by the lavish Makonde carvings which decorate both the rooms and the stunning domed dining room. As for wildlife, the Serengeti National Park offers not only all the members of The Big Five' (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard and buffalo), but also the annual migration' of over one million wildebeests and their attendant cast of predators.
Overnight in Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge
Day 3 : SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK (5-6 hrs on game drives)
In the morning, wake up to breakfast at the lodge and depart for your next adventure. The Serengeti National Park is famed for being home to millions of animals and the annual Great Migration of wildebeests, zebras and gazelles but the dramatic landscapes in which the wildlife prowls are themselves worthy of admiration during the morning and afternoon game drives, with a stop around midday to have lunch at the lodge. Riverine forests and woodlands, rocky outcrops called kopjes and a volcano are just some of the backdrops in which the animals can be spotted during the game drives. With some luck, here you will see the Big Five: the lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. Birds and reptiles are also plentiful in the national park. In the evening, enjoy dinner at the lodge.
Overnight in Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Day 4 : SERENGETI NATIONAL PARKNGORONGORO CRATER (190km 4 hrs)
After breakfast, you depart for Ngorongoro. Enjoy viewing game across the vast Serengeti plains and stopping en route for a picnic lunch. Continue to Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, set high on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater, arriving just in time for dinner. Regularly voted one of the best hotels in the world, this unique lodge clings to the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, the largest and most perfect volcanic crater on Earth. Long and low, the lodge is built from local river stone and camouflaged with indigenous vines. Designed to blend completely into the landscape, it is entirely invisible from the floor of the Crater 600 metres below. Known as The eighth wonder of the world' the Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa's best-known wildlife arenas. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it offers a unique biosphere, which has remained virtually unchanged since the dawn of time. Deep within the Crater, enclosed by towering walls, some 25,000 large mammals wander the plains, lakes and forests of The land that time forgot', dominated by enormous bull elephants, rhinos and lions.
Overnight in Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Day 5 : NGORONGORO CRATER (5-6 hrs on game drives)
Have a delicious breakfast and depart to explore what is commonly referred to as the Worlds largest natural wildlife arena. Descend with a picnic lunch through the early morning mists, going 2,000 feet into the crater. Ngorongoro Crater is the Worlds largest intact volcanic caldera. Due to its size and diversity, the crater floor is comprised of several distinct areas, ranging from forest, swamps, lakes and springs, to open grassland and some sandy dunes. This area promises you a truly unique wildlife experience. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon and spend the rest of the day at leisure. In the evening, wrap the day up with dinner.
Overnight in hotel in Ngorongoro.
Day 6 : NGORONGORO TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK (195km 4 hrs)
Depart Ngorongoro Crater after breakfast, heading southeast past Lake Manyara and Mto Wa Mbu Village. Drive through the highlands and the Karatu district, admiring the scenic wheat plains and coffee plantations. Turn south on to the main Arusha Dodoma road and enter the park. From here to the Tarangire Sopa Lodge, enjoy a game drive en-route. After lunch, board your safari vehicle and enjoy an afternoon game viewing within the park. Hidden among the kopjes, lies Tarangire Sopa Lodge, surrounded by ancient baobab trees. It is the home to one of the greatest concentration of elephants in Africa, and other game including the elusive leopard. Over 400 bird species have been identified within the park. With water constantly available through the Tarangire River, the greenery is lush providing a wonderful contrast to the burnt ground. The lodge boasts 75 spacious rooms, all with a private lounge on entering and a mini bar. Each room is carpeted, has two queen size beds with a mosquito net around them. Ceiling fans keep the rooms cool and the glass sliding doors open out on to a balcony, with a great view of the landscape beyond. In the evening, have dinner at the lodge.
Overnight in Tarangire Sopa Lodge
Day 7 : TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK DEPART ARUSHA (155km 3 hrs)
Depart after breakfast and head northeast to Arusha. The journey will pass through the Maasai Steppe, filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee and banana plantations. On arrival in Arusha, you will be dropped off at a City Centre Hotel at around 02:00 pm. Flights to be booked 04:00 pm onwards.