Itinerary

1. ARRIVE IN TANZANIA

   • Arrive anytime at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). The do a private transfer from the airport to the hotel in Arusha. We will be staying at the Moivaro Coffee Lodge, which is beautifully located on the coffee farms and is a perfect place to prepare for your adventure.

   • Gather in the evening at 5:30 pm for a pre-safari briefing and an equipment check. We will also confirm that you have the appropriate mandatory medical coverage and travel insurance.

   Dinner and overnight at Moivaro Coffee Lodge: Half board.

2. GAME DRIVE IN LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

   • Drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a full day of game drives. This is one of Tanzania’s smaller parks but still offers a rewarding and diverse safari experience. The lake shore at Manyara teems with bird life, and while you are looking for the birds, you might spot one of the elusive tree-climbing lions. There are a surprising number of other large mammals and the striking cliffs on the Rift escarpment form a dramatic backdrop.

   • In the late afternoon, we make a short journey from the park to our special wilderness lodge. 

   Dinner and overnight at Marera Valley Safari Lodge: Full board.

3. SERENGETI WILDEBEEST MIGRATION TRACKING SAFARI

   • Head towards the Serengeti National Park.

   • En route, there is an opportunity to visit Olduvai Gorge. It is within this steep-sided ravine that Louis and Mary Leakey made some of the world’s most important archaeological discoveries in the 1950s. Here is a small museum, we can see evidence of our ancestors, dating back to 2.5 million years.

   • After lunch, continue with a drive into the Serengeti itself and the rest of the afternoon is spent game viewing in the vast plains that are broken only by stands of acacia trees and the occasional kopje. In December, February and March we will normally meet the migration with large herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle. There are always plenty of resident animals, such as giraffe, buffalo, and elephant, and many large predators such as lion, cheetah, and leopard.

   • Return to our special tented camp for the night. 

   Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Acacia Tented Camp: Full board.

4. SERENGETI WILDEBEEST MIGRATION TRACKING SAFARI

   • Enjoy a full day in this wonderful park, so rise early to make the most of our time. Your Tanzanian guides will choose the best spotting locations for the time of year; we can spend time at the Hippo pool watching these majestic animals laze about in the cool water happily living alongside the crocodiles, watch a big pride of lions, be in the middle of the migration, sometimes surrounded by wildebeest, sometimes by zebras, which travel with the wildebeest. We journey from the wide open plains to the kopjes: these volcanic rocky outcrops provide protection and shelter for a wide variety of animals and from the top, we can look out across the vast grasslands of the Serengeti. This diverse and interesting landscape will provide us with the ultimate in game viewing, we will hopefully see all of the plain games; elephants, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, lions and if you are lucky the elusive leopard and cheetah, as well as huge amounts of interesting birdlife, from the elegant secretary birds to the flightless ostrich.

   • Return to our special tented camp for the night. 

   Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Acacia Tented Camp: Full board.

5. Serengeti wildebeest migration tracking safari

   • After breakfast, we will take our packed lunch with us and proceed with the game drive in the Serengeti National Park. The migration can be seen on a long chain approximately 40 km, heading in the southwestern direction.

   • At around 12:30 or 13:00, break for your lunch.

   • After having our lunch, we will proceed with our game viewing following the move of the migrants on the southwest of the park. Approximately 1.3 million wildebeest, 250,000 gazelles and 200,000 zebras have been recorded sharing the short grass here. 

   Dinner and overnight at Serengeti Acacia Tented Camp: Full board.

6. Ndutu wildebeest migration tracking safari

   • After breakfast, we will start at 8:30 am for a full day Ndutu area. A striking characteristic of this area is the stunning acacia woodland, which is immediately surrounded by the short grass plains. Within this wooded area is Lake Ndutu – one of the Rift Valley’s soda lakes. At the height of the wildebeest migration, and when heavy rains have fallen, often lines of wildebeest can be seen crossing the lake. Accompanying the wildebeest are large numbers of zebra and Thomson gazelles. Tanzania is spoilt because of the migration. No other African county has game like it. In the dry season, the game around Ndutu is much like game viewing in any of the southern African countries. In some cases, it is still better and you can never take away the feeling of space and wonder that the Serengeti evokes.

   Dinner and overnight at Lake Ndutu Tented Camp: Full board.

7. Game drive in ngorongoro crater

   • Start the day with an early morning game drive before heading to Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Ngorongoro is a special place in that it is a Conservation Area, not a National Park; this means that the whole area is managed for both the animals and the local Masai people who graze their cattle alongside the indigenous wildlife.

   • During the drive in Ngorongoro, we have a chance to glimpse something of the Masai way of life.

   • After stopping at the entrance gate, where there is a chance to learn more about this fascinating volcanic landscape, we will drive around the rim of the Crater itself, and from here we can look down and see the herd of wildebeest or buffalos.

   • Descend into the crater. The crater walls provide a natural sanctuary for the animals, which means there is plenty to see: lions, elephants, buffalo, rhino and leopard (if you are lucky). The only animal you won’t see in here is a giraffe, whose long legs are unable to cope with the steeps sides of the crater.

   • In the late afternoon, travel just outside of the Crater to our special tented camp. 

   Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Kirurumu Tented Camp: Full board.

8. Game drive in tarangire national park

   • Drive to Tarangire National Park, for excellent game viewing. Tarangire is a small park which offers some excellent sights. Generally, in the dry seasons, Tarangire comes alive as wildlife and birdlife congregate on the Tarangire River, which is a permanent source of water.

   • Spend the night in our lodge beautifully set inside the park with stunning views and a unique atmosphere. 

   Dinner and overnight at Tarangire Safari Lodge: Full board.

9. Tarangire cultural experience tour

   • After morning breakfast at Tarangire Safari Lodge, spend the rest of the day freely,  relax and or explore the nearby Maasai cultural places such as going on a walk to visit the Datoga tribes. The Maasai live in the areas as well as the Datoga. Learn about their history and enjoy fascinating breathtaking views from several hilltop peaks in the area.

   Dinner and overnight at Tarangire Roika Tented Lodge: Full board.

10. TARANGIRE TO KIA LODGE

    • This lovely lodge is located near the airport and your accommodations will be in one of the 40 charming bungalows set among the gardens. The open-air bar has a magnificent view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Relax the remaining of the day by the pool, or soak in the view from your bungalow. A late dinner buffet for those flying in late is provided.

    Dinner and overnight at Kia Lodge: Half board.