8-Day Tanzania National Parks Safari with Lake Natron Camping

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Day 01

Arusha to Arusha National Park Adventure

• Start in Arusha, a cheerful, bustling town filled with coffee houses and a lively buzz.
• Set off to Arusha National Park and the jewel-like Lake Momella, and glimpse through the bronze bush where the Ngurduto Crater buffalo, waterbuck, giraffe, warthogs, zebra, and gazelle reside throughout the year.
• Set out afoot for a stroll that offers the sensation of feeling Africa's vibrant pulse through the soles of your shoes and experiencing the bush in infinite detail.
• Hike through the lush forest to a sparkling waterfall and continue to a magical place famous for the antics of the black and white colobus monkeys.
• Spend the evening gazing at the stars at a camp close to the park while the chef prepares a delicious meal for you.

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Day 02

Tarangire National Park and Mto wa Mbu

• After a tasty breakfast, head off to the lovely, quiet Tarangire National Park. It is a huge park, with a diverse concentration of wildlife, especially between July and October when the Tarangire River is in full flood.
• After a picnic lunch, drive to Mto wa Mbu and reach the campsite in the late afternoon.
• Relax and enjoy the African evening while savouring a tasty dinner.

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Day 03

Lake Natron's Salt Marshes and Waterfalls

• After a yummy breakfast, depart for Lake Natron, which is famous for its salinity and the unique consequences of this. The microorganisms that prefer an alkaline environment cause the lake's russet tone.
• Explore a curious terrain of salt marshes and freshwater wetlands with its unique flora, leading to sparkling waterfalls. The lake is framed by the incredible Oldoinyo Lengai (Mountain of God in Maa, the language of the Maasai people), an active volcano that carves out hornitos - incredible statues made of cooled lava.
• Spend the evening watching the pink sunset over this incredible landscape.
• Dinner will be served as the first stars appear.

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Day 04

Journey to the Serengeti via Klein's Gate

• After breakfast, say goodbye to Lake Natron and arrive at the world-famous Serengeti National Park.
• Travel through the bustling towns of Loliondo and Wasso, entering through Klein's Gate at the northeast entrance to the park.
• Arrive at the campsite in the centre of the Serengeti and enjoy a delicious dinner in time for a good night's sleep.

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Day 05

Full-Day Safari in the Vast Serengeti Plains

• After a nourishing breakfast, continue into the vast plains of the magnificent Serengeti, which is home to a diverse array of hundreds of species of animal and bird. Each moment of today's adventure will stimulate your senses, with your eyes alert for each new sighting and your ears feasting on the calls, screeches, and buzz of life - or the still, dead silence of the hot noonday.
• Spot some of the park's lesser-known but equally beautiful creatures, including eland, hyenas, gazelle, crocodile, giraffe, zebra, monkeys, baboons, hippo, and rhino. The hundreds of bird species, both endemic and migrating from Eurasia, are a special bonus for bird-watchers.
• Enjoy a freshly cooked, delicious dinner at the campsite in Seronera, under the stars.

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Day 06

Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater Rim

• After breakfast, go for another drive through the sights and sounds of the Serengeti: the golden grasslands dotted with acacia, the endless blue of the skies, and the ever-changing sights. Over here, you might see a rare tree-climbing lion - not as graceful as the leopard, who is a lithe, natural climber - and towards the horizon, a mixed herd of zebra and wildebeest grazing gently.
• After lunch, set off for the next adventure, which explores the unique Ngorongoro Crater.
• Spend the night at Simba Camp, which is on the very rim of the Crater itself. This is an ideal place to rest and relax.
• Enjoy a drink while watching the incredible colours of the sunset range over the savannah and the shadow of night creep into the caldera below.
• Enjoy a delicious dinner by starlight.

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Day 07

Ngorongoro Crater Safari to Mto wa Mbu

• Wake up early in the morning to experience the Crater waking up.
• Spot the Big Five - lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, and water buffalo - in a landscape lush with greens, olives, and gold, topped with the intense blue of the Tanzanian sky.
• Stop for a cheeky picnic lunch near a pond full of hippos: older ones patiently sunning or muddying themselves while the youngsters play and splash.
• Begin the drive to the tranquillity of Fanaka Camp.
• Enjoy a hot, fresh, and tasty dinner under a sky packed full of stars.

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Day 08

Lake Manyara Wildlife Safari and Return to Arusha

• Go on another early start, fuelled by a decent breakfast, to spot the wildlife as they are starting their day. Lake Manyara National Park nestles at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment and is a patchwork of diverse landscapes: the shrubby expanse of the golden savannah, the narrow shores teeming with wildlife, and the still waters of Lake Manyara itself.
• Enjoy a picnic lunch at the heart of the park, accompanied by birds' calls and the buzzing of insects.
• Head for more wildlife spotting, say goodbye to the lake, and drive through Maasai bomas, baobab forest, and rolling savannah plains en route to Arusha.