12-Day Tanzania Safari with Mara River Crossing and Camping

1

Day 01

Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport and Transfer to Arusha National Park

• Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport, meet the driver-guide, and drive to Arusha National Park.
• Check in at Momella Public Campsite with the driver-guide. Receive a short introduction and explanation of the tour details while the campsite tents are set up.

2

Day 02

Nature Walk and Game Drive in Arusha National Park

• After breakfast, start the day with a beautiful nature walk with an armed ranger. Enjoy the impressive flora and fauna of this area, with waterfalls and huge fig trees. The walk takes about 2-4 hours.
• Return to camp for a hot lunch.
• After lunch, experience the first game drive of this safari in Arusha National Park and watch buffaloes, bushbuck, giraffes, hippos, and many water birds living in and close to the water.
• Enjoy the spectacular views of Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro, along with waterfalls, lakes, swamps, and steep cliffs.
• At the end of the day, return to the camp for dinner and an overnight stay.

3

Day 03

From Arusha National Park to Lake Manyara via Mto Wa Mbu

• After breakfast, check out of camp and begin the drive to Lake Manyara National Park with a stopover at Mto Wa Mbu.
• Spend an hour or two discovering this busy town.
• Learn more about the life of the Maasai and the 100 or so other cultural groups living in this area.
• Visit plantations, meet local craftsmen, taste banana beer in an authentic bar, and walk past the many market stalls with local produce.
• Eat lunch served by a cheerful Tanzanian "mamma" who will delight you with tasty local dishes.
• Continue on an exciting safari in Lake Manyara National Park.
• Upon arrival, set up camp at a beautiful, restful site in the heart of the park at Endabash Public Campsite.
• Settle in, have dinner, and then turn in for the night.

4

Day 04

Sunrise and Afternoon Game Drives in Lake Manyara

• Before breakfast, take part in a sunrise game drive in the calm early morning and, with a little luck, experience a beautiful sunrise over the lake with an abundance of flamingoes and hopefully spot lions close by.
• After this exciting drive, return to the camp for breakfast and have some time to rest and relax.
• After the midday heat, take another game drive on a different route. At this time of day, most animals are making their way down to the river for a much-needed drink. Spot the famous Manyara lions in the trees.
• Alternatively, in consultation with the guide, choose to do an optional excursion at additional cost: go for a night game drive, a guided walk, or the Tree-Top Walkway.
• Later in the evening, return to Endabash Public Campsite for dinner and an overnight stay.

5

Day 05

Journey Through Ngorongoro to Serengeti National Park

• After an early breakfast, check out and take a lunch box while traveling to Serengeti National Park.
• Pass through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This drive offers a spectacular panoramic view over the crater rim, hundreds of meters below. Today is an adventurous safari day, as a large part of this travel route goes straight across the center of Serengeti National Park, through the area of the Seronera River.
• Later in the evening, arrive at Lobo Public Campsite, settle in, have dinner, and then turn in for the night.

6

Day 06

Full-Day Exploration of Northeast Serengeti

• After breakfast, take a full day to explore this part of the Serengeti. The route follows the migration of the animals on the plains along the shores of the Mara River. Crocodiles wait for wildebeest that risk the crossing. With good planning and a bit of luck, witness a spectacle that is hard to put into words.
• Return to Lobo Public Campsite later in the evening for dinner and your overnight stay.

7

Day 07

Game Drive from Northeast to Central Serengeti

• After an early breakfast, with a packed lunch in hand, check out and depart for the Central Serengeti plains.
• Take this full-day game drive, which will consume a large part of the day, while traveling through the Lobo Reserve. This remote area of the Serengeti is somewhat off the beaten track.
• After lunch, head for the Central Serengeti area on a beautiful drive through a magnificently changing landscape.
• Arrive at Seronera Public Campsite in the evening, where camp will be set up and dinner will be served.

8

Day 08

Wildlife Viewing Along the Seronera and Mara Rivers

• After breakfast, take a full-day game drive in the Serengeti. The drive will take you along the shores of the Seronera River and Mara River, offering unforgettable moments and glimpses of wild animals, including wildebeest crossing the river, a hunting cheetah, lions, or other predators, as well as the magnificent silhouette of a giraffe on the horizon.
• Later in the evening, return to Seronera Public Campsite for dinner and an overnight stay.

9

Day 09

Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Ngorongoro Crater Rim

• Rise early and depart for an unforgettable morning game drive. At sunrise, while the bush is awakening and still peaceful, the carnivores are out in hunting mode.
• At midday, return to camp to enjoy a delicious brunch.
• Check out and leave for the next campsite on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater.
• Optional activities at additional cost: visit a Maasai Boma and experience how semi-nomadic communities continue to live according to their age-old traditions.
• Later in the evening, check in at Simba Public Campsite for dinner and an overnight stay.

10

Day 10

Ngorongoro Crater Safari and Transfer to Tarangire

• After breakfast, depart for an unforgettable game drive in the famous Ngorongoro Crater. Wind your way down into the caldera with the most breathtaking views along the way.
• Reach the hippo pool and enjoy all the sights and sounds of the lazy hippos enjoying a wallow in the cool water and a mud bath.
• Ascend back up to the crater rim and return for a hot lunch at the campsite.
• Check out and then travel to Tarangire National Park.
• Upon arrival, check in at Tarangire Public Campsite for dinner and an overnight stay.

11

Day 11

Game Drive in Tarangire National Park

• After breakfast, set off on another game drive in the park, observing elephants, sometimes very close to the campsite as they gather near the river.
• Enjoy a game drive to Larmaku Swamp.
• Later in the evening, return to camp for dinner and your overnight stay.

12

Day 12

Departure from Tarangire to Arusha

• After breakfast and depending on the itinerary, drive to a lodge in Arusha, Arusha Airport for domestic flights, or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your return flight home.