Tanzania Seat-in-Vehicle Safari

DAY 01: ARRIVE ARUSHA Arusha

Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport by scheduled flight (flight booked by agent or own arrangements). You clear customs and immigration formalities and are met outside opposite the Arrivals Hall by our representative. He will assist you to your transfer vehicle for your transfer to the hotel.

Overnight Arusha Serena Hotel on bed and breakfast basis (excludes other meals, drinks and laundry) (Standard room)

Arusha Serena Hotel
This unique hotel stands amid coffee plantations on the shores of tranquil Lake Duluti. Designed to echo the traditional style of the colonial coffee farm, which originally stood on this site, Arusha Serena Hotel offers a range of tastefully presented cottage-styled rooms set amid extensive landscaped grounds. Standing at the gateway to the famous Tanzanian ‘Northern Safari Circuit', the hotel offers a broad range of attractions, which include walking, mountain biking and canoeing on Lake Duluti (all at additional costs). The hotel features a stone-built reception with an adjoining lounge, library, restaurant, boutique and business centre. Imposing in stature and spacious in concept, the design of the new building echoes the hotel's original incarnation as a working coffee farm dating back to colonial times.

DAY 02: ARUSHA – TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Morning at leisure with optional activities (payable direct).
Safari briefing and lunch at the hotel. Then depart to Tarangire National Park. As you make your way out of Arusha, you leave the busy city behind, and the landscape gives way to vast plains dotted with grass thatched huts. It will be common to see young children tending to herds of cattle and sheep. In the distance, the imposing wall of the Great Rift rises from the horizon. Once you pass the park gate, you begin game viewing as you make your way to the lodge, arriving for dinner and overnight.

Overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge on full board basis (excludes laundry and drinks)

Tarangire National Park
The park is named after the Tarangire River which runs through it and is known for its large herds of elephants and diverse wildlife. The park covers an area of 2,850 square kilometres and is home to over 550 bird species, as well as lions, leopards, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, and many more animals. The park is also known for its baobab trees and picturesque views of the Maasai Steppe and the Rift Valley. It is a popular destination for wildlife safaris and outdoor adventure activities.

Tarangire Sopa Lodge
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. Spacious and airy with marble floors, the lobby has glass sliding doors that open out to a veranda where one can relax and enjoy the view. The ceiling has a wooden finishing, and the décor with plants in strategic places, gives it a feeling of total relaxation, much needed after the long and dusty drive to the lodge. There is also a swimming pool for those that want to take a refreshing dip. The lodge boasts 75 spacious rooms, all with a private lounge on entering. Each room is carpeted, has 2 queen size beds with a mosquito net around them. Ceiling fans keep the rooms cool and glass sliding doors that open out on to a balcony, with a great view of the landscape beyond.

DAY 04: LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK - SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast depart on a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Return to the lodge for lunch. Leaving Lake Manyara behind, the journey continues Northwest 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. Once you pass the Naabi Gate – the gateway to Serengeti National Park – you game view en route to the lodge arriving for dinner and overnight.

Overnight at Serengeti Serena Lodge on full board basis (excludes laundry and drinks)

Serengeti National Park
Serengeti National Park covers an area of approximately 14,750 square kilometres and is known for its vast savannah grasslands, iconic wildlife, and annual wildebeest migration. The park is home to the "big five" animals: lions, elephants, leopards, rhinoceros, and Cape buffalos, as well as cheetahs, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, and many other species of mammals and birds. The annual wildebeest migration, where over a million wildebeest and other herbivores migrate in search of greener pastures, is one of the most spectacular natural events in the world. The park is also home to the Maasai people, who have lived in the area for centuries and still practice their traditional way of life. Serengeti National Park is a popular destination for wildlife safaris and hot air balloon safaris, and its stunning landscapes and wildlife attract visitors from all over the world.

Serengeti Serena Lodge
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. A series of traditional domed ‘rondavels' are widely spaced throughout the grounds, which are cooled by groves of acacia trees and watered by sparkling streams. On the very edge of the ridge is a ‘vanishing horizon' pool, which looks out over the ‘endless plains' after which the Serengeti is named. The lodge has been styled to offer a showcase of cultural performance, heritage and traditional art, which 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 wildebeest and their attendant cast of predators.

DAY 03: TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK – LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

Morning board your safari vehicle for game viewing within the park in search of lion prides and elephant herds. Drive through the baobab tree lined park and explore the silale swamp. Return to your lodge for lunch.

Afternoon drive north through the park and to the town of Makuyuni where you 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.

Overnight at Lake Manyara Serena on full board basis (excludes laundry and drinks)

Lake Manyara National Park
The park is named after Lake Manyara, a shallow alkaline lake that is a prominent feature of the park. The park covers an area of 330 square kilometres and is known for its diverse wildlife, including large herds of elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, baboons, and various species of antelope. The park is known as home to tree-climbing lions, a behaviour that can be observed in other areas of Africa. In addition to its wildlife, the park is known for its birdlife, with over 400 bird species recorded, including flamingos, pelicans, storks, and various birds of prey. The park's terrain varies from dense forests to open grassy plains, and the views of the Great Rift Valley and the surrounding landscapes are breath-taking. It is a popular destination for wildlife safaris and bird watching tours.

Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
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. The unprecedented range of high-adventure sports include mountain biking, canoeing, forest walks and treetop walkway, while cultural choices include tours of the neighbouring villages and traditional lunch (all at additional costs). Grouped around a central ‘vanishing horizon' pool, this highly unusual lodge features a simple timbered reception area, built in traditional African style, which is accessed via a bridge over a small stream. Beyond reception, lies the central dining room, bar and veranda, below which lies the pool. Perched on the very edge of the cliffs, with stunning views over the lake is the pool bar and observation point. Dotted around the grounds, all with views over the lake, are a series of circular two-story ‘rondavels', which house the rooms. 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.

DAY 05: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti National Park.

Optional shared hot air balloon safari:
Early morning hot air balloon flight inclusive of breakfast. Early morning shared transfer in the balloon company vehicle to the balloon staging site. You meet the pilot who provides a safety briefing while the crew inflate the hot air balloon. At sunrise, you shared hot air balloon lifts off over the Serengeti plains. At times, your pilot will ascend to a higher altitude to give you an overview of the ecosystem. Then you descend to just above treetop level to silently observe the wildlife below. After about 50 minutes, you land and are met by the balloon staff to transport you to your shared bush breakfast.
The balloon safari is optional. Costs must be added to the tour price. USD 590 per person

Overnight at Serengeti Serena Lodge on full board basis (excludes laundry and drinks)

DAY 06: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK - NGORONGORO CRATER

After breakfast you depart for Ngorongoro with a picnic lunch viewing wildlife across the vast Serengeti plains, stopping en route for a picnic lunch. Continue to your lodge, set high on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater arriving for dinner and overnight.

Overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge on full board basis (excludes laundry and drinks)

Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Ngorongoro Crater is home to an estimated 30,000 animals, making it one of the most densely populated wildlife areas in the world. The area is also home to the Maasai people, who have lived in the area for centuries and still practice their traditional way of life. In addition to the wildlife, the area is known for its stunning landscapes, including the Ngorongoro Crater, the Olduvai Gorge, and the Empakai Crater. Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular destination for wildlife safaris and outdoor adventure activities.

Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
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. Hugging the contours of the jagged Crater rim, the lodge takes its inspiration from the so-called ‘Cradle of Mankind', the prehistoric site of Olduvai Gorge, which lies close by. Linked by arched stone passages and timbered decks, its walls are decorated with stylised prehistoric cave paintings and lit by flaring torches. At the stone heart of the lodge burns a glowing fire, which is kept constantly alight. Decorated with cave paintings, the rooms are strung around the Crater rim. Each has its own rock- enclosed balcony, and all enjoy completely uninterrupted views of the volcanic amphitheatre far 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.

DAY 08: NGORONGORO CRATER – ARUSHA - DEPART

Depart Ngorongoro Crater after breakfast, head southeast past Lake Manyara and Mto wa Mbu Village. Through the highlands and the Karatu district, you’ll view the scenic wheat plains and coffee plantations here before journeying down the spectacular escarpment turning south on to the main road to Arusha. The journey will pass through the Masai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee and banana plantations.

On arrival in Arusha lunch is provided followed by transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport to connect international departure flight.

END OF SERVICES 

DAY 07: NGORONGORO CRATER

A highlight awaits you this morning as you depart to explore what is commonly referred to as the World’s largest natural wildlife arena. After an early breakfast, you drive to the crater entry gate and descend with a picnic lunch through the early morning mists and 2,000 feet into the crater. Ngorongoro Crater is the World’s 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. A truly unique wildlife experience. A picnic lunch box is served near a pond populated with hippos. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon for dinner and overnight.

Overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge on full board basis (with picnic box lunch) (excludes laundry and drinks)