ARRIVAL:

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) met and transfer to Arusha overnight at Masailand Safari Lodge (BB)

DAY 01; ARUSHA TO TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

You will be picked up after breakfast, drive to Tarangire national park for a game drive (with picnic lunch). This park is famous for having groups of elephants; Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It’s the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem – a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed.

During the rainy season, the seasonal visitors scatter over a 20,000 sq. km (12,500 sq. miles) range until they exhaust the green plains and the river calls once more. But Tarangire’s mobs of elephant are easily encountered, wet or dry. The swamps, tinged green year-round, are the focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world. After game drive to Karatu/Mto wa Mbu arrive in time for dinner and overnight at Eileen’s Trees Inn

DAY 02; TARANGIRE TO SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

In the morning after breakfast drive to Serengeti national park through the Ngorongoro conservation area authority, your driver will stop in some of the beautiful views overlooking the crater. Along the way, you will also stop at the Olduvai Gorge (optional). This is a steep-sided ravine in the heart of the Great Rift Valley and is famous for the variety of early hominid fossils that have been found here. There is an excellent museum; it is very small (perfect for the kids!) but informative and well worth the stop. Also, stop en-route to visit a local Masai Boma and meet some of the people who live there. On crossing the border picnic lunch will be provided by your driver-guide at Naabi Hill gate followed by game viewing en route. Drive further for sunset game drive before going for dinner and overnight at Serengeti Heritage Luxury Tented Camp/

DAY 03; SERENGETI TO NGORONGORO CRATER

You will be picked up at 05:00 AM and transferred to the meeting point for a hot air balloon (optional) to see nocturnal predators returning from hunting and animals waking up, At 08:30 AM you will have a ‘bush breakfast’ at a designated area in the wilderness, afterwards continue with game drive. After lunch proceed to Ngorongoro arriving in time for dinner and overnight at Rhino Lodge

DAY 04; NGORONGORO CRATER TO ARUSHA

After breakfast you will descend into the crater for a wonderful game drive (with a picnic lunch) inside the Ngorongoro Crater often described as one of the wonders of the world and designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site, it is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and a natural sanctuary for some of Africa’s densest animal populations. It is one of the few places where the rare black rhino can be observed in their natural setting. As very few animals migrate in and out of the crater with its 2000 ft (610 metres) high walls, you can expect to see lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, flamingos, jackals, rhinos, antelopes, many birds and other species. With a bit of luck, the ‘Big Five’ can be spotted during one game drive only. Then late afternoon drive back to Arusha and drop off at Masailand Safari Lodge

DEPARTURE

After breakfast at leisure; afterwards, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) for your outbound flight