Day
1: Arrive into Arusha. Karibu –
Welcome in Kiswahili. We are warmly welcomed at
the Arusha Airport and transferred to our Lodge.
Arusha is considered to be the exact center-point
between Cape Town and Cairo, the southern &
northern extremes of the African Continent. Also
from here we can enjoy the stunning view of Mt.
Kilimanjaro. Overnight: SG Resort Lodge. (1 night)
Day 2:
Arusha / Tarangire National Park (drive). After
an early breakfast we leave (@ 08.00 am) for our
first Safari experience, strait to Tarangire National
Park. Once we reach the Park we will go for our
morning Game Drive. 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.
After our ‘picnic-style’
Lunch, we continue with the wildlife observation,
since the swamps, tinged green year round, are the
focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding
species in one habitat anywhere in the world. Overnight:
Tarangire Sopa Lodge (1 night). (B, L, D)
Day 3:
Tarangire / Ngorongoro Highlands (drive). After
a leisurely breakfast and en route game drive
at Tarangire National Park, we’ll have lunch
and an unforgettable visit to Mto wa Mbu - Masai
Village. Here we’ll meet with the real Masai
people, will observe their tribal life and maybe
enjoy a short dancing / singing performance.
The ‘entrance fee’
to this Village it is actually a donation to the
Chief of the Village and it is not included in our
tour price. After this memorable Cultural experience,
we proceed to the Great Rift Valley, to Ngorongoro.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Wildlife Lode / Bouganvila
Safari Lodge. (2 nights) (B, L, D)
Day 4:
Ngorongoro Crater. This morning better prepare
yourself for ‘Africa's Eden’: The
Crater… Twelve miles wide, the Ngorongoro
Crater is a home to the rare Black Rhino and has
its own Soda Lake. The highest concentration of
wild animals in the Crater area means that you
are likely to see the ‘African Big Five’
in a short period of time.
As we descend 2,200 feet into
the Crater, we’ll experience a thrilling day
among Africa's Big Five: the Lion, the Elephant,
the Buffalo, the Black Rhino and the Leopard. After
a picnic lunch and a full day of game viewing, we
will return to our lodge for dinner and overnight
stay. (B, L, D)
Day 5:
Ngorongoro / Serengeti National Park (drive).
After breakfast we leave the Ngorongoro Highlands
via Malanja and proceed to Olduvai Gorge, where
you will visit the local Museum and have the chance
to see a Masai Boma (or a family village), within
Ngorongoro Conservation Area. After we enjoy our
picnic lunch, en-route to Serengeti National Park
we’ll continue with our game drive. Overnight:
Seronera Wildlife Lodge or Lobo Wildlife Lodge.
(2 nights) (B, L, D)
Day
6: Serengeti National Park. Today
we begin exploring the famous Serengeti National
Park. Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the
best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, unequalled
for its natural beauty and scientific value. With
more than two million wildebeest, half a million
Thomson's gazelle, and a quarter of a million zebra,
it has the greatest concentration of plains game
in Africa.
The wildebeest and zebra moreover
form the star cast of a unique spectacular - the
annual Serengeti migration. A unique combination
of diverse habitats enables it to support more than
30 species of large herbivores and nearly 500 species
of birds. Its landscape, originally formed by volcanic
activity, has been sculptured by the concerted action
of wind, rain and sun.
It now varies from open grass
plains in the south, Savannah with scattered acacia
trees in the center, hilly, wooded grassland in
the north, to extensive woodland and black clay
plains to the west. Small rivers, lakes and swamps
are scattered throughout. In the southeast rise
the great volcanic massifs and craters of the Ngorongoro
Highlands. Each area has its own particular atmosphere
and wildlife. (B, L, D)
Day 7:
Serengeti National Park. Another full day spent
to explore Serengeti National Park. In the open
grass plains during the rainy months, from November
to May, hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and
Burchell's zebra congregate. The area is the starting
point for one of the great wonders of the world:
the Serengeti annual migration. Towards the end
of May when the grass becomes dry and exhausted,
the wildebeest start to mass in huge armies.
Eventually, after several dummy
runs, the animals begin their trek in a column several
miles long to the permanent waters in the north
of the Park. After moving westwards, the migration
divides by some uncanny instinct, one group turning
northeast and the other due north. Once started,
little stops the stampede: hundreds often drown
at a time in the broad Mara river in the north.
(B, L, D)
Day 8:
Serengeti / Lake Manyara National Park (drive).
From Serengeti National Park we drive this morning
to another National Park, to Lake Manyara. As
we drive, we cannot avoid the ‘en-route
game drive’ and the picnic lunch. When we
arrive here we check-in to our hotel. Overnight:
Lake Manyara Hotel or Lake Manyara Tented Camp.
(2 nights) (B, L, D)
Day
9: Lake Manyara National Park. After
breakfast we’ll enjoy a full day Safari at
Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manayara is one
of the most scenic parks that we will encounter
on our journey in Tanzania, and it is situated on
the base of the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley.
Whilst driving up the rift wall, Lake Manyara appears
behind us.
The view is breathtaking, as
we take in this massive lake with it’s silver
shimmer and surrounding vegetation. Like most Rift
Valley lakes, the water is alkaline. This attracts
vast flocks of flamingos, which form pink foam against
a silver background of water.
There are numerous water birds
in the area, including pelicans that waddle around
next to short grasses on the shore of the lake.
The park is a bird lover’s haven with a variety
of local species inhabiting the forest and bush.
The best time to observe these
birds is in the late afternoon and early morning.
Animals also found in the area include zebra, wildebeest,
waterbuck and warthog. Manayara is also known for
its tree-climbing lions. These majestic animals
find shelter in the branches of trees from the heat
and biting flies.
There is a particular belt, which
they frequent along the woodland, south of the Msasa
River. These lions also have a peculiar specialization
of killing buffalo. An adult buffalo weighs in the
proximity of one and a half tons, being far larger
than the average weight of an adult male lion. After
our phenomenal experience, we’ll return to
our Lodge. (B, L, D)
Day 10:
Lake Manyara / Arusha (drive). After breakfast,
we drive back to Arusha. This will end our short
cultural journey and Safari, but we will take
with us our long-lasting memories of what was
a unique and outstanding wildlife experience.
Our guide / driver will take us to the airport
in time to reach our flight back home, or why
not take a tour extension with us and fly to Zanzibar
Island. (B, L)
Our
costs include: accommodation
as stipulated in the itinerary, Transport in custom
built Open Roof Safari Cruisers, services of an
english speaking tour driver/ guide, game viewing
drives and parks entrance fees as per itinerary
all government taxes and levies, mineral water
during game drives only, flying doctors society
membership for one month, free safari hat and
t-shirt
Our
costs exclude: all items of personal nature
e.g. telephone call bills, fax/email bills etc,
tips and gratuities to hotel, lodges, camp staff
and driver/ guide, alcoholic and non-alcoholic
drinks , any local or international flight and
departure taxes, laundry services, any other item
not included in our itinerary, holiday supplements
over easter, christmas & new year.