Essence of Tanzania

Welcome to Africa and the Safari that reveals the soul of Tanzania! Begin with a scenic drive to the lively town of Arusha and your accommodation on a nostalgic coffee homestead. Enjoy dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, your private driver-guide escorts you by road to Tarangire National Park, famous for its impressive elephant migration and high concentration of game around the Tarangire River during the dry season. After settling into Kuro Camp, set out on your first game drive in Africa. After a restful afternoon, you leave camp again at dusk for an exciting evening game drive. Search for the rarely seen, nocturnal animals. This is one of the few places in northern Tanzania where you can enjoy a safari by moonlight. At night, you may encounter an African wild cat, the elusive leopard or feel the round eyes of a bushbaby peering down at you as the moon rises into the sky. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Rise early this morning with a hot cup of coffee and set out for an early morning game drive. You’ll be met in the bush with one of the most perfect ends to thrilling game drive; a hot breakfast. Later in the day you will set out on foot to explore the grassland around camp in one of the most secluded areas of the park. An armed guide will accompany you and explain animal behavior whilst tracking a variety of game. You may encounter zebra, waterbuck, impala, ostrich, elephant as well as a number of birds. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, take a drive past Lake Manyara National Park en-route to the lush Ngorongoro highlands. Dine on a picnic lunch before joining some locals in the village of Mto Wa Mbu on foot or on bike for an in-depth look at their daily lives. Arrive at Plantation Lodge in the late afternoon. After settling in, you may opt to stroll the grounds of the property.

Days begin early in the bush. Just after dawn, head out for the nearby Ngorongoro Crater gate to descend into the crater and experience wildlife at its most active. The crater is a huge volcanic caldera formed about 2.5 million years ago when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself. Here you can view the Big Five in high concentration with a stunning backdrop of the crater walls. In the late afternoon, return to Plantation Lodge and indulge in a spa treatment after your exciting day in the crater.

Morning departure down the escarpment to the vast plains of the Serengeti, investigating the archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge and the Shifting Sands along your way. Arrive at Serengeti Safari Camp in time for high tea and then head out on an afternoon game drive. As this is a seasonal mobile safari camp, the camp is set up in the best possible location for prime wildlife viewing (oftentimes right from camp). Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Today, head out with a guide and packed picnic lunch for a full day exploring the Serengeti plains. Move as quickly or as leisurely as you would like in your private safari vehicle. This is a fabulous opportunity to see the great wildebeest and zebra migration, large herds of plains game and the highest concentrate of predators in Africa. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

This morning, rise early and set out as the sun and the wildlife begin to rise. This is the time of day when wildlife is most active and photography opportunities abound. Perhaps you will encounter a predator having a morning meal or the herds as they graze in the early light. Return to camp for a full breakfast. Take advantage of this leisurely time to grab a siesta, laze in the shade or enjoy a good book. After lunch and high tea, set out for one final game drive in the Serengeti, stopping to watch the sunset with cocktails and appetizers. Return to Serengeti Safari Camp for dinner and your overnight stay.

Today bid farewell to Africa. You will be driven to the local airstrip where you will take a flight back to Kilimanjaro Airport. Check-in for your flight and embark on your journey back home.