5 Day / 4 Night, Wildlife Safari Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro

Upon finishing breakfast you will check out of the lodge and depart from Arusha with packed lunches to the beautiful Lake Manyara National Park. This relatively small but diverse park is 120 km. The park’s name means shallow salt lake and it covers a large area of the park flooding and drying with the seasons. This unique park is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species. On your adventure in the park, you might see Monkeys, Giraffes, Zebras, Wildebeests, Buffalo, Elephants and if you’re lucky lazy Lions lounging in trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes; not only open grassy plains but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab dotted cliffs. Lunch will be had at an amazing picnic area overlooking the lake and an escarpment.

Later after lunch and more wildlife viewing, you will slowly proceed back to Karatu concluding your first day of wildlife safari.

Hotel: Bougainvillea Hotel (or a 5-star accommodation listed at the bottom of this itinerary)

Meals: Breakfast at lodge, lunch on the road & dinner at the lodge

Once you have finished breakfast you will drive towards the Serengeti for 2 days of exploration in this incredible park. On the way to the Serengeti, you will visit a Masai village. The Masai are a nomadic tribe of noble warriors who will welcome you to their village with a welcoming song, dance and cultural activities that you may participate in. The English-speaking Chief will give guests a tour of their village and will take you into a hut to explain their way of life. Upon finishing the tour guest have the opportunity to buy some local handmade crafts, or Masai clubs, knives or hunting spears.

The 15 000 square kilometre Serengeti is the oldest national park in Tanzania and is the habitat for an abundance of wildlife, such as Elephants, Impalas, Buffalo, Crocodiles, Hippos and more… but is more well-known for its great migrating herds of Zebras and Wildebeest. The animals’ trek is determined by the rainfall and varies from year to year. In November and December, the animals move from the northern region, dominated by woodlands and hills, to the grassy plains of the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June, they begin their return to the north and continue migrating northwards during July and August. Apart from the migrating herds, you will most likely see an amazing array of animals including predators such as Leopards, Cheetahs and Lions. 90% of all African wildlife documentaries are filmed in the Serengeti as it is the most densely animal populated park in the world.

The great Serengeti wildebeest migration is the movement of vast numbers of the Serengeti’s wildebeest, accompanied by large numbers of Zebra, and smaller numbers of Grant’s Gazelles, Thomson’s Gazelles, Eland and Impalas. The migrating animals move in an annual pattern, which is fairly predictable, as they are constantly seeking fresh grazing lands and better quality water. The precise timing of the Serengeti wildebeest migration is entirely dependent on the rainfall patterns each year. The Mara River crossing normally starts in late June to early July, which moves towards August and proceeds towards the Ndutu area in February. In Tanzania, you can find The Great Migration all year round as opposed to Kenya where parts of the migration is only there for 2 months of the year.

Hotel: Thorn Tree Tented Camp (or a 5-star accommodation listed at the bottom of this itinerary)

Meals: Breakfast at lodge, lunch on the road & dinner at the lodge

After breakfast, you will depart with packed lunches to The Ngorongoro Crater (Conservation Area). Once you pass through the entry gates you will descend into the crater and spend the rest of the day on an amazing game drive. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest volcanic caldera. It is almost 20 km wide, approximately 600 m deep and is known for its large variety of wildlife. In addition to viewing might see the Big Five (Rhinos, Leopards, Lions, Buffalo and Elephants) various springs attract animals such as Wildebeests, Gazelles, Reedbucks and countless bird species. You will stop to have lunch at a beautiful designated picnic area around noon. The Ngorongoro Crater, one of the most important protected areas in Africa, with a diverse eco-system, boasts to be the home of 2-3 million wild animals. Ngorongoro is beautifully located with lakes, grasslands, swamps and forests on the escarpment, which gives an impressive panoramic view of animals and scenery.

In the later afternoon, you will proceed to your lodge located outside the park for dinner and an overnight stay.

Hotel: Migombani Campsite (or a 5-star accommodation listed at the bottom of this itinerary)

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner breakfast at the lodge, lunch on the road & dinner at the lodge

After breakfast, you will return to Arusha. This is your last day in Tanzania, depending on your international flight time. After you Arrive at Arusha, your guide will take you to the Kilimanjaro International Airport where we will bid you farewell as you depart home or to your next destination.