Lions of the Serengeti Safari

Fly into the Kilimanjaro International Airport where you will be met by your driver and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha. Take time to settle into your accommodation and overcome any jet lag, then enjoy dinner at the lodge’s restaurant.

Next morning after breakfast at your hotel, begin the drive into Arusha National Park, which might be small in size but is rich in wildlife and natural beauty. Its landscapes range from the swampy Ngurdoto Crater to stunning alkaline lakes and dense, wildlife-filled jungle, watched over by the towering peaks of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro. After your morning game drive, you’ll embark on a scenic canoeing safari along the tranquil waters of Momella Lake. Keep your eyes peeled for buffaloes, giraffes, hippos and myriad birdlife while soaking up the mountainous views. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to the lodge in time for dinner.

After breakfast at the lodge, embark on a game drive through Lake Manyara National Park, which centres around a large soda lake that’s filled with pink-hued flamingos. Lake Manyara National Park is home to a large population of baboons, together with giraffes, elephants, hippos, zebras and elephants, not to mention unique tree-climbing lions. Experience the exceptional birdlife of this stunning park, then continue to the accommodation of your choice in time for dinner.

Today will be your first encounter with the iconic Serengeti National Park, which is considered one of the best places in Africa to spot the Big Five (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo). It’s home to a staggering number of species, particularly during the annual Great Wildebeest Migration that traverses the park en route to new pastures in the Maasai Mara. Depending on the time of year you’re visiting, you may get to witness this incredible natural spectacle as millions of wildebeest and zebras (followed by opportunistic predators, including lions) make this long journey. In the late afternoon, you’ll continue to the accommodation of your choice where dinner will be served.

Spend another day experiencing the mighty Serengeti on morning and afternoon game drives. Aside from being home to the Big Five, the park also provides a habitat for cheetah, hyena, giraffes and ostriches. Aardvarks, pangolins and porcupines can also be seen here, together with spitting cobras, black mambas and pythons. After an unforgettable day of wildlife viewing, return to the lodge/camp for an evening of relaxation.

After breakfast at your camp, begin the drive towards the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscape that shelters around 30,000 animals. The crater walls act as a natural enclosure for zebras, buffaloes, wildebeest and warthogs, as well as elephants, baboons, cheetahs and lions (not to mention the endangered black rhino). Aside from its wildlife richness, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is renowned for its natural beauty and has been identified as one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders. In the late afternoon, you’ll depart the crater and drive to the accommodation of your choice where you’ll enjoy a leisurely dinner and overnight.

Next day is all about Tanzanian culture as you have a unique encounter with the Hadzabe Bushmen near Lake Eyasi, an untouched area where they have maintained their traditional way of life. Join them on their pursuit to find food, with the Hadzabe Bushmen hunting wild animals using bows and arrows while also gathering roots, wild fruits and honey to supplement their diet. This is an experience you won’t soon forget as you gain an insight into their lifestyle and exceptional hunting skills. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to the lodge to relax before dinner.

Wake early for a morning game drive through Tarangire National Park while the wildlife is at its most active, with a picnic breakfast served along the way. Tarangire is famed for boasting the largest concentration of elephants in the world, as well as more than 550 recorded bird species. Keep your eyes peeled for big cats such as lions, cheetahs and leopards, as well as the elusive tree-climbing python. In the late afternoon, you’ll head to the lodge/camp for dinner before heading back out on a night game safari. This is an exciting opportunity to discover some of Tarangire’s nocturnal species, including porcupines, pangolin and aardvark.