Detailed itinerary

 

Day 1 - Arusha
22 February 2020

 

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport [JRO], you will be met and transferred to the guest house to relax for the rest of the day and enjoy dinner with the rest of the group. The grounds of the guest house are wonderful, rich with birdlife and animal life - black and white colobus and blue monkeys are common.

 

Rivertrees Guest House, Arusha

Breakfast included

Dinner and drinks for own account.

 

Day 2, 3 - Tarangire
23, 24 Feb

 

We have a casual morning and breakfast after which we depart for Tarangire and our lodge. The drive is around 3hrs to the park and then another hour or so inside the park to our camp. After settling in, we'll do our first afternoon gamedrive.

 

During the dry months, the concentration of animals around the Tarangire river is almost as diverse and reliable as in the Ngorongoro Crater.  However, the ecosystem here is balanced by a localised migration pattern that is followed by the majority of game that resides in and around the park.

 

Elephants are the main attraction, with up to 3,000 in the park during the peak months.  Peak season also sees good numbers of wildebeest and zebra as well as giraffe, buffalo, Thompson's gazelle, greater and lesser kudu, eland, leopard and cheetah.  The real prizes in the park are dwarf mongoose, oryx and generuk - but viewings are very rare. Tarangire is one of Tanzania's finest birding destinations. 

 

Kichuguu Tented Camp inside Tarangire NP

All meals

Drinks for own account, water is supplied in vehicles

 

Day 4, 5 - Ngorongoro Crater
25, 26 Feb

 

From Tarangire we head out the park, up the Great Rift Valley Escarpment to the town of Karatu - and then enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Further up into the highlands we go before reaching our lodge on the crater rim.

 

The highlight of the first afternoon is a walk on the crater's edge - to get some exercise as well as magnificent views into the crater.

 

The following day we depart early for the crater on a full day drive, with a picnic lunch. Any Northern Tanzania Safari should ideally include a visit to Ngorongoro Crater: it is one of the most beautiful natural wildlife safari sites in the world. The crater's rim forms a stunning backdrop to some of the most fertile and richest grazing grounds in Africa. Ngorongoro is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and home to the highest density of big game in Africa, including all the big five and plenty of predators. Ngorongoro is justifiably one of the continent's most famous safari destinations.

 

While it can get really busy on the game drive roads, we will stay for as long we see fit for enjoyment and viewing.

 

Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge

All meals included

Drinks for own account, water is supplied in vehicles

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Day 6, 7, 8 - Central Serengeti
27, 28, 29 Feb

 

From the crater highlands we head west, through Maasai villages and past Olduvai Gorge to the plains of the Serengeti. This morning we stop at a Maasai village for a short tour, and to buy any beadwork and curios directly from the Maasai. We have lunch at the NP gate before game driving towards camp, arriving late afternoon.

 

The Serengeti National Park is Africa's most famous. Renowned for its incredible concentrations of predators and the Great Serengeti Migration of two million wildebeest, a Serengeti Safari is guaranteed to be exceptional. The endless grassy plains (Serengeti in Maasai) are the richest grazing grounds on the continent, and therefore home to the largest herds and the highest concentrations of predators on the planet.

 

We spend the next few days game driving the many regions of the central Serengeti - some of the most beautiful habitats in Africa - predators, elephants and all general game are here in good numbers. Possibly even herds of migrating zebra and wildebeest.

 

Kiota Tented Camp inside Serengeti NP

All meals included

Drinks for own account, water is supplied in vehicles

 

Day 9, 10, 11 - Southern Serengeti
01, 02, 03 Mar

 

From the central regions to the south, is a few hours drive onto the flat, short-grass plains where the wildebeest and zebras like to give birth.

 

The wildebeest migrate around the Serengeti, and into the Masai Mara for the sole purpose of following the rainfall. For their calving from December - March they always begin their cycle in the Southern Serengeti Ndutu area and follow wherever the grass is greener... Whilst we have a good idea of where the wildebeest should be at any given time of year, it really does depend on where the rain falls. Between the central and southern regions, we hope to spend time with the great herds somewhere in this region.

 

Chaka Tented Camp, inside Serengeti NP

All meals included

Drinks for own account, water is supplied in vehicles

 

Day 12 - Depart back to Arusha
04 Mar

 

After breakfast, we game drive out of camp and out the park back to Arusha, arriving mid afternoon. Alternatively if you prefer to fly we drop you at the nearest airstrip and fly back to Arusha, via Manyara airstrip - we say fond farewells as we take our departing flights back home - unless you want to extend your trip with a few days in Zanzibar or elsewhere in the region!

 

Breakfast included

Drinks for own account, water is supplied in vehicles

 

 

What YOU NEED TO KNOW:

 

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ACCOMMODATION:

 

• Spacious, luxury tents with ensuite bathroom, flushing toilet, double wash basins with running water and bucket showers, writing desk with power/charging station. [Tarangire & Serengeti]

• Comfortable lodge accommodation with ensuite bathroom with flushing toilet, hot showers, fireplace in room [Ngorongoro]

 

FOOD & DRINKS

 

• Three delicious, wholesome meals each day when camping – bush cuisine at its best!

• Packed lunches or breakfast for the days when out at meal times

• Mineral water supplied while in vehicles and in camp.

• Tea and coffee available in camp.

• Alcoholic beverages are not included and may be purchased at each camp or lodge.

• Dinner on the first night is the only meal not included.

 

VEHICLES & NUMBERS:

 

• Land Cruiser 4x4 with sliding windows and pop-up roof.

• Max 6 people per vehicle, max 10 guests in two vehicles.

• Fridges and battery charging facilities on all vehicles. 

 

GUIDES:

 

• Local guide with Jamie - if there are two vehicles for bigger groups, Jamie will move between vehicles.

 

VISAS:

 

• Visas for Tanzania are best sourced from your local consulate or embassy however many of our clients have purchased them on arrival [$50 pp] without any hassle, although there may be slight delays in immigration - but generally it is not a problem

 

VACCINATIONS/MEDICAL:

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• No vaccinations are required for Tanzania.

• If you stay in Kenya, or have been in a Yellow Fever Country recently, you will need a Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate.

• There is Malaria in Tanzania, your travel doctor is best to advise you on the recommended prophylactic if you choose to take them.

 

LUGGAGE:

 

• There is one light aircraft transfer from Ndutu back to Kilimanjaro, a 15kg weight limit, in soft bags, is a requirement. If the group agrees we can add a freight portion to allow for extra luggage.

 

WEATHER:

 

• The climate in Serengeti is usually moderate and pleasant. The average temperatures are quite uniform throughout the year. It never gets very hot, but it is consistently cool to cold at night and in the early mornings. It is advisable to take warm clothing for early morning game drives. The altitude in the Serengeti varies widely from 1,140 to 2,099m (3,740 to 6,886 ft). Temperatures drop by about 6.5°C for every 1,000m you climb (or 3.5°F per 1,000ft), so even within the park, there are wide climatic variations.

• Serengeti's Dry season is from June to October. There are two Wet seasons. The ‘short rains’ are from November to December, and the ‘long rains’ are from March to May. During the Wet season, it rarely rains all day, but afternoon thundershowers can be expected.

• Afternoon temperatures are usually around 26°C/79°F, and night temperatures are around 15°C/59°F.

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Interested?

 

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