Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival Day - Welcome to Tanzania
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport you will be met by a Benson Safaris Tanzania Transfer Driver and transferred to your lodge where the remainder of the day is at leisure – rest in your room, relax in the manicured gardens, enjoy a refreshing swim in the pool or explore Arusha and the surrounding areas on one of our day tours, the choice is yours.
Main Destination:
Arusha (City)
Accommodation:
Ilboru Safari Lodge
- Mid-range lodge located in or near Arusha
Meals & Drinks:
- Meals at own expense
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 2: Tarangire National Park
Today you will drive to Tarangire for a full day game drive. One of Africa’s little-known gems, it should be on the itinerary of all lovers of wilderness & solitude.
The landscape is incredibly diverse with a mix that is not found anywhere else on the northern safari circuit; it is dotted with ancient baobab trees & large termite mounds & the Tarangire River is the only source of water during the dry season when the harsh sun suck the moisture from the landscape, baking the earth a dusty red while during the wet season you will experience dense bush & luscious high grasses.
Famous for its large elephant population, it is also home to zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, waterbuck, baboons, & impala. Predators include lion, cheetah & leopard. The swamps are shared by flocks of birds; green wood hoopoes, lovebirds, tallish herons, white bellied go-away birds & giant kingfishers. On drier ground you will find the kori bustard & the heaviest of the flying birds; the ostrich.
Main Destination:
Tarangire National Park
Accommodation:
Country Lodge Karatu
- Mid-range lodge located in or near Karatu
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 3: Lake Natron
Today you will travel to Lake Natron, wild & remote, it is situated at the base of Africa’s only active volcano, Oldoinyo Lengai, which is known as the Mountain of God to the local Maasai people. The area around Lake Natron contains some of the most harsh & amazing scenery in Africa & is utterly breathtaking for those clients who choose to travel off the beaten path.
Together with your Guide, you will be accompanied by a local Maasai Guide & walk up to the Engero Sero Waterfalls. Winding up through the shady gorge you will reach a beautiful natural swimming pool surrounded by steep rock walls showered by cascading spring water where you will have the opportunity to swim.
Main Destination:
Lake Natron (Lake)
Accommodation:
Lake Natron Tented Camp
- Mid-range tented camp located in or near Lake Natron
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 4: Lake Natron
Lake Natron is one of the most alkaline lakes in the world. Home to millions of tiny crustaceans, the lake is a haven for literally thousands of flamingos & it is one of the most important flamingo breeding grounds on earth. It is the landscape rather than the animals that is the attraction here & the area around the lake is dry, desolate & hauntingly beautiful.
After breakfast you will walk out across the baked mud to the shores of the great Soda Lake. From here, you can look back at the memorising view of Oldoinyo Lengai standing tall amongst the rolling hills & flat plains. Its ash-grey colour will remind you that this is still an active volcano.
After lunch, you will travel back to Karatu where you will spend the night.
Main Destination:
Lake Natron (Lake)
Accommodation:
Bougainvillea Safari Lodge
- Mid-range lodge located in or near Karatu
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 5: Serengeti National Park
Today you will drive to the Serengeti National Park which is one of Africa’s premier game parks. Driving through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area toward the Serengeti National Park you will begin to experience the vastness of this territory and marvel at the multitude of animal and bird life while cruising through this acacia spotted savannah.
You will visit a Maasai Village in the Ngorongoro Highlands (optional) where you will meet the Elders, Warriors, women and children and learn about the culture, beliefs and traditions of Tanzania’s last nomadic tribe.
The Serengeti is Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Serengeti is a year-round destination and each season has its own special highlight with the most famous being the annual wildebeest migration - a once in a lifetime experience.
You will game drive enroute before arriving into the Serengeti in time for an half day game drive.
Main Destination:
Serengeti National Park
Accommodation:
Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp
- Mid-range tented camp located inside Central Serengeti
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 6: Serengeti National Park
Today, you will venture deeper into the world-famous Serengeti on a full day game drive.
Enhance Your Safari: Hot Air Balloon Safari & Champagne Breakfast in the Serengeti National Park.
Not suitable for children under 7 years of age.
Main Destination:
Serengeti National Park
Accommodation:
Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp
- Mid-range tented camp located inside Central Serengeti
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater
Today you will be rewarded with a full day game drive in the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
You will visit a Maasai Village in the Ngorongoro Highlands (optional) where you will meet the Elders, Warriors, women & children & learn about the culture, beliefs & traditions of Tanzania’s last nomadic tribe.
The Crater is famous for Africa’s best game viewing as there is an ever present abundance of wildlife due to the permanent water supply on the crater floor. You will descend 610 metres into the Crater where your safari truly begins. Spot the endangered black rhino, wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, eland, Grant’s & Thomson’s gazelle & giant tusked elephants plus lions & leopards, cheetahs as well as scavengers such as spotted hyenas, jackals & wild dogs. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
In the late afternoon you will drive to the Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge where you will spend the night.
Main Destination:
Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodation:
Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge
- Mid-range lodge located outside Ngorongoro Crater
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 8: Lake Eyasi
After breakfast you will meet your local guide and together you will meet the Hadzabe Bush People and Datoga Tribe. Join them as they go about their daily activities such as hunting and gathering. You will visit the area where they collect fruits and roots and find water during the dry season as well as visit the caves they call home.
In the afternoon you will return to your lodge where the remainder of the day is at leisure – swim in the pool which offers a refreshing respite from the dusty conditions, enjoy a cool drink at the bar or relax on your private balcony overlooking the lake.
Main Destination:
Lake Eyasi (Lake)
Accommodation:
Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge
- Mid-range lodge located in or near Lake Eyasi
Meals & Drinks:
- All meals included
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 9: Lake Manyara National Park
Today you will visit Lake Manyara National Park for a full day game drive. Stretching along the base of the Rift Valley escarpment it is home to giant fig trees, acacia woodlands, mahogany trees & grassy flood plains. The contrasts of this area are simply breathtaking with its open plains, huge escarpment, Soda Lake, dense woodlands & distant volcanic peaks coming together in an area best described by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”.
Animals such as buffalo, wildebeest, giraffes, mongoose, dik dik & zebra herds congregate on the grassy plains while the acacia woodland is home to the legendary tree-climbing lions & tusked elephants.
Lake Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania’s bird life with more than 400 species being recorded. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans & storks.
In the late afternoon you will return to Arusha for your final evening.
Main Destination:
Lake Manyara National Park
Accommodation:
Ilboru Safari Lodge
- Mid-range lodge located in or near Arusha
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast & lunch (Dinner not included)
- Non-alcoholic drinks
Day 10: Departure Day - Farewell Tanzania
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.
Upgrade Your Accommodation: This tour offers mid-range accommodation and upgrades to other mid-range or luxury properties are available.
Main Destination:
Arusha (City)
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
End of tour
