American breakfast (B) daily, 8 lunches (L), and 7 dinners (D); private safari vehicle and experienced driver/guide throughout; sightseeing and game drives as outlined in the day-by-day itinerary (inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE).
Itinerary:
Day #1 Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania. Welcome to Africa! Hotel rooms are available for mid-afternoon check-in.
Day #2 Arusha–Tarangire National Park Area. Today, travel south to TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK. With its permanent water source, the park has great game viewing year round, highlighted by a large population of elephant. This afternoon, enjoy a GAME DRIVE. (B,L,D)
Day #3 Tarangire. Today features MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES in the savannah grasslands. Enjoy panoramic views of baobab and acacia trees as you search for the wildebeest, eland, zebra, and Cape buffalo that congregate around the waterholes. (B,L,D)
Day #4 Tarangire–Lake Manyara National Park–Ngorongoro Conservation Area. One last GAME DRIVE in Tarangire before heading to LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment. This small park is ecologically diverse with groundwater forests, grassy plains, and the alkaline Lake Manyara itself. During your GAME DRIVE, you may see elephant, giraffe, and Cape buffalo. The park is also home to the world’s largest concentration of baboons. Later, continue to NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA, which is home to Ngorongoro Crater. The crater is technically a caldera—the world’s largest unflooded, in fact, at over 2,000 feet deep with a floor covering over 102 square miles. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your leisure. (B,L,D)
Day #5 Ngorongoro. Today, enjoy a FULL-DAY GAME DRIVE IN THE CRATER, including a picnic lunch. Game viewing here is fantastic, as most of the animals stay in this area year round. You can see lion, Cape buffalo, hippo, elephant, and flamingo. This is also your best chance to see the rare black rhinoceros. Return to your lodge for dinner. (B,L,D)
Day #6 Ngorongoro–Serengeti National Park. Today, drive to SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK, Tanzania’s largest and most famous park. Home to the annual wildebeest migration, it attracts visitors from around the world and is great for game viewing year round. Enjoy an AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE. (B,L,D)
Day #7 Serengeti. MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES BOTH DAYS. The Serengeti is home to all of the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, elephant, and rhino. The park is also home to myriad other animals, including cheetah, giraffe, gazelle, and eland. (B,L,D daily)
Day #8 Serengeti. MORNING AND AFTERNOON GAME DRIVES BOTH DAYS. The Serengeti is home to all of the “Big 5”—lion, leopard, Cape buffalo, elephant, and rhino. The park is also home to myriad other animals, including cheetah, giraffe, gazelle, and eland. (B,L,D daily)
Day #9 Serengeti–Arusha–Homebound Flight. This morning, fly back to Arusha, where your vacation ends with lunch. We have secured a day room for you at the Mount Meru Hotel before a transfer to the airport for your late-evening flight. Book homebound flights after 5 pm. (B,L)
