Day 1
Arusha – Relaxation after arrival

Keep your eyes peeled as you fly over African savannahs and land into Kilimmanjaro International Airport in northern Tanzania. The inimitable landscapes of East Africa await and their sheer size is breathtaking from above. You’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your first beautiful lodge. Fragrantly situated in a rolling coffee plantation, the lodge offers a home away from home but also a glimpse into exotic Africa. Monkeys sometimes swing through the grounds and the coffee can’t get any fresher.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Accommodation
• Transfer
• Dinner

Day 2 – 3

Lake Manyara – Unique Safari at Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara’s flying residents provide a noisy start to your safari experience. Over 300 individual bird species can be spotted in the park, but it’s the raucous hornbills that try to dominate the soundtrack. After breakfast you’ll have a short drive to Lake Manyara National Park, where the hornbills aren’t the only birds vying for your attention. Thousands of flamingos wade in the shallows of the lake, forming a pink blanket that’s the centerpiece of this national park. They’re joined in the water by large pods of hippos, the playful beasts resting from the sun or rolling around the muddy embankments.

Lake Manyara offers an ideal first African safari. It offers an eclectic mix of animals, but the winding woodlands ensure that you rarely see any other safari trucks. By the lake, and in the grassy clearings, you’ll get your first glimpses of Africa’s largest mammals. Buffalos return your stare, their bushy frames usually providing tick one on your Big Five list.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Activity
• included
• Accommodation
• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Tarangire National Park – Giant Elephant Herds

There are no boring journeys in northern Tanzania. You’ll do a game drive en route to Tarangire National Park, spotting the diverse assortment of animals that wander between Lake Manyara and Tarangire. Impalas and wildebeest stand impassively as you drive past, while elephant herds can be seen around the fringes of Tarangire. Once inside the park their numbers grow, great herds, 300 strong, providing a surreal viewing experience. From a distance it’s their size that’s impressive. But admire them from up close and the herd teems with charming interactions.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Activity
• Accommodation
• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

Ngorongoro – Ngorongoro Crater

A scenic road winds towards the Ngorongoro Crater rim, mischievous baboons watching the road as you ascend through a verdant forest. Even by East Africa’s lofty standards, this inactive volcano is a freak of nature. Known as Africa’s “Garden of Eden,” the Ngorongoro crater floor is home to a permanent population of 30,000 mammals. But from above it’s a bird that catches the eye, innumerable flamingos turning the lake pink, their shocking color juxtaposed against the rich green landscape.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Activity
• Accommodation
• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6

Ngorongoro – The Big Five in One Day

Anticipation hangs in the air as the first blades of light tinge the morning sky. Descending the steep crater slopes you head into the world’s largest intact caldera for a full day on safari. An eerie silence accompanies the fading mist, and the crater’s residents are on full alert. Morning time offers ideal hunting conditions and lion prides are roaming through the crater, considering what’s going to be on the breakfast menu. Perhaps a waterbuck that’s hiding in the Lerai forest, or an old Thompson’s gazelle that stands lonely and fearful. No, this lion pride is after a feast. A common eland usually weighs over half a ton and their distinctly straight horns provide a dangerous defense. But the proliferation of lions in the crater is partly explained by their superior hunting skills. It’s extremely rare to visit Ngorongoro Crater and not see at least a couple of lion prides. They could be lazing in the shade, their stomach’s full and their glorious manes just meters from the safari truck. Or you could have front row seats as they stalk and pounce on prey.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Activity
• Accommodation
• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 – 8

Serengeti National Park – Stunning Safari in the Famous Serengeti

From the enclosed haven of Ngorongoro you head onto the endless grass plains of the Serengeti. Whereas Ngorongoro is compact and concentrated, the Serengeti is vast and wild. These plains are home to the Great Migration, and during the early months of the year, your accommodation will be surrounded by giant herds of zebra, Thompson’s gazelle and wildebeest. Over 2 million wildebeest migrate around the Serengeti, and the size of these herds is often unbelievable. They cover the grass, turning the plains into a great patchwork quilt of hoofs and swirling dust. From a distance it’s a staggering sight, tens of thousands grouped together for safety. A closer inspection reveals that there are perhaps hundreds of thousands in just one herd. It’s a staggering sight, and it gets better from up close. Baby wildebeest are carefully guarded, a cheetah accelerates and pounces on a lame male, while a sudden fearful jump causes half the herd to blindly panic.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Activity
• Accommodation
• Dinner, Lunch, Breakfast

Day 9 – 12

Bwejuu-Paje Beach – Serenity of Zanzibar Island

After seven days on safari, the final part of your vacation reveals another of Tanzania’s unique wonders. For over 1,000 years Zanzibar has ignited the imagination of travelers. Pristine white sand is surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, fringed by postcard perfect palm trees. The island offers a soporific loop of beach perfection, the gentle waves and mellow atmosphere enough to lull anyone into hibernation. Time becomes irrelevant as you settle into Zanzibar’s beachside rhythm, each day offering a slow blend of relaxing, swimming, reading, and indulging in your sumptuous surroundings.

You’ll fly from the Serengeti to Zanzibar, where you’ll be met and driven to your luxurious accommodations. You will be staying on the quiet Bwejuu- Paje Beach, a strip of sand that Conde Nest Traveler Magazine named as one of top thirty beaches in the world. Your five night stay is on an all-inclusive basis in a villa.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Activity
• Accommodation
• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13

Stone Town – Depart for Home

In the morning, your private transfer will take you to the airport in Stone Town. Persian baths, Portuguese architecture, British colonial buildings, rich Islamic courtyards, and Indian influences continue to decorate the island capital. Wandering through Stone Town is an ode to the successful integration of disparate styles. Yet it’s the modern impressions that often enchant the most; the harmonic call to prayer from the town’s mosques, local men crowding round a game of dominos, boisterous cafes full of chatter and sweet glasses of tea. You will arrive at Zanzibar International Airport with plenty of time to check-in to your flight home.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

• Transfer
• Tour
• Breakfast