9-Day Incredible Safari + Cultural Experience

Early morning after breakfast, you will be picked up by your private safari guide and head to Western Kilimanjaro. A private concession of about 600 square km, bordering Kenya at Amboseli National Park, offers spectacular landscapes with magnificent views of Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, Ol Doinyo Longido, and Ol Doinyo Orok. It is a unique natural and cultural experience. These Maasai are still living the traditional way and are not used to the commercial relationship with tourists that is common in more visited areas. They are spectacularly dressed and follow all the traditional ceremonies. This is a Community Conservation Project benefiting the Maasai of western Kilimanjaro. Activities include game drives, walking safaris escorted by Maasai warriors, and interaction with the local Maasai including participation in ceremonies when available.
You will spend 2 days in this incredible place. Your meals and overnight stay will be at Kambi ya Tembo Tented Camp.

You will be picked up by your private safari guide from western Kilimanjaro to Tarangire, which is almost a 2.5-hour drive from Arusha. Tarangire National Park has one of the highest population densities of elephants compared to anywhere in Tanzania. Its sparse vegetation, scattered with baobab and acacia trees, makes it a beautiful and distinctive location to visit. Animals gather at the river, and giraffes, bushbucks, and hartebeests are often seen. The park is also home to buffalos, zebras, and wildebeest. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators such as lions and leopards. From the open roof of the vehicle, you will be able to absorb the landscape and watch the wildlife. You will enjoy a picnic lunch at a picnic site in the park, which includes a delicious lunch, coffee, and soft drinks. After a full day in the park, you will drive to your accommodation, where you will be able to relax, enjoy dinner, and spend the night at Lake Burunge Tented Lodge.

After breakfast, you will drive to Lake Manyara National Park. This is a relatively small but diverse park, 120 km west of Arusha. The park’s namesake is a shallow, alkaline lake. It covers a large area of the park, flooding and drying with the seasons, and is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species. On your exploration of the park, you will see monkeys, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, buffalos, elephants, and with some luck, lions lounging on the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes; not only open grassy plains but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab-dotted cliffs. The alkaline soda of Lake Manyara is home to an incredible array of bird life that thrives on its brackish waters. Pink flamingos stoop and graze by the thousands of colorful specks against the grey minerals of the lake shore. After lunch and an extensive game drive, you will drive to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay at Marera Valley Lodge.

After an early breakfast, you will proceed towards the fertile highlands where the Iraqw people grow wheat and corn. Along the way, you will travel through the mist-shrouded rainforests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where you may have the chance to spot baboons, leopards, and elephants in the dense undergrowth. Continuing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you will have the opportunity to admire the stunning Ngorongoro Crater before heading to the Serengeti National Park, which you will reach by midday. The Serengeti National Park is Tanzania's largest park, boasting diverse landscapes and habitats including grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannahs, and mountains. Following an extensive game drive, you will drive to your accommodation at Embalakai Camp for dinner and an overnight stay.

Serengeti National Park is widely recognized as the most famous wildlife sanctuary globally, unparalleled in its natural beauty and scientific significance. It boasts the highest concentration of plains game in Africa. Your day will be spent exploring the expansive Serengeti with its vast plains. The Serengeti provides a home to a diverse range of wildlife, including impalas, buffaloes, crocodiles, and hippos. However, it is the annual migration that truly sets the Serengeti apart. Every year, over a million wildebeest and approximately 200,000 zebras journey south from the northern hills to the southern plains during the short rains in October and November. They then head west and north following the long rains in April, May, and June. This migration is so ingrained in their instincts that no obstacle, whether drought, ravine, or crocodile-filled river, can deter them. The wildebeest traverse various parks, reserves, protected areas, and habitats during their journey. Your accommodation and meals will be provided at Embalakai Camp.

After breakfast, you will set out for an en-route game drive through the Serengeti. You may have the chance to spot the Big Five —lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard—before starting your journey to Ngorongoro Crater. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, formed millions of years ago, is 600 meters deep and covers an area of roughly 260 square kilometers. With its dense animal population of around 25,000, the Crater provides the best game viewing experience among all the parks in Tanzania. You will reach the Crater rim before lunchtime. Descending into the Crater, you will quickly encounter wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants, and some of the over 500 bird species in the region. If you're lucky, you might even spot the endangered black rhino hidden in the grass. Following lunch and a full afternoon exploring the Crater, you will proceed to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay at Karatu Simba Lodge.

You will enjoy a leisurely breakfast. After that, you will drive back to Arusha, arriving in time for a hot lunch. You will then have an evening transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight back home or a flight to Zanzibar.