After breakfast, 8:00am our safari guide will collect you with a Tanzanian smile from your lodgings for the drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Manyara, a relatively small but diverse park 120km west of Arusha, is so named for the shallow Salt Lake that occupies a good seventy percent of the park's lands. Flooding and drying seasonally, this soda lake is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species. On our exploration of the park, we see monkeys, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffalo, elephants and with some luck, lions lounging in the trees. After our full day in the park, we will drive to our lodgings, where we will be afforded the opportunity to relax and enjoy a sumptuous meal with our comfortable quarters awaiting us.

After breakfast, we will journey on heading up towards the fertile highlands where wheat, coffee, and corn, are grown by the Iraqw people. Passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, we will be afforded a view of the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater before traveling onwards to the Serengeti National Park which we will reach by midday. The Serengeti National Park is the largest park in Tanzania covering an astounding 15,000 sq km with diverse landscapes and habitats such as grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannah and mountains. Here the great migration of wildebeest, zebra, and antelope takes place. Depending on the season of your visit, we may have the opportunity to witness thousands of animals in their search for food and water. After an extensive game drive, we drive to Tanzania Serengeti bush camp for an evening meal and overnight stay.

This entire day is set aside for game drives in the Serengeti. The Serengeti is a habitat of an abundance of wildlife such as impala, buffalo, crocodile, and hippo. It is more well-known for its great migrating herds of zebra, antelope, and wildebeest. The animals’ trek is determined by the rainfall and varies from year to year. In November and December, the animals move from the northern region, dominated by woodlands and hills, to the grassy plains of the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June, they return to the north. Apart from the migrating herds, we may have the opportunity to see the resident predators, leopard, cheetah, and lion, fulfilling their role in the circle of life. The evening after the Game drive we will return to our accommodation for relaxation, dinner, and our overnight.

Accommodation: Tanzania Bush Camps Central Serengeti

8:00am After breakfast, you will drive from Serengeti National Park to the Ngorongoro Crater. When you first see Ngorongoro Crater, it looks like a forgotten world. Concealed by the steep volcanic walls is a pristine wilderness including sweeping savannah, pockets of acacia woodland, glistening lakes and swamps. The Crater was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself two to three million years ago. The drive down into the Crater is an adventure in itself and when you reach the Crater floor, you'll quickly find yourself amongst large numbers of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and more than 500 bird species. The Crater provides you with the best chance of seeing the endangered black rhino, which can sometimes be spotted in the open grasslands. After a full afternoon inside the Crater, you will head to your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, we'll depart for Tarangire National Park. The park is named after the Tarangire River which runs through it. This ‘river of warthogs’ is the only source of water for wildlife in the region during the dry season. In places, the vegetation is quite dense, including elephant grass, acacia woodlands and lush groundwater forest. The park is well known for its elephant families, which can often be seen congregating by the river. You may also see giraffes, bushbucks, and hartebeest. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators, including lions and leopards. There are more breeding species of birds found in Tarangire National Park than anywhere else on the planet. It is home to Tanzania's largest population of elephants. Tarangire is the best place to see these gentle giants in their natural habitat—from the adorable calves all the way up to the intimidating bulls. After lunch, drive back to Arusha. End of tour.