Tanzania Wildlife Safari

Africa's Wildlife Frontier

Days 1 & 2
U.S. / Arusha, Tanzania
Fly to Arusha and overnight at the Dik Dik Hotel. (Meals Aloft)

Day 3
Arusha / Tarangire National Park
Drive to Tarangire, Tanzania’s third largest national park. Before checking into our comfortable accommodations at the Tarangire River Camp, we journey through the rolling countryside searching for the park’s populations of black rhino, antelope, leopard, lion and cheetah. (B,L,D)

Day 4
Tarangire / Lake Manyara National Park / Karatu
Sunrise will just be sweeping across the savannah on our morning game drive, where our guides will point out elephants and some of the park’s 260 recorded bird species. Tarangire also hosts migrating herds of wildebeest, zebra and Grant’s gazelle. We head across the Great Rift Valley toward Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its herds of elephant and tree-climbing lions. Game drives here are an opportunity to see buffalo, baboon, waterbuck, flamingo and prides of lion. Continue into the highlands of Karatu to the Ngorongoro Farmhouse, an exclusive lodge facing Oldeani Volcano and situated on a coffee farm. (B,L,D)

Day 5
Karatu / Lake Eyasi 
Drive to the southern end of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Lake Eyasi, Tanzania’s largest soda lake. This remote region is home to the Hadzape Bushmen, a traditional hunting tribe that speaks a “click” language. Spend the day visiting with the tribe after their daily hunt, learning about life in this seldom-visited area. Cap off our visit with a picnic lunch at the lake before returning to the Ngorongoro Farmhouse. (B,L,D)

Day 6
Karatu / Ngorongoro Crater
Spend a morning strolling through the town of Karatu, once popular with German settlers and farmers. Visit a local Maasai village, learning from elders about the colorful traditions of this ancient pastoral tribe. Spend the next two nights at the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, with spectacular views of the crater from its perch 2,000 feet above the crater floor. (B,L,D)

Day 7
Ngorongoro Crater
After a sumptuous breakfast, set out for the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest unflooded caldera (collapsed cone of a volcano). Protected from the outside world by a huge rim, Ngorongoro’s abundance of food and fresh water support more than 30,000 large mammals. We’ll descend 2,000 feet into the crater for thrilling game drives among Africa’s “Big Five” (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard), but also search out the rare black rhino — this is your greatest chance to observe the black rhino in East Africa. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the crater floor, and continue our drive before returning to the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 8
Olduvai Gorge / Serengeti National Park 
Head for the Serengeti, en route visiting Olduvai Gorge, where the earliest evidence of man was found by the Leakey family in the late 1950s. The Serengeti Plains are home to the greatest concentration of large mammals on Earth, and our frequent game drives are a chance to see immense herds. We spend the next three nights under canvas at our mobile tented camp, positioned to be as close to the animals as possible. (B,L,D)

Days 9 & 10
Serengeti National Park
Daily game drives through the acacia savannahs and grasslands of the Serengeti offer opportunities to spot wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, topi, impala and hartebeest along with predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and wild dog. Along the network of rivers and lakes, we may find hippos and crocodiles. You’ll have ample opportunity in camp to learn more about our expert driver/guides and staff, personable locals who strive to bring Africa to life during your safari. (B,L,D Daily)

Days 11 & 12
Serengeti / Arusha / En Route 
After a final morning game drive (time permitting), fly to Arusha. Explore Shanga, a workshop that makes beautiful handmade beads, paper, candles, soaps and home décor using recycled materials. Dayrooms are available at the Dik Dik Hotel before transferring to the airport for our flights home. Arrive in the U.S. on Day 12. (Day 11: B,L; Day 12: Meals Aloft)