$3,542 to $3,652 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateArrival
Arrival
Day 1
Arusha town to Tarangire National Park
Arusha town to Tarangire National Park
Depart Arusha after meeting your guide and set off toward Tarangire National Park, a dramatic landscape of baobab-dotted plains and seasonal swamps. The drive gives a first taste of rural Tanzania, with patchwork farmland and small villages passing by. Enter Tarangire and begin game viewing, focusing on large elephant herds that the park is famous for, along with buffalo, impala, giraffe, and a variety of birds, including raptors and colourful bee-eaters. Your guide interprets tracks and animal behaviour, increasing your chances of spotting predators such as lions or elusive leopards hidden among acacia and baobab trees. As dusk approaches, enjoy a relaxed sunset game drive, watching the golden light wash the landscape as animals settle for the night. Return to the campsite for a simple cooked dinner, swap wildlife stories with fellow travellers, and fall asleep beneath a canopy of stars, listening to the distant calls of nocturnal wildlife and the gentle rustle of the African bush.
- Main Destination:
- Tarangire National Park
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
Wildlife in Tarangire NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 2
Wilderness Waling and Game Drive in Tarangire National Park
Wilderness Waling and Game Drive in Tarangire National Park
Wake to the dawn chorus and a soft sunrise over the plains before breakfast, then prepare for a day of wilderness walking and game drives. Join a guided walk led by an experienced spotter-guide and ranger where permitted, moving carefully through bush and savanna to discover insects, hoofprints, spoor, edible plants, and medicinal herbs, and to read subtle signs of predator activity. The walk offers intimate encounters and a deeper appreciation beyond vehicle viewing. Afterwards, return to the open safari vehicle for further game viewing along riverine woodlands and marsh edges where elephants bathe, and predators hunt. Watch for diverse birdlife along waterways and observe grazing herds and territorial behaviour while your guide explains animal habits, ecology, and conservation challenges in Tarangire. Pause for a picnic lunch beneath a shady tree and soak in the scenic tranquillity. In the evening, return to camp for a warm meal, a possible campfire, and time to review photos.
- Main Destination:
- Tarangire National Park
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 3
Tarangire Park to Mto wa Mbu Village for Culture Tourism Program
Tarangire Park to Mto wa Mbu Village for Culture Tourism Program
Sunrise game drive, then depart Tarangire after breakfast and drive toward the lively, multiethnic village of Mto wa Mbu, passing shifting landscapes from dry plains to irrigated farms around Lake Manyara. Arrive in Mto wa Mbu, known for colourful markets, fruit plantations, and cultural diversity. Take a village tour showcasing small-scale agriculture, banana and rice paddies, irrigation methods, and local food preparation. Visit family farms, meet residents who share their daily life stories and crafts, and taste fresh tropical fruits and home-cooked dishes. Later, meet Maasai hosts for a respectful cultural visit to learn about pastoralist life, livestock care, beadwork, social customs, and, if appropriate, witness a short dance or handicraft demonstration. These interactions support local incomes. In the evening, settle at a simple campsite or community lodging, reflect on the day’s encounters, and prepare for the Serengeti journey.
- Main Destination:
- Mto Wa Mbu (Town)
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 4
Mto wa Mbu to Serengeti National Park for Evening Game drive
Mto wa Mbu to Serengeti National Park for Evening Game drive
After an early breakfast, leave Mto wa Mbu and cross the rift valley escarpment and open plains toward Serengeti National Park, enjoying sweeping panoramas as you approach one of Africa’s iconic wildernesses. Enter the Serengeti and begin game viewing immediately across vast grasslands, rocky kopjes, and riverine corridors, in search of predators, migratory herds, and solitary species. Arrive at camp, then head out for a sunset game drive when wildlife becomes most active, and hunts often begin. Your guide uses local knowledge to find lions, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, wildebeest, zebra, gazelles, and eland. As the sun sets, admire dramatic skies and acacia silhouettes before returning to camp for dinner, stories around the fire, and an overnight under canvas, with staff ensuring safe setup and a briefing on nocturnal precautions.
- Main Destination:
- Central Serengeti National Park
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
Wildlife in Serengeti NP
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 5
Full day game drive at Serengeti park
Full day game drive at Serengeti park
Rise early for a full day exploring core Serengeti areas, following game movements and seasonal concentrations. Move between short-grass plains, kopjes, and riverine thickets to maximise predator and migratory herd sightings. The day includes multiple game drive stops, photography opportunities, and a picnic or bush lunch in a scenic wildlife setting. Your guide explains predator-prey dynamics, migration patterns, and conservation issues. Depending on the season, you may witness river crossings, large congregations, or territorial bulls. Birdwatchers can spot raptors and ground species. Patient observation reveals stalking, hunting, feeding, and social interactions. Return to camp at dusk for dinner, share highlights, and rest in simple tented accommodation with basic comforts and low-impact practices.
- Main Destination:
- Serengeti National Park
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 6
Game drive at Serengeti National park
Game drive at Serengeti National park
Continue exploring varied Serengeti sectors, venturing to predator strongholds, scenic kopje vantage points, or quieter backcountry to avoid crowds. Today offers flexible, deeper exploration as your guide targets recent sightings and follows resident herds for higher wildlife density. Pace the day for relaxed observation and targeted tracking when activity emerges, learning about microhabitats, geology, and plant communities that sustain the food web. Take mid-day breaks to rest, listen to the bush, and absorb the vastness. Patient, knowledgeable guidance increases the chances of close, uninterrupted viewing of interactions, family groups, and subtle behaviours. Finish with sunset drive back to camp, savouring golden light and silhouettes before a final campsite meal and overnight, sharing photos and highlights from your extended Serengeti stay.
- Main Destination:
- Serengeti National Park
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 7
Serengeti national Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Serengeti national Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Leave the Serengeti after breakfast and travel toward the forested rim and highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, noting changes in vegetation, altitude, and climate. Stop at Olduvai Gorge Museum to learn about paleoanthropological finds—early human fossils, stone tools, and the region’s scientific history—with an optional short guided walk for context. Continue across dramatic scenery into the Ngorongoro Highlands and arrive at a campsite or simple lodge near the crater rim. Spend the afternoon visiting a Maasai boma, if arranged, to learn about pastoral life and homestead traditions, or relax while taking in sweeping views of the crater floor. In the evening, attend a briefing about the next day’s crater descent, noting the area’s permanent water sources, dense wildlife and entry regulations, then enjoy a communal meal and rest in the cool highland air.
- Main Destination:
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Accommodation:
- Budget camping
Wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater
- Meals & Drinks:
Day 8
Crater tour back to Arusha Town
Crater tour back to Arusha Town
Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for a day of exceptional game viewing in one of Africa’s most concentrated wildlife arenas. Drive across the crater floor, searching for lions adapted to crater life, large herds of wildebeest and zebras, elephants, possibly black rhinos, hippos in lakes, and prolific birdlife. The crater’s enclosed amphitheatre offers close encounters and prolonged observation of animal behaviour against steep walls. Pause for a picnic in a designated spot, then visit hippo pools and marshy wetlands rich in birds. In the afternoon, ascend to the rim and drive back to Arusha, reflecting on an intensive eight-day northern circuit—Tarangire, Mto wa Mbu, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro—before drop-off at your accommodation or the airport, carrying memories and photos of East African wildlife and cultures.
- Main Destination:
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Accommodation:
- No accommodation (End of tour)
- Meals & Drinks:
