Lake Manyara National Park

After meeting your friendly private guide and getting the formalities completed, we’ll then jump in the safari vehicle and head to Lake Manyara, in time for a perfect first-day game drive. Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, Lake Manyara National Park is famous for its large alkaline soda lake which is home to the pink flamingos, herons, and yellow-billed stork. We’ll also keep an eye out for the tree-climbing lions, which are unique to this national park. We’ll also have to watch out for some fun antics from the local baboon troops: Lake Manyara is believed to have the largest number of these primates on earth!

Olduvai Gorge

After a hearty breakfast and our picnic lunch is prepared, we’ll drive around 4.5 hours through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We’ll then arrive at the Olduvai Gorge, where the remains of a 1.8 million-year-old skeleton, thought to be one of the distinct links of the human evolutionary chain, lies. In this same area, there is a complete series of hominid footprints estimated to be over 3.7 million years old. Once we’ve had a chance to marvel at this amazing piece of history, we will then continue into the Serengeti.

Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, you will set out for Africa’s greatest wildlife reserve: The Serengeti National Park. Armed with a picnic lunch, we’ll look forward to a full day of game viewing on the Serengeti. During the month of June, the migrating herds will be collecting in the western corridor, preparing to cross the Grumeti River. Even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers some of the most exciting game viewing – great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephants and giraffes, as well as thousands of eland, topi, hartebeest, impala, and Grant’s gazelle.

Ngorongoro Crater

After a night of reminiscing about the previous days exploring and some well-earned rest, you will drive to the fascinating wildlife arena of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This area is special as the crater it’s based in was formed over 2-3 million years ago after a volcano exploded and collapsed on itself. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is over 260 km² (100 miles²) long and is often referred to as “Africa’s Eden”. Home to more than 25,000 large mammals, it is not unusual to see all of the “Big Five” (buffalo, elephants, rhino, lions, and leopards) in one day.

Tarangire National Park

On our last day together, we will drive to Tarangire, a must-see for avid birdwatchers, boasting over 550 different bird species, the most diverse in Africa, including the Kori Bustard, the heaviest flying bird on earth! The Tarangire River runs through the park attracting a huge number of elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and antelope, particularly in the dry season between June and October. It is not uncommon to see large herds of elephants roaming through Tarangire’s savannah grasses or taking shade under the odd-looking “upside-down trees” (Baobab) that are dotted around the park. Following a morning game-drive, you will transfer to your hotel in Arusha or directly to Kilimanjaro Airport for onward travel.