For those wanting the quintessential Tanzanian safari experience, our eight day Complete Tanzania Safari offers the most comprehensive overview of the country's parks and cultures.
You'll visit all four of Tanzania's prominent Northern Circuit parks for unparalleled game drive experiences. The Wildebeest Migration on the Serengeti, the Big Five in Ngorongoro and tree-climbing lions in Lake Manyara.
You'll also enjoy cultural experiences such as overnighting at a Maasai lodge to experience their fascinating culture firsthand.
Ready to set out? Your adventure awaits!
You'll depart from Arusha after breakfast for the approximately two hour drive to Tarangire National Park. Along the way you'll pass bustling Masai villages and the vast, open plains that have become synonymous with images of Africa.
Once you've entered Tarangire, you'll begin your game drive across a rich vista of endless golden savannah that surrounds the Tarangire River. The river itself runs throughout the year and is a vital source of water for the animals of the region during the dry season. Lined with acacia and Baobab trees, the river is regularly visited by the park's large elephant population as well as other herbivores such as zebras and antelopes.
A picnic lunch with a view of the river is a great way to take it all in, but you'll have to keep on your toes as the local monkey population does its best to separate you from your lunch!
Driving through the park you'll also have the opportunity to see lions, leopards, cape buffalo, and a huge variety of antelopes. If you're particularly lucky, you might even see endangered animals such as the Greater Kudu or the Fringe-Eared Oryx.
After your day's drive is done, you'll retire to your accommodation for the evening.
Today you have a full day to spend in this amazing park. Get up early or have a sleep in and enjoy the wildlife around your camp.
Tarangire is the least visited of the parks along Tanzania's northern circuit, and it's a crying shame.
The park's large elephant population, iconic Baobab trees, and diversity of wildlife make it one of the best parks in the country for taking breath-taking photos or simply basking in the beauty of the world's largest land mammals.
Set off with a picknick lunch and spend all day out on a game drive – or choose to return for a hot lunch at your camp.
After your game drive you will return to your choosen accommodation for the night.
You'll depart from Tarangire after breakfast for the approximately three hour drive to Lake Manyara National Park. Along the way you'll pass bustling Masai villages and the vast, open plains that have become synonymous with images of Africa.
You'll enter Lake Manyara National Park. The park is truly a photographer's playground and offers some of the best game viewing in the world. You can expect to see many of Africa's most well-known animals, with the tree-climbing lions a particular treat. These proud predators lounge in acacia trees practically begging to be photographed.
Bird-watchers will find Lake Manyara is an absolute delight, with a huge variety of birds on display in the park. Even the novice can expect to be amazed by large flamingo flocks, circling birds of prey, and the brightly coloured lilac breasted roller.
After your day's drive is done, you'll retire to your accommodation for the evening.
Note: Dependent on the time of year and the location of the Wildebeest Migration, your accommodation and precise location within the Serengeti National Park may vary. The itinerary may change slightly to accommodate this.
We'll take an early breakfast, as we've got a big day of exploration and adventure ahead of us!
We'll begin the day with the scenic drive towards the Serengeti. Along the way we'll pass through the mist-shrouded rainforests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where you might be lucky enough to glimpse cape buffalo, baboons, or even elephants and leopards in the dense undergrowth. It's a nearly four hour drive to the Serengeti park gates, but you can choose to break up the drive with one or both of the below optional activities: Oldupai Gorge Museum: Sometimes known as the Cradle of Mankind, the Oldupai Gorge Museum commemorates some of the oldest evidence of human habitation ever found. Here you can see some of the oldest fossil evidence in the world of human habitation, visit the Oldupai Gorge Museum to learn more about the human journey, and take in the stunning views of this stark gorge country. Maasai boma visit: Pay a visit to one of the famous Maasai bomas, where you'll have the opportunity to witness (and participate in) traditional Maasai dance, tour an authentic Maasai village, and even do a little souvenir shopping at the local market.
Both of the above activities attract an additional cost. Speak with your safari expert about adding them to your itinerary.
After a delicious lunch at the Serengeti National Park picnic area, it’s time to explore the Serengeti itself. Witness Africa’s iconic savannah landscape and be amazed by the sheer number of animals that roam these grassy plains.
Dinner and overnight in the heart of the Serengeti National Park according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.
You'll wake before dawn to take part in a sunrise game drive. As the sun sets fire to the savannah, you'll have the best opportunity to see predators in action as they take advantage of the low light and cooler temperatures to look for an early meal. It's an ideal time to see lions, leopards, and cheetahs in action as well as the early morning movements of the wildebeest, zebra, and other herbivores.
Alternatively, you may wish to take to the skies with a sunrise hot air balloon safari and champagne breakfast. Speak with your safari expert about adding this once in a lifetime experience to your safari.
After your unforgettable morning, you'll return to your lodge for a late breakfast and to freshen up before hitting the road again with a picnic lunch. Your driver will select the best possible route based upon the time of year and the kind of animals you'd like to see, catering your day so that your opportunities to see the Serengeti's diverse wildlife are maximized.
You'll start your day with an unforgettable sunrise game drive across the Serengeti. See the sun set fire to the savannah as predators such as leopards and lions hunt for their morning meal.
Alternatively, you may wish to take to the skies with a sunrise hot air balloon safari and champagne breakfast. Ask your safari expert about how this can be added to your itinerary.
After your breakfast, you'll take a packed lunch and proceed for a day long game drive through the park. Your driver will pick a route designed to ensure you have the best possible chance of spotting the Big Five and the Wildebeest Migration.
You'll then overnight within the park.
After breakfast, you'll depart for Ngorongoro Crater; considered by some to be the Eighth Wonder of the World. When you get your first glimpse of this vast, verdant caldera from the panoramic viewpoint, you'll soon understand why it has earned such a lofty reputation.
Home to over 120 species of mammal including the fabled Big Five, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most sought after safari destinations in the world. It's a particularly good place to see the endangered black rhinoceros enjoying a lonely meal out on the grass plains, as well as a place to see large numbers of hippopotamus enjoying the cool water.
From the comfort of your open-top vehicle, you'll be able to observe and photograph some of Africa's most recognisable faces. The crater is home to a large number of predators including lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals, and hyenas, as well as a large population of wildebeest, zebras, antelope, cape buffalo, and more. It is truly one of Africa's premier safari destinations.
After the thrills and excitement of the day, you will have a picnic lunch in the park. Thereafter we will make our way to Lake Eaysi for overnight .
One of the last true bushman tribes in Africa, the Hadzabe live very much as they always have despite the rapid development of Tanzania. With only 2,000 members, the Hadzabe tribe are a fascinating people who offer us a window into how life in Tanzania was in the past. The local hunters will prepare a demonstration of hunting techniques just for us. Far from being a mere performance, this display reveals a great deal about their everyday lives when they must hunt for animals to feed their families. You will see firsthand how the Hadzabe use distinctive motions and even the body parts of certain animals to lure their prey close enough that they can be brought down with hand-crafted poisons. After a late breakfast, you'll have the opportunity for a drive around Lake Eyasi proper. While this shallow soda lake is not home to the same variety of wildlife you'll find in a national park, you'll have the chance to spot a variety of bird and mammal life. On occasion, flamingos and hippos even call the lake home. You'll also have time to meet with the Datoga people. Mostly farmers and cattle breeders, these fascinating people offer another insight into tribal life in Tanzania.
Afternoon you will proceed back to Arusha or Airport .
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