PACKAGE OVERVIEW
Tanzania Safari Through The Rift Valley
The Rift Valley – just the sound of the name is magical. Our five days takes in Lake Manyara, a magical wildlife destination, the Serengeti (of course!) and spectacular Ngorongoro Crater. This really is the very best of Tanzania’s Northern Circuit. Accommodation during this ‘Comfort’ category trip is a great combination of hotel in Arusha and safari camps in Manyara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Styles – Comfort:
Travelers will be staying in small lodges and tented camps, bathroom facilities are ensuite, this option is perfect balance of quality and price. Comfort accommodations are handpicked to ensure the best quality.
Physical Rating:
Leisurely Category: 2/5. Our safaris with this grading are suitable for those people with even an average level of fitness. Assuming that you already have that level, no physical preparation is necessary in advance of one of these trips, and no strenuous exercise is expected on them, though visitors will spend some significant time in vehicles on the sometimes rough roads of Tanzania – the so-called ‘African Massage.’
Trip Overview
From Arusha, beneath towering Mount Meru, this short tour heads first to Lake Manyara, to experience villagers’ everyday lives and marvel at the myriad bird species.
The area’s famous tree-climbing lions are not to be missed! Next up is Serengeti, an atmospheric and iconic place renowned across the globe for its range of wildlife. You will get close to the animals with our excellent and knowlegeable driver-guides.
The trip continues to Ngorongoro, the stunning volcanic crater – a truly unique location for wildlife-spotting. At night, guests enjoy the comforts of quality safari lodges.
Trip Highlight
- The ‘endless plains’ of Serengeti, a marvellous landscape and surely the world’s most celebrated national park with an incomparable range of predators and their intended prey: see leopard and cheetah, antelope and zebra.
- Ngorongoro’s awe-inspiring crater, a collapsed volcano some 12 miles across and 7,500 feet above sealevel, with its incredible year-round display of wildlife. A truly inspiring setting which plays host to lion and elephant, rhino, buffalo, hippo as well as many other species.
- Mto wa Mbu village visit, a chance to get up close and personal with the local people and learn about their
everyday lives -fascinating. - Lake Manyara’s incredible array of birdlife, making this a special place for keen ornithologists. Flamingoes, and pelicans are amongst those providing the entertainment.
ITINERARY DESCRIPTION BY DAY
Day 1 : KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO ARUSHA
Arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be warmly welcomed by one of our experienced driver guides, ready to greet and escort you to Arusha and your chosen hotel. He will introduce you to this wonderful city and country.
After your long flight, you will be pleased to discover that Arusha – the undisputed ‘safari capital’ of East Africa- is perched at 1400 meters above sea level, keeping the temperatures and humidity relatively low. All around this important city are some of Tanzania’s greatest delights. Mount Meru towers above Arusha, while even distant Kilimanjaro can be seen on a clear day. Arusha provides the ideal starting-point for safari-lovers, within reach of Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.
The city even has its own natural attraction, Arusha National Park, close by. Named after the Wa-arusha residents of the town, this busy agricultural, administrative and tourist centre is the perfect place to relax after a long journey… and before you set off on safari, the holiday of a lifetime. Welcome to Arusha and welcome to Tanzania!
Accommodation: African Tulip Hotel
Meal Plan: Dinner
Journey time and Distance: 1 hour, 55 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha
Day 2 : ARUSHA TO LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
Today, your safari really begins as we start early from your Arusha hotel for our pleasant drive westwards to Lake Manyara National Park. First of all, we enjoy this morning with an introduction to northern Tanzanian culture, taking a visit to fascinating Mto wa Mbu village. Incredibly, this ‘village’ is actually home to over eighteen thousand inhabitants, drawn from 120 different tribes. Today is a super opportunity to find out about their everyday lives, visiting their farms, huts, artisan shops and the local market, with your expert driver-guide taking good care of you and sharing his detailed knowledge of tribal culture..
We enjoy lunch in the village, before exploring the stunning landscape of the park, looking for wildlife on the plains, in the acacia woodlands and by the shores of the shallow alkaline lake. Lake Manyara is rightly famous for its tree-climbing lions, but they’re far from the only highlight: by the end of an exhilarating afternoon, you could easily have spotted elephant, hippo, wildebeest, buffalo and giraffe, plus many other species. Pink-hued flamingos, one of 400 bird species recorded here, provide a splash of colour. At the end of the afternoon, it’s back to your camp for some relaxation and a delicious dinner.
Accommodation: Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Distance: 2 hours, 130 km from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park
Day 3 : LAKE MANYARA TO SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast, we collect our lunch boxes and leave Lake Manyara National Park. Our journey takes us west and north, our exciting destination being a name familiar to everyone – the Serengeti! Along the way, the sheer scale of the territory and the raw beauty of the landscapes reveal themselves and your driver-guide will help you to spot animals and birds. This is just a preview of things to come, for the Serengeti is home to what is possibly the world’s greatest gathering of wildlife..
After enjoying a picnic lunch, you’ll be eager to pursue some more great wildlife-spotting opportunities in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Set in the grasslands, savannahs, woods and mountain scenery, which creature will show itself next? These ‘endless plains’ are home to elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, hippo and crocodile… the adventure has truly begun. At the end of the afternoon, exhausted and exhilarated, it’s back to your chosen accommodation for dinner and to talk about the many fantastic experiences you’ve had today.
Accommodation: Serengeti Tortilis Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Distance: 4.5 hours, 205 km from Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park
Day 4 : SERENGETI TO NGORONGORO CRATER TOUR
The exciting sounds of Africa will rouse you from your sleep. We make the most of the day, your driver-guide meeting you for a 08:00 a.m start, to head off on our morning game-drive. Later, the adventure will continue when we travel up to Ngorongoro, another African natural icon.
It’s almost impossible to spend too much time in Serengeti and with more than 1.6 million herbivores – plus thousands of predators – there’s always something new and interesting to see. The changing seasons and natural light simply add to the diversity. This morning your driver-guide will help you spot some more of the many species at Serengeti, teaching you about their fascinating habits and habitats.
After a pleasant picnic lunch, it’s time to drive eastwards to visit another spectacular setting for Tanzania’s wildlife, the famous Ngorongoro Crater. On arrival, settle in at the camp while a tasty, hot dinner is prepared for you. Tomorrow, the wonders of the Ngorongoro Crater await us.
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic lunch box and Dinner
Journey time and Distance: 3.5 hours, 145 km from Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater Tour
Day 5 : NGORONGORO CRATER TOUR TO AIRPORT
Today may be ‘departure day’, but there will be plenty of time to enjoy another true spectacle, before your thoughts turn to home. Ngorongoro Crater is often referred to as a wonder of the world and your early morning game drive shows you why.
First, there’s the volcanic caldera (the world’s largest), full of grassland, forest and swamp, a setting of jaw-dropping beauty. Secondly, the permanent water of the crater floor supports a resident population of more than 25,000 large mammals. Here you’ll find many of the reasons you chose to come on safari: elephant, lion,
leopard, hyena, jackal, wallowing hippo, waterbuck, baboons… even the rare black rhino finds shelter here.
Sharing this awesome space with the animals are the Maasai, grazing their cattle in an area which has been a separate conservation area since 1956 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978. This harmonious co-habitation of man and beast makes Ngorongoro unique in Tanzania and your driver guide will be pleased to explain this incredible co-existence to you.
After your early morning game drive, we have our picnic lunch in the crater before we return to the airport for your flight home. You will drive for 5 hours from Ngorongoro Crater floor to Kilimanjaro International Airport, Read Departure Instructions below
Journey time and Distance: 5 hours, 245 km from Ngorongoro Crater Tour to Airport
Departure Instructions:
This Tour ends at Kilimanjaro International Airport at 17:30hrs, you can only depart on this day if you have booked a Domestic flight which departs from Kilimanjaro International Airport at 19:40hrs and onwards or an International Flight which departs at 21:00hrs and onwards. Otherwise, you will need to book a post night Accommodation if you are departing with any earlier flight.
Find below cost of post night Accommodation at African Tulip Hotel on Bed & Breakfast in Arusha
Single Room: $143 per person / per night
Double Room: $107 per person / per night
Triple Room: $90 per person / per night
* Post night Accommodation does not include in Trip Cost
