Itinerary
- Day 1
Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha
Your guide meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to your hotel. Take the afternoon to settle in, get oriented to the African setting, and rest up before everything starts.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 2
Materuni Waterfall Walk
After breakfast, head out on a guided walk from Materuni toward Kuringe waterfalls. Your local guide takes you through valleys and tropical rainforests at 2,500 meters, passing coffee, banana, and avocado plantations. You'll reach the 70-meter waterfall by late morning, so bring plenty of water and wear good hiking shoes.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided walk from Materuni to Kuringe waterfalls (40-minute walk through tropical rainforest and plantations)
Landmarks/POIs Kuringe Waterfalls - Day 3
Arusha National Park Game Drive
Set out early for your first game drive in Arusha National Park. Watch for tropical birds, black and white Colobus monkeys, and if you're fortunate, rare albino baboons. The park has lakes, craters, waterfalls, mountains, and grassy plains all in one place, so there's plenty to see from morning into afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drive in Arusha National Park with wildlife viewing
Landmarks/POIs Arusha National Park - Days 4 - 5
Tarangire National Park
Spend two full days in Tarangire National Park looking for massive herds of elephants and the enormous baobab trees that have stood for hundreds of years. During dry season, up to 250 elephants sometimes gather at the Tarangire River, the only water source in the area. You'll also see giraffes, buffalo, zebras, and countless other wildlife throughout the park.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drives in Tarangire National Park with wildlife viewing
Landmarks/POIs Tarangire National Park Tarangire River - Day 6
Lake Manyara National Park
Drive to Lake Manyara National Park, which sits between Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater along the Great Rift Valley. Explore the lake itself, dense rainforests full of monkeys and birds, woodlands where elephants roam, and the hippo pool where you can watch hippos throughout the day. The variety of landscapes keeps things interesting.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drive in Lake Manyara National Park with wildlife viewing
Landmarks/POIs Lake Manyara National Park Great Rift Valley - Day 7
Mto wa Mbu Village and Maasai Culture
Grab your mountain bike and ride through Mto wa Mbu, a green oasis in the Maasai plains near Lake Manyara. You'll pedal through lush vegetation and banana plantations, then visit a nearby Maasai village where local tribesmen talk about their traditional way of life. Plan for a few hours of riding and cultural time.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Mountain bike tour of Mto wa Mbu village and surrounding nature
- Visit to nearby Maasai village with cultural discussion
Landmarks/POIs Mto wa Mbu - Days 8 - 9
Lake Natron
Travel north to Lake Natron, known for its striking red coloration and alkaline waters. From August to October, thousands of flamingos turn the landscape pink. The simmering heat, mirror-like water, and volcanic mountains create a surreal, raw landscape that's ideal for photography. This spot feels otherworldly compared to what you've seen so far.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Landmarks/POIs Lake Natron - Days 10 - 12
Serengeti National Park
Spend three days in Serengeti National Park watching the Great Migration. Enormous herds stampede across the plains, and the concentration of predators is something else—over 4,000 lions, 225 cheetahs, 1,000 leopards, 3,500 hyenas, and hundreds of wild dogs live here alongside zebras, wildebeest, and antelopes. Each game drive brings new sightings.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drives in Serengeti National Park with wildlife viewing
Landmarks/POIs Serengeti National Park - Day 13
Ngorongoro Crater
Visit the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa's seven natural wonders, formed two million years ago when a volcano erupted. You'll descend into this unique ecosystem home to Africa's highest concentration of animals including lions, zebras, buffalo, and black rhinos. The views from the crater rim are also incredible, and you can see everything in one day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drive in Ngorongoro Crater with wildlife viewing
Landmarks/POIs Ngorongoro Crater - Day 14
Empakaai Crater
Hike down into the Empakaai Crater, located about 40 kilometers northeast of Ngorongoro. The crater rim walk takes roughly 45 minutes to descend toward the lake at the bottom, where flamingos often gather. On clear days, you'll see Ol Donyo Lengai volcano in the distance. This feels like the edge of the world.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided walk from Empakaai Crater rim to crater lake (approximately 45 minutes)
Landmarks/POIs Empakaai Crater Ol Donyo Lengai - Day 15
Lake Eyasi and Hadzabe Culture
Visit Lake Eyasi, a seasonal shallow salt lake south of the Ngorongoro Highlands that's great for bird watching. Spot hippos in shallow water and use binoculars to see African spoonbills, flamingos, gray-headed gulls, great white pelicans, and pied avocets. Afterward, spend time with the Hadzabe bushmen learning about their traditional bow hunting.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Bird watching at Lake Eyasi
- Visit to Hadzabe bushmen village with cultural discussion about bow hunting
Landmarks/POIs Lake Eyasi - Day 16
Departure
Your safari ends today. Depending on your flight time, relax at the lodge before your driver takes you to Kilimanjaro International Airport. If you want to extend the trip, you can add a few days on Zanzibar, Pemba, or Mafia Island instead of heading home.
Optional Activities
- Extension to Tanzania's paradise islands (Zanzibar, Pemba, or Mafia) - additional accommodation and activities available
