Classic 7-Day Serengeti Safari

Overview

Day by day

1. Day 1 Arrival in Arusha
   • Arrival: Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport.
   • Transfer to Arusha: A brief drive to your lodge or hotel in Arusha. This day will be for relaxation after your flight and preparing for your safari.

   Activities:

   • Depending on your arrival time, explore Arusha town or visit the Cultural Heritage Centre.
   • Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Arusha.
2. Day 2 Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park
   • Drive to Lake Manyara: After breakfast, you’ll begin your safari adventure by driving (~2.5 hours) to Lake Manyara National Park.
   • Game Drive in Lake Manyara: Explore this small but diverse park known for its tree-climbing lions, elephants, and large flocks of flamingos at the soda lake. The park also offers a great variety of bird species.

   Activities:

   • Afternoon game drive, visiting the hot springs and watching for wildlife at the lake's edge.
   • Optional: Canopy walkway or village visit in Mto wa Mbu.
   • Dinner and overnight at a lodge in Lake Manyara.
3. Day 3 Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park

   -Drive to Serengeti: Early breakfast and head toward the Serengeti (~4-5 hours), passing through Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way, enjoy scenic views of the Ngorongoro Highlands. -Afternoon Game Drive in Serengeti: After arriving, embark on your first game drive in the Serengeti plains. Look out for lions, elephants, cheetahs, and more.

   • Dinner and overnight inside the park at a tented camp or lodge for an authentic bush experience.
4. Day 4 Full Day in Serengeti National Park

   -Full-Day Game Drives: Spend a full day exploring the vast Serengeti plains, tracking the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhino) and other wildlife like giraffes, hippos, and wildebeests. If you're traveling between June and October, you might witness part of the Great Migration. -Optional: Take a hot air balloon safari at sunrise for a bird’s eye view of the Serengeti (additional cost).

   • Accommodation:
   • Return to the same lodge or camp.
5. Day 5 Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

   -Morning Game Drive: After breakfast, enjoy a final morning game drive in the Serengeti before heading to Ngorongoro Conservation Area (~3 hours’ drive). -Visit Olduvai Gorge (optional): Enroute to Ngorongoro, visit the Olduvai Gorge, an important archaeological site where early human fossils were discovered. -Arrive at Ngorongoro: Check-in at your lodge situated along the crater rim, offering stunning views of the Ngorongoro Crater.

6. Day 6 Ngorongoro Crater Safari

   -Ngorongoro Crater Tour: Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a half-day game drive. The crater is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to a dense concentration of wildlife, including elephants, black rhinos, lions, and large numbers of antelope species. -Picnic Lunch: Have a picnic lunch by the hippo pool within the crater. -Afternoon Leisure: After the game drive, return to your lodge for leisure time or visit a nearby Maasai village for a cultural experience.

   • Accommodation: Stay at the same lodge.
7. Day 7 Ngorongoro to Arusha

   -Drive Back to Arusha: After breakfast, head back to Arusha (~3-4 hours’ drive). Along the way, enjoy views of the Great Rift Valley and local villages.

   • Lunch in Arusha: Have lunch in Arusha town or at your lodge.
   • Departure: Depending on your flight schedule, you can be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport or stay in Arusha for an extra night before departing.

Photographs