14 Days Drive & fly back Serengeti safari

Arusha is the safari capital of the country and a bustling ‘tourism driven’ city. You will be met by your driver-guide guide in Arusha and together you will begin the transfer to Tarangire National Park to start your private safari game drive. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire River, which crosses the park and is the main source of fresh water for the abundant wildlife. This quiet park is famous for its elephant migration, birdlife and authentic safari atmosphere. You will enjoy a packed lunch at midday and at the end of the afternoon’s game drive, you will make your way to Africa Safari Lake Manyara Luxury Lodge. On arrival, you will have time to refresh before finishing the day with dinner under the stars and a good night’s sleep in one of our comfy canvas accommodations.

You only need to open your eyes and walk to the restaurant to enjoy the expansive views of Lake Manyara; the national park you will be exploring for the day. After breakfast, your driver-guide will take you to the entry gates of Lake Manyara N.P., an underestimated gem as far as game parks are concerned. The park offers a big ecological variety in a more condensed area. From the entrance of the park, the road winds through a groundwater forest area where baboons can be seen lounging in the trees and hanging out roadside. The mahogany and acacia trees are inhabited by the famous tree-climbing lions, if you’re lucky you might spot them lazing on a tree branch. As you make your way out of the dense bushland into the open grassy banks of the lake you will be able to see wildebeest, giraffe, zebra and large buffalo in abundance, grazing away. The lake itself is home to a large number of birds thriving at the water’s edge. More than 400 species have been identified and one of the highlights is the thousands of strolling flamingos. Between all this beauty you have a lunch break at midday and at the end of the afternoon you drive back to Africa Safari Lake Manyara Lodge for dinner and a night of peaceful sleep with sweet dreams.

Time to take it easy – African style! One of the favourite Swahili expressions is ”pole pole” (slowly slowly) and that’s exactly how today will go! Take the opportunity to sleep in, read a book, enjoy the amazing views and simply switch off from the world for the day, indulging in the rare pleasure of having no responsibilities. This is a well-deserved break after travelling, and a good way to prepare yourself for the upcoming days filled with safari adventure. Overnight and all meals at Africa Safari Lake Manyara.

This day brings you a road trip through northern Tanzania with destination Lake Natron. You depart from Africa Safari Lake Manyara after breakfast. The drive can take up to 4 hours and it’s the perfect way to see different sides of Tanzania’s ever-changing landscapes. As you pass the Rift Valley and drive further towards Lake Natron, you will notice the lush green vegetation slowly exchanging for dry, arid and dusty landscapes. The occasional Maasai villages passed en route become dots in the distant scenery. The further north you reach, the more remains of old volcanoes rise around you. Among them is Ol Doinyo Lengai, meaning ‘Mountain of God’ in Maasai dialect. This volcano is one of the few that are still active. When you eventually reach Lake Natron, you might perhaps catch its smoke disappearing in the sky. The night is spent in a comfortable bed at Africa Safari Lake Natron.

Waking up at the foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai is a magical feeling. The Engare Sero Footprint Site, situated on the south of Lake Natron, 11 km away from Africa Safari Lake Natron has been reported to host one of the best-preserved sets of fossilized hominid footprints in the world. However, until now there has been no detailed characterization and age determination of the footprint-bearing strata (the Footprint Tuff). The over 400 footprints are between 5.000 to 19.000 years old and came to scientist’s attention in 2008. They cover a cordoned off area slightly larger than a tennis court. To complete your day of exploring lake Natron, venture out on a moderate two-hour hike along the western edge of Lake Natron leading to a series of narrow gorges and waterfalls, where you can swim in slot canyons and walk behind the falling water. Quite a refreshing activity after a hot day at Lake Natron as the area is both arid and wet at the same time, and lush with wild palms growing above the gorge.

This morning, put on your walking shoes as a Maasai tribesman guides you on a walk around the shores of Lake Natron in search of the Lesser flamingo. Lake Natron is the most important and regular breeding site for Lesser Flamingos in East Africa and during the breeding season, Lake Natron hosts up to 2.5 million flamingos. The majority of egg-laying and hatching takes place from September to April although the peak occurs between October & (early) December. The long-legged waterfowl may flourish here, but to most other living creatures including small birds, these conditions make survival extremely challenging; however, the Lake Flats do provide a variety of habitats for birds that flourish in the alkali oasis. Around midday, you will depart Natron for Lake Manyara. The arid and dry scenery will slowly be exchanged for the lusher and greener surroundings of the Rift Valley. At the end of the afternoon, you will arrive at Africa Safari Lake Manyara for dinner and a good night’s sleep.

Be sure to wake up early today, so there is no delay on your descent into the famous Ngorongoro Crater. As soon as you arrive in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area you will be amazed by the beauty around you. Even more so when you arrive at the edge of the crater and take in the amazing view over one of the natural wonders of this world. The crater of this inactive volcano is approximately 3 million years old, 20 square km in size and the largest unbroken volcanic caldera in the world. Due to its natural borders, the wildlife in the crater is amazing. The crater is home to the Big Five and offers a good chance to spot the rare black rhino. Throw hyena, zebra, buffalo and elephants into the mix, and you have the perfect canvas for a pretty awesome safari experience. At the end of the afternoon, you head back to the lodge, Africa Safari Lake Manyara, for a well deserved nights’ sleep.

A day of rest and relaxation or an (optional) excursion. Take a stroll through the camp, enjoy the view, read a book or have an afternoon snooze while taking time to process recent impressions. Meals will be served in the restaurant while enjoying the view of the birds and animals as they pass by. Overnight at Africa Safari Lake Manyara.

Today you have a long and rewarding drive ahead of you, as you make your way from Lake Manyara region, through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and into Serengeti National Park, to enjoy the Serengeti safari. The road will take you through the Maasai homeland, the only tribespeople permitted to live in the Conservation area. Traditionally nomadic, the Maasai people are rich in culture and can often be seen herding their cattle in brightly coloured traditional Maasai robes. They live in complete harmony with the earth, using their long-ingrained family knowledge of plant life as a means for survival. Along the serengeti safari drive, you will be able to spot giraffes, zebras and other animals. Prepare to be amazed when you catch your first glimpse of the endless plains of the Serengeti safari. When you arrive in our Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma lodge, you will have already had your first glimpse of the 14,000+ square kilometres that make up the wonder that is Serengeti National Park.

Nothing beats waking up from a restful sleep to the sounds of the Serengeti. Once you have enjoyed your breakfast, the acacia-studded savannah welcomes you to start exploring its wildlife. Another day filled with safari adventuring on African soil and by the end of this day you probably understand the meaning of the name ‘Serengeti’ to be ‘Endless plains’. The Serengeti safari, it’s an unforgettable experience. Late afternoon you return to Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma.

Enjoy a bit of a sleep-in and an easy morning around the campgrounds, read a book on the patio or simply make the most of having some downtime. This afternoon you will be making a walking Serengeti safari. A truly unique experience, where you will have the opportunity to explore new territory and follow the animals on foot, accompanied by your very own armed ranger. The walking safari takes approximately 2 hours and ends with a sundowner while overlooking the Serengeti. Then back to the accommodation for a quick dinner as you will join in on a thrilling adventure; a night game drive. A spotlight is fitted to the vehicle and before you know it you catch the first reflections of the animals’ eyes. The night is another world altogether out there; interesting action of the nocturnal animals, different shades and shadows and unknown sounds. Typical animals of the night are Bushbabies, civets and genet cats, a rare Aardvark or Porcupine and others. Upon return perhaps a nightcap to warm up before retiring to your room for a good rest.

After breakfast at Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma, you will begin your Serengeti safari for the day, heading north. The drive takes you through a natural wonderland of ever-changing landscapes. The journey begins cruising along dirt tracks lined by shrubby savannah, the habitat of impala and giraffe. After a while, you will reach the Lobo area where the landscape opens up to a mix of grasslands, rivers, hills and forests. Depending on the movement of the migration you might even make your way further north while the plains disappear behind you to give way to forests of acacia trees and dense bush. The area is permanently inhabited by many animals, both herbivores and carnivores, including; buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, eland, cheetah, hyena, oribis, topi, impala, Thomson’s gazelle, giraffe, hippos and the Nile crocodile. This northern section of the Serengeti is less frequented than the southern and central parts of the Serengeti, allowing for fewer cars on the road and a more ‘exclusive’ Serengeti safari experience. At the end of the day, you will leave the park through Klein’s gate and after a few kilometres find another surprise; Maasai culture in its full glory. You will spend the night at Africa Safari Maasai Boma in a modern-style version of a traditional Maasai earth house with an en-suite bathroom and a kingsize bed.

After a good breakfast at Africa Safari Maasai Boma, you will depart on your adventure back towards Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma. Your driver-guide will take you exploring, following the movement of resident wildlife, while heading towards your accommodation in Ikoma. There will be a stop for a nice picnic lunch along the way. In the afternoon you will reach the border of the park and just 2 km further you will find the staff of Africa Safari Serengeti Ikoma welcoming you. This is your place to relax, and a beautiful ‘canvas home’ for a good night of sleep is awaiting you.

After a good night’s sleep, this morning it is departure time. After the last game drive, your vehicle will be taking you to the Seronera airstrip for your flight back to Arusha Airport. After boarding the aircraft, your trip nears the end, but you can still peer out over the wings of the plane and enjoy the magnificent views while flying over Serengeti National Park and admire the changing scenery of the Great Rift Valley. You will land at Arusha Airport with a camera full of pictures to share with friends and family and look back on the amazing memories created on your African endeavour!