Day 1
Depart the UK.

Day 2
Arrive in Arusha. After a safari briefing, you depart for Lake Manyara, nestled on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, and an afternoon walk in the area, with the option of stopping in the market town of Mto Wa Mbu or to visit a local school for Masai children, en route. Dinner and overnight at Kirurumu Tented Lodge, perched on the lip of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment. As visitors enter the park gate they enter the lush ground water forest, whose tall trees are home to troops of baboons and blue monkeys. Further along the forest opens up into woodlands, grasslands, swamps and finally to the soda lake itself, a sanctuary to over 350 species of bird including flamingo, storks, pelican, sacred ibis, cormorants and Egyptian geese. The park is also noted for its numerous buffalo, elephant, giraffe, impala, hippo and range of smaller animals. The most famous spectacle of the park are the tree-climbing lions which are sometimes found spread out on the branchs of acacia trees 6 to 7 metres above the ground.

Day 3
After an early breakfast we carve our way through the forested slopes of the Ngorongoro Highlands, en route to the Serengeti. From here the predator-rich plains of the Serengeti unfurl before us as we game drive through the park to arrive at Mbuzi Mawe, just before dusk. Dinner and overnight Mbuzi Mawe.

Day 4
A full day to explore the Serengeti, the most famous National Park in Africa. Your driver-guide will choose our route based on his extensive knowledge of the park and local conditions but the Serengeti rarely disappoints. We carry our packed lunch with us so as to make the most of the day.

Day 5
After breakfast depart for Ngorongoro Crater, with a final Serengeti game drive en-route, to Ngorongoro. You stop at Olduvai Gorge to visit the site where Mary and Louis Leakey first discovered the remains of Zinjanthropus Bosei, a distant ancestor of man believed to be 1.8 million years old. Pack lunch en route to your lodge. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at Plantation Lodge.

Day 6
A full day in Ngorongoro Crater, with picnic lunch, gives us time to explore in detail this fascinating wildlife amphitheatre. It is a World Heritage Site and home to nearly 25,000 animals. Here you have a very real chance of spotting the big five: lion, elephant, endangered black rhino, buffalo and leopard plus countless other African mammal species. This caldera, formed by a volcano sinking, hosts a unique cross-section of eco-systems, from soda lake to savannah and is home to almost every major species of African mammal. Our presence does not threaten the wildlife making for an exhilarating proximity to the game that we rarely encounter elsewhere. Dinner and overnight at Plantation Lodge.

Day 7
After breakfast leave for Tarangire National Park. This is the classic Africa of lore with shimmering acacia stands, old baobab trees, Masai herds and herds of elephant. On entering the park we game drive towards Maramboi lodge, arriving at lunch. An afternoon of game-viewing, exploring Tarangire National Park in our 4WD safari vehicle. In the dry-season of July-October, Tarangire National Park surpasses the Serengeti in terms of animal concentration as big herds begin to congregate around the permanent water of Tarangire River. It is not uncommon to see herds of 50+ elephant as well as every other mammal species including the rare Kudu and Oryx. The park is also noted for its prolific bird life and the occasional sighting of cheetah and the rare African Hunting Dog. Dinner and overnight at Maramboi Lodge.

Day 8
An early morning game drive before returning to Arusha in time for your onward flight.

Day 9
Arrive UK.

TZ10 Tanzania Wildlife Week