10 Days Great Plains Expedition

Heading south from Arusha towards Tarangire during the early afternoon, you will pass through many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee and banana plantations. Arriving late afternoon into Tarangire National Park, you continue the journey to Maramboi Tented Camp viewing game en route. Deriving its name from the Tarangire River which winds its way through the park, Tarangire is a complex mixture of grasslands, flood plains and a scenic river, as well as thousands of baobab trees.

After the Serengeti, Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania and in the dry season the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland gather and not surprisingly the predators follow. This is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx and gerenuk are regularly spotted. Tarangire is also known for its spectacular baobab trees, and its breathtaking views of the Masaai Steppe and the mountains to the south.

Accommodation: Maramboi Tented Lodge

After a leisurely breakfast, you drive to Lake Manyara where you will stop for a picnic lunch. You will then have a game drive and then continue to the lodge reaching by late afternoon. Situated in the shadow of the Ngorongoro Crater the area around Karatu is perfect for exploring two of Tanzania’s gems, the Crater and Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manyara National Park offers a wilderness experience in diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Apart from a spectacular setting, the park is famous for its unusual tree-climbing lions and the vast elephant herds it was established to protect.

The shores of the lake attract more than 400 species of birds, many of them waterfowl or migrants. Large herds of buffalo, cheetah, Masai giraffe and impala roam the lake shores and the forested valley slopes. A Lake Manyara safari is a fascinating experience, as the park also features a ground-water forest, vachellia tortilis woodland and hot springs called Maji Moto. Troops of several hundred olive baboon appear alongside Sykes monkey and short-eared galago. Cape clawless otter, Egyptian mongoose, hippo and klipspringer are other park residents.

Accommodation: Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

A highlight awaits you this morning as you depart by 4x4 with a picnic lunch to explore what is commonly referred to as the World’s largest wildlife zoo. After breakfast, you’ll descend through the early morning’s mist and 2,000 feet into the crater for a game drive. Ngorongoro Crater is the World’s largest intact volcanic caldera and is also one of the World’s seven natural wonders. Due to its size and diversity, the crater floor is comprised of several distinct habitats, ranging from forest, swamps, lakes and springs, to open grassland and some sandy dunes. It’s an awesome wildlife experience. After picnic lunch continuing game viewing before returning to Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge in time for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge

After breakfast you depart for Serengeti with a picnic lunch by travelling around the Crater rim. En-route you have an optional stop at Olduvai Gorge followed by a game drive in the Serengeti en-route to your camp arriving in time for dinner and overnight. The Serengeti together with Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Park form Africa’s most famous wildlife park. The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomises Africa for many, and then add a Masai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation need go no further.

The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet – with more than a million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; large prides of lions, elephants and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles and eland to mention but a few.

Accommodation: Serengeti Bushtops

After breakfast transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Arusha arriving at approx. 12.15 hrs. Upon arrival you’ll be met and drop off to Arusha Town Centre to connect with your onward arrangements.