Migration, Lake & Wildlife

7 days—Tanzania's Scenic Parks & Migration Safari

$6770-7150 USD

Safari summary

Touch down in Arusha for a night at the aromatic Arusha Coffee Lodge before setting off on safari, stopping first at one of Tanzania's less-frequented reserves. Swala Camp is pitched under a canopy of acacia trees in a remote corner of Tarangire National Park. The eco-friendly camp has a low carbon footprint and is totally secluded to offer sensational elephant watching. With large baobabs – the ‘upside-down’ trees – surrounding Swala Camp, there is also an abundance of birdlife.A different experience entirely is offered at the Escarpment Luxury Lodge, overlooking Lake Manyara. Luxuriate in a private chalet with endless views over the valley below and lake in the distance. Game drives through Lake Manyara National Park are a world in one place: a baboon-filled forest, grasslands of plains game and acacia woodland hiding elephants.

Spend your last three nights in the famous Serengeti, a World Heritage Site and possibly the most famous reserve of all. Serengeti Migration Camp is a spectacular stop, settled among rocky outcrops in the northern part of the park. The biggest draw, of course, is the Great Migration, but the Serengeti is so rich in game throughout the year that you will never be disappointed.

About this tour

	Tour type	Custom, tailor-made, private
	Main focus	Game drives
	Activity level	Easy activity
	Best months	January, February, March, July, August, September, October, November, December
	Countries	Tanzania
	Parks	Lake Manyara Serengeti Tarangire

Fine details

Safari highlights

Night game drives

Itinerary

Day 1

Arusha | Ngorongoro Crater

Day 1: Coffee in Arusha A night at the Arusha Coffee Lodge marks the start of your Tanzanian travels. Sip on the freshest ‘cuppa’ you are likely to find anywhere, under the comforting gaze of Mount Meru. You spend the night in a plush Plantation Room, set amid the lush green bushes, their branches studded with red coffee berries. Each room comes complete with a fan for the hot months and a fireplace for the cooler evenings, as well as an en suite bathroom and verandah. After sundowners and drinks at the Safari Bar, feast on Tanzanian cuisine and other African specialities at Redds African Grill House. Take a walk through the coffee plantation, learn more about the beverage on the Bean to Cup tour, or have a spa treatment at Peaberries. The accommodating staff can also arrange tours to Arusha National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, as well as to Maasai markets and Arusha's other highlights.

Day 2

Serengeti | Tarangire

Days 2-3: Nights in Tarangire Then it is time to leave the city and go south in search of wildlife. Swala Camp welcomes you to a remote corner of Tarangire National Park for a safari that is well off the beaten track. Elephants are on the agenda: herds up to 300-strong roam the landscape, kept company by migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland in the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem. It is an all-you-can-eat buffet for predators and you are likely to see a hungry cat take down its dinner. It is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the fringe-eared oryx and the endemic long-necked gerenuk are seen. There is a lot to keep you busy, including morning, evening and night game drives, guided safari walks, as well as an opportunity to visit Swala's philanthropy projects, including the Mwika beekeeping programme. For those lazy moments, an infinity swimming pool overlooks a waterhole frequented by game, and sundowners, outdoor dining and picnics allow you to savour delectable Pan-African cuisine.

Day 4

Lake Manyara | Ngorongoro Crater

Days 4-6: Days on the Lake Escarpment Luxury Lodge beckons, set in the lush greenery above the beautiful Lake Manyara. For three nights, you sleep in one its 16 excellently appointed private chalets. Sunlight floods through the wide windows, waking you early for a day of adventure. Each chalet has an en suite bathroom with a bathtub and an outdoor shower, as well as a private deck to view the lake below and the abundance of wildlife roaming through the grounds. If you crave some ‘down time’, have a refreshing dip in the pool or relax on a sun lounger, browse the safari shop or have a massage treatment. Perhaps share a story or two in the lounge, sip sundowners on the deck, or linger over a fine meal, complete with Maasai dancers and singers. Relax in solitude on game drives in Lake Manyara National Park by day or by night. Visit Ngorongoro Crater – the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera and the place on Earth where you are most likely to see all of the Big 5 in a single game drive; take a guided walk or cycling excursion; or accompany your guide on a cultural visit to a nearby village. Lake Manyara offers a microcosm of Tanzania: there is lush forest boasting ancient mahogany trees and populated by baboons and monkeys; there is a grassy floodplain filled with buffalo, wildebeest, zebra and giraffe; and a belt of acacia woodland hides Manyara's elephants and tree-climbing lions. In the far south, near the shore, is a field of steaming and bubbling hot springs. You are indeed spoilt for choice.

Day 7

Serengeti

Days 7-10: Serengeti Adventures Wrap up your Tanzanian safari at Serengeti Migration Camp, in the northern part of the famous reserve. Explore its endless plains on game drives and bush walks, accompanied by armed, skilled and knowledgeable guides, or take a hot-air balloon for a serene view of the landscape. The Serengeti, arguably the most famous reserve in the world, is Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park. It is a World Heritage Site best known for the annual Great Migration when millions of plains game go in search of fresh grazing – always followed by the ever-hungry predators. But even outside the Migration season, there is much to see, including vast herds of buffalo, elephant, giraffe, eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle. And where there is an easy meal to be had, there are always lions, cheetahs, wild dogs and leopards on the hunt. Take a break from game viewing and have a swim in the pool, or enjoy a sundowner on the deck. Serengeti Migration Camp has a split-level lounge, cigar bar, restaurant and sundecks overlooking the rugged landscape. The camp features 20 spacious luxury tents that blend into the natural surroundings. Each tent has a wrap-around verandah to make the most of the views, and en suite bathroom with a separate shower.

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