Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks, Ngorongoro Crater, Udzungwa Mountains and Kilombero, 11 Days, Lodge Safari

Day 0: Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) and transfer to Arusha for overnight.

You will be met at the airport and transferred to Ngaresero Mountain Lodge on the slopes of Mt Meru for dinner and overnight.  (FB).

Day 1: Drive from Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Our driver-guide will pick you up from the hotel in Arusha at 07:00am then drive to Tarangire National Park with picnic lunch en route (about 2 hours drive). Tarangire is Tanzania’s sixth largest national park and sanctuary for an unusually large elephant population. Majestic baobab trees are an interesting feature of the park, dwarfing the animals that feed beneath them. Animals concentrate along the Tarangire River, which provides the only permanent water supply in the area especially in a dry season which is from June – November. There is a great diversity of wildlife including lion, leopard, cheetah and up to six thousand elephant. Leave the park in the late afternoon then transfer to Tarangire Simba Lodge for dinner and overnight (full board).

Day 2: Tarangire to Serengeti National Park
Early starts with a morning game drive in Tarangire then leave the park around 10am and drive to Serengeti National Park with an amazing drive through Ngorongoro Conservartion Area and picnic lunch en route. You may choose to visit a local Maasai Community en route Or choose to have a short stop at Olduvai Gorge Heritage Site (small extra charge for this activity).  Continue game viewing then enter the Serengeti with a game drive through the Seronera plains ending at Serengeti Sopa Lodge for dinner and overnight (full-board).

Day 3: Full Day Exploring Serengeti National Park

A full day of game drive to explore the Serengeti National Park searching for Wildebeest migration. Based at Serengeti Sopa Lodge, on full board.

Day 4: Serengeti to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Early start, depart for a final game drive in Serengeti then leave the park at noon and drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area with game viewing and picnic lunch en route. Settling at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge around 3pm. This afternoon you will depart for a walking safari in the crater rim inhabited by buffaloes, elephants, baboons, monkeys and different species of birds. Escorted by a Masai Guide or a ranger and follow animal paths through dense bush. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight on full board.

Day 5: Game drive in Ngorongoro Crater then transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for a flight to Dar-es-Salaam

Early breakfast then transfer to the crater rim at 7:30am. Descend the 600 meters down into the crater floor for a game drive to explore the crater with picnic lunch. The crater is famous for its large mammal populations-keep an eye out for the elusive black rhino; there are around 20 in the crater. Most of the elephant you see will be bulls as females tend to avoid the area due to its having the highest predator density in Africa. Leave the crater before 2pm then transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport to catch a flight at 20:55hrs to Dar-es-Salaam. Arrive in Dar-es-Salaam at 22:20hrs, then make your own way to Mediterraneo Hotel.  Here you will spend 2 nights in a Garden View rooms on Bed and breakfast.

Day 6: All day in Dar-es-Salaam

Indulge yourselves by the swimming pool…… Based at Mediterraneo Hotel on bed and breakfast.

Day 7: Dar-es-Salaam to Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Our driver guide will pick you up from the hotel at 07:00am then drive to Udzungwa Mountains National Park with a short stop for lunch on the way (about 7 hours scenic drive with rest stops on the way). Arrive at Udzungwa Forest Camp/Hondo Hondo after lunch. This is an eco-lodge with hydro and solar power. It also works closely with local communities and has several health and educational projects in addition to a tree-planting project. Udzungwa is part of the Eastern Arc range of mountains and is known as the ‘Galapogos of Africa’ due to its high degree of endemism. There are several endemic primates on site at Hondo Hondo and over 100 bird species may be seen. Overnight in an en suite tent, on Full board.

Day 8: Full day Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Hike into the superb primary forest to the base and then the top of the spectacular 180m Sanje Waterfall looking for primates on the way (Iringa Red Colobus and Sanje Mangeby). Swim in plunge pools, see endemic African Violets growing in the spray zones and have lunch in the forest on the top of the falls. Descend after enjoying superb views. Return to Hondo Hondo for dinner and overnight in an en suite tent, On full board.

Day 9: Udzungwa to Kilombero

Wake up before sunrise.   Breakfast at the lodge then depart for Ifakara and enjoy a morning canoe safari on the great Kilombero River.  Recommended for birdwatchers.. There are a number of endemic species including the Kilombero weaver and there is good chance of seeing a large variety of kingfishers and other waterbirds. After canoe safari you will visit local village market, the womens weavers institute and a local bar & restaurant  before transferred back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Based at Udzungwa Forest Lodge in an en-suite tent, on full-board.

Day 10: Full day Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Early breakfast, transfer to the park headquarter to pick up permits. This time you will be looking for a habituated troupe of Sanje Manjebys.   You will trek cross country with your guide and then spend time with a groupe of twenty plus of these rare, endemic primates.   You can hike back Udzungwa Forest Lodge (Hondo Hondo) through the park. Overnight in an en-suite tent, on full-board.

Day 11: Drive from Udzungwa to Dar-es-Salaam

After breakfast, you may choose to do a bird walk near he camp or just drive back to Dar-es-Salaam.   At Dar we can drop you t th airport, a hotel or you can continue on to Zanzibar as you prefer.

Most internal flights have a weight limit of  23kg hold luggage please stick to this to avoid inconvenience.