South & Central Serengeti

Includes also: NP Lake Manyara, Olduvai Gorge, Ngorongoro
5 nights 6 days

Day 1: Lake Manyara National Park

Depart from Arusha and drive to Lake Manyara National Park, a unique and picturesque park with a stunning lake, inspiring views and very varied wildlife and bird life viewing. Lake Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake that is part of the Rift Valley wall. The lake is at the base of this dramatic western escarpment giving it a beautiful and serene setting. In addition to this peaceful setting, Lake Manyara’s main attractions are its rich bird life, tree climbing lions and its hippos which you can see at a closer range than any other places. Stay overnight at Kirurumu Tented Lodge.

Day 2: Lake Manyara – Olduvai Gorge – Serengeti

Early morning “game drive” through Lake Manyara is important to try to spot nocturnal wildlife before sunrise. Followed by drive to the Serengeti National Park famed for its annual animal migration when some 6 million hooves pound the open plains. On our way to the Serengeti, we stop at Olduvai Gorge to visit this world-renowned archeological site that has been called the “Cradle of Mankind”. Stay overnight at Ndutu lodge.

Day 3: Southern Serengeti National Park

Have a full day for a game drive through the Southern Serengeti where breathtaking landscape, endless horizons and abundant wildlife await you. The Serengeti is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Serengeti’s endless plains provide an exceptional landscape for wildlife viewing. It truly is ultimate safari country. Often spotted in the Serengeti are elephants, hippos, lions, zebras, wildebeests, cheetahs, leopards and more. Stay overnight at Ndutu Lodge.

Day 4: Southern Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Crater

Leave Serengeti and drive to Ngorongoro Crater passing some Maasai villages and scenic landscape. Called the eighth wonder of the world, the crater won’t fail to take your breath away as you stand on the rim looking down a 10-mile wide crater floor with abundant wildlife. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken volcanic caldera in the world covering approximately 260 km with walls rising 600 meters from the crater floor. Before the Ngorongoro Volcano exploded and collapsed 2 million years ago, it was one of the world’s tallest mountains. Now, it is home to more than 30,000 large mammals – mainly gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest and warthog – and has the highest predator density in the world. Stay overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater

Early morning descend into the crater for a day of exceptional game viewing at the crater floor. A large permanent concentration of wild animals can be found in the huge and perfect crater of Ngorongoro including lions, elephants, hippos, zebras, wildebeests, and many more. Drive back to Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge late afternoon.

Day 6: Drive back to Arusha

Morning drive back to Arusha with stops at a few selected arts & crafts markets for some shopping. Stay overnight at Kibo Palace in Arusha or fly to Zanzibar if excursion extension has been selected.

Fly back (option)

Please note that this Safari can also be booked with an option to fly back to Arusha on your last day. You might want to consider this option if you need to fly out of Arusha. If you select a “fly back” option for this safari, you will stay at the same lodges and do the same circuit as described above, with the difference being that your safari ends in the Serengeti from where your flight will depart.