Tanzania Safari: 7 Days in the Heart of Africa

• You will be picked up from the airport by Oreteti Safaris Ltd representative and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha where you will overnight, relax, and prepare in anticipation of the adventures to come. Serena Hotel Arusha is an oasis of calm and aesthetic pleasure.
  
• Set at the heart of a traditional coffee estate in the majestic environs of snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, the exquisitely appointed Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa (formerly Lake Duluti Serena Hotel) offers heady views over verdant tropical forests, cool mountain walks, a wonderful array of wildlife, roaring fires and superlative cuisine.

In the morning, you will be collected from your lodging in Arusha by our personal safari guide. We set out for Tarangire National Park on a good tarmac road across gently rolling Maasai plains with scattered acacia trees. As we zip along, we pass many Maasai in their colorful dress walking on the roadside, riding bicycles, herding cattle, and driving donkey’s carts.

Tarangire National Park, well known for its large elephant herds, is also host to a multitude of other creatures. From the open roof of our state-of-the-art safari Jeep, we experience the seasonal swamps, savannah, and life-giving Tarangire River. We endeavor to encounter a multitude of creatures, from zebra to wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, and giraffe, to name a few. It is possible we will glimpse lions stalking prey or watch leopards, relaxing in the trees above.

You will drive to one of our carefully selected luxury partner lodges for dinner in a tasteful restaurant and a pool at hand to soothe us.

After breakfast, you will then the game drive on this epic safari, Lake Manyara National Park. This is a relatively small but diverse park, 120km west of Arusha. The park’s namesake is a shallow, Salt Lake. It covers a large area of the park, flooding and drying with the seasons, and is home to thousands of flamingos and over 500 other bird species. On your exploration of the park, you will see monkeys, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffalos, elephants, and with some luck, lions lounging in the trees. The park is known for its diverse landscapes - not only open grassy plains but also primate-filled woodlands and baobab-dotted cliffs.

Early risers are rewarded with breathtaking views of the rising sun over the crater’s edge. After a hearty breakfast, you will drive down the adventurous track into the crater. This UNESCO World Heritage Site formed millions of years ago, is 610 meters deep, and covers roughly 260 square kilometers. Due to its dense animal population of approximately 25,000, the crater offers the best game viewing of all the parks in Tanzania. In a matter of minutes, you will be able to see wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, elephants, and some of the more than 500 bird species in the area. With a little bit of luck, you might catch a glimpse of the endangered black rhino through the grass.

After lunch, you will ascend the steep walls of the crater and head to the accommodation in Serengeti. Arrive at one of our carefully selected luxury partner lodges for dinner in the expansive and tasteful restaurant, with a pool at hand to soothe you and a most spacious room to harbor your ease and dreams of wild cats.

The Serengeti National Park is one of the largest national parks in Tanzania with diverse landscapes and habitats, such as grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannahs, and mountains. Here, the biggest wildebeest and zebra migration takes place and depending on the season, you may have the opportunity to witness thousands of animals in their search for food and water. After an extensive game drive, you will head for your accommodation for dinner and an overnight stay.

The entire day is set aside for more game drives in the Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti is the habitat for an abundance of wildlife, such as impalas, buffalos, crocodiles, and hippos, but is more well-known for its great migrating herds of zebras and wildebeest. The animals’ trek is determined by the rainfall and varies from year to year. In November and December, the animals move from the northern region, dominated by woodlands and hills, to the grassy plains of the south. During the longer rainy season from April to June, they return to the north. Apart from the migrating herds, you may have the chance to see predators, such as leopards, cheetahs, and lions, always lurking close by. After lunch, you will start your journey to Karatu via Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where you will have a chance to visit Maasai Boma to learn and understand Maasai culture.

After Breakfast, you will park your luggage ready to be taken to Airport, along the way you may pass through the town of Mto wa Mbu where you may shop for cultural souvenirs,  and the proceed to Arusha then Kilimanjaro airport depending on your flight schedule.