6-Day Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Tarangire

Morning departure from Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park.

Game drive in the park with picnic lunch. This is one of the most diverse of Tanzania’s national parks, a tiny (325km2) combination of Rift Valley Lake, dense woodlands and steep mountainside. Manyara is a birding paradise (more than 380 species), especially for waterfowl and migrants and the forests are one of the best places around to see leopards. Lions hunt on the grassy shores of the lake. Most visitors tailor a visit to Manyara to fit in with a trip to one of the Big Three parks (Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro).

After breakfast collect picnic lunch and drive to Serengeti National Park.

Afternoon game drive in Serengeti National Park. This park is renowned for being the location of the Great Wildlife Migration, which involves over two million wildebeests, zebras and antelopes. It is also an extremely large and wild game park, and home to the Big Five of Africa.

After breakfast morning and afternoon game drive in Serengeti National Park (or full day game drive with picnic lunch) in search of migration. Serengeti Migration is arguably the greatest wildlife show on earth. This is the largest single movement of wildlife on earth in search of water, pasture and breeding grounds.

After breakfast collect a packed lunch and depart for a morning game drive in the endless plains of the Serengeti for a chance to see the great herds of wildebeest, zebras and gazelles or a pride of lions lounging in the shade. Mid-day drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area

After breakfast embark on a morning crater tour with a picnic lunch. Descend 2000 feet (over 600 meters) to the floor of the crater for a half-day crater tour. Explore the forest areas which are inhabited by monkeys and elephants, the lake area, where you may see the flamingos and the open savannah where the lions hunt for food. Afternoon drive to Tarangire for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast embark on a morning game drive in the park.

Tarangire National Park (2,600km2) has unrivalled landscape of open plains, dotted with thousands of baobabs. It is located about 120kms south of Arusha. Tarangire is known for its lions and very big herds of buffalo. This is one of Africa’s little-known gems and should be on the itinerary of all lovers of wilderness and solitude. The animals include zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, elephant, Maasai giraffe and fringe-eared oryx (gemsbok). Predators include lion, cheetah and leopard. Birders will want to look out for the endemic ashy starling, rufous-tailed weaver and black-collared lovebird.

After lunch drive back to Arusha and drop-off at your hotel at around 17:00hrs