LIKE LIONS TOUR ITINERARY

Upon arriving at Kilimanjaro (or Arusha) airport, just outside the main exit, you will be met by our guide who will take you to your Lodge in Arusha. If you have time available, you can take a tour of the city, accompanied by our guide. Alternatively, relax at your hotel with dinner and overnight stay according to the category you choose.

Early in the morning you will leave, immediately after breakfast, to explore the beautiful Tarangire National Park. (Approximate transfer time Arusha•Tarangire: 2 hrs 30 mins) The park, dotted with huge baobabs, covers an area of 2850 sq. km and includes the Tarangire River, where immense herds of zebra, wildebeest, oryx, water antelope, lesser kudu, giraffe, buffalo and their natural predators such as lions, leopards and wild dogs congregate, especially during the dry season. Tarangire is also known to have the world's highest concentration of elephants and is considered by many to be Tanzania's best destination for birdwatchers: more than 450 species of birds can be spotted there. After lunch on one of the many natural terraces with breathtaking views of the river and surrounding wildlife, the safari will continue in the afternoon with a transfer to Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight stay according to the chosen category.

The following day will be entirely devoted to exploring the park. As you walk the trails along the river, you will see beautiful sights with elephants intent on playing with the water. Late afternoon return to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight stay.

Depart early in the morning to cross the Great Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park, where you will take the day safari. (Approximate transfer time Tarangire•Manyara: 2 hrs 30 mins) Lake Manyara is one of the smallest parks in Tanzania (330 square kilometers), but it has much to offer. The lake and surrounding area constitute an ecosystem renowned for its wealth of plant and animal species. The vegetation is very diverse, with areas of evergreen forests, stretches of savanna, swamps and hot springs (Maji Moto). Wildlife includes numerous elephants, baboons, wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, hippos, large flocks of pink flamingos and other species. The park is also home to leopards, hyenas and the famous Manyara lions, which have, in this area, a habit of climbing trees. At the end of the game drive transfer to Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight stay in Karatu according to the chosen category. (Approximate time Manyara•Karatu transfer: 1 hr)

In the morning, immediately after breakfast, you will reach the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, declared a WORLD HERITAGE OF HUMANITY (UNESCO 1978) AND INTERNATIONAL BIOSPHERE RESERVE (1981). (Approximate transfer time Karatu•Ngorongoro Conservation Area: 30 mins) The area has become a true ecosystem, thanks to good rainfall, ponds, small inland lakes and streams, and night fog that surrounds and feeds the forests on the slopes of its famous crater. After a brief stop at the crater rim, you will descend to the bottom of the caldera for a game drive dedicated to discovering one of the most beautiful places on Earth, where nature is sovereign and "unchanged by time." The 264-square-kilometer caldera has the highest concentration of wildlife on the continent. It is one of the very rare places where black rhino can be encountered. After lunch near the enchanting hippo lake, we will drive up the crater to leave the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and reach the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight stay in the Serengeti Park according to the chosen category. (Approximate transfer time Ngorongoro Crater•Serengeti: 2 hrs 30 mins)

The Serengeti is considered the most famous national park in the world, the cradle of the Great Migration, where one of the most impressive natural cycles on the planet is renewed every year: tens of thousands of ungulates move, driven by the primal instinct to survive, in constant search of new pastures. The landscape, dotted with large acacias and Kopjes (ancient rock piles), is an ideal habitat for big cats. As you move deeper into the heart of the Serengeti, you will understand why the name means, in the Maasai language, "boundless plain." Your safari will continue to explore the park where there will be no shortage of opportunities for sightings of giraffe and elephant families, large herds of lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, and smaller ones such as foxes, mongooses, honey badgers, jackals, along with more than 500 species of birds. The safari will end in the afternoon with a return to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight stay depending on the category chosen.

The next day you will continue your exploration of the Seronera Valley. Along the banks of the river of the same name, you will have the chance to see leopards climbing the sausage trees, observe the numerous herds of lions on the Moru kopjes and, with luck, even spot a black rhino. You will be able, finally, to get out of the car at the famous hippo pool and approach the pool to peer at the many hippos huddled there. The game drive will end in the late afternoon with a return to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight stay.

Early in the morning, immediately after breakfast, you will leave for Lake Natron. (Approximate transfer time Serengeti•Natron: 5 hrs) On the way, you will have the opportunity to appreciate the pristine and distinctive landscape; in fact, the dirt tracks leading to the lake are extremely scenic and pass through several Maasai villages, which are off the usual tourist trail. Lake Natron, located at the base of Africa's only active volcano (Ol Doinyo Lengai), "the Mountain of God" in the Maasai language, and between the Ngorongoro highlands and the Serengeti plains, is considered among the most spectacular volcanic landscapes in northern Tanzania. Desolate, mysterious and with a distinctive scarlet color, given by the extreme alkalinity, it is the most important site for the breeding of lesser pink flamingos; up to three million are counted during the months of June to November. The game drive will end in the late afternoon with transfer to Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight stay in the Lake Natron area according to the chosen category.

On this last day, we recommend getting up very early to watch the sunrise, which creates spectacular plays of light and color with the waters of the lake. After breakfast, you can walk along the lake to admire the flamingos or participate in an easy walking trek (non-slip shoes recommended) along the Engaresero stream that flows through a narrow rocky gorge and leads to a beautiful waterfall, where you can swim. Return to Arusha/Kilimanjaro in the late afternoon to catch the return flight.

(Approximate transfer time Natron•Arusha: 4 hrs • Natron•Kilimanjaro Airport: 5 hrs)
However, we are flexible and available in case of special needs, such as early flight or other.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO COMBINE THIS SAFARI WITH AN EXTENDED SEA STAY IN ZANZIBAR.