PREMIUM NORTH MIGRATION 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 the hotel with dinner and overnight stay.

Early in the morning, immediately after breakfast, you set off 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 square kilometres and includes the Tarangire River, where huge 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. The Tarangire is also known to have the highest concentration of elephants in the world and is considered by many to be the best destination in Tanzania for birdwatchers: over 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 nature. The safari will continue in the afternoon with the transfer to Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.

The following day will be entirely dedicated to exploring the park with morning and afternoon safaris. Late afternoon return to Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.

Depart early in the morning to cross the Great Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park, where you will go on day safari. (Approximate transfer time Tarangire•Manyara: 2 hrs 30 mins) Lake Manyara is one of the smallest parks in Tanzania (330 square km), but it has much to offer. The lake and the 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 savannah, swamps and hot springs (Maji Moto). The fauna 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 a habit of climbing trees in this area. At the end of the game drive transfer to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight in Karatu. (Approximate transfer time Manyara•Karatu: 1 hr)

 

In the morning, immediately after breakfast, you will begin your game drive in 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 the night mist that surrounds and feeds the forests on the slopes of its famous crater. After a short 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-kilometre caldera has the highest concentration of wildlife on the continent. It is one of the very rare places where it is possible to encounter the black rhinoceros. After lunch near the enchanting hippo lake, you will ascend the crater to leave the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and return to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight. (Approximate transfer time Ngorongoro Crater•Karatu: 1 hr 30 mins)

 

Early in the morning, you will depart for Tanzania’s most famous park: the Serengeti. (Approximate transfer time Karatu•Serengeti: 3 hrs) During the drive, you will be able to admire the dense forest of tall trees and the vastness of the crater from above, as you pass through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As you progress towards the Serengeti, you will understand why the name means 'endless plain' in the local language. The Serengeti is considered the world’s most famous national park, the cradle of the Great Migration, where one of the planet’s most impressive natural cycles takes place every year: tens of thousands of ungulates move, driven by the primordial instinct to survive, in constant search of new pastures. The landscape, dotted with large acacias and Kopjes (ancient rock piles), is the ideal habitat for the big cats. The safari will end in the afternoon with a transfer to Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.

The next day will be entirely dedicated to exploring the central Serengeti. In 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 a little luck, even spot a black rhino. Finally, you can get out of the car at the famous hippo pool and approach it to peer at the many hippos huddled there. The safari will end in the afternoon with a return to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.

In the morning, your safari will continue to explore the park until you reach the far north, where the herbivores prepare to cross the Mara River between July and October. During the game drive 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 day will end with a transfer to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.

The following day will be entirely dedicated to the search for one of the best known, but also one of the fiercest natural spectacles of the animal world: river crossing by herbivores. The waters are infested with crocodiles waiting for their prey. The lack of rain at this time forces the herds tostop and graz e in the Masai Mara, on the border with Kenya, and then return to the central Serengeti following the short rains of the season. At thistime of yea r, in the northern part of the park, the concentration of large predators is very high and, in a single day, sightings of cheetahs, leopards and herds of hyenas and lions could number dozens. In the afternoon, return to the Lodge/Tented Camp for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, transfer to the Airstrip and scheduled flight to Kilimanjaro Airport. (Approximate flight time: 1 hr 30 mins)

Arrive at the airport and meet with the hotel driver for the private transfer to Airport Planet Lodge. Lunch and room available until departure. Approximately two hours before the flight, meet with the driver for the transfer to Kilimanjaro airport in time for the processing of baggage handling on your return flight.