WOOD COLLECTION

9 Day / 8 Night Safari

Tarangire / Ngorongoro / Serengeti / Lake Natron / Lake Manyara

Itinerary: 9 Day Lodge Safari in Tanzania

TOUR REF: SSNT - Wood Collection

In this nine-day journey, savor the highlights of Tanzania's best known National Parks: Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti; then venture further off the beaten track into the Lobo area north of the Serengeti and explore Lake Natron, a vast soda lake with its own distinct eco-system. You'll see an abundance of wildlife, including, in season, the Great Migration of wildebeest plus zebra, elephants, big cats, gazelles and a myriad of bird life.

Day 1: Tarangire

We collect you from your hotel in Arusha in one of our comfortable safari vehicles and set off for Tarangire National Park, where we'll be spending one night at a selected Tarangire Lodge. In season, witness the annual migrations involving thousands of elephants plus a wide range of wildlife including wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, oryx, buffalo, and lion. Enjoy a fascinating afternoon game drive to explore the beautiful landscapes of Tarangire before returning to our lodge for dinner.

Day 2: Ngorongoro

After breakfast we set off to Ngorongoro, enjoying the dramatic panoramas as we crest the crater rim. A fascinating geological feature and one of Africa's Seven Natural Wonders, Ngorongoro is a huge caldera formed by the collapse of an ancient volcano crater. Its fertile soil and permanent water support a dense population of wildlife, offering a rich safari experience. On arrival we descend to the Crater floor for a varied game drive, sighting rhino, black-maned lion, and giant tusked elephants as well as many more animals. We then ascend to the rim for dinner and overnight stay at a selected Ngorongoro Lodge.

Day 3, 4 & 5: Serengeti

After breakfast, we depart for the Serengeti visiting Olduvai Gorge en route. Known as the Cradle of Mankind, Oldupai Gorge is a fascinating archaeological site discovered in the 1930's with important evidence of pre-historic man. Experience an afternoon game drive on arrival in the Serengeti, where we spend two nights at the selected Serengeti Lodges. The Serengeti is famed for its annual great migration of wildebeest, an impressive sight as they thunder across the plains, with attendant herds of zebra and gazelles. You'll see the resident big cat predators and smaller wildlife too. The following day we make the most of this adventure with a full day of game drives and a picnic lunch, before returning to our lodge in the evening for another memorable meal and perhaps star-gazing.

Day 6 & 7: Lake Natron

After breakfast we set off for Lake Natron, a vast soda lake with a major breeding population of flamingoes set in a dramatic landscape, overlooked by Mt. Oldoiyo Lengai, Tanzania's only active volcano. We enjoy lunch on arrival before an afternoon game drive viewing the flamingos and admiring the awe-inspiring scenery of this majestic landscape. We'll stay overnight at a comfortable Tented Camp where we'll enjoy a delicious dinner under the stars, an early morning Climb (Mount) Oldoinyo lengai a four hours trek, picnic breakfast en route, descend to return the calories at the camp, an afternoon walk to a waterfall, dinner overnight.

Day 8 & 9: Lake Manyara

After breakfast, we set off for Lake Manyara, a scenic national park at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment, with forest, lake, and plains, providing a very varied eco-system supporting diverse wildlife, including elephants and tree-climbing lions. After lunch on arrival, we'll enjoy a full game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, also seeing magnificent views of The Great Rift Wall, grazing cows herded by Masai boys (Layoni's), and the entrancing sight of masses of flamingos up close. We then go to our selected Manyara Lodge for a fabulous dinner. The next morning we explore Lake Manyara National Park with a further game drive, before returning to Arusha and the end of our journey

Accommodations:

All accommodation on this itinerary is in hotels and lodges chosen according to the level of luxury you require and to suit your budget.