Itinerary

Day 1

Arusha - Tarangire National Park

Depart from the IMPALA HOTEL in Arusha and drive across the Masai Steppe and to Tarangire National Park located south of Lake Manyara. Tarangire is delightful park which covers an area of 2,600 square kilometres. It has the numerous wide-bodied Baobab trees that first attract your eye. The gently rolling countryside is dotted with these majestic trees sometimes dwarfing the wildlife that feeds beneath them. The park is at its best during the traditional dry seasons of June to October and December to March when many of the migratory animals come to the Tarangire River for water.

Wildebeest, Oryx, zebra, elephant are amongst the most prolific of the animals. Depending on the game movement we shall probably camp by the side of the Tarangire River.

Day 2

Tarangire National Park

Early morning, morning and afternoon game drives.

Day 3

Tarangire National Park- Lake Manyara

Early morning game drive followed by breakfast, after which your crew packs up the tenting equipment and moves on to set up again in the Lake Eyasi area, and you move on to a permanent camp on the rim of the Great Rift Valley. From whichever direction you approach Lake Manyara, you get a spectacular view. Approaching from the east the Great Rift Valley wall forms an impressive backdrop to the Lake. From the west, with a pause at the top of the escarpment, the park lies below, a green strip beside a glistening lake.

Lake Manyara National Park covers an area of 330 square kilometres, of which about two thirds is the lake itself, and the rest is forest, acacia woodland and some grasslands by the lake shore. The wildlife can be migratory between Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park across the lake, but you should see elephant, hippo, Cape buffalo, giraffe, several species of primate and antelope, and prolific birdlife. Dinner and overnight at Kirurumu, a comfortable camp with twenty tents located on top of the escarpment overlooking the park

Day 4

Lake Manyara National Park - Kirurumu Tented Camp

In the morning there is a trek with a Masai naturalist guide along the rim of the escarpment where you would anticipate stunning views down to the park below, and across the Masai Steppe. The naturalist will explain to you the geological phenomenon of the Great Rift Valley, as well as indicating rare plants, butterflies, birds etc. After lunch at Kirurumu, you continue with an afternoon game drive in the Park.

Day 5

Lake Manyara National Park- Lake Eyasi

Leave after breakfast and drive to Lake Eyasi, situated south west of the Ngorongoro Conservation area below the Eyasi Rift Escarpment, and reached via Karatu village and then along a bumpy and dusty road. At Lake Eyasi only one campsite is available and this is situated in an acacia forest, with a freshwater spring emerging from the centre of the camp.

At Lake Eyasi, despite the fact that there is some wildlife present, the emphasis is on meeting with some of Africa's most interesting people who have been secluded and protected from the " progress " of the twenty first century. There are two tribes who are unique to this area; the Mangati and the Hadzape.

The Mangati are a tall, brave, nomadic people who are the traditional enemies of the Masai, living in similar huts and following similar traditions and rituals. The Hadzape people are very different to their Mangati neighbours, as they are traditional bushmen and much smaller, and speak the click language associated with the Kalahari bushmen of Southern Africa. Unlike the pastoral Mangati, the Hadzape are hunters with bows and arrows. During your stay at Lake Eyasi your guide will take you walking through the area until you come across one of the temporary settlements, where you will be able to join in the tribes people's activities, either hunting for birds or a warthog, or to the lakeshore to collect poisons.

If there is a ceremony or party taking place you will probably be asked to take part! Due to the fact that these people have managed to maintain their cultures and beliefs for such a long time we are very careful not to confuse them with unaccustomed gifts etc., and instead we usually bring them food and make a small community donation each time we are privileged to camp in their area.

Day 6

Lake Eyasi

A full day of activity with the Mangati and Hadzape tribes.

Day 7

Lake Eyasi - Ngorongoro Crater

Late morning leave Lake Eyasi and drive to Ngorongoro Serena Lodge arriving for lunch. " It is impossible to give a fair description of the size and beauty of the Crater, for there is nothing with which one can compare it. It is Eighth of the Wonders of the World. The area is given over to Wildlife Conservation and comprises 8300 square kilometres of which the Crater is 260 square kilometres, and consists of grasslands, swamps, forests, rivers, and even an arid area of shifting dunes. The Crater supports a year round resident population of varied wildlife, and as the game is concentrated into a relatively small area you are likely to see lion, elephant, hyena, jackal, cheetah, the very rare Black rhino, primates and many more. The area is also home to the proud and colourful Masai tribe. Lunch, dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena/Sopa Lodge.

Day 8

Ngorongoro Crater.

After an early breakfast you descend into the Crater in a 4 x 4 vehicle for a full day of game viewing with a picnic lunch taken on the Crater floor. Late afternoon you leave the Crater drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 9

Ngorongoro Crater - Serengeti National Park.

Leave after breakfast and drive via Olduvai Gorge to the Serengeti National Park, arriving for lunch and an afternoon game drive. The Gorge is about 50 kilometres long and in some places 90 meters deep. Commonly heralded as the " Cradle of Mankind" it was made famous by the discovery in 1959 of the remains of early man. Your stop includes a visit to the small museum overlooking the Gorge.

The Serengeti National Park. is one of the most popular and spectacular game areas in East Africa, covering an area of 14,765 square kilometres, teaming with game.

A particular feature of the Serengeti is the annual migration of the wildebeest and zebra herds. Each year, after the traditional " short " rains in November the migration starts when the herds amass in their thousands on the plains below the Ngorongoro highlands. During February they move north and west following the rains and the new grasslands and they start to move into the Masai Mara in July. In October they move back to Tanzania. This annual phenomenon involves more than 1.5 million animals, including the lion and other predators who follow the herds for easy pickings.

The whole process affects the lives of thousands of other species that rely on the passage of the migration for their survival, even the insects, not to mention the trees and plants, which rely on the droppings for their fertilization. Dinner and overnight at one of the best Lodges.

Day 10

Serengeti National Park

Morning and afternoon game drives.

Day 11

Serengeti National Park

Morning and afternoon game drives.

Day 12

Serengeti National Park

Morning and afternoon game drives.

Day 13

Serengeti National Park- Arusha

On the way there is optional Cultural Tour Programs and places of interest. Lunch at Mto wa Mbu and visit cultural diversity bomas, Curios Shops on the way, Maasai cultural things/Souvenirs, Snake park and what else you might be interested until you arrive Arusha and have Dinner and Overnight at the IMPALA HOTEL.

Day 14

From the Impala Hotel depart to Arusha National Park

The only place on the northern safari circuit where the acrobatic black-and-white Colobus monkey is easily seen. In the midst of the forest stands the spectacular Ngurdoto Crater, whose steep, rocky cliffs enclose a wide marshy floor dotted with herds of buffalo and warthog.

Also see flamingoes at the Momella lakes, View Mount Kilimanjaro at evening or morning.

Also plan for more 3 or 4 days to climb Mount Meru.

In the evening Drive back to Arusha, Dinner and Overnight at the IMPALA HOTEL
***********END OF THIS PROGRAM**********

Extra Information

Inclusions -

Transport in 4x4 landrover or landrcuiser

Exclusions -

Laundry

Extras -

The most adventurous trip to Africa.

For more details you may visit {italic}theclassictours[dot]com {-italic}and select other safari options as we have more of the various sorts. We can as well tailor make or customise your trip to Africa.