7 Days Tanzania Camping Safari to Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire

Highlights

The Ngorongoro Crater is often called ‘Africa’s Eden’ and the ‘8th Natural Wonder of the World,’ a visit to the crater is a main draw card for tourists coming to Tanzania and a definite world-class attraction. Within the crater rim, large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze nearby while sleeping lions laze in the sun. At dawn, the endangered black rhino returns to the thick cover of the crater forests after grazing on dew-laden grass in the morning mist. Just outside the crater’s ridge, tall Masaai herd their cattle and goats over green pastures through the highland slopes, living alongside the wildlife as they have for centuries.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area includes its eponymous famous crater, Olduvai Gorge, and huge expanses of highland plains, scrub bush, and forests that cover approximately 8300 square kilometres. A protected area, only indigenous tribes such as the Masaai are allowed to live within its borders. Lake Ndutu and Masek, both alkaline soda lakes are home to rich game populations, as well as a series of peaks and volcanoes and make the Conservation Area a unique and beautiful landscape.

Serengeti is easily Tanzania’s most famous national park, and it’s also the largest, at 14,763 square kilometres of protected area that borders Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Park. Its far-reaching plains of endless grass, tinged with the twisted shadows of acacia trees, have made it the quintessential image of a wild and untarnished Africa. Its large stone kopjes are home to rich ecosystems, and the sheer magnitude and scale of life that the plains support is staggering. Large prides of lions laze easily in the long grasses, plentiful families of elephants feed on acacia bark and trump to each other across the plains, and giraffes, gazelles, monkeys, eland, and the whole range of African wildlife is in awe-inspiring numbers.

The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara attract visitors from around the world, who flock to the open plains to witness the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet. More than a million animals make the seasonal journey to fresh pasture to the north, then the south, after the biannual rains. The sound of their thundering hooves, raising massive clouds of thick red dust, has become one of the legends of the Serengeti plains. The entire ecosystem thrives from the annual migration, from the lions and birds of prey that gorge themselves on the weak and the faltering to the gamut of hungry crocodiles that lie in patient wait at each river crossing for their annual feed.

Tarangire National Park has some of the highest population density of elephants anywhere in Tanzania, and its sparse vegetation, strewn with baobab and acacia trees, makes it a beautiful and special location. Located just a few hours drive from the town of Arusha, Tarangire is a popular stop for safaris travelling through the northern circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. The park extends into two game controlled areas and the wildlife are allowed to move freely throughout.

Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied ecosystems, incredible bird life, and breathtaking views. Located on the way to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, Lake Manyara National Park is well worth a stop in its own right. Its ground water forests, bush plains, baobob strewn cliffs, and algae-streaked hot springs offer incredible ecological variety in a small area, rich in wildlife and incredible numbers of birds.

The alkaline soda of Lake Manyara is home to an incredible array of bird life that thrives on its brackish waters. Pink flamingo stoop and graze by the thousands, colourful specks against the grey minerals of the lake shore. Yellow-billed storks swoop and corkscrew on thermal winds rising up from the escarpment, and herons flap their wings against the sun-drenched sky. Even reluctant bird-watchers will find something to watch and marvel at within the national park.

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7 Days Tanzania Camping Safari to Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire

You are met at the Kilimanjaro airport or arusha airport and transfer to planet hotel in Arusha.

Day 1:

Tarangire National Park

Pick up from your hotel in Moshi and transfer to Arusha to make any last minute purchases before departure for the safari. Drive to Tarangire national park for a morning game drive and a picnic lunch. Tarangire is famous for its large elephant population numbering 3,000 and 25,000 wildebeests and 30,000 zebras which have an annual migration into and out of Amboseli. The park is also famous for its large baobab trees. Dinner and overnight at Fanaaka camping site.

Day 2

Lake Manyara National Park

After breakfast, we will head out to Arusha town to buy last minute supplies before heading out north to lake Manyara. Lake Manyara is world renowned for the scenery. The park has acacia forest, water trees, baobab hanging on cliffs, and the lake itself. This rift valley lake is famous for its bird life and the hot springs with algae bloom and the tree climbing lions. Lake Manyara also has the highest population of baboons in the world.

Dinner and overnight at the Ngorongoro kudu lodge and campsite.

Day 3

Serengeti National Park

After breakfast we will depart for Serengeti National Park passing the rich farmlands on highlands of Karatu and the Ngorongoro conservation area. We will then drive down into the wildlife central areas of Tanzania- the Serengeti plains with millions of wildlife. The Seronera River provides water for this region and alot of wildlife live around the Seronera area. Arrive in time for lunch and a late afternoon game drive in the park.

Dinner and overnight will be at the Serengeti Seronera campsite.

Day 4

Serengeti National Park

Full day will be spent in Serengeti national park tracking the wildebeest migration as they move across the park. Dinner and overnight at the Serengeti Katikati tented camp.

Day 5:

Serengeti National Park

Full day will be spent in Serengeti national park tracking the wildebeest migration as they move across the park. Dinner and overnight at the Serengeti Katikati tented camp.

Day 6

Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast enjoy an en route game drive in Serengeti as you depart for Ngorongoro Conservation Area. We will have a small stop over at the Olduvai prehistoric site. It was here that Dr Richard Leakey and Mary Leakey discovered the skulls of ‘Nut craker man’ and the ‘Handy man’ both that offered very crucial links to the chain of human evolution. We will transfer to the Ngorongoro Simba campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day 7

Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha

After breakfast we will descend 600m into the Ngorongoro crater to see the most prolific populations of wildlife. Ngorongoro is supplied with year round water from the vast drainage system in the crater which in turn supports millions of animals including lions, herds of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, warthog, hippo and giant African elephants. The other main attraction to the crater is the vast numbers of the big predators including the lions, hyenas, jackals, cheetahs and the ever-elusive leopard.

We will also visit lake Magadi in the crater which is an alkaline lake which sometimes has flamingos and rhinos among many others birds.

Transfer later to Arusha hotel or drop off at the airport.

Prices: Usd …………….Per Person

Items included:

• Transportation in 4×4 safari vehicle
• Professional, English speaking guide and safari cook
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Mineral water
• Overnight stays in tents
• Tents, mattresses & camping equipment
• All national park fees

Items not included:

• Alcoholic and soft drinks
• Visa fees
• Tips
• Personal spending monies for souvenirs etc.
• Travel insurance