Tour # ABE: 11- 2 11 DAYS /10 NIGHTS

LAKE MANYARA, SERENGETI, NGORONGORO CRATER AND TARANGIRE. 

Day 1 - Early-morning transfer from Nairobi by shuttle bus, arriving in Arusha for lunch, before leaving for Tarangire National Park. This is the classic Africa of lore with shimmering acacia stands, old baobab trees, Masai herds and herds of elephant. After arrival, game drive towards Tarangire Luxury Camp nestled into an acacia forest stand barely visible from the road, arriving at dusk for sundowners. Dinner and overnight at Tarangire Quality Mobile Camp.

Day 2- A full day of game-viewing, exploring Tarangire National Park in a 4WD safari vehicle. In the dry-season of July-October, Tarangire National Park surpasses the Serengeti in terms of animal concentration as big herds begin to congregate around the permanent water of Tarangire River. It is not uncommon to see herds of 50+ elephant as well as every other mammal species including the rare Kudu and Oryx. The park is also noted for its prolific bird life and the occasional sighting of cheetah and the rare African Hunting Dog. You will return to the camp for brunch, relaxing at the camp during the hottest hours of the day, before setting out again in the afternoon. Dinner and Overnight at Tarangire Quality Mobile Camp.

Day 3 - After breakfast, leave Tarangire, crossing the Great African Rift Valley to climb the Rift Escarpment from where we enjoy sweeping vistas across Lake Manyara. Continuing your journey through the coffee plantations of Karatu and the forested slopes of the Ngorongoro Highlands, we arrive at our lodge in Ngorongoro for lunch. We then descend  down the 2000-ft walls of the Crater, a World Heritage Site and home to nearly 25,000 animals, for a game drive. Here you have a very real chance of spotting the big five: lion, elephant, endangered black rhino, buffalo and leopard plus countless other African mammal species. We return to the Lodge just before dusk. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, perched on the Crater Rim.

Day 4- A full day in Ngorongoro Crater, with picnic lunch, gives you time to explore in detail this fascinating wildlife amphitheatre. This caldera, formed by a volcano sinking, hosts a unique cross-section of eco-systems, from soda lake to savannah and is home to almost every major species of African mammal. Your presence does not threaten the wildlife, making for an exhilarating proximity to the game that we rarely encounter elsewhere. Arrive at Lodge just before dusk. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge.

Day 5 - Depart for Serengeti after breakfast. Stop at Olduvai Gorge to visit the site where Mary and Louis Leakey first discovered the remains of Zinjanthropus Bosei, a distant ancestor of man believed to be 1.8 million years old, Australopithecus Bosei, the 'Nutcracker Man', a species that became extinct about 1 million years ago and fossilised foot prints that date back 3,6 million years. From here the predator-rich plains of the Serengeti unfurl before you as you game drive through the park for the remainder of the day to arrive at Serengeti Quality Mobile Camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 - A full day to explore the Serengeti, the most famous National Park in Africa. Your driver-guide will choose your route based on his extensive knowledge of the park and local conditions but the Serengeti rarely disappoints. Carry your packed lunch with you so as to make the most of the day, but your trip might include tracking cheetah through the Gol Kopjes, hunting leopard along the Seronera River, avoiding the crocs and hippos at Retima or exploring the Masai paintings at Moru Kopjes. Dinner and Overnight at Serengeti Quality Camp.

Day 7 - Depart for Lake Manyara after breakfast, traversing the Great African Rift Valley that scars Africa from the Red Sea to Mozambique, and arriving at Kirurumu Camp for lunch. Afternoon game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. Lake Manyara National Park was immortalised in Hemingway's "Green Hills Of Africa" and represents a habitat distinct from elsewhere in your safari. Your afternoon game drive allows you to explore the ground-water forest, rich in birds and monkeys, visit the hippo pool, and the acacia woodlands that border the soda lake swathed in the pink of the resident flamingos. There is also the option to stop at Mto Wa Mbu, the nearby market town for stroll. Dinner and Overnight at Kirurumu Tented Lodge.

Day 8 - Return to Arusha by road. Lunch in Arusha before departing on the Shuttle bus to Nairobi