Day 1: Arrival / Arusha

This morning your plane will descend between the snowcapped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru as you land in the city of Arusha, Tanzania. A representative will meet you in the arrivals hall after you have cleared customs and collected your baggage, and together you will drive a short distance to the Lake Duluti Serena Hotel. Located on an old coffee plantation in the lush slopes of Mount Meru, this retreat will be the perfect oasis to unwind and adjust to the African pace of life. Check into your private stone cottage and spend what remains of the day strolling through the tropical gardens that fringe the lakeshore. Should you find yourself with energy to burn, you may be interested in joining a mountain bike tour along the slopes of Africa’s fifth highest mountain. Alternatively, you might enjoy hopping in a canoe and paddling leisurely out into the center of the lake. It will be easy to slip into the serenity of this mountain paradise. Join the lodge in the central stone house for dinner round a blazing fire. Meals at Lake Duluti are almost entirely sourced from the surrounding region, and tonight’s dinner will undoubtedly be a fresh and organic taste of local cuisine.

Day 2: Tarangire National Park

This morning you will drive down from the slopes of Mount Meru, and begin making your way into the bush as you travel towards Tarangire National Park. Named after the river that bisects the park, this baobab-filled landscape is one of the quieter parks in the country’s northern safari circuit. Entering the park gates, wildlife will become dramatically more visible as you make your way towards Tarangire Sopa Lodge. Nestled between a series of kopjes – rocky outcroppings – with panoramic views of the surrounding planes, this will be the perfect place to familiarize yourself with the wilds of Tanzania. You will arrive in time for a fresh lunch on the lodge’s outdoor terrace beside the swimming pool.

Day 3: Tarangire National Park

Rise this morning to the smell of freshly roasted local Tanzanian coffee, and indulge in a breakfast of fresh tropical fruits and homemade pastries. Energized, you will set out for a morning safari with your skilled guide, who will lead you throughout the sixth largest park in Tanzania. Game drives will likely begin by winding alongside the Tarangire River, which provides year round sustenance to wildlife populations. This river becomes critical to survival during the dry season, when water elsewhere in Tanzania grows scarce. In these early morning hours, zebra, wildebeest impala and perhaps even a lion can be seen sipping on the shoreline. Birdlife along the river is also plentiful and diverse, with the Kori Bustard being a prized spotting. This bird is in fact the heaviest flying bird worldwide, and is a remarkable sight for those lucky enough to encounter one.

As the sun grows stronger in the late morning, you might wish to return to the shade of the lodge for lunch and relaxation. There are incredible views from the marble main lodge, which is decorated with local Tanzanian art and artifacts. Return to the bush as the temperatures cool, and devote this final game drive to finding the species unique to Tarangire. With an ecosystem that is markedly different from that of the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, you will have the chance here to view some arid plains game, including the beisa oryx and the gerenuk.

Day 4: Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Following a breakfast under a baobab tree, you will return to your private vehicle and drive towards the Ngorongoro Crater. The arid landscape of Tarangire will quickly slip away as you approach the volcano-lined plateaus that surround the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As the earth becomes lusher, and the terrain more dramatic, you will know you are nearing today’s destination: the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. Built on the ledge of this ancient caldera, this lodge has some of the best views across the plateaus and into the crater. You will be greeted upon arrival with a cool towel and a glass of passion fruit juice, before being escorted to your private thatched cottage. Enjoy a lunch with panoramic views of the crater, before descending to the floor on a late afternoon safari.

Snake your way through the tangled jungle of the crater slopes as you work your way towards the sprawling grasslands of the crater floor. Teeming with wildlife, this natural enclosure is home to some of the densest populations of lions on the continent. Ungulates, including zebra, wildebeest and gazelle, are plentiful year round, while predators lurk along the perimeter. Spend the afternoon driving along the dusty tracks before climbing back up the 600-meter escarpment, just in time for a captivating sunset from the lodge’s second story deck. Join other guests for a Masai cultural performance signaling the beginning of dinner, and then dive into a feast of international and local specialties. Sip a final glass of wine in the Crater View Bar, before sleepily returning to your private cabin.

Day 5: Ngorongoro Conservation Area

It would be worthwhile to rise early this morning in order to catch an indescribable sunrise as it lights up the crater floor. Peak over the ledge as chefs prepare a continental breakfast, with your coffee in hand. This morning you will return to the prehistoric landscape of the crater, in search of further wildlife encounters. You will spend some time traversing the lakeshore that sustains much of the resident species. Lined with flamingos as birdlife swirls above, this is the perfect place to pause with a pair of binoculars. Keep an eye on the floodplains for sightings of the resident rhinoceros populations as well. Though rhinos are an endangered species, they remain visible within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Jackals and Cape buffalo are other favorite sightings among those navigating the floor.

Drive back up to the lodge in time for lunch, before you set out to visit a local Masai village in the afternoon. The Masai warriors are among the most famed and celebrated tribes in Africa, and are recognized by their checkered blankets, intricate beadwork and superior jumping abilities. A tour through their homestead will give you an opportunity to learn from the warriors as they tell you about their history, culture and traditions. Take time to visit an active Masai home before observing a cultural performance complete with the ceremonial adumu – the jump. Often, you will have the chance to purchase some authentic souvenirs made by the community members themselves. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon for that familiar and fantastic routine of sundowners, dinner and fireside chats. Eventually, tuck yourself into your cozy cabin, heated by a hot water bottle, as the cool night breeze blows through.

Day 6-8: Serengeti / Olduvai Gorge

This morning you will travel away from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and towards the famed plains of the Serengeti. First, however, you will detour through the Olduvai Gorge – one of the world’s most important paleoanthropological sites. It was in this valley that Mary and Louis Leaky discovered the oldest known remains of a hominids skull, dating back 1.75-million years. Broken up into 40 pieces, this reconstructed skull came to define a new species in human evolution: the Zinjanthropus boisei. In the years surrounding, the Leakys continued to discover other evolutionary species, along with a plethora of tools. Take a tour through the Olduvai Gorge, stopping in at the visitor’s center for additional information on this historic site, before continuing westwards towards the plains of the Serengeti.

While you and your party ultimately design and drive every day on safari, we recommend devoting your time to observing the Great Wildebeest Migration. This phenomenal migration of two-million ungulates is heralded as one of the world’s most impressive natural feats, and if timed correctly, you will have the chance to drive into the epicenter of it all. Setting out at dawn, work your way along the dirt trails as your guide follows signs of the migration. Wildebeest will soon begin to speckle the horizon, growing in density as you near the central section of the migration. Soon, you fill find yourself completely surrounded by the species – though keep an eye towards the perimeter, where hungry predators are often seen lurking. Spend the morning weaving in and out of grazing ungulates, occasionally moving towards sections of the herd relocating to their next destination. The migration follows an annual route between the Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara, in perpetual pursuit of greener pastures.

Day 9: Depart / Fly to Arusha

This morning, wake to watch a final sunrise over the Serengeti with a warm cup of coffee in hand. Feast on one final continental breakfast overlooking the plains before driving towards the airstrip, 45 minutes away. Here, you will board a plane that will fly you back to the city of Arusha, landing in time to connect onwards with your international flight. Depending on the time of your scheduled departure, it may be possible to return to Lake Duluti for the afternoon.