Infamous Serengeti

Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport where you’ll will be met by the drivers and a Matembezi representative. The drive to the Arusha Lodge takes about 1 hour, upon arrival at the Lodge you’ll check into your room, split luggage to be left with the operators if so preferred, and there will be time for drinks and dinner. The representative will be around for any last minute questions and a good night sleep is ahead of you.

Your drivers will collect you after breakfast, you set off on the short drive to Tarangire National Park. This road is still mostly tarmac, and soon you leave Arusha town behind. You see the first glimpses of bushlife, small Maasai villages and markets, and many bicycle pedal traders. This drive takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. You will enter the park during the morning and spend the day game viewing this green and lush park. It is famous for its’ enormous herds of elephants, but you also have a good chance of seeing cheetah and leopard. The name ‘ Tara ngire ’ means ‘always water’ so high numbers of animals are a feature for this park, even when it gets hotter and drier. It has a high variety of landscapes enclosed in the park so it’s a perfect start.

Overnight accommodation is in Sangaiwe Tented Camp, which is located on the eastern side of the Park on a hillside- offering amazing views from each of the wooden raised platforms, the enormous canvas tents are placed on stilted wooden floors and offer double/twin bed with fully western bathrooms, hot water and a cosy seating area outside. The dining area is connected with a stepped patio to sit and enjoy the sunset over the savannah, and if you like to cool down a small pool is here with a view of the watering hole for warthogs and zebras! Dinners are held under straw roofs and with an a la carte or buffet menu. Our guides join our guests during dinner, and will brief you on the next days’ plans. The lodges’ Masai guards will eventually walk you safely back to the tent afterwards and while you have your first night in the African bush – you may hear the lions roar in the night…

Today after breakfast you will depart Tarangire Park and move to Lake Manyara. This is a short (ish) drive of about 2 hours. While driving, in the distance you will start seeing the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. You will enter Lake Manyara by noon and choose a good spot for a picnic lunch – watch the birds come closer and closer, and feel the joy of some shade! The rest of the day is spent on a leisurely game drive around the Lake. This park is of a different type of landscape: it is mostly flat, being at the foot of the Crater and has a small dense forest surrounding the soda lake at the centre of it. It is the location and the water / salt that make it so important for animals roaming between the parks – it’s a drinking and sheltering corridor between various seasonal game areas. It may be smaller in surface then other parks in this area but it’s famous for superb birdlife, up close views of crocs and hippos and if you are lucky: lions up a tree. At this time of year it will be very green and the Baobab Trees can still be blossoming.

Overnight accommodation is at The Farm House Lodge – a 10 min drive from the Park gates. The Farm House has a fantastic main building with a real ‘Out of Africa’ feel to it. Here the lodge offers food and drinks while your room are in individual stone cottages dotted around the premises. It does get cool here at night at altitude so –each cottage has a fire place and do take out the fleece or sweater tonight! The Farm House is the brainchild of a local developer and one of our favourite places to stay.

The area is known for growing coffee so be sure you have some of the local roast after dinner.

*OPTIONAL ADD ON: ask the guides about an optional early AM walk along the property or fields just beyond: gorgeous views and nice to get out of the car! There is a site called Elephant Caves nearby: small drive and then a 1hour hike to waterfalls and lush forest. Must be done early AM so departure can still be on time….

A fairly long drive today after breakfast but showing a huge range of ecosystems: from Lake Manyara at sea level you will travel all the way into the Serengeti today.

First you will climb the Crater Forest area – it’s a tropical mountain forest fringing the Escarpment of the Crater. As you rise in altitude, temperatures and fauna will change accordingly and in the end it is a cool, dripping, green mossy forest along the track. You then hit the edge of the Crater Rim at over 1800 metres – it is a stunning sight to gaze into this extinct volcano (caldera). This is the largest caldera in the world and similar in size to Paris. The road circles the Crater and on the northern slopes you will again descend partly and pass various traditional Maasai villages that live in this traditional land – dressed in striking blue and red they still herd their cattle in the old ways, roaming from water to grass. The road passes by another historical landmark – Olduvai Gorge, where the oldest footprint of men was found by Dr Leaky. If you like, stop for a brief look around here and have a coffee – contemplating the fact that Homo Erectus left their indelible print right here…. The last part of todays’ drive is dusty and bumpy – so keep that in mind. By noon you will finally enter the Serengeti proper at Naabi Hill Gates. You can actually visualise the meaning of the word ‘serengeti’ at this point – which means the ‘endless plains’ in Maasai – as you will be able to see the curvature of the earth here.

After entering the Serengeti National Park, you will slowly game drive towards the location of your lodge for this evening: Kubu Kubu Camp. This is a lovely intimate small tented camp in the heart of the Park and your home for 2 nights. You have till sunset to reach here – while the grassland and famous ‘lion kopjes’ (stone outcroppings) teem with animals, large and small- so take your time.

Kubu Kubu Camp offers perfect amenities in lovely designed large canvas tents – there is hot water of course and after the long day today – a pre dinner drink in the main area will be very welcome! It IS right in the heart of a park with wild animals so you may see a giraffe, zebra or an antelope wandering past your tent…. During the night you can hear the sounds of the plains….. Here as well the Maasai guards will walk you safely to and from tent and dining room, and the guides will discuss the day ahead.

*OPTIONAL ADD ON: a hot air balloon trip over the Serengeti. This would be instead of a morning game drive. A hot Air balloon trip would start pre dawn, and you return to camp around noon for lunch. It includes a transfer, flight, champagne breakfast, and return to camp. Please discuss this well in advance so arrangements can be made in time with the operators (not the camp). Then a afternoon game drive can follow.

You have a second day in the Serengeti to enjoy the many, many herds of animals. The guides will be able to find the best sites locally based on the most recent sightings. Let them know what you would most like to see! It is your choice to either spend the full day out in the park with a picnic lunch or return to the lodge for lunch and a break from the heat – then go out again in the golden afternoon light.

Besides the Big Stuff – take some time for smaller species that make the animal kingdom tick: lizards, bugs, birds, jackals, snakes, flowers and certain fauna: they all have their purpose in nature and it is fascinating to discover their connections. Ask your guide to show you some small wonders!