Classic Tanzania Safari

Your adventure begins in Arusha, where you settle into your lodge, set on a working coffee plantation. Your private chalet near Mount Meru features a log fireplace and a balcony. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to exploring the natural wonders of Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater.

Explore Arusha on a walking tour, meeting resident entrepreneurs along the way, for an active introduction to local culture. Visit Ilboru Primary School, a project supported by A&K Philanthropy, to meet students facing special challenges. Then fly to Tarangire National Park, a wild landscape with open grasslands, acacia trees and the Tarangire River. Situated in northern Tanzania to the south of teeming Lake Manyara, the park is home to the Big Five as well as impressive herds of elephants and well over 300 bird species, ranging from Bateleur eagles and northern carmine bee-eaters to ostriches and the endemic yellow-collared lovebird. Settle into your camp and later gather for a welcome dinner beneath the African sky awash with stars.

Today, enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in search of eland, oryx, wildebeest and zebra as well as the park’s large elephant population. Your local expert driver-guide draws on years of experience in the bush to locate the best wildlife viewing opportunities right as they happen. Later, this afternoon, learn how to prepare local dishes like ugali and kachumbari as part of a chef-led culinary experience.

As you cross the Great Rift Valley, stop for a market visit in a local village where stalls brim with vibrant local produce. Then, see the village from a different perspective as you ride by tuk-tuk, viewing the local community and rice fields as you go. Next, take a scenic drive to tranquil Gibb’s Farm, where you stop for a lunch made with organic, just-picked ingredients. Later, arrive at the natural amphitheater of Ngorongoro Crater, a 2,000-foot-deep caldera. A fascinating microcosm of East African wildlife — including buffalo, flamingoes, lions and leopards — resides inside. Climb the outer wall, passing through dense vegetation until a breathtaking view across the crater floor appears. Proceed to your camp, located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, just a short drive from the wildlife-rich crater floor. This extraordinary setting affords big-sky savanna views over acacia woodlands and the Ndutu plains, with roaming giraffes a common sight.

Rise early to make the short drive to descend into the crater, arriving ahead of most visitors to view the resident wildlife at its most active time of day. This afternoon, visit a Maasai village, where you learn about the tribe’s traditional, nomadic lifestyle and coexistence with wildlife. Sense the spirit of this pastoral, nomadic people who have kept their tribal traditions alive through countless generations of life in East Africa.

Fly to the fabled Serengeti National Park and settle into your remote, authentic camp. Then, set out in the boundless Serengeti, one of the oldest and least-changed ecosystems on earth, where the circle of life plays out every day. It is home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of wildlife, with lions, hyenas and leopards all roaming free. For a portion of each year, dictated by weather patterns and the unpredictable nature of wild animals, vast herds of wildebeest and zebra move through the Serengeti in search of grass and water as part of the year-round Great Migration cycle. This evening, sip a cocktail and reflect on the majesty of Africa, a relaxing experience that harkens back to safaris of yore.

Rise early for a morning game drive in the protected Serengeti refuge, where flowing rivers support a plethora of species. In addition to watching for lions, elephants, Cape buffalo and leopards, keep your camera handy to capture spontaneous moments, such as a cheetah bolting after a fleet-footed Thomson’s gazelle. If you wish, opt instead for a dawn hot air balloon ride, at an additional cost, gliding along serenely at tree-top level, viewing wildlife from an exciting new perspective. After breakfast, your time is your own until you head out for a private lunch in the bush — an A&K luxury safari specialty — savoring fine food and drink as a symphony of wildlife sounds envelops you. On this afternoon’s game drive, once again revel in ideal game viewing as your highly experienced driver-guide strives continually to keep you in the heart of the action. Tonight, gather for a memorable farewell dinner.

Fly to Arusha and eat lunch. Relax in a comfortable dayroom before transferring to the airport for your flight home.