Private Escapes Sale: Tanzania

Arrive in Arusha, the gateway to Tanzania, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the balance of your day at leisure.

This morning, board your private Abercrombie & Kent landcruiser, a comfortable modern vehicle specially designed to enhance your safari experience and designated for your use throughout your stay. Cross the Great Rift Valley, stopping en route for a market visit in Mto wa Mbu, where stalls brim with vibrant local produce. See the village from a different perspective as you ride on a 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, flamingos, lions and leopards — resides inside. Climb the outer wall, passing through dense vegetation until a breathtaking view across the crater floor appears. Arrive at your camp, Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp, nestled in a wooded area with easy access to the crater floor.

This morning, descend into the crater, arriving ahead of most visitors — thanks to the closer proximity of your ideally located accommodations — to view the resident wildlife at its most active time of day. Up to twelve miles in diameter, the crater's short grass prairies are an ideal haven for animals, and you may see many species including the lion, elephant, hyena, wildebeest and gazelle. Even the rare and elusive black rhinoceros, one of Africa's most endangered species, is a resident here. Bird-lovers are sure to enjoy their time in the crater as well. Here you can view flamingoes and other birds as they share the shallow waters that mirror their reflections as they move from one grazing ground to another. You may also see the Maasai herdsmen and their cattle. The crater is in their territory, and the Maasai continue to coexist with wildlife here as they have for centuries. Back at your lodge, reflect on the events of the day and share thrilling memories of the wildlife and scenery you were fortunate enough to witness.

Descend from the Ngorongoro Highlands as you travel to Serengeti National Park in your private Abercrombie & Kent landcruiser. En route, stop at the famous archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge, which has been called the cradle of mankind. Here at Olduvai, the Leakey family made many of the world’s most important fossil discoveries. Afterward, keep alert for game sightings as you continue to your accommodation set among the hills of Hambi ya Mwaki Nyeb kopjes.

Enjoy a full day of morning and afternoon game viewing here in the Serengeti, a vast region that has been a protected animal refuge since 1929 and maintains a commitment to its preservation. The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth, where climate, vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years. Explore Serengeti National Park, taking in its unique diversity of habitats supporting 30 species of large herbivores and nearly 500 species of birds. You may also sight the bat-eared fox, olive baboon, crested porcupine or black-tipped mongoose. Return to your camp through a golden sunset at the end of a truly unforgettable day. Relax with your preferred drink as you watch the setting sun paint the Serengeti with pinks, oranges and reds.

Venture out on your final morning and afternoon game drives in the protected Serengeti refuge, where flowing rivers support a plethora of species. In addition to the Big Five (lions, elephants, Cape buffalo, leopards and rhinos), keep your camera handy for sights such as a cheetah bolting after a fleet Thomson’s gazelle. Enjoy ideal game viewing, as your highly experienced driver-guide strives continually to keep you in the heart of the action, complete with picnic lunch in the bush.

Enjoy a leisurely morning relaxing at camp or venture out early on one last morning game drive. Later, your safari comes to an end as you board your flight from the Serengeti South Airstrip back to Arusha. Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to your hotel where a dayroom has been reserved for your use. Later today, dependent on your departure flight times, transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport by private vehicle for your homebound journey.