Day 1: Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Arrive by overnight flight to Tanzania, where your unforgettable
wildlife adventure unfolds. On your adventure, you can view
animals up-close from inside an extinct volcano and meet a longstanding
local tribe to learn about their traditions and culture.
Day 2: Arusha/Tarangire National Park
Travel by road to Tarangire National Park, made up of eight distinct
vegetation zones varying from swamps to open grasslands and
acacia parkland. The variety of landscapes allows many animal
and bird species to thrive. The park has an exceptional elephant
population and the highest recorded number of breeding bird
species for any habitat in the world. Settle in to your lodge, and then
set out on an afternoon game drive. This evening, Abercrombie &
Kent hosts a welcome dinner.
Day 3: Tarangire National Park
Morning and afternoon game drives take you through the
landscapes of Tarangire, which change from baobab tree forests and
swamps to flat plains dotted with distinctive, thorny acacia trees.
The most outstanding feature in the park is the Tarangire River. It
is the only reliable dry-season source of water available to wildlife
in a vast stretch of Tanzania’s Rift Valley, attracting tremendous
concentrations of animals. Look for unique species including eland,
fringe-eared oryx, greater kudu and the elusive wild dog. Tarangire
is also home to giraffes, waterbucks, wildebeest and zebras.
Day 4: Tarangire/Ngorongoro Crater
Leave Tarangire and travel overland to the Ngorongoro Crater,
stopping at Mto wa Mbu, home to over 90 tribes. Wander through
Mto wa Mbu Market — the setting for a scavenger hunt. With
your money and a list of items, roam the stalls and bargain for the
goods on your list. Continue to Gibb’s Farm, where you sit down
to a farm-fresh lunch, with fruit and vegetables from the farm’s
organic garden. To work off your lunch, you may want to walk to a
nearby waterfall that weaves in and out of the forest; see caves made
by elephants; or just take a stroll in the farm’s beautiful gardens.
From there, go on to the Ngorongoro Crater. Considered among
the natural wonders of the world, the 2,000-foot-deep caldera
is the result of a collapsed volcanic eruption and is a haven for
many species of animals and birds. Arrive at your lodge, perched
on the crater’s rim, offering spectacular views across this natural
amphitheater.
Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, searching for lions, elephants,
hyenas, wildebeests and gazelles. Even the rare and elusive black
rhinoceros, one of Africa’s most endangered species, is a resident
here. (One species you won’t see is the cheetah — the crater’s hyenas
chased them out long ago.) Bird lovers can view flamingos and other
species that share the shallow waters with big game. You may also
see Maasai herdsmen walking with their cattle — the crater is in
their territory, and the Maasai continue to coexist with wildlife as
they have for centuries. Learn more of the Maasai’s ways by visiting
a local village. Notice how the Maasai women do all of the work —
even build the houses. Stop for a picnic lunch near the hippo pool
and watch resident hippos lazing in the river.
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater/Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, leave Ngorongoro and fly to Serengeti National
Park. Arrive at your Maasai-style lodge, where the comfortable
guest rooms overlook the Serengeti plains. This afternoon, set off
on your first game drive in the park. Famed throughout Africa
and around the world, its 10,000 square miles support a variety of
animals, including lions, leopards, hyenas, cheetahs, giraffes and
topi. Each year, the Serengeti is the scene of the spectacular seasonal
wildebeest and zebra migration, when millions of these animals
trek through to Kenya’s Masai Mara in search of fresh grass and
water. The sight of so many animals, from the air or on the ground,
is an awe-inspiring experience.
Day 7: Serengeti National Park
Embark on an optional hot air balloon ride over the boundless
Serengeti plains, just as animals begin to stir. Watch below as
graceful giraffes lope along, seemingly in slow motion, or see if you
can locate elephant families rolling in the mud of a watering hole.
The Serengeti’s diverse terrain supports an equally wide array of
flora and fauna, which you see firsthand during today’s game drives.
The Serengeti ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth, where climate,
vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years.
This evening, all travelling families gather for a farewell dinner —
it’s the perfect time to swap stories about memorable sightings and
toast a never-to-be-forgotten stay.
Day 8: Serengeti/Arusha/Depart
Fly back to Arusha, where you may relax in your dayroom before
your international flight. You can also walk around the beautiful
grounds, go mountain biking or take a canoe ride.