6 Days Tarangire Serengeti Ngorongoro Crater
The fierce sun sucks the moisture from the landscape, baking the earth a dusty red, the withered grass as brittle as straw. The Tarangire River has shrivelled to a shadow of its wet season self. But it is choked with wildlife. Thirsty nomads have wandered hundreds of parched kilometres knowing that here, always, there is water.
Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It’s the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem – a smorgasbord for predators – and the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed.
During the rainy season, the seasonal visitors scatter over a 20,000 sq km (12,500 sq miles) range until they exhaust the green plains and the river calls once more. But Tarangire’s mobs of elephant are easily encountered, wet or dry.
The swamps, tinged green year round, are the focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world.
On drier ground you find the Kori bustard, the heaviest flying bird; the stocking-thighed ostrich, the world’s largest bird; and small parties of ground hornbills blustering like turkeys.
More ardent bird-lovers might keep an eye open for screeching flocks of the dazzlingly colourful yellow-collared lovebird, and the somewhat drabber rufous-tailed weaver and ashy starling – all endemic to the dry savannah of north-central Tanzania.
6 Days Tarangire Serengeti Ngorongoro Crater
itinerary
Day1: ARUSHA – TARANGIRE
Depart Arusha for Tarangire National Park. Tarangire (pronounced as
Taa-raa-nghee-reh) National Park is one of the few national parks in
Tanzania, who flora and fauna have not been elaborately described to
prospective guest, making the park being overlooked and skipped during the
Tanzania’s northern circuit safaris. Zebras in NgorongoroGame drive and Picnic Lunch will be
served in the Park.
Throughout the year there are always a fantastic number of colourful birds swooping and strutting along the rough paths in front of your vehicle, with likely spots including the Paradise Whyder and endearing Yellow-collared lovebirds. Tarangire is a great spot for elephant gatherings
at the end of the rainy season in June, and zebra and wildebeest return together through July. Dinner and overnight at the camp/lodge.
Day 2: TARANGIRE – SERENGETI PARK
After breakfast, leave Tarangire for Serengeti with lunch en route. On
arrival, proceed for a game drive. The park covers 12,944km2 of open plains
making it one of the largest in the world. The rocky outcrops commonly known
as Moru kopjes in the eastern part of the park are of scenic beauty and
occasionally cats can be seen lazing on them. The park contains vast herds
of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and other Great Cormorant Birdantelopes. Dinner and overnight at
the Seronera campsite/lodge.
Day 3: FULL DAY SERENGETI
Morning and afternoon game drives in the Serengeti with a lunch and leisure break at the camp in the mid afternoon. The term Serengeti means endless plains in Maasai language. In the central plains there are carnivores like leopard, lion, hyena and cheetah.
This park is normally the scene of the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra that occurs between the Kenyan Mara and the Serengeti. Varied bird species can be seen here including eagles, ducks, geese, egrets, vultures, secretary birds, ibis, stork, herons, kites, pelicans, cranes and guinea fowl. Dinner and overnight at the Seronera
campsite/lodge.
Day 4: SERENGETI – NGORONGORO
After breakfast, depart Serengeti and drive to Ngorongoro crater. Game drive
and Picnic Lunch en route to Ngorongoro Antelope baby with Fowl in ngorongoroSimba campsite for dinner and
overnight/lodge.
Day 5: NGORONGORO – LAKE MANYARA
Breakfast at around 0600am. Take Picnic Lunch with you and drive fifteen minutes to the Ngorongoro Crater floor for the Game drive. View the various resident animals on the crater floor. The largest unbroken caldera in the world, Ngorongoro has an area of 260 kilometers and a depth of 610 meters.
The crater provides a protected habitat for thousands of mammals and birds. The entire day is spent on the crater floor viewing lion, hyena, wildebeest, zebra, black rhinoceros, and many species of small antelopes. This is one of the natural wonders of the world. Picnic Lunch in the Crater. Afternoon at before 0430pm you will drive to Twiga campsite/lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: LAKE MANYARA – ARUSHA
Depart for Lake Manyara, the old Hunter’s paradise. This is home to the famous tree climbing lions which you are however not guaranteed to see. On the Lake shore you will find thousands of flamingoes and other water birds conducting their daily business amongst the hippos.
After a lunch break at the camp you continue viewing Lake Manyara Park famous for its tree climbing lions and large flocks of flamingoes. The park contains five distinct vegetation zones and is of scenic beauty. Branch breakfast at the campsite and drive back to Arusha for overnight stay at your hotel.
Your safari price include:
Sharing twin tents during the safari, accommodation as indicated, Transportation in a custom built safari 4 x 4 vehicle, game viewing as indicated, Professional English speaking driver guides experts in African wildlife, game driving/African culture, Cook, all park entry fees, crater service fee, and three meals per day while on safari.