Big 5 African Safaris, accommodated, camping and fully escorted

1: Arusha - Lake Manyara

Afternoon (approx 1400 hrs) pick up from Arusha Town Centre and join seat in vehicle safari (using Sopa Lodges). You depart Arusha and pass through the Masai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee and banana plantations. At the town of Makayuni you turn North West and continue the journey up through a scenic escarpment that brings you to your lodge, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley with stunning views over the distant Lake Manyara. From whichever direction you approach Manyara, the first view is spectacular. From the east, the Rift Valley wall rises several hundred metres to form an impressive backdrop to the lake. From the west, if one is perched at the top of the escarpment, the park lies far below, with a long green strip of water that glistens in the sunlight. The vegetation around the lake’s shores is surprisingly varied and comprises mostly forest, acacia woodland and open grassland. The park covers an area of 330 sq km of which about 230 sq km is the lake itself. You can always find hippo in the Simba River, elephant in the forests and a resident herd of Cape buffalo on the open plains at Mahali Pa Nyati, which means, ‘the place of the buffalo’ in Swahili. In addition, there are approximately 400 species of birds and with some luck you might see tree-climbing lions. OVERNIGHT: LAKE MANYARA
Meals Included: D

2: Lake Manyara – Serengeti

After breakfast enter your safari vehicle and spend the morning exploring and driving through Lake Manyara National Park. About midday return to the lodge for lunch and then depart past Ngorongoro Crater and stop at Olduvai Gorge for a short excursion around the museum. You then continue into the Serengeti National Park with some game viewing en route arriving at your lodge as the sun begins to set. OVERNIGHT AT SERENGETI.
Meals Included: BLD

3: Serengeti National Park

Morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti National Park exploring this famous park and all that it has to offer. In the local vernacular, Serengeti means ‘the endless plains that go up to the sky’. And they do just that. It is therefore easy to understand why this is the most popular and spectacular of all game parks in East Africa. Covering 14,765 sq km, one of the striking features of this park is the series of large granite outcrops that dominate the vast plains, making it very different to the Masai Mara. Life in the park centres on the triangular trek of several million hooves. This movement never stops, as the animals constantly seek out new grazing pastures. Every year, after the south’s short November rains, wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, eland, topi and hartebeest gather in their thousands on the Serengeti’s southern plains and the Ngorongoro Highlands. Then, around April, they head towards the western corridor of the Serengeti, where many overflow into the Masai Mara around July/August. They remain here until late October/November, when Tanzania’s new rains prompt the move south again, towards Lake Ndutu and Lagaja. This yearly phenomenon also affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of other species, who rely on the migratory herds for their survival. These include predators, gazelles, birds and lowly insects, not to mention the grasses and trees that are fertilised by droppings. Another of the highlights here, is the early morning balloon safari. OVERNIGHT: SERENGETI
Meals Included: BLD

4: Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Crater

Depart after an early breakfast and drive back across the Serengeti plains and onto Ngorongoro with a picnic lunch. On arrival immediately descend into the crater for game viewing. Late afternoon ascend the crater wall and continue to your lodge which is perched on the rim of this world renowned caldera. OVERNIGHT: NGORONGORO
Meals Included: BLD

5: Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, you’ll descend through the early morning mists and 2,000 feet into the crater. Ngorongoro Crater is the World’s largest intact volcanic caldera and is also one of the World’s seven natural wonders. Due to its size and diversity, the crater floor is comprised of several distinct areas, ranging from forest, swamps, lakes and springs, to open grassland and some sandy dunes. It’s an awesome wildlife experience. You return to the lodge for lunch followed by an afternoon excursion of a Masaai Village and come back to the lodge in the late afternoon.OVERNIGHT: NGORONGORO
Meals Included: BLD

6: Ngorongoro Crater - Tarangire National Park

After breakfast you depart Ngorongoro and drive to Mto Wa Mbu Village arriving in time for an excursion of the local village. Lunch is provided by Serena Active followed by a real cultural experience, feeling the heartbeat of an authentic African village with every step you take. You will encounter many locals and sense the existence of their being. A leisurely stroll with a village guide will take you through local homes, farmlands, resident bars, a kindergarten and a church. After the walk we gather at a private, local banana-leaf bar, for a one in a million African fruit tasting. A wide variety of local fruits will be presented to you to taste and appreciate. Following the excursion you continue to Tarangire National Park with a game drive enroute to your lodge located deep within the park. South of Lake Manyara and just over 100km from Arusha, this is a delightful, untamed gem of a park. Covering 2,600 sq km, it abounds with game and the numerous wide-bowed baobab trees create a lasting impression. Tarangire is at its finest during the dry seasons, from between June to October and December to March. This is when the Tarangire River and the various swamps attract the highest concentrations of game, providing a lifeline to thousands of species. This area is best for oryx, kudu, wildebeest, zebra, elephant and eland but leopards and massive pythons are also found here. OVERNIGHT: TARANGIRE
Meals Included: BLD

7: Tarangire National Park – Arusha

Depart after breakfast and head north east to Arusha arriving by Midday and drop off in Arusha Town Centre. End of our services.
Meals Included: B

Trip Start	Trip Finish	Twin Share Price	Local Pymt Currency	Single Supp	Trip Notes
01 Mar 2010	31 Mar 2010	$2775	$	$370	Departs Sunday, Wednesday and FridayView Notes
01 Apr 2010	27 May 2010	$2250	$	$0	Departs Sunday, Wednesday and FridayView Notes
28 May 2010	31 Oct 2010	$2995	$	$440	Departs Sunday, Wednesday and FridayView Notes
01 Nov 2010	15 Dec 2010	$2775	$	$370	Departs Sunday, Wednesday and FridayView Notes