We leave Arusha and head through a scenic drive to Lake Manyara National Park, a unique and picturesque park with a stunning lake, inspiring views and very varied wildlife and birdlife viewing. Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake that is part of the Rift Valley wall; the lake is at the base of this dramatic western escarpment giving it a beautiful and serene setting. In addition to this peaceful setting, Lake Manyara’s main attractions are its rich bird life, tree climbing lions and its hippos which you can see at a closer range than any other places.

Overnight stay at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge.

We leave Lake Manyara for a drive to the Western part of the Serengeti where breathtaking landscapes, endless plains and abundant wildlife await you. The Serengeti is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is sure to capture your imagination. This part of the Serengeti is the ideal location for marveling at the annual migration of large herds of animals at this time of the year. Often spotted in the Serengeti are elephants, hippos, lions, zebras, wildebeests, cheetahs, leopards and more.

Overnight stay at Grumeti Luxury Tented Camp.

At this time of the year we explore the Western corridor of the Serengeti nearby the Grumeti River where crocodiles lie awaiting the great migration as wildebeest and other herbivores try to make their way across. Other animals to see in this area include hippos and high concentrations of cheetahs.

Overnight stay at Grumeti Luxury Tented Camp.

Today we continue to explore the Western Corridor of the Serengeti, where we look for large herds of wildebeests pounding the plains, while hungry predators such as lions, leopards and cheetahs try to prey upon the youngest and weakest members of the herds.

Overnight stay at Mbuzi Mawe Luxury Tented Camp.

Today we leave the Serengeti and drive to Ngorongoro Crater passing some very scenic landscapes. En route to the Ngorongoro crater we stop by Olduvai Gorge, a world-renowned archeological site that has been called the “Cradle of Mankind”.

Overnight stay at Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.

Today you enjoy a full day of game viewing at the Ngorongoro Crater floor. Called the eighth wonder of the world, the crater won’t fail to take your breath away as you stand on the rim looking down a 10-mile wide crater floor with abundant wildlife. The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken volcanic caldera in the world covering approximately 260 sq km's with walls rising 600 meters from the crater floor. Before the Ngorongoro Volcano exploded and collapsed 2 million years ago, it was one of the world's tallest mountains. Now, it is home to more than 30,000 large mammals - mainly gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest and warthog - and has the highest predator density in the world.

Overnight stay at Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.

After breakfast we leave for Arusha via Mto Wa Mbu Maasai Market for some shopping.

Overnight stay at Arusha Mountain Village in Arusha or fly to Zanzibar if excursion extension has been selected.

Please note that this Safari can also be booked with an option to fly back to Arusha on your last day. You might want to consider this option if you need to fly out of Arusha. If you select a “fly back” option for this Safari, you will stay at different lodges that are of comparable standards but you will follow the same circuit as described above, with the difference being that your safari ends in the Serengeti from where your flight will depart.