Day-by-day itinerary

• Day

  01

  Arusha, Tanzania

  "Jambo" ("Hello" in Swahili)
  
  Touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport, the gateway to your safari adventure. Most flights arrive in the evening, so you will be escorted by our local Born Free host to your hotel in Arusha. Get some rest tonight - your adventure begins in the morning!

  Dinner
• Day

  02

  Tarangire National Park

  On Safari

  Your professional safari guide will greet you at the hotel after breakfast. Then board your comfortable refitted safari vehicle, featuring an extra-large photographic hatch. Each Born Free vehicle has a cool box stacked with water, juice, soft drinks, and even beer!
  
  Your first safari destination is Tarangire National Park. It's an easy and scenic drive from Arusha to Tarangire, passing by small villages and lush countryside. You may even get your first wildlife spotting before you enter the park. Tarangire is all that symbolizes classic Africa. Acacia trees, ancient baobabs, and sausage trees spot the landscape. Elephants can number in the hundreds, as well as large herds of Cape buffalo, all making their way to the river.
  
  Each day, your guide will discuss the plan for the following day with you, including which species you are interested in and the desired pacing of the safari.
  
  Game drives are unlimited according to park rules.

  Drive time: 1.5 hours

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  03

  Tarangire National Park

  Game drives are at dawn, but not before you are greeted with hot tea or coffee. Set out in search of your favorite species. Return to the lodge for a fresh, hot breakfast.
  
  Midday, you may want to take a walk with a Maasai guide to learn about the flora and fauna of Tarangire. Then head out on a late afternoon game drive that may extend into the evening.
  
  Sit down to dinner and reminisce about your day in the bush before heading off to bed.

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  04

  Lake Manyara National Park - Ngorongoro Highlands

  Great Rift Valley

  Grab your camera and venture out into Lake Manyara National Park, the park that Ernest Hemingway referred to as "the loveliest place I have seen in Africa."
  
  More than two-thirds of the 127-square-mile Lake Manyara National Park is covered by lake, and the highlight of the park's wildlife is the large flamingo population when in season.
  
  Elephant, giraffe, monkey, impala, and more than 380 species of bird can also be found among the park's five different vegetation zones. In addition, the park is known for its tree-climbing lions, which may be seen sleeping off the heat of the day on a nearby branch.
  
  If you are up for it, you have the option to experience the Manyara Treetop Walkway, which will take you through the lush, forested area of the park. From this unique perspective, view the life within the thick forest where you may see colorful butterflies, monkeys, and birds.
  
  Continue to the Ngorongoro Highlands for overnight.

  Drive time: 1 hour Tarangire to Manyara; 1.5 hours Manyara to Ngorongoro

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  05

  Ngorongoro Crater

  Rise early this morning, have breakfast, and then head down into Ngorongoro Crater for prime-time game viewing. The area is inhabited by an impressive variety of wildlife, including lions with black manes, the highly endangered black rhino, herds of wildebeest, zebra, elephant, hippo, and hyena. This is also another area that is known for large flocks of flamingo.
  
  Picnic lunch in Ngorongoro and then spend a few more hours exploring the Crater. This region has a very delicate ecosystem, and in order to protect the area, travelers must start out of Ngorongoro by 3:30 pm.
  
  Travel to the Olduvai Gorge region for overnight.

  Drive time: 40 minutes to Crater floor

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

  Safari consultant notes:
  For those pre-booking in Platinum or Gold class, you will take a short flight over the Ngorongoro Conservation area and on to your base camp for your Serengeti Safari.
• Days

  06-07

  Serengeti - Location #1

  In Search of the Migration

  Serengeti National Park has arguably the most dazzling game-viewing in Africa - great herds of buffalo, large groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala, and Grant’s gazelle.
  
  The focus in the Serengeti will be finding your favorite species and following the herds. Game viewing will be at your pace and as wildlife viewing demands.
  
  Each day you can go out on full-day game drives with a picnic lunch, or morning and afternoon drives - the choice is yours. Your guide will make their recommendations based on the location of the herds' movements.

  Drive time: dependent on location of camp - most of drive time through the Serengeti

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

  Special Activity:
  Hot-Air Balloon Safari
  Balloon safari at dawn over the Serengeti with a champagne bush breakfast, from $550 per person.
• Days

  08-09

  Serengeti - Location #2

  This morning, make your way to a second Serengeti location to maximize game viewing. In one sweep of the binoculars, you might see a hundred elephant, lion, cheetah, impala, zebra, and wildebeest.
  
  Listen for the roaring lion guarding its pride. Spot gazelle grazing quietly and then running off at the slightest sense of a predator. See the herds of elephant walking to new feeding grounds. You will be in awe of the concentration of wildlife and species in the area. Today should truly fill your expectations!

  Drive time: dependent on location of camp

  Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
• Day

  10

  Your Onward Journey

  Flight to Arusha

  Bid a fond farewell to the Africa bush with promises of returning. Africa truly gets not only into your heart but your soul.
  
  Fly back to Arusha, where a guide and vehicle will be available for the afternoon. Do some last-minute shopping, have lunch, and then begin your journey onward. Take with you the forever-treasured memories of an incredible African experience!
  
  "Kwaheri" ("Good-Bye")

  Breakfast / Lunch