Crater, Serengeti & Mara

Your tour opens with your arrival in the bustling town of Arusha and a road transfer to the Arusha Coffee Lodge, just a few minutes away. Offering private cottage accommodation on a working coffee estate and complete with views of Mount Meru, this friendly and welcoming lodge is just the place for you to relax and unwind after a long journey. There is a swimming pool, a spa and Wi-Fi access; the cottages are spacious and each feature a lounge and a balcony with beautiful views.

The next day begins with breakfast and a transfer back to Arusha Airport for a short flight to Manyara where you will be met and driven to The Manor at Ngorongoro. Lying in picturesque gardens in another lush coffee estate, The Manor is a grand country-style house with beautifully appointed suites, each complete with lounge, en suite bathroom, an outdoor deck, and both indoor and outdoor fireplaces. Check in for two nights and plan your adventures – there is horse riding, mountain biking, hiking, cultural tours and birdwatching to enjoy but the most eagerly awaited activity will be your 4X4 safari in the Ngorongoro Crater, home to perhaps the densest concentrations of big animals in Africa and a hotspot for predators and the Big 5. Back at The Manor you sit down to delicious meals, served at the main lodge or in the privacy of your suite.

It is a short flight this morning to Serengeti National Park and your accommodation for the next three nights – Serengeti Migration Camp. Tucked away in the hilly landscape of the northern Serengeti, this comfortable tented camp lies close to the treacherous Grumeti River where migrating wildebeest herds gather to cross back into Kenya. An exciting game-viewing destination at any time of year, the area is at its most dramatic during the Migration months when tens of thousands of wildebeest storm across the Grumeti, battling crocodiles and big cats all the way. As well as game drives, you can also look forward to fascinating nature walks with your guide, and have the option of a hot-air balloon safari over the Serengeti savannah. Accommodation is in the form of large tented suites with private bathrooms and elevated viewing decks.

Your journey to Kenya involves a road transfer and short flight but it is not long before you are checking into Sand River Masai Mara for three nights. This tented camp has a great location on the Sand River and combines indulgent yesteryear comfort with a modern low environmental impact philosophy. As well-placed for the Wildebeest Migration as your previous camp, Sand River Masai Mara also offers balloon safaris as well as game drives and walks, and guests will be delighted to find at least one of their meals served away from camp in an exciting safari setting. Accommodation is raised off the ground and enjoys river views; a private butler is on hand to ensure everything runs smoothly. Complete with swimming pool, library, Wi-Fi access and a laundry service, Sand River Masai Mara sits in a quieter area of the Masai Mara National Reserve and is perfect for travellers who want all the drama of the Mara but without the Migration-season crowds.

Your final day on safari begins with breakfast and a last look at the Masai Mara plains before you are transferred to the local airstrip for a scheduled flight to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport. You will be met by a tour representative and taken to the city’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for your onward travel arrangements and the end of this highly memorable tour.