Tanzania's Tarangire, Crater & Migration

On the first day of your Tanzanian safari, you will land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where a warm welcome awaits you. A 40-minute road transfer takes you through the coffee plantations and small agricultural villages of Arusha to the cosy Rivertrees Country Inn, set in the foothills of Mount Meru. This charming country estate is situated on 10 acres of manicured lawns and riverine forest, and on a clear day you might catch a glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world. Warm service and old-world ambience allow you to rest and relax after your long-haul flight, and you will be treated to wholesome farm-style cuisine with fresh vegetable and herbs grown from the garden.

After a restful night, start the day with a fresh brew of local coffee and a sumptuous breakfast buffet out on the river deck or in the cosy farmhouse kitchen. You will then depart from Arusha in a private vehicle with your guide, and transfer to Kuro Tarangire. A picnic lunch is enjoyed along the way and you will arrive at the safari lodge in the afternoon. Take time to settle into your suite before heading out on an exciting night drive (this is an optional activity and should be booked in advance) or enjoy sundowners and an early night at the lodge.

Kuro Tarangire is located at the site of one of the first safari camps in the area. This down-to-earth lodge keeps its footprint as light as possible, and has a prime location close to the Tarangire River (great for early morning guided walks), the Silale Swamp, and other popular wildlife haunts.Tarangire maybe one of Tanzania’s smaller national parks but what it may lack in size, it more than makes up for in variety. On game drives, look out for fringe-eared oryx and long-necked gerenuk, dwarf mongooses sheltering in disused termite mounds and over 550 species of birds, including kori bustards (the world’s heaviest flying birds) and the delightfully named stocking-thighed ostrich.

On your fourth day, you will depart in a private vehicle for the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater where you will be spending two nights at Entamanu Ngorongoro. Set on the remote north-western rim of the Crater, this luxurious lodge offers views that need to be seen to be believed! Spend your evenings watching over dormant volcanic hills, distant lakes and endless plains with the Serengeti stretching out to the west, and the Crater to the east. At this high altitude, log fireplaces, plush fabrics, sheepskin throws and wool rugs will keep you feeling cosy and comforted.The day after arriving you will descend into the crater for a full-day safari. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera on Earth and shelters about 26 000 animals and a sizeable predator population within its walls. The mineral-rich floor allows grasses and forests to thrive and the density of animals makes game drives exhilarating.

The last destination on your safari journey is the legendary Serengeti. After a final breakfast at Ngorongoro Crater, a private transfer takes you to Manyara Airstrip for a scheduled flight to Kogatende. Here, a shared transfer takes you to Serengeti Safari Camp where you will arrive in time for lunch. Spend three nights at this traditional Meru-style safari camp, waking each morning to a soft rap on your door, followed by coffee and biscuits in preparation for a dawn game drive when the air is cool and the animals begin making their way to drink. Between July and October, your focus will be the Wildebeest Migration, when hundreds of thousands of wildebeest, zebra and other game hurtle through the area in the annual quest for fresh grazing and water supplies. On guided nature walks, look out for smaller creatures that are often missed on 4x4 game drives: slinky lizards at your feet and chattering vervet monkeys in the trees above.After a satisfying breakfast on your last morning, you must bid farewell to the Serengeti. A private transfer vehicle takes you to Kogatende Airstrip, where you will board a scheduled flight to your starting point, Kilimanjaro International Airport.