TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Go on a thrilling three day Tanzania safari trip, exploring four diverse parks and an untamed world of wildlife

Find lions that climb trees in Lake Manyara, and then meander through a mystical forest of baboons, elephants, and cacophonous bird song

Descend into the surreal Ngorongoro Crater and discover black-maned lion prides, endangered black rhinos, and an unforgettable collection of Africa’s great stars

Discover the playful antics of elephant herds, up to 300 traveling together through the ancient baobab trees of Tarangire National Park

Enjoy the exclusive delights the choice of your accommodation and savor the complete immersion in Tanzania’s surreal natural world

TRIP AT A GLANCE 

(Day 1):  Discover The Beauty of Tarangire

(Day 2):  Marveling at Ngorongoro Crater

(Day 3):  A Magical First Safari in Lake Manyara

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 

Northern Tanzania is perhaps Africa’s greatest safari region, an untamed land where indelible scenes defy the eyes. It revels in diversity, each park providing a different ecosystem and an unforgettable cast of wildlife. Over three day you’ll visit two different parks, immersing yourself in a natural world that goes beyond anything you might have seen in documentaries. Elephants wander past ancient acacia trees in Tarangire, black rhinos plod through the savannah of Ngorongoro. Every game drive is different, but it always combines classic, sought after scenes with personal moments and surprise. Everybody remembers the lion that lounged by your safari truck. But nobody else saw the cute interaction between two hippos beside the lake. These three day offer a complete safari package. It’s a thrilling adventure, but one that’s packed full of charm and serene moments.

Lake Manyara is the perfect first stop, a compact park that offers hippo infested lakes and giraffe covered floodplains. Bird song flutters through the forest but this is no place for a quiet picnic. Baboons impishly roam while tree-climbing lions wait silently on the branches.

Ngorongoro is an inactive volcanic crater that contains six diverse habitats. Black-manned lions, majestic rhinos, giant elephant bulls, large hippo pods; it’s all visible and sometimes within one sweep of the eyes. Concluding the safari experience is a trip through the ancient acacia trees of Tarangire, one that reveals the interaction of elephant herds numbering up to 300 strong. Expect to be wowed over these three day, and expect nature’s great theater to play out before your eyes.

ACTIVITIES 

Cultural / World Heritage Sites / Scenic Drive / National Park / Reserve / Nature / Outdoor Adventures / Safari / Wildlife

DEPARTURE DATES 

Our dates are flexible according to the schedule of our clients.

Tarangire landscape is easy to identify, the savannah marked by a juxtaposition of two ancient sights. There are the baobab trees, each with a unique shape that casts a shadow across the ground. And there are the elephants, herds of up to 300 moving together through the trees. The land is scorched red in dry season and wildlife searches for a drink along diminishing swamps and parched riverbeds. Then, in the wet season, the lush grass flourishes, turning everything into a verdant paradise. But even when the land appears desolate, and the elephants kick up dust as they move, there is always life here. The mighty Tarangire River never stops flowing and migrants travel hundreds of miles for its life-giving feast.

Set off on safari and the riverbanks provide easy game viewing. Young elephants adorably play in the water, splashing each other and spraying fountains over their muddy backs. Waterbucks are also having a drink, beguiling horns revealing males from females. Baboons have joined this animal party, but they’re quick to get away and return to the sanctuary of the trees. Accompanying the scene is a chorus of bird song, up to 550 species living in the park, and dozens are spotted on every game drive. The same scenes can be found out by the swamps, Tarangire punctuated by these oases of life. And life always means predators, the highlights here being the tree-climbing lions and leopards.

Out on the undulating landscape it’s easy to get close to the elephants. They roam and feed, tearing off branches and leaving a scar on every square mile they cross. Babies follow mothers yet sneakily wander off as they discover their boundaries. The alpha males don’t have long in their position, as an upcoming cast of teenagers build their strength and prepare to challenge authority. While you will have seen plenty of elephants, witnessing the daily interactions of a large herd is a sight that’s difficult to find anywhere else in the world. It’s captivating and photogenic, and it’s far more educational than any wildlife documentary.

Mist rises slowly from an ancient inactive volcano. You’re descending through it, taking the steep slopes that lead to the crater floor. Lions are out on the prowl; this ecosystem contains one of the world’s greatest concentrations of prides. It’s as if they were waiting for you on the edge of the crater. So where to first? Perhaps head to the forest where huge elephant bulls smash down trees and point their phenomenal tusks. Or maybe hike over to the pink fringed lake, a place of innumerable flamingos and soaring predatory birds. Hippos are wading around the banks, wallowing in the mud and playfully testing out their strength. Some dip into the cooling water, leaving only snout and eyes beneath the morning sun. You can see the far crater walls, the stark slopes that surround this teeming animal world. Yet you can’t fathom how nature managed to cram so much into such a relatively small space.

Head onto the savannah and herds of buffalo amuse with their peculiar way of chewing grass. Hyenas cover great distances as they search for an easy meal. Are you looking at the same one that you saw before? Of course there are antelopes; how else would such a healthy big cat population be sustained? In Ngorongoro it’s hard to know which way to turn, every square mile divulges something new. It almost feels like a mythical place, all the great mammals revealing themselves as you admire a 360º view of the landscape.

There’s one animal that you might not have spotted before today: Black rhinos. Every sighting is special as these critically endangered mammals have almost disappeared from our planet. Their armored skin reveals a prehistoric past, while those sought after horns are emblematic of the rhino’s power and personality. Rhinos are big, very big, although it’s hard to appreciate their size until you watch one amble past the safari truck. And while their size is always impressive, these creatures have a remarkable elegance, one that is belied by their bulk and reputation. Ngorongoro Crater is the best place in Tanzania to see Black rhinos and your full day game drive should find them in their natural home. Later in the afternoon you’ll drive towards Tarangire National Park for dinner and an overnight in your final safari stop.

Your safari adventure starts with the rowdy sound of hornbills, great flocks of birds covering the entrance gate to Lake Manyara. As you enter a thick forest the cacophony dies down, supplanted by an assortment of the park’s over 400 bird species. Each turn takes you deeper, Africa’s unique animal world slowly revealing itself as you meander around corners. Baboons appear, prancing around and impishly staring at the safari truck. Now watch an elephant clearing a track with its ferocious dismantling of trees. Impala and oryx stand watchful, always alert because the predators in Lake Manyara have some unique talents.

Glance at a tree and you might not see it. Even when you’re barely meters away they can easily be missed. But a twitching tail alerts your eyes and now it all seems so obvious. A tree-climbing lion lounges on a branch, its eyes intensely focused on you. Along with Tarangire, this is one of the few places in the world where lions live in trees. They enjoy the shade and breeze up here, and it’s always good to have an aerial vantage point of the dinner menu. Zebras cover the lake’s flood plains, feeding on the lush grass that makes this an oasis for wandering herds. Long necked gerenuks are careful about where they eat, arching back on their hind legs and stretching for the leaves of lower branches. They must always be cautious, because if it’s not the lions that they must be wary of then it’s the stealthy leopards.

Lake Manyara offers the perfect safari because of its compact collection of different habitats. After emerging from the forest, the savannah brings open expanses of elephant and giraffe. Wallowing in the shallows, large pods of hippos throw their weight around the lake. There is also a quiet serenity here, making it easy for everyone to settle into the gentle rhythm of safari. Exploring these untamed lands is not about charging around hoping for glimpses of brilliance. It’s all about moving slow, admiring the beauty of the environment, and allowing nature’s great theater to ineradicably play out before your eyes.