Tanzania Wildlife Safari

Depart the U.S. on your flight to Tanzania.

Upon arrival to Kilimanjaro International Airport, a Holbrook representative will meet you outside the airport and take you to the hotel. Check in at Lake Duluti Lodge, situated on a 30-acre active coffee farm along the outskirts of Arusha. The African-style chalets are ideally positioned facing the coffee farm, and each has a private deck with an amazing view of the ancient indigenous trees found in large numbers on the farm. Please note: This is an arrival day and no meals are included.

Spend today exploring Arusha National Park. We make our first stop at the ranger post, where we'll receive an introduction to the park and its history. Learn about a section of the park known as "Little Serengeti," as well as nearby Mt. Meru, Africa's fourth highest mountain. Depart from the ranger post for a walk in the foothills of Mt. Meru accompanied by an armed ranger. Pass through Buffalo Swamp and arrive at a lookout point with views of the park and impressive Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance. Continue to a waterfall and then open grasslands dotted with giraffes, warthogs, antelopes, flamingos, and a variety of other bird species. Set out into a wooded area in search of colobus monkeys before returning to the ranger post. A boxed lunch will be provided in the park. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon.

After checking out of the hotel and loading the safari vehicles, begin the drive to Tarangire National Park, located less than two hours' drive southwest of Arusha and often overlooked due to its proximity to the more famous Serengeti National Park. But despite its "forgotten" status, Tarangire is second only to the Serengeti in terms of concentration of wildlife in Tanzania, offering a spectacular safari experience often with less visitor traffic. Wildlife will travel long distances to arrive at Tarangire River, which snakes through the park, as it's the area's only permanent river. With protected lands covering 1,096-square miles, the park is home to a large variety of game such as wildebeests, elephants, zebras, gazelles, elands, gerenuks, lions, and leopards. Extensive grasslands dotted with the occasional acacia or baobab tree provide the optimum conditions for viewing wild animals. Spend the day exploring the park, from Silalei Swamp to Little Serengeti and the Tarangire River bed, to view the resident and migratory wildlife. Enjoy a wildlife viewing drive and lunch in the park.

Continue exploring Tarangire National Park with a full day of wildlife viewing drives. Tarangire is also home to a high density of iconic ancient baobab trees, and more than 550 bird species.

After breakfast at the lodge, have a morning game drive at Tarangire before heading to Ngorongoro. En route, stop at Mto Wa Mbu Village for a walk and a local lunch. Later drive to Ngorongoro for your overnight stay.

Today, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for a wildlife viewing drive among one of the most unique concentrations of wildlife on earth. Defined by its sunken caldera spanning 100 square miles, Ngorongoro is a World Heritage Site and often called the 8th Wonder of the World. Animals are found throughout the year due to the permanent availability of grass and water. Ngorongoro contains an impressive variety of wildlife including the black-maned lion, the highly endangered black rhino, herds of wildebeest, zebra, elephant, and hippo. Enjoy a picnic lunch within the crater. Drive back to the lodge in the late afternoon.

This morning, begin your transfer to Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti plains are a beautiful shade of green, dust levels are minimal, and most wildlife species are easy to spot. The famous migration is concentrated in massive numbers on the Serengeti plains, which in turn attracts large numbers of predators. On arrival at the Serengeti camp, enjoy some free time to rest and relax.

Early this morning, begin the first wildlife viewing drive of the day. Serengeti is Tanzania's first national park and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site where over a million wildebeest famously migrate each year. The park's high concentration of wildlife also includes the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, black rhino, and buffalo), as well as cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, gazelles, monkeys, and more than 500 bird species. This morning's drive will include breakfast out in the field. Return to the camp late in the morning and have lunch. Enjoy some free time to rest and relax before heading out for the mid-afternoon wildlife viewing drive. In the evening, gather around the campfire and have a discussion with your guide about the Great Migration in Tanzania.

Today, move camps and enjoy plenty of wildlife viewing along the way. Look for zebra, gazelle, buffalo, elephant and giraffe, along with predators like lion, cheetah and leopard. The Seronera River provides an important water source, and thus, attracts a high concentration of wildlife.

Enjoy a morning wildlife viewing drive. Today will be the best day to experience the balloon safari for those interested; it is at an additional cost and requires previous reservations. After lunch, enjoy free time to rest at the camp. In the mid-afternoon, embark on a second and final wildlife viewing drive.

This morning, you will be transferred to the local airstrip for your flight to Arusha, arriving at noon. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to Mt. Meru Hotel for time to relax, enjoy a meal, and prepare for your international flights home. Transfer to the Kilimanjaro International Airport in the evening.

Arrive in the U.S.