10 days, private, starts and ends in Arusha
Arusha NP, Lark Plains, Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro & Manyara
We built this trip for a couple where one of them lives for birds and the other wants lions. Ten days means neither of them has to compromise.
The route covers every habitat in northern Tanzania, from montane forest and the Lark Plains to the Serengeti and the crater, at a pace that leaves room for both.
Times and drives are approximate. Your guide adjusts each day to the weather, the wildlife and you.
A gentle start to the trip, 45 minutes from Arusha. Black-and-white colobus monkeys leap through the Mount Meru forest, giraffe and buffalo graze the open glades, and the Momella Lakes are pink with flamingos. For the birders: Hartlaub’s Turaco, Narina Trogon and Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater. On a clear afternoon you can see Kilimanjaro from the lakes.
An early start for the Lark Plains and Beesley’s Lark, found nowhere else on earth, with a Maasai site guide. By late morning we’re driving south to Tarangire for an afternoon among the baobabs and elephant herds.
A full day in Tarangire. Elephants, lions and, with luck, leopard, plus the Tanzanian endemic birds: Ashy Starling, Yellow-collared Lovebird and Rufous-tailed Weaver. We picnic by the river.
Groundwater forest with baboons, blue monkeys and Silvery-cheeked Hornbills, then the lakeshore with hippos, pelicans and flamingos. Evening in the cool highlands at Karatu.
Up through the Ngorongoro highlands, a stop at the crater viewpoint, then down onto the endless plains. A picnic at Naabi Hill, and an afternoon game drive to Seronera with cheetah, lion and Secretarybird along the way.
Dawn and dusk drives around the Seronera River for big cats, with the Serengeti endemic birds: Fischer’s Lovebird, Grey-breasted Spurfowl and Usambiro Barbet. Midday rest at camp.
A full day in the area that suits the season: calving herds in the south from December to March, the Western Corridor around June, or the eastern plains for cheetah.
A morning drive out of the Serengeti, with an optional stop at Olduvai Gorge. The afternoon is in the highland forest on the crater rim, where sunbirds feed on the flowering trees and buffalo graze at the forest edge.
A full crater game drive: black rhino, lion, hyena, buffalo, hippo, Kori Bustard, Grey Crowned Crane and flamingos. Lunch at the hippo pool.
A relaxed morning in the lodge gardens, then the drive back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro Airport. Your guide emails you the full bird and mammal list.
We quote per person, based on your group size, season and accommodation level. Send an enquiry and you’ll have a full price within 24 hours. There’s nothing to pay until you confirm.
Most days start between 6:00 and 6:30, because the first hours after sunrise have the best light and the most active animals and birds. We usually take a picnic lunch in the park or return to camp for a midday rest, then head out again in the late afternoon. Parks close at sunset, so evenings are at the lodge.
Yes. Every trip is private, so we can add days, swap parks, change the accommodation level or slow the pace. Tell us what you’d like, and we’ll send a revised plan and price.
A 4x4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for viewing and photography, charging points and a window seat for everyone. The vehicle and guide are yours alone for the whole trip.
Send an enquiry and we’ll reply within 24 hours with a tailored itinerary and a full quote. Once you’re happy, we take a deposit to confirm, with the balance due before you travel. We’ll give you the exact terms in writing.
Just tell us. Lodges and our camp cooks regularly cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal and other diets.
2daysTwo days is enough for a real safari if you pick the right parks.
3daysThe Serengeti is a long drive from Arusha, so on a three-day trip we suggest flying in.
5daysIf people ask us for the classic Tanzania safari, this is usually what they mean: all four northern-circuit parks, a lodge every night, and enough days in the Serengeti to settle into it.
Tell us your dates and the birds or animals you most want to see. We’ll reply within 24 hours with a route and a full quote.
