After breakfast you will be transferred to Arusha airport for your flight to Kuro Airstrip. On arrival you are met and transferred to Olivers Camp for the next three nights. It’s a camp that celebrates back-to-basics luxury in one of the most uncrowded corners of East Africa. Oliver’s Camp is situated in the remote south-eastern reaches of the Tarangire National Park. This relatively undeveloped park – celebrated by safari travellers looking to head a little off the beaten track – offers a welcome respite from the crowds of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater to the north.

Tarangire boasts large herds of elephant and buffalo, plus a large concentration of big cats and arguably the best bird diversity in East Africa with more than 500 species. But there’s more to Tarangire than the game and birds. This rugged landscape offers a unique safari backdrop that transforms from rolling grasslands and vibrant swamps to forests of enigmatic baobab trees; according to legend, planted ‘upside down’ for growing too tall and proud. 

Your stay will include then opportunity to do morning, afternoon and night drives in an open game-viewing vehicle – this lets you sit at different levels and gives everyone a ‘window’ seat.

You’ll also have the opportunity to experience a walking safari, a specialty of Oliver’s. One of the experienced and highly knowledgeable guides and an armed national park ranger allow you to discover the most remote parts of Tarangire.

After breakfast you will be transferred to Kuro airstrip for your flight to Manyara. On arrival at Manyara airstrip you are met and transfer to the Ngorongoro Crater area and check in to the new Ngorongoro Highlands Camp. Set on the edge of the mountain forest hugging the Olmoti volcano to the north of Ngorongoro Crater.

Experience the highlands of the wild Ngorongoro Conservation Area surrounding camp, home to leopard, buffalo and elephant. Follow ancient Maasai trails to the summit of the Olmoti crater and visit local communities to catch a glimpse into the traditional Maasai way of life that has defined this corner of East Africa for centuries. The famous Ngorongoro Crater is easily accessible from camp, while the setting ensures maximum privacy, a rich adventure and a range of activities not possible elsewhere in Ngorongoro.

This afternoon you have a visit with the local Maasai in one of the neighbouring villages to learn about the traditional way of life that has defined this corner of Africa for centuries. School visits may be possible depending on the time of year.

This morning you depart the camp for a half-day excursion to the Ngorongoro Crater. This protected area is located in the Great Rift Valley. The Crater actually is a gigantic fracture of the earth’s crust. The magnificent landscape consists of volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes, forests and archaeological sites. At 1600 meters altitude the bottom of the Crater (265 km square), dotted with watering holes, offers shelter to almost 30.000 animals in an area naturally enclosed by the slopes of the volcano. The Crater elephants are strangely, mainly bulls. There is a small number of black rhino. The bird life is largely seasonal and is also affected by the ratio of soda and fresh water on the Crater floor. You will also explore the wildlife: lions, elephants, zebra, hippo, buffalos, and rhino are just a few to be mentioned. Enjoy picnic lunch at the crater floor. After an exciting safari ascend the other side of the crater and proceed back to camp. Rest of the afternoon at leisure.

After breakfast you will be transferred to Lake Manyara airstrip for your flight to the Kogatende airstrip. A guide from Sayari will meet you at the airstrip and game-drive you to camp in time for lunch. Sayari is renowned for its exquisite safari experiences and has launched with a brand-new look and exciting new features such as the Serengeti’s first ever solar powered microbrewery. Set on the untouched plains of the northern Serengeti, this stylish, award-winning camp is perfectly located near the famous Great Migration route and several crossing points along the Mara River, where sightings of the herds plunging into the water are frequent and spectacular. Relax in your stylish suite after a day on safari, have a massage in your room or at the new spa or take a dip in the infinity pool with dramatic views over the northern plains or enjoy the views from your outside shower. Intimate, contemporary, and elegant, it is no surprise that this permanent camp is regularly voted one of the top safari escapes on the planet.

Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives from Sayari, accompanied by expert guides who know the grassy plains, kopjes and acacia woodland like the back of their hands. Search for some of the resident cats but don’t forget the other species too, from giraffe and hippo to wildebeest and buffalo, as well as plentiful birdlife. You will return to camp during the heat of the day to relax by the pool or have a massage to revive you for the afternoon’s activities.

Transfer this morning to the Kogatende airstrip for your flight to Ruaha NP. On arrival you will be met and transfer to the new Jabali Ridge Camp for the next two nights. A guide from Jabali Ridge will meet you and game drive you through this very different park, arriving at the camp for lunch.

Set high on a rocky kopje overlooking a landscape dotted with bulbous baobabs, Jabali Ridge is a sophisticated base from which to explore Ruaha National Park. The remarkable beauty of Ruaha is not only in the landscape or the impressive big game but in the feeling of having the wilderness all to yourself. With only a handful of visitors at any one-time, expert guides to lead you on game drives and walking safaris, vast herds of elephant and buffalo, and super prides of lion — this is truly an exceptional safari experience. There are just eight suites hidden among the rocky boulders that cocoon the property, a spectacular infinity pool that overlooks the baobab valley, a spa offering pampering treatments, a gin bar to tempt you with pre- and post-dinner refreshment, and plenty of space to unwind when you aren’t on safari.

Morning and afternoon game drives are on affer and Ruaha’s varied terrain is home to a wide variety of wildlife including large herds of buffalo, hippo, more unusual antelope species such as sable and lesser kudu, and — if you are really lucky — wild dog, which roam huge distances each day in search of their next meal, making sightings impossible to predict.

You also have the option of a walking safari to experience the flora and fauna from a different perspective, taking in the sounds of bird calls, looking for tracks and signs in the earth, and encountering smaller creatures, which often run away at the sound of a vehicle.

You’ll have a final breakfast at Jabali Ridge before a drive to the airstrip for your late-morning flight to Dar es Salaam. You will land at the domestic terminal and the airline will help you transfer the short distance to the international terminal, where you can check in for your international flight home. Alternatively, you can also ask us about adding on some time for beach and relaxation in Zanzibar.