Explore the spectacular Arusha region of Tanzania on this 4-day guided tour, including Serengeti National Park. Enjoy a scenic drive by luxury car along the Panoramic Route from Arusha City and visit Elephant Whispers, an interactive National Park. See endangered white rhinos as well as lions, giraffes and buffalo on several safari drives through the national park and Ngorongoro Game Reserve. You’ll view more than 100 rock paintings by the Maasai people and visit ‘Ngorongoro Conservation Area,’ the Ngorongoro Crater, which overlooks the forested hills of the Olduvai Gorge. It’s a great option for any wildlife enthusiast!
Tour Highlights
Your tour includes round-trip transport by luxury car and three nights of accommodation in 3- or 4-star hotels, plus seven meals.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arusha Town – Serengeti National Park (D)
Head Serengeti in your luxury car from Arusha Town along the Panoramic Route to the Serengeti – ‘Place Where Six Million hooves pound the legendary Serengeti’s endless plains’ – and drive past spectacular scenic terrain as you listen to your guide’s commentary along the way. You’ll pass through the village of Serengeti areas and travel over Serengeti Sopa Lodge to have lunch (own expense).
Continue north to the park of Serengeti and stop to take a few photos of natural attractions such as Wooded Hills, Towering termite mounds and the gorgeous Monumental Rocky Kopjes.
In the afternoon, arrive in Serengeti Rivers, lined with elegant acacia trees on the banks of the Serengeti River. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of this tranquil, small town at your leisure until you meet your group for dinner.
Overnight: 3- to 4-star hotel accommodation in Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Day 2: Serengeti – Serengeti National Park (B, D)
After breakfast, head to Elephant Whispers, a park for six African Elephants, for a rare opportunity to interact with the majestic giants up close. Discover the mammals’ remarkable intelligence and fantastic memory as you touch their wrinkly skin.
Continue to the Serengeti Cultural Village to learn about the cultures of Maasai, including the Morani, Chagga, Nyamwezi and Makonde people. Listen to African songs and see dancers perform in traditional attire before you dine on authentic cuisine for lunch (own expense).
Then, enter Serengeti National Park for an unparalleled look at Tanzania’s diverse flora and fauna, including magnificent bird life. Embark on an afternoon game safari in a closed vehicle and pursue the Big Five – white rhinos, buffalo, elephants, lions and leopards – as well as other endangered species.
Finally, return to the lodge for dinner under the stars in a traditional ‘camp or boma,’ an open-air shelter made of reed walls enclosing a fire pit, where you’ll enjoy a feast by lantern light (weather permitting).
Overnight: 3- to 4-star hotel accommodation in Serengeti National Park.
Day 3. Serengeti National Park – Serengeti Game Reserve (B, L, D)
After breakfast, relax on another drive through the superb expanse of Serengeti National Park for more game-viewing opportunities. Then, head to Ngorongoro Game Reserve, set against the gorgeous Ngorongoro Crater, and enjoy lunch at the lodge.
In the late afternoon, set out on an open-vehicle game safari, traversing through the reserve past granite outcrops and crags. Stop to view an outdoor exhibit of more than 200 spectacular rock paintings, which record the spiritual belief system of the Maasai, hunter-gatherers who populated the region for millennia.
Afterward, enjoy a dinner of Pan-African cuisine and relax for the evening at your comfortable accommodation.
Overnight: 3- to 4-star hotel accommodation in Ngorongoro Crater Lodge.
Day 4: Ngorongoro Game Reserve – Ngorongoro Crater (B)
Dine on an early breakfast before embarking on another open-vehicle game drive through the reserve to spot white-tailed mongoose, kudu, giraffe, zebra, sable and – of course – the ‘Big Five.’
Next, visit the famous Empakaai Crater, for its protection of the primates. Afterward, admire beautiful vistas of the Oldvuai Gorge and surrounding mountains as you enjoy lunch (own expense).
After a scenic drive back through Ngorongoro with your guide, you’ll arrive back in Arusha in the late afternoon, where your tour ends.