Arusha, Tarangire & Serengeti — Wild Horizons

Arusha

For your added comfort, an English-speaking airport representative will meet you at Kilimanjaro Airport International Airport. This representative will walk you through your welcome package documents and itinerary, and they will answer any questions you may have. They will be holding a page board with your name as you exit the arrivals hall.. You will be greeted by a private English-speaking guide in the public waiting area of Kilimanjaro International Airport after passing through baggage claim. This guide will transfer you to your hotel and assist with check-in. Before departing on your first day of activities, a trip representative will meet you at your hotel to discuss the details of your trip and answer any questions you may have.. To confirm your trip, we require clear, color copies of your passports, as these are needed to secure your Tanzania national park permits. The copies must be provided in advance so we can process the park fees. This applies to all visitors, including non-resident children aged 5 and up.. While in our care, your safety and security are our number one priority. As such, in the unlikely event of serious illness or injury, all guests are provided with a “Flying Doctors” insurance policy. This emergency evacuation insurance covers the cost of the evacuation flight back to Nairobi for treatment, however, does not cover the cost of any medical treatment received. We highly recommend travel insurance for full coverage.. Guests staying at the Arusha Coffee Lodge can enjoy fun and informative coffee estate tour. The tour takes place within the grounds of the Lodge, which itself is located within one of Tanzania’s largest coffee estates. Weaving in and out of the evergreen coffee bushes, the Coffee Guide explains how the bean is nurtured, harvested, dried and finally roasted to produce a myriad of different blends that sate the taste of the most ardent of coffee connoisseurs. Many say that the best part of the sixty-minute tour is surely the preparation of the coffee for that all-important taste test. In full view of all, the coffee is roasted, then freshly ground and finally added to hot water, all three actions of which delivering aromas that awaken even the dullest of senses.

Accommodation: Arusha Coffee Lodge (B) (Standard Plantation Room)

Arusha, Tarangire

From Arusha, your guide will drive you to Tarangire National Park. Approximate travel time is three hours.. On this afternoon's game drive you will notice the unusually shaped baobab trees, also known as the “upside-down tree”. Look up and you might find the tree climbing African pythons. This is one of the world's largest species of snakes, but do not worry, it is also a non-venomous species. Tarangire's pythons climb trees, as do its lions and leopards, lounging in the branches.

Accommodation: Treetops (AI) (Chalet), Arusha

Tarangire

The sun-kissed plains of Tarangire National Park are home to an incredible range of wildlife. Herds of elephants, prides of lions, troops of baboons, towers of giraffes and many more impressive creatures dot the land, as the park’s lagoons and rivers lure animals with reliable, life-sustaining sources of water. Surrounding the swamps – tinged green year-round – a remarkable array of bird-life can be found, more than 500 species visit these lands. Today, reveal the wonders of Tarangire National Park alongside an expert guide, enjoying a boxed lunch mid-day to ensure you have the energy needed to fully appreciate this brilliant park.

Accommodation: Treetops (AI) (Chalet), Tarangire

Tarangire, Ngorongoro

Your guide will pick you up from the Tarangire National Park and drive you to the massive Ngorongoro crater. This drive will take approximately three hours and 30 minutes.. During your stay at Gibb’s Farm, a range of excellent optional activities are available to you. Head out on a serene walk through the farms eight historic gardens alongside a horticulturalist, discover traditional medicinal treatments on a walk through the Ngorongoro Forest led by a Masai healer. Bicycle through the nearby town of Karatu or in the Rotia countryside, test your skills by helping out at the farm, or set out on a guided hike of the forest to discover the many animals that call the trees home. With so many engaging and interesting activities to participate in, the only thing you’ll wish for is more time at Gibb’s Farm.. Enjoy one of Tanzania’s most celebrated dining experiences at Gibb’s Farm, where cuisine is truly at the heart of the stay. Renowned for its exceptional farm-to-table approach, each meal is thoughtfully prepared using fresh, organic ingredients grown directly on the property, from the vegetable gardens and herb beds to the coffee plantation. Menus change daily, reflecting the seasons and the harvest, and showcase a blend of Tanzanian flavors and international influences. From abundant farm-style lunches to elegant candlelit dinners, every meal is generous, beautifully presented, and deeply connected to the land. Dining takes place in a warm and inviting setting, often overlooking the lush gardens and surrounding highlands, creating a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. This is more than a meal, it is a signature experience and a highlight of any stay in the Ngorongoro region. Please inform your Destination Expert of any allergies or dietary preferences well in advance.

Accommodation: Gibb`s Farm (AI) (Farm Cottage), Tarangire

Ngorongoro

Today, discover one of the most remarkable wildlife conservation areas in Tanzania; the Ngorongoro Crater. Departing from your camp in a privately driven vehicle alongside a local expert guide, make your way to the entrance of the park, then drive a further 20 minutes to reach the rim of Ngorongoro Crater: the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. This geological marvel was formed as the result of a gigantic explosion which caused the volcano to collapse on itself, thereby creating the massive crater. Roughly 12 miles wide and some 2,000 feet deep, the trip from crater rim to floor takes approximately 45 minutes by vehicle. The extremely fertile crater floor has attracted incredibly dense populations of wildlife, and at present over 25,000 large animals call the crater home, including some of the world’s last remaining black rhinos. The crater floor is also host to some of the highest concentrations of carnivores in the world, featuring large prides of lions, packs of hyenas and solitary predators like cheetahs and jackals. A keen eye paired with expertly procured search patterns from your guide is sure to help you spot a wide range of wildlife and perhaps some of the more elusive species like leopards, servals, and bat-eared foxes.. An experienced tracker-guide and private vehicle will accompany you today while exploring Ngorongoro National Park.. Enjoy a picnic lunch (included in tour price).

Accommodation: Gibb`s Farm (AI) (Farm Cottage), Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro

An experienced tracker-guide and private vehicle will accompany you today while exploring Ngorongoro National Park.. During your stay at Gibb’s Farm, a range of excellent optional activities are available to you. Head out on a serene walk through the farms eight historic gardens alongside a horticulturalist, discover traditional medicinal treatments on a walk through the Ngorongoro Forest led by a Masai healer. Bicycle through the nearby town of Karatu or in the Rotia countryside, test your skills by helping out at the farm, or set out on a guided hike of the forest to discover the many animals that call the trees home. With so many engaging and interesting activities to participate in, the only thing you’ll wish for is more time at Gibb’s Farm.. Enjoy a picnic lunch (included in tour price).

Accommodation: Gibb`s Farm (AI) (Farm Cottage), Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro, Serengeti

Your guide will pick you up from your lodge in Ngorongoro and drive you to the famous plains of the Serengeti. On this drive you will have the option of stopping at Olduvai Gorge, the Serengeti Welcome Center and Lookout Point, or to stop for a picnic lunch. After entering the Serengeti, you will have the chance to enjoy a game viewing drive as you track through the park en route to your next accommodation. The drive takes five to six hours depending on the number of stops you make and the length of your game viewing experience. Longer transit times should be expected during the rainy seasons.. The massive Olduvai Gorge, or Oldupai Gorge, is often referred to as “The Cradle of Mankind.” Beginning in the eastern Serengeti plains, the cavernous ravine is some 30 miles long and is the result of millions of years of natural erosion. The gorge features a steep-sided gully that cuts its way through the Great Rift Valley stretching along eastern Africa, and is named after a commonly used plant by the Masai people; Sansevieria-Ehrenbergii, or Olduvai for short. This plant grows plentifully in the area, and is used for making bandages, rope, baskets, roofs and clothing. Today, discover the Olduvai Gorge firsthand alongside your expert local guide.. Get ready for an afternoon to remember as you set out in the company of an experienced tracker-guide to explore the expanses of the Serengeti. The park is world renowned for its healthy populations of resident wildlife species, in particular the African Big Five consisting of buffaloes, elephants, rhinoceroses, leopards and lions. Although sightings are considered a rarity, a small group of black rhinoceros also live within the park grounds. Heavy concentrations of topi, gazelle, waterbuck and Coke’s hartebeest ensure that local carnivores including cheetah, hyenas and African wild dog are ever present. The park is also home to more than 500 species of birds, including ostriches, crowned cranes, marabou storks and secretary birds; some of the most sought-after and photogenic birds on the planet.

Accommodation: Lemala Nanyukie (AI) (Tent ), Ngorongoro

Serengeti

This morning, your African adventure begins with an exploratory game drive through Tanzania’s oldest and most recognized National Park, the Serengeti. A land of unparalleled game viewing, from great herds of grazing herbivores to tactically cunning packs of carnivores, life on the plains of the Serengeti truly epitomizes the “circle of life.” A paradise for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts alike, it is all but guaranteed that you will spot giraffes and elephants feasting on shrubbery, impalas, gazelles and buffaloes traipsing carefully through the plains to avoid being noticed by on-looking lions, cheetahs and hyenas, and a spectacular range of birdlife flitting through the sky.. Immerse yourself in one of Africa’s greatest wildlife spectacles: the Great Migration. Witness vast herds of wildebeest accompanied by zebras and Thomson’s gazelles as they traverse the Serengeti ecosystem in search of fresh grazing. Their movements, driven by the availability of food and water, make each game drive a unique and unpredictable experience. Predators such as lions, leopards, and hyenas follow close behind, creating dramatic scenes that highlight both the beauty and harsh realities of life on the plains.

Accommodation: Lemala Nanyukie (AI) (Tent ), Serengeti

Serengeti

One of the most well-preserved national parks on Earth, the Serengeti today looks much like it did thousands of years ago. Here, the patterns of life, death, adaptation and migration are as old as the hills themselves. Set out in the morning to explore this magnificent park and to track animals while taking in the breathtaking beauty of this abiding landscape of rolling plains, acacia trees and outstanding biodiversity.. The Serengeti was once known as Masailand, and was home to fierce warriors who lived alongside wild animals, surviving off the natural resources of the land. Many of these people can still be found in the region today, some living as far away as the Masai Mara in Kenya. During your safari, consider taking the time to meet the people of an enduring Masai tribe (please speak to your Destination Expert for more information). Whether or not you make the trip to a Masai village, keep in mind as you explore the Serengeti that these lands have been central to Masai life for centuries. As you pass through the region – a photographer’s delight – remind yourself of the incredible, generational history of the Masai people, and the impressive feat of survival on the plains.

Accommodation: Lemala Nanyukie (AI) (Tent ), Serengeti

Serengeti, Arusha

Time permitting, your expert guide will include one more Serengeti game drive before dropping you off at the airstrip to catch your onward flight. This will be your last chance to take in the park's incredible landscape and diverse range of animals.. Board a flight in Serengeti with service to Arusha. The flight will make several stops along on the way. Approximate travel time is two hours. Please note, strict luggage restrictions apply to this flight: 1) Maximum weight allowance of 32 lbs (15 kg) is permitted per person. 2) Baggage must be soft-shelled. 3) Additional baggage allowance can be arranged at additional cost, please speak to your Destination Expert for more information.. Enjoy a private airport transfer between Arusha and Kilimanjaro International Airport alongside an English-speaking driver.