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Touch down in Arusha for a night at the aromatic Arusha Coffee Lodge before setting off on safari, stopping first at one of Tanzania’s less-frequented reserves. Swala Camp is pitched under a canopy of acacia trees in a remote corner of Tarangire National Park. The eco-friendly camp has a low carbon footprint and is totally secluded to offer sensational elephant watching. With large baobabs – the ‘upside-down’ trees – surrounding Swala Camp, there is also an abundance of birdlife.
A different experience entirely is offered at the Escarpment Luxury Lodge, overlooking Lake Manyara. Luxuriate in a private chalet with endless views over the valley below and lake in the distance. Game drives through Lake Manyara National Park are a world in one place: a baboon-filled forest, grasslands of plains game and acacia woodland hiding elephants.
Spend your last three nights in the famous Serengeti, a World Heritage Site and possibly the most famous reserve of all. Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp is a spectacular stop, the biggest draw, of course, is the Great Migration, but the Serengeti is so rich in game throughout the year that you will never be disappointed.
Highlights & Activities
What's on offer whilst on this itinerary?
Summary
Tour Duration: 10 Days
Start: Arusha, Tanzania
End: Serengeti, Tanzania
Accommodations visited
Itinerary
Day to day
A night at the Arusha Coffee Lodge marks the start of your Tanzanian travels. Sip on the freshest ‘cuppa’ you are likely to find anywhere, under the comforting gaze of Mount Meru. You spend the night in a plush Plantation Room, set amid the lush green bushes, their branches studded with red coffee berries. Each room comes complete with a fan for the hot months and a fireplace for the cooler evenings, as well as an en suite bathroom and verandah. After sundowners and drinks at the Safari Bar, feast on Tanzanian cuisine and other African specialities at Redds African Grill House.
Take a walk through the coffee plantation, learn more about the beverage on the Bean to Cup tour, or have a spa treatment at Peaberries. The accommodating staff can also arrange tours to Arusha National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, as well as to Maasai markets and Arusha’s other highlights.
Then it is time to leave the city and go south in search of wildlife. Swala Camp welcomes you to a remote corner of Tarangire National Park for a safari that is well off the beaten track. Elephants are on the agenda: herds up to 300-strong roam the landscape, kept company by migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland in the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem. It is an all-you-can-eat buffet for predators and you are likely to see a hungry cat take down its dinner. It is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the fringe-eared oryx and the endemic long-necked gerenuk are seen.
Swala has 12 private tents, each with an en suite bathroom with shower. Each tent also has an elevated deck giving uninterrupted views of the waterhole, and a personal butler sees to your creature comforts.
There is a lot to keep you busy, including morning, evening and night game drives, guided safari walks, as well as an opportunity to visit Swala’s philanthropy projects, including the Mwika beekeeping programme. For those lazy moments, an infinity swimming pool overlooks a waterhole frequented by game, and sundowners, outdoor dining and picnics allow you to savour delectable Pan-African cuisine.
Escarpment Luxury Lodge beckons, set in the lush greenery above the beautiful Lake Manyara. For three nights, you sleep in one its 16 excellently appointed private chalets. Sunlight floods through the wide windows, waking you early for a day of adventure. Each chalet has an en suite bathroom with a bathtub and an outdoor shower, as well as a private deck to view the lake below and the abundance of wildlife roaming through the grounds.
If you crave some ‘down time’, have a refreshing dip in the pool or relax on a sun lounger, browse the safari shop or have a massage treatment. Perhaps share a story or two in the lounge, sip sundowners on the deck, or linger over a fine meal, complete with Maasai dancers and singers. Relax in solitude on game drives in Lake Manyara National Park by day or by night. Visit Ngorongoro Crater – the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera and the place on Earth where you are most likely to see all of the Big 5 in a single game drive; take a guided walk or cycling excursion; or accompany your guide on a cultural visit to a nearby village.
Lake Manyara offers a microcosm of Tanzania: there is lush forest boasting ancient mahogany trees and populated by baboons and monkeys; there is a grassy floodplain filled with buffalo, wildebeest, zebra and giraffe; and a belt of acacia woodland hides Manyara’s elephants and tree-climbing lions. In the far south, near the shore, is a field of steaming and bubbling hot springs. You are indeed spoilt for choice.
Embark on a truly captivating African adventure as you journey into the heart of the Serengeti and make Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp your home for three unforgettable nights. This extraordinary wilderness camp offers an unparalleled safari experience, where luxury seamlessly meets the untamed beauty of the Serengeti plains. Your adventure begins with a warm Tanzanian welcome and a seamless transfer to the camp, situated strategically to follow the Great Migration.
Each day at Sanctuary Kichakani is a new chapter in your Serengeti story. Rise to the gentle sounds of nature and savor a delightful bush breakfast as the sun paints the horizon with hues of gold and orange. Then, venture out on exhilarating game drives led by expert guides who possess an intimate knowledge of the Serengeti’s wildlife. Witness the drama of the wildebeest migration, spot the Big Five in their natural habitat, and marvel at the Serengeti’s boundless beauty. In the evenings, return to your luxurious tented suite, thoughtfully appointed with all the comforts of home, and indulge in sumptuous cuisine while sharing tales of the day’s wildlife encounters. Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp is not merely a destination; it’s a sanctuary where the wild spirit of Africa embraces you, leaving you forever changed by the magic of the Serengeti.
Expert Opinion
We know because we go
Lauren Johansson
Africa Safari Expert
First rate in every way this tour includes some of the top wildlife parks on the northern circuit. The views from Escarpment lodge are unsurpassed and Migration camp as the name implies will have you in the midst of the wildebeest herds. The perfect balance of outright luxury & a genuine safari experience in my opinion.