Essence of Tanzania – Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater

We will pick you up from your hotel at 8am and take you to a very special national park. Tarangire is famous for its diverse landscape with nine different vegetation zones. The park is particularly known for the abundance of Ancient Baobab trees (the largest trees in the continent) which fill the landscape and dwarf the animals next to them. The river of the park is full of wildlife ranging from a large variety of birds to lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes and, of course, elephants. In fact, the park has the largest concentration of elephants in the whole country and provides unique chances to observe the interaction between elephant families. The lunch area is fascinating, boasting an observatory with amazing views to the river and wildlife (with good chances of seeing a hunt while having your picnic). In the afternoon we will still do a game drive before continuing to your accommodation. IN FACT, THE PARK HAS THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF ELEPHANTS IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY AND PROVIDES UNIQUE CHANCES TO OBSERVE THE INTERACTION BETWEEN ELEPHANT FAMILIES.

Pickup from your accommodation in the early morning for a full day game drive in Lake Manyara. Although small in dimension (205 sq. miles), the park has breathtaking scenery and well famous for its lush acacia forest, giant figs and mahogany trees, as well as to a growing population of baboons and blue monkeys. Permanent residents of this park also include giraffes, elephants, impalas and a huge amount of buffaloes. The lake is also home to a large number of hippos. Some unique facts about this park include the tree climbing lions, flamingos in the lake shore, as well as the Ground Hornbill and the Crested Eagle. The landscapes of Lake Manyara are something that can not be described with words, and the game drives along the lake provide stunning photo opportunities of giraffes and buffaloes in the foreground and the lake (and its flamingos) in the background. During this day, some extra tours are possible, including a bike tour or a boat excursion. In the afternoon, transfer to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area for overnight. SOME UNIQUE FACTS ABOUT THIS PARK INCLUDE THE TREE CLIMBING LIONS, FLAMINGOS IN THE LAKE SHORE, AS WELL AS THE GROUND HORNBILL AND THE CRESTED EAGLE.

Ngorongoro Crater is considered one the wonders of the Natural World. The crater spreads for 102 sq. miles and has 2.000 ft high walls, making it virtually a Noah's ark and inhabiting almost every species of wildlife that is indigenous to East Africa. It's one of the very rare locations in the whole continent where you can witness the black Rhino. The concentration of African wildlife is the greatest on the continent. The crater has a river, several swamps, a soda lake with a great concentration of flamingos, a forest,, and open plains. It's also famous for its elephants which are the largest in the world and have huge tusks. This is due to the rich mineral content of the volcanic soil and its grasses. Ngorongoro Crater is truly a Wonder of the Natural World. We will start the day very early and descend into the crater floor for an incredible morning of wildlife in one of the most stunning places on Earth. After the game drive, there will be time for a picnic lunch near the beautiful hippo Lake. After lunch, we will have time for a short game drive and then ascend the crater and exit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area towards Arusha. We expect to be back in Arusha around 5pm although we are flexible in case there is a flight to catch or another situation.

With a program that includes cultural visits to local villages, your safari experience will be richer and rewarding and the local community would also be benefiting from the country tourism. We take this component of our work very seriously. ADD ONE EXTRA DAY TO VISIT THE HADZABE IN LAKE EYASI OR OLDONYO SAMBU MAASAI VILLAGE. For a more genuine and out of the beaten track experience, we recommend that you go to Lake Eyasi at the end of your safari (instead of Arusha), after finishing the game drive in Ngorongoro, in order to visit the fascinating Hadzabe in the next morning. This is one of the last true nomadic etnhic group in Africa and a truly fascinating experience where you will join the members of the village in their local morning activities. Alternatively, you can still finish the safari in Arusha and, on the next day, visit a traditional Maasai Village., where you will be guided by a Maasai Chief, who will explain you their habits, how they live, their cooking techniques, how they take care of livestock, their songs and dances. You will also have the opportunity to watch the village women perform a local traditional dance. Both experiences provide fantastic photo opportunities.