The Best Safari

Day 1 - Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport and transfer to Arusha

After you arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, there will be a Savannah Explorers guide waiting for you. After meeting the guide, he will transfer you to Arusha where you will be able to rest in the hotel. If you have time you can visit Arusha and the local market.

Day 2 - From Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Today we depart to Tarangire National Park where the adventure starts with our first game drive opportunity. The park takes its name “Tarangire” from the Tara River and "Ngiri," the Swahili word meaning "warthog." It is famous for huge herds of elephants, African pythons and the mastodontic baobab trees. We will have a picnic lunch inside Tarangire National Park while dinner and an overnight stay will be at the lodge.

Day 3 - Lake Manyara National Park

Today we depart for the game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, one of the Tanzanian parks with the highest biodiversity. Within the area of only 330 square km, 230 of those are occupied by the very large lake, it is possible to visit five different ecosystems. The park is inhabited by over 380 types of birds and a high number of various animal species: elephants, buffalos, zebras, giraffes, leopards, lions, baboons, hippos, antelopes, warthogs and so many others.

 

Optional Activity: Mto wa Mbu village visit.

Optional Activity: Treetop Walkway.

Optional Activity: Night Game Drive in Lake Manyara National Park.

Day 4 - Arrival at Serengeti National Park

Today is the day of the Serengeti National Park! We cross Ngorongoro Conservation Area highlands until we reach Naabi gate, Serengeti entrance with a game drive on the way, and picnic lunch. Once you arrive at Naabi gate you can go up to the viewpoint and take some photos. The game drives continue in Serengeti National Park until the sunset.

Serengeti is the most famous park in Tanzania, known all over the world for its boundless lowlands, wildebeests' migration, lion’s pride, and other predators such as hyenas, cheetahs, leopards, jackals, and crocodiles. The word “Serengeti” means “Endless Plain” - the name really couldn't be more appropriate.

 

Optional Activity: Maasai Boma visit.

Optional Activity: Olduvai Giorge visit.

Day 5 - Serengeti National Park

Today we spend the full day on a game drive in Serengeti National Park looking for predators as leopards, cheetahs, and lions, but also the Great Migration. Serengeti National Park is one of the most famous attractions of the entire African continent.

 

Optional Activity: Sunrise Balloon Safari in Serengeti.

Day 6 - From Serengeti to Ngorongoro

Today after breakfast, you depart from Serengeti lodge or camp and have some final opportunities to see the beauty of the Serengeti while on the road to your next destination. Traveling to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area proves to be a nice time to sit back, relax, and watch for any wild animals in the distance.

Day 7 - Ngorongoro Crater Visit

Today in early morning, we proceed to Ngorongoro crater for the game drive with a picnic lunch. This is one of the most unique landscapes in the world, where we can admire the dormant volcano and the nature that surrounds it. In the Conservation Area you can spot all the "Big Five": elephants, buffalos, lions, leopards, and rhinos, but you should also be aware of the plethora of other wild animals in the area – there are tens of thousands, including a great variety of bird species.

Day 8 - Transfer to Airport and coming back to home

Today we come back to Arusha for your departure home flight. But before that, there's still time for a trip to Arusha to get some souvenirs and gifts for the friends who haven't had the luck to participate in this unforgettable vacation. If you still feel like staying in Tanzania you can purchase "the extension sea" to stay a few days more in Zanzibar! In any case, Savannah Explorers will be with you until the departure from the Kilimanjaro International Airport.

 

Optional Activity: Iraqw Boma visit.

Great Migration Safari

This is the largest herd movement of animals in the world with the great columns of wildebeest seen from space. It is the collection of around 1.2 million wildebeest, 300,000 zebras accompanied by topi and other gazelle which move in a constant cycle through the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Their main aim of migrating is to search for nutritious grass and water. Other than the migrating animals, predators like lions, leopards, cheetah, hyena, wild dogs, and crocodiles can also be seen searching for food which is the migrating animals. In summary, calving takes place in the southern part of Serengeti near Ngorongoro Conservation Area then the journey through Serengeti starts in a clockwise direction towards the Masai Mara in Kenya, then they return to Tanzania near the end of the year to start their annual movement.

Great Migration in January, February and March

During this period, animals are found in the Southern part of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. During this period, this place is rich in nutritious grass which is a good condition for the wildebeest to breed and raise their newborn calves. During this period nearly 400,000 calves are born within a period of two to three weeks.

Great Migration in April and May

During this period, the wildebeest herds start their migration to the northwest for the fresher grass around Central Serengeti where they are joined by the zebra and small groups of antelopes. Also this period towards the end of May, mating seasons begins as male wildebeest battle for it. Animals then start to move toward the West side of Serengeti crossing the Grumeti River.

Great Migration in June and July

This is the dry season and animals must be searching for water therefore they concentrate in the western Serengeti and on the southern banks of the Grumeti River. In this area, they face the great challenge of crossing the river from the crocodile who is also searching for food. Toward the end of June the migration head north along the western edge of the park where they face even more risk of crossing Mara River in the North of Serengeti. The river crossing is one of the most exciting wildlife events in the world.

Great Migration in August, September, and October

This is the period when the migrating animals face the big challenge of crossing the Mara River with the river in full flow and predators waiting for them. Animals are seen spread throughout the Masai Mara northern region while many remain in the northern Serengeti. By September to October, the migration moves towards eastward though they will face another challenge of crossing Mara River once more when they prepare to cross for their return journey toward southward.

Great Migration in November and December

In this period, wildebeests move down from Kenya to eastern Serengeti in Tanzania. By December, they are found spread throughout the eastern and southern area of Serengeti. As the grasses are lush in the south of Serengeti during the end of December and New Year, this draws the herds of wildebeest and other animals towards that area where the cycle continues as the calving season starts again.

Tanzania Luxury Safari

A luxury Tanzania safari is really something wonderful, unique, and amazing. From the roof of Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro to the game drive parks such as Ngorongoro Crater with a high density of animals, the Serengeti with endless plains and Great Migration and Tarangire a home of Elephants and baobabs trees, and Zanzibar Island for beach relaxation. On your Tanzania luxury safari, you will meet Wildlife herds, forests, and charming local people. Join our amazing and knowledgeable safari and trekking guides team on your safari. Savannah Explorers offers professional and vaccinated guides making you safe with the current situation of Covid-19.

Your Tanzania luxury safari is combined with luxury safari accommodations such as AndBeyond, Elewana, Wellworth, Serena properties, and others in order to have a real taste of luxury safari. You can choose to spend some nights at Fours Season Serengeti Lodge and Melia Serengeti Lodge while in Serengeti and you get to see some animals drinking water very close just from your sleeping room, because both these lodges have designated pools for animals to drink water. This experience will truly define your Tanzania luxury safari. You can enjoy Tanzania's luxury safari everywhere while in Tanzania, even if you choose to visit Southern circuit parks such as Nyerere park as you still sleep in luxury accommodation like Serena Mivumo Luxury Hotel. You can finish your Tanzania luxury safari by combining with Zanzibar for beach relaxation and stay in luxury resorts such as Gold Zanzibar, Melia Zanzibar, Zuri Zanzibar, Riu Palace, and others.

Zanzibar Safari

Zanzibar archipelago located in the eastern part of Tanzania in the Indian Ocean at 15 miles coasts of the mainland is a wonderful spot to relax when visiting Tanzania for Safari. It consists of many smaller islands and two larger ones called Unguja and Pemba Island. The capital city is located on the island of Unguja that consists of Stone Town, the historical midpoint recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The two unique islands offer different safari experiences that are exceptional from all other destinations worldwide. The best experiences to discover in Zanzibar are such as:

1. Wildlife – Here we refer to Jozani National Park, the rainforest of Ngezi and the mangrove habitat all of them offers a wide variety for sightseeing both flora and fauna.

2. Zanzibar Culture & Tradition – If you are looking to learn about Swahili culture then Zanzibar will be your best choice. The famous heritage site is Stone town with a collection of both Swahili cultures and ancient buildings such as Kizimkaz Mosques and Maruhubi Palace will make your trip unforgettable.

3. Sea Safari – The safari on the sea offers you a wide experience to learn about marine species. The famous sea safari is like Mnemba Marine Nature Reserve.

4. Local Cuisine – The local food in Zanzibar are somehow delicious and they have a meaning in relation to the Swahili Culture. They are a variety of fresh foods in Zanzibar such as fruits, spices and seafood.

Ngorongoro Crater Safari: meet The Big Five

Ngorongoro crater is the famous and largest intact volcanic caldera that was formed about 3 million years ago. It is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only protected area where human beings interact with wildlife.

Ngorongoro Crater is the best site in East Africa where you can see all the Big Five. The big five are the animals that are hard to be hunted in the wild. This includes elephants, Rhino, Buffalo, Lion, and Leopard. Due to the presence of the big five, this makes Ngorongoro crater an ideal destination to visit when planning a safari in Tanzania or East Africa.

Visitors can plan a tour in this beautiful crater all time of the year because the wildlife mainly remains in the crater all year round.

Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro: the Tanzania Park Tour

Safari in the northern circuit refers to the best and frequently visited parks in Tanzania, which are Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti. The eight days safari is best during the months of June to September as it allows clients to enjoy the most exciting sighting such as the Great Migration crossing Mara and Grumeti Rivers when heading to Masai Mara Game Reserve. The safari can be tailored in relation to the client’s request, budget and month of traveling. Contented accommodation and the use of customized 4 x 4 Safari vehicle with professional guides finalizes the elements of this Safari.

The Northern Safari Circuit

Are you looking to have an unforgettable safari experience in Tanzania? then choose to visit the Northern circuit of Tanzania. In the northern circuit is where you see the best and famous parks in Tanzania such as Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, and Arusha Park. In these parks, you have a high chance to spot the Big Five animals; Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant, and Black Rhino. On top of this, if you visit the Serengeti national park, then you have a high chance to witness the Great Migration and this event will remain in your memory for your lifetime. This migration is not happening in the same location of the park rather animals migrate from one place to another, so we advise you to check with your trip expert to recommend a good place to see it depending the season.

The northern circuit is busy on peak season months mostly from July to early October, so if you visit by that time then be ready to meet many tourists. Otherwise, if you want to avoid crowds, we recommend you visit in November, March, April, and May. Still December, January, and February you find many tourists too. The good advantage of visiting Northern Circuit is that, many tour operators even us are based in northern circuit cities such as Arusha and Moshi, hence you can be assisted any time in case of any emergency.

Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is one the most common park found in the northern circuit. The park is famous for its groundwater forest, the Great Rift Escarpment, variety of birdlife with more than 400 species including Migratory birds and tree-climbing lions. The game drive is the most common activity conducted within the park. In addition, other activities are canopy walks, walking safari, bird watching, and boat riding around Lake Manyara. Outside the park, there is a small town of Mto wa Mbu which offers cultural tourism to the visitors, biking tours, curio shops, and accommodation services.

Ruaha National Park

Ruaha National Park is the second largest park in Tanzania from the first largest park called Nyerere National Park formerly known as Selous game reserve. Ruaha National Park covers around 13,000 sq km in area. The name of the park is derived from the Great Ruaha River, which is the heart of the park. The River flows from the southeast area of the park and it is an ideal area for game viewing. The park is known for its largest elephant population and also common animals seen are Elephants, Leopards, Lions, buffalo, Cheetah, Giraffes, Zebras, hippopotamus, spotted hyena, wild dogs, kudu, sable, and others. There are also multiple reptiles and amphibians in this park such as monitor lizards, agama lizards, snakes, and crocodiles.

Moreover, Ruaha National park is the best park to spot bird species. 570 bird species are believed to be here, some of which are migrating birds arriving from within and outside Africa. Not only animals and bird’s species available there but also there are more than 1,650 species of plants that are inhabiting this park. Inside Ruaha National Park there is only one lodge called Ruaha River Lodge, it’s a nice lodge as you can see game throughout the day from the veranda. The park can be reached by car or plane and it’s easy to reach this park from Dar Es Salaam although still is far by driving and hence we recommend you combine with Mikumi National Park to reduce the long distance driving.

Selous Game Reserve

This is the largest protected game reserve in Africa covering an area of 54,600 square kilometers. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 due to the diversity of its wildlife and undisturbed nature. It is located in the Southern part of Tanzania which is about 219 kilometers from Dar es Salaam which may take about 4 hours’ drive. Also, visitors can use aircraft or train to visit Selous from Dar es Salaam.

This game reserve is comprised of a vast wilderness with forests, grassy plains, mountains, and open woodlands. It also has a large number of wild animals like elephants, lions, leopards, wild dogs, hyenas and jackals, black rhinoceros, hippopotamus, buffalo, antelopes, crocodiles, giraffe, plains zebra, and a lot of birds. No permission for the permanent human habitation inside the reserve. Most of the reserve is set aside for game hunting but it is through some privately leased hunting and it is a popular tourist destination

Inside this game reserve, crosses the Rufiji River which is the largest river in the country.