Overview
Ngorongoro was named by the Maasai as El-Nkoronkoro meaning Gift of Life. This was because they were migrating from Central Africa for a permanent settlement. Based on fossil evidence found at the Olduvai Gorge, various hominid species have occupied the area for 3 million years. Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera. Lake Manyara National Park is a Tanzanian national park located both in Arusha Region and Manyara Region, Tanzania. The majority of the land area of the park is a narrow strip running between the Gregory Rift wall to the west and Lake Manyara, an alkaline or soda-lake, to the east. The park consists of 330 km2 (130 sq mi) of arid land, forest, and a soda-lake which covers as much as 200 km2 (77 sq mi) of land during the wet season but is nearly nonexistent during the dry season. Tarangire is home to more than 550 species, the park is a haven for bird enthusiasts who can expect to see dozens of species. It also comprises of wide variety of wild animals.
DAY 1: NAIROBI – ARUSHA
Depart Nairobi to Namanga where you will change vehicles after customs. Drive to Arusha to arrive in the afternoon. Lunch enroute or in Arusha (own cost). Free afternoon to rest with an option to walk the streets of Arusha or an excursion time allowing.
Dinner and overnight at Crest Safari Lodge. Meal plan: HB
DAY 2: NGORONGORO CRATER
Early breakfast at the hotel. Drive with picnic lunch (pick up picnic at Octagon Lodge on the way) to Ngorongoro Crater for a full day game drive. Descend 600 metres down the crater which is home to an abundance of wildlife besides being a photogenic paradise. Ngorongoro crater is the largest intact Caldera in the world and it teams with abundant wildlife permanently resident on the crater floor. Prides of Lions, herds of Cape Buffalos, Impalas, Thomson Gazelles, Rhinos, Giraffes, Golden & Black backed Jackals, Zebras, Cheetahs, Leopards and the spotted Hyenas freely roam the crater floor on a lucky day. Return to the lodge. Dinner and overnight at Octagon Lodge or similar standard.
Meal Plan: FB
DAY 3: MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
Breakfast at the Lodge. Depart for Lake Manyara for a game drive. Lake Manyara National Park is known for the flamingos that inhabit the lake. It has more than 400 species of birds. Leopards, Masai lions, cheetahs, elephants, blue monkeys, dik-dik, gazelles, hippopotami, Masai giraffe, impala, zebras and many more wild animals inhabit this park and many can be seen throughout the year. There is a hippo pond at one end of the park where visitors can get out of their cars and observe from a safe distance. The leopards and lions are both known to lounge in the trees while not hunting for prey. Return to lodge for lunch. Free afternoon to enjoy a swim or just relax. Dinner and overnight at Octagon Lodge. Meal Plan: FB
Day 4: TARANGIRE- ARUSHA
Early Breakfast at the Lodge. Drive to Tarangire National Park. Tarangire National Park is renowned for its higher population of elephants than anywhere else in Tanzania. The park has got sparse vegetation with a host of baobab and acacia trees. Tarangire National Park experiences a mini migration of its own kind during this time of your visit because of Tarangire River that never dries up thereby attracting animals from their original habitats like Manyara, Monduli and Simanjiro. Drive to Arusha. Lunch, Dinner and overnight at Crest Safari Lodge.
Day 5: ARUSHA – NAIROBI
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart for Namanga where you will be dropped off and change vehicles after customs. Later leave for Nairobi. Lunch at own cost. Arrive late afternoon. Drop off at a central place. Meal Plan: BB