The Wild Nature of Northern Africa

Jambo, welcome! Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will experience your first encounter with Tanzanian warmth and hospitality. After the warm welcome, you will be transferred to your hotel, where you can relax and unwind from your journey.

After a hearty breakfast, your safari journey truly begins. In your 4WD safari vehicle, you will leave Arusha and embark on a beautiful drive that takes you past rural villages, plantations, and farms. This provides you with an early glimpse of daily life in the Tanzanian countryside. In the distance, the contours of the Rift Valley become visible.

As you approach Tarangire National Park, the landscape changes once again, and you will be able to spot the first baobab trees. These enormous trees are icons of the African savannah. Then, you will enter the national park and soon spot your first animals. Scan the landscape to see elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, and many other creatures.

Upon arrival, you can enjoy a delicious lunch at your lodge. In the afternoon, it will be time for your first real game drive. Tarangire National Park is renowned for its large herds of elephants roaming the grasslands and along the riverbanks.

Both in the morning and in the afternoon, you will go on a game drive in the national park, so you have plenty of time to discover even more wildlife. The grasslands are dotted with baobab trees and acacias, the perfect habitat for majestic antelopes, large elephant families, wildebeests, and buffalos, to name just a few. This is also the only place in Tanzania where the quastoorspiesbok and gerenoek (giraffe gazelle) are regularly seen.

After breakfast, you will leave your lodge and head towards Ngorongoro, where you will encounter a completely different landscape. You will travel through the Great Rift Valley, an extensive system of tectonic valleys that stretches across East Africa. The route ascends the Rift Valley, offering panoramic views over the valley below.

As you approach Ngorongoro, the scenery becomes even more spectacular. You will drive through lush forests, volcanic craters, vast savannas, and rolling hills. Upon arrival at your beautiful lodge, a late lunch will be served. Use the rest of the afternoon to relax and enjoy the facilities of your lodge.

After a delicious breakfast, it is time to descend 600 meters in your safari vehicle to reach the floor of the crater. Millions of years ago, the Ngorongoro Crater was an active volcano, but the volcano cone collapsed, forming this crater. The crater has a diameter of 20 km and is 610 meters deep. On this relatively small area, you will find an abundance of wildlife that are permanent residents here. Among others, you will encounter lions, buffalos, impalas, rhinoceroses, jackals, zebras, leopards, and hyenas. The crater and its surrounding area are also important sites for the earliest ancestors of humans.

After spending a full morning exploring the crater, you will return to your lodge for lunch and an afternoon of relaxation.

After an extensive breakfast, you will be transferred to the Manyara Airstrip for your flight to the highlight of your safari trip: the Serengeti National Park. You will be welcomed by your new ranger and taken to your lodge. In the afternoon, your first game drive will take place in this magical landscape, which you know from National Geographic but truly exists. The name comes from the Maasai word 'siringet', meaning 'endless plain'. This vast savannah, dotted with acacia trees, is mainly found in the center of the Serengeti. The south is characterized by expansive grasslands, and towards the Masai Mara, you will also find wooded grasslands.

But the Serengeti is especially renowned for having the largest concentration of wildlife in Africa, including more than 3 million large mammals.

Optionally, you can book a magical hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti at sunrise on one of these mornings. In the dark, you will arrive at the hot air balloon, where the flames illuminate the surroundings as the crew prepares the balloon. As the sky begins to change color, your balloon will lift off, and you will experience the sunrise in a unique way. From the air, you will see herds of animals quietly roaming in search of their breakfast. Floating peacefully in the sky, you will hear almost nothing except the occasional roar of the flames or the growl of a lion. Watch young elephants playfully nudge each other, monkeys chase one another, and a herd of zebras graze peacefully. Back on solid ground, a champagne breakfast awaits you in the bush. This unforgettable morning is topped off with a game drive back to your lodge.

During these two days, you will go on morning and afternoon game drives. Each time, you will visit a different part of the park, and your ranger will do his best to track down the animals you still want to tick off your list. You can also opt for a full day of game drives.

Both the animals and the Serengeti landscape are perfect for photography. The vast savannah stretching to the horizon and the rolling grasslands serve as a backdrop for stunning animals such as lions and leopards, as well as ostriches, the bizarre secretary bird, or the elegant gazelle. In the blue sky, a black eagle or a group of vultures soars. Or try capturing mischievous monkeys or a family of elephants on camera.

After breakfast, you will leave your wonderful lodge and the unforgettable Serengeti, richer with a wealth of experiences and memories. You will be transferred to the airstrip from where a short flight will take you to Arusha. From Arusha, you will fly to Zanzibar, where you will be welcomed and taken to your stunning beach resort.

Hale white sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and a turquoise blue sea — this is the view of Zanzibar. Here, life is still wonderfully relaxed, and your beach holiday will mainly consist of unwinding, delicious food, and pure enjoyment. You will have three full days to relax and unwind.

If you wish to do something more active, your resort offers various activities and excursions. Zanzibar is a spice island, so why not visit a spice plantation? You can also enjoy free use of kayaks and snorkeling equipment to explore the stunning underwater world. Be sure to also book a relaxing massage at the excellent spa.

You will be picked up at your resort and taken to Zanzibar Airport for your flight back to the Netherlands.