Tanzania Northern Circuit | 4 Days

African Charm

Itinerary

Destination: Lake Manyara National Park
Accommodations: Escarpment Luxury Lodge
Activities: Game Drive

Depart from the northern town of Arusha (adjacent to Kilimanjaro International Airport) and drive to the Escarpment Luxury Lodge, a tranquil retreat, perfectly situated in a dramatic location of Lake Manyara National Park on the rim of the Great Rift Valley Gorge with views of wildlife from the wraparound deck. Enjoy lunch in their well-appointed restaurant. After lunch, take a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park, which lies at the base of the western wall of the eastern arm of the Rift Valley. Typically shimmering in a golden heat haze, the lake is often frosted with thousands of flamingos, while the trees that surround the lake are famous for their tree-climbing lions. The park also offers abundant sightings of monkeys, jackals, mongoose, hyenas, hyraxes, zebras, hippos, warthogs, buffalos, Maasai giraffes, duikers, waterbucks, and impalas. Significant numbers of elephants are also resident in the park, whilst sightings of black rhino and leopard are not uncommon. Return to dinner at the lodge.

Destination: Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodations: Ngorongoro Farm House
Activities: Olduvai Gorge tour; Maasai Boma visit; Empakai Crater walking safari

Leaving the lodge after breakfast, drive to the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area via Olduvai Gorge the ‘cradle of mankind’, and site of one of the most important and controversial Paleolithic finds in recent history. Ascend the steep walls of the crater, drive around the rim, and visit a traditional Maasai village or ‘boma’ where you will get to witness the Maasai traditional way of living and see the Maasai’s famous adumu dance! Finally, descend to the charming Ngorongoro Farm House, a small and exclusive hotel built on a 500 acre coffee plantation with its handplaited thatched roof tops, ample verandas, and colonial interiors which have been designed to take you to the comfort and style of a bygone era. There you will have lunch and unwind before departing for a walking safari to Empakai Crater, located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Accompanied by an armed Maasai guard and your naturalist guide, you will descend on foot to the crater floor where you will find a lake occupied by hundreds of flamingo and other birds. Relax here and observe the fauna before hiking back up the crater and heading back to the lodge for a delicious dinner. In the evening, take a walk around the farm to contemplate the activities of the day, relax in the fragrant gardens, or enjoy the spectacular sunsets with the Oldeani volcano as a backdrop.

Destination: Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodations: Ngorongoro Farm House
Activities: Game drive; Walking safari; Guided farm walking tour or massage (optional); Traditional dance performance

After an early breakfast, drive the short distance to the crater and descend to its floor for a half-day tour, inclusive of a picnic lunch by the hippo pools. Often referred to as ‘the eighth wonder of the world’ the Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s best-known wildlife areas. A World Heritage Site, it is also one of the largest volcanic craters in the world (almost 20 kilometers wide, 610-760 meters deep and covering a total area of 264 square kilometers). An utterly unique biosphere, the Crater harbors grasslands, swamps, forests, saltpans, a fresh water lake and a glorious variety of birdlife, all enclosed within its towering walls. Due to its high concentration of wildlife, close-range viewing opportunities, and striking scenery, it is also Tanzania’s most visited destination. There will be opportunity here to get out of your vehicle and explore this magnificent landscape on foot. In the afternoon, ascend once more to the rim of the crater and return to the lodge, where you can take guided walk around the farm and the vegetable garden to see plants and the workings of a coffee farm. Or, you may want a massage! Conclude the evening with a fabulous dinner and sundowner cocktails while watching a spectacular performance by dancers from various Tanzanian tribes.

Destination: Departure to Arusha or connection to Southern Circuit, Western Circuit, Kenya, Uganda, or Zanzibar

After a hot breakfast and optional nature walk, drive back to Arusha for an optional day or overnight at Rivertrees Country Inn or connect to the next leg of your wildlife safari in the Southern Circuit, chimp trekking in Mahale National Park or Gombe Stream or, gorilla trekking in Uganda. Alternatively, connect with a flight to the magical island of Zanzibar, which lies just off the coast of Tanzania. See our complimentary itineraries for these locations.

Safari Includes:

  • Pick up/drop off at Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport before and after the trip and/or transfer to the next leg of your holiday
  • Park entrance fees into the game parks/reserves
  • Crater service fee
  • Government Taxation
  • Professional naturalist guide
  • Transport and wildlife viewing in 4×4 Land cruiser with open roof hatches and unlimited mileage
  • All game drives and activities
  • All cultural excursions mentioned in the itinerary
  • Full board accommodations and additional meals, per itinerary
  • All-inclusive alcoholic beverages and sodas at the lodges/camps
  • Plentiful drinking water (mineral water)
  • Flying Doctor services in Tanzania
  • Service charges
  • Generous Giving Fund

Safari Excludes:

  • International airfare & flights
  • Passport & visa fees
  • Personal health insurance
  • Travel insurance (highly recommended and offered upon making your deposit)
  • Laundry services, unless provided by the lodges
  • Additional alcoholic beverages & sodas, except as stated as included above
  • Laundry services, unless offered by the lodges
  • Optional massages and spa services
  • All items of personal nature
  • Gratuities to safari guides and lodge/camp staff

Please note: Adumu Safaris makes every effort to customize your safari itinerary in order to cover areas where wildlife habitats are known to be plentiful during the season and precise time of year that you are traveling. However, since wild animals move freely in their environment, we cannot absolutely guarantee sightings of every species. We also use our best effort to provide the lodging set out in this itinerary, but occasionally there are circumstances that occur which require lodging substitutions. We reserve the right to make comparable lodging substitutions or upgrades whenever necessary or in your best interest to do so. Fortunately, we have vetted all of our lodges and stand by their ability to provide an amazing accommodation experience.

Cost:

Based on double occupancy …………………………2547 USD LOW / 2642 USD HIGH / 2689 USD PEAK

Single person, non-sharing supplement……………..…………….644 USD LOW / 743 USD HIGH / 794 USD PEAK

**NB: Prices drop for larger parties traveling together. Children are accommodated at lower rates than adults. Adumu Safaris customizes itineraries to fit your preferences, desires, party size, and budget.

To reserve this trip we require $500 per person. The remainder is due 59 days before departure. All major credit cards and PayPal are accepted. We will send a secure payment link when you are ready to confirm this trip.

Please note that we offer these variations to demonstrate some of the ways that we can modify an itinerary to suit your preferences (destinations, activities, level of luxury, type of accommodations, length of stay, budget, etc.). If none of these options looks best for your group, we are more than happy to gather more information from you and customize the perfect trip. You can call us at +1 530 574 9519 or email us at to discuss this itinerary or others on our website.

Karibu Africa!
The Adumu Safaris Team