Incredible Safaris (Tanzania) Ltd
Suggested Tanzania Itinerary
Northern Circuit Safari with Zanzibar Extension
(12 day Tour)
Day 1
You will arrive at Dar-es-Salaam International Airport on board KLM. Following customs and immigration procedures, you will be met and transferred to The Holiday Inn for a welcome rest. Dinner and overnight at Holiday Inn / Southern Sun
Day 2
Transfer back to Dar airport and fly to Arusha at 0900, arriving at 1100. At Arusha Airport you will be met by an English speaking driver guide in your own private 4 x 4 safari vehicle, either Toyota, Landcruiser or Landrover. The guide will be with you for the entire duration of the safari. From the airport you will be driven towards the Maasai Steppe and the land of the Masaai, and Lake Manyara National Park. You will enter Lake Manyara National Park for an afternoon game drive. Despite being so close to habitation and farmland, it has remained a unique sanctuary for wildlife and birds. This will be the start of your encounter with some of Tanzania’s fabulous wildlife, including gazelle, giraffe, buffalo, hippo, monkey, not to mention the lake tinted pink with flamingos.
Dinner and overnight at Kirurumu Tented Lodge
Day 3
Following breakfast, head towards the Ngorongoro Highlands, up the rift, with opportunities to savour the spectacular view back down into Lake Manyara and beyond. This journey is all on tarmac road, passing through the town of Karatu (now booming since the construction of the road). Karatu is an interesting place and now has internet café’s and banks. So, if you need a convenience stop, this is the place. Coffee is pretty good too!
Continue onto the gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the end of the tarmac road. This is where you will feel as though your safari has begun and why you are in a 4 x 4, after a brief stop for permit checks (all handled by your guide), and yet another convenience stop if required. You will skirt the rim of the crater towards the descent road. Descend into the crater for ½ day crater tour to tick off any animals not yet seen and, hopefully, catch a glimpse of the elusive rhino. The crater is now the only place left in Tanzania where you will see this mighty beast and is a unique haven for mammals. Sightings of cheetah, lions and hyena are all possible, not to mention large bull elephants. Continue exploring the crater before climbing back up to the rim.
Check in at the superbly sited Ngorongoro Farm House in Karatu. The Farm House is exactly as the name suggests. Once a large coffee plantation, it has undergone major refurbishment and now offers superb accommodation in hand made red brick self contained private bungalows with huge high ceilings, which give the room a lovely spacious and airy feel. The recreational areas include a souvenir shop, lounge, dining room, small bar and stunning gardens with a swimming pool. Just the place to relax and enjoy the surroundings.
Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Farm House on FB basis
Day 4
After breakfast, descend down into the heart of the crater floor. See the Lerai Forest with its huge male elephants, the mandusi swamp hippo pools, the pink flamingo at Lake Magadi and the thousands of animals - big and small - that inhabit this unique eco-system. Following this wildlife extravaganza, you will make your way back up the steep escarpment to arrive back at Ngorongoro Farm House.
Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Farm House
Day 5
Breakfast. Drive down the Malanja depression and into the endless Serengeti Plains. A small side excursion is to stop en route to visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum and the volcanic black sand dunes. Drive through the short grass plains in the direction of the Seronera Valley Game Park, viewing the whole way. In the middle of this delicate and special environment we will set up your very own exclusive luxury mobile camp, set in a private bush area for you. Following refreshments and a freshly prepared camp lunch, proceed on a game drive in your private vehicle through the wilderness. We offer this experience for our clients to truly experience Africa at its best, just the two of you in near perfect surroundings. All our camp staff is superbly trained and very discreet.
Dinner and overnight in your Luxury Mobile Camp
Day 6
After breakfast, depart on a full day of game drives in the Serengeti. It will be possible to venture out for a full day with a picnic lunch or to return to the Camp for lunch and rest. Serengeti is the largest game sanctuary in Northern Tanzania and offers you complete flexibility to choose your own pace.
Dinner and overnight in your Luxury Mobile Camp at Serengeti Private Campsite
Day 7
Following breakfast, your final game drive in Serengeti. You wil be taken to the Seronera airstrip, with a packed lunch to munch en route, where you will board your scheduled Zanair flight - TAN 104 to Zanzibar Island - via Arusha, departing at 1230 hrs and arriving at 1540 hrs. Upon arrival in Zanzibar, you will be met by a private vehicle and transferred to Matemwe Bungalows, situated on the north east beach of Zanzibar.
Matemwe offers you the perfect mix of excitement and relaxation, with the contrasting colours of the Indian Ocean pure white beaches. Each bungalow has a private veranda, king size beds and their own hammocks.
Dinner and overnight at Matemwe Bungalows on FB basis in Bungalow Suite
Days 7 - 11
Six chill-out days to enjoy the beach at Matemwe. All water sports are available on request and you can explore the ocean and the coral reef experience.
Meals and overnight at Matemwe Bungalows on FB basis in Bungalow Suite
Day 12
Breakfast and a free morning in the Bungalows . In the afternoon you will be collected and transferred to Zanzibar Airport for a short flight to Dar-es-Salaam to connect to your international flight and return back home, after a memorable holiday.
Price includes
- Internal flight from Arusha to Zanzibar
- All park and entrance fees
- Private safari vehicle and guide
- All private transfers as specified
- Full board accommodation at all lodges on safari
- Half board accommodation at Breezes Beach Club
- Bed & Breakfast accommodation at Tembo House
Price does not include
- International flights
- Tourist Visa for entry to Tanzania, currently $50.00 US
- Travel & Medical Insurance
- Items of personal nature
- Telephone, fax and internet
- Additional excursions
- All additional meals or special requests
- Departure tax from Zanzibar, currently $20.00 US (this may vary)