Wild Heart of Tanzania

Your journey into the heart of Tanzania begins with your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport, where you will be welcomed by your safari guide. As you drive toward your accommodation, you will notice Arusha’s vibrant atmosphere, a city known as the gateway to Tanzania’s famous national parks. Nestled at the foot of Mount Meru, this bustling safari hub is surrounded by lush coffee plantations and rolling hills.

Upon arrival at Raha Wildlife Lodge, located just outside Arusha, you will have time to settle in and relax. The lodge offers a comfortable setting with views of the surrounding savannah, where you may spot zebras, giraffes, and antelopes grazing nearby. Dinner will be served at the lodge, featuring a mix of Tanzanian and international cuisine, prepared with fresh local ingredients.

After breakfast, the journey continues toward the world-famous Serengeti National Park, a vast ecosystem spanning 14,750 square kilometers (5,700 square miles). The drive from Karatu to Central Serengeti takes you through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where breathtaking highland views unfold before descending onto the Serengeti’s seemingly endless plains.

Serengeti is renowned for its diverse wildlife, including the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and rhinoceros). The park is most famous for hosting the Great Migration, where over two million wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles cross the plains in search of fresh grazing land. As you enter Central Serengeti, known as Seronera, the landscape transforms into rolling grasslands dotted with acacia trees and rock outcrops called kopjes, where lions often rest.

A picnic lunch will be enjoyed at a scenic location within the park, surrounded by the sounds of the wild. The afternoon game drive offers the chance to spot cheetahs sprinting across the plains, leopards resting in trees, and large elephant herds making their way to water sources.

As the sun sets, you will arrive at Serenity Lodge, a luxury safari retreat in the heart of Serengeti. Here, you can relax in well-appointed tents, each offering panoramic views of the surrounding savannah. Dinner will be served under the stars, accompanied by the distant calls of hyenas and lions.

After an early breakfast, you will venture into the Eastern Serengeti, a region known for its high predator concentration, particularly cheetahs and lions. This part of the park features vast open plains, making it an ideal hunting ground for these agile carnivores.

The morning game drive will take you through the Gol Kopjes, where lion prides dominate the rocky outcrops, and cheetahs use the open plains to spot prey from a distance. The Eastern Serengeti is also home to hyenas, jackals, bat-eared foxes, and serval cats, making it a paradise for wildlife photographers

A picnic lunch will be set up in the wild, allowing you to soak in the raw beauty of the Serengeti before continuing the afternoon game drive. The region is also rich in birdlife, with species such as secretary birds, kori bustards, lilac-breasted rollers, and vultures soaring through the skies.

As evening approaches, you will return to Serenity Lodge for another night in the wilderness. Enjoy a delicious dinner and unwind by the campfire, sharing stories of the day's wildlife encounters.

After breakfast, you will leave Serengeti and drive toward the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa’s most spectacular natural wonders. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a caldera formed nearly three million years ago after a volcanic explosion. Covering about 260 square kilometers (100 square miles), the crater is home to over 25,000 animals.

As you descend into the crater, the lush green landscape unfolds, dotted with watering holes and acacia forests. This is one of the best places in Africa to spot the endangered black rhinoceros, often grazing in the open grasslands. Large elephant bulls, known for their impressive tusks, can also be seen wandering through the forests.

A picnic lunch will be enjoyed near a hippo pool, where you can observe these massive creatures cooling off in the water. The crater is also teeming with lions, buffalo, wildebeests, zebras, and flamingos wading in the alkaline lakes.

After a full day of game viewing, you will ascend the crater walls and drive to Martina Retreat, a peaceful lodge nestled in Karatu. Here, you will enjoy dinner and rest in comfortable accommodations surrounded by the highland scenery.

After an early breakfast, you will journey to Lake Eyasi, a remote and lesser-visited region known for its unique cultural experiences. This seasonal soda lake is located in the Great Rift Valley and is home to the Hadzabe and Datoga tribes, some of Tanzania’s last remaining indigenous hunter-gatherer communities.

Your morning will be spent with the Hadzabe Bushmen, who will take you on a guided walk through the bush, demonstrating their hunting techniques using bows and arrows. Their nomadic lifestyle revolves around hunting small game, gathering fruits, and using natural remedies from the environment.

Next, you will visit the Datoga tribe, skilled blacksmiths who craft weapons, tools, and jewelry from melted metal. Their intricate beadwork and decorative clothing are a vibrant part of their cultural identity. A picnic lunch will be set up in the scenic surroundings of Lake Eyasi, where you may spot flamingos, pelicans, and other water birds along the lake’s shores.

As the day winds down, you will drive to Aya Sophia Lodge or Raha Wild Life Resort, beautiful eco-lodge where you can relax with a delicious dinner while enjoying views of the surrounding wilderness.

After breakfast at the lodge, you will be transferred back to Arusha or Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight. Along the way, you can reflect on the incredible wildlife encounters and cultural experiences that have made this safari unforgettable.