The Experience

Immerse yourself in the beauty of Ngorongoro Crater; view game by hot air balloon over the Serengeti’s open plains; and partake in a Chef’s Table experience highlighting local cuisine. Day 1: Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Arrive in Arusha and at your lodge on a lush coffee estate.

Arusha Serena Hotel
Day 2: Lake Manyara National Park | Relaxing Amid Nature
Travel overland to small, wildlife-rich Lake Manyara National Park, visiting the market town of Mto Wa Mbu en route. After seeing its produce-stocked stalls, proceed to your lodge, which sits atop an escarpment overlooking the vast expanse of the Great Rift Valley. Take a thrilling afternoon game drive, and then partake in a Chef,™s Table experience with local cuisine

Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater | Stellar Sightings
Depart for Ngorongoro Crater, stopping at Gibb,™s Farm for an organic lunch. Afterward, meander through the lush grounds, or embark on a walk to the nearby waterfalls. Proceed to your lodge and pause to absorb the scenery; perched on the rim of a collapsed, once-active volcano, the caldera is a permanent sanctuary for lions, hyenas and rare, endangered black rhinos.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 4: Ngorongoro Crater | Meet the Maasai
Descend to the short grass prairies of Ngorongoro Crater, a haven for elephants, wildebeests and gazelles. Watch for flocks of pink flamingos at the crater-lake, as well as other winged wonders. After a picnic lunch, visit a Maasai village, and meet with a village elder to learn about the nomadic cattle-herders.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 5: Serengeti National Park | Exploring Man,™s Origins
Drive to Serengeti National Park, visiting Olduvai Gorge en route. Continue to your lodge, set on high on a hill with stunning views of the plains. Settle in to your comfortable accommodations, arranged in series of rondavels (round huts). Later, take a game drive through the rambling park, site of the Great Migration of wildebeests.

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Days 6-7: Serengeti National Park | Land of the Migration
Spend the next two days intersecting the arid, savagely beautiful Serengeti plains. As animals begin to stir, skim the treetops during an included sunrise hot air balloon ride over the picturesque park, all the while absorbing the aerial view of prolific wildlife. See morning activities begin, perhaps hippos returning to water after foraging for food overnight; elephants rustling through trees in search of breakfast; and sated lions, arriving back from a hunt with wide, yellow eyes. During an afternoon game drive, search for cheetahs, crocodiles and leopards. On your final evening, join fellow guests for a festive farewell dinner.

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge | Meals: B L D
Day 8: Depart Arusha
Fly to Arusha, where you may relax in a dayroom until your international flight.

Arusha Serena Hotel (dayroom) | Meals: B