Overview
A six-day safari for travellers who want something beyond the standard circuit. You visit Lake Natron, the red soda lake below Ol Doinyo Lengai, spend time with the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers at Lake Eyasi and then continue to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.
The route mixes landscape, culture and wildlife and avoids the busiest parts of the northern circuit for part of the trip. The price includes a private 4x4, driver-guide, park fees, accommodation and meals.
| Accommodation | Confirmed together with you — see the Rates tab for general comfort levels we work with. |
|---|---|
| Meals | Full board on safari days; meals as specified for any city/beach nights, per your final itinerary. |
Day by Day (6 days)
ARRIVAL IN ARUSHA
You arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where your driver-guide meets you and transfers you to your hotel in Arusha. Your guide gives a short briefing on the route and park rules. The rest of the day is free. Overnight in a comfortable hotel in Arusha. Meals: dinner.
LAKE NATRON
Today you drive north around the Rift Valley escarpment to Lake Natron, a red, mineral-rich soda lake beneath the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai. The road is long and dusty but the scenery of Maasai plains, acacia bush and distant volcanoes is superb. In the late afternoon you walk to the lake shore, where flamingos feed in the shallows, and your guide explains how the alkaline water shapes the wildlife and the Maasai herding communities nearby. Overnight in a comfortable lodge or tented camp near Lake Natron. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
LAKE EYASI CULTURAL DAY
Early in the morning you drive to Lake Eyasi, where the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers still live much as their ancestors did. You join a small group of Hadzabe men for a sunrise hunt on foot, learn how they track animals and make fire, and later visit the Datoga blacksmiths who forge arrowheads and jewellery. You return to your lodge for lunch and a rest in the afternoon. Overnight in a comfortable lodge or tented camp near Lake Eyasi. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK
You drive across the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend onto the Serengeti plains, with game viewing on the way as you cross Naabi Hill gate and enter the park. The afternoon is spent on a game drive around Seronera, the central Serengeti, where lions, leopards and cheetahs hunt the resident plains game among the kopjes and acacia woodland. Overnight in a comfortable lodge or tented camp near Serengeti National Park. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
NGORONGORO CRATER
At dawn you descend 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unbroken caldera in the world, for a morning game drive. The crater floor holds about 25,000 large animals including black rhino, lion, elephant, buffalo, hippo, hyena and huge herds of wildebeest and zebra. You have a picnic lunch at the hippo pool, then climb out in the early afternoon and drive towards Arusha or your next stop. Overnight in a comfortable lodge or tented camp near Ngorongoro Crater. Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
RETURN TO ARUSHA AND DEPARTURE
After breakfast you return to Arusha, arriving in the afternoon, and are dropped at your hotel or at the airport for your onward flight. If you leave in the evening, we can arrange a day room for a shower and rest. The safari ends on arrival. Meals: breakfast and lunch.
Rates Per Person
The Overview tab explains the accommodation and meal options. Send us your dates and group size for an exact price.
Next: Inclusions →Inclusions
Included
- Private vehicle with your own driver-guide
- Park entry and conservation fees
- Accommodation as specified in your itinerary
- Meals as specified per day (full board on safari days)
- Airport pickup and drop-off
Excluded
- International flights
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
Getting There
Tour Start & End
This trip starts in Serengeti National Park and ends in Lake Eyasi.
Airport Information
Kilimanjaro International Airport or Mwanza Airport is the most common arrival point for this trip.
Transfer Information
We meet you at the airport and handle every transfer between destinations throughout your trip.
Accommodation Before/After
Want an extra night in Arusha, Moshi or Zanzibar before or after your trip? Just ask and we will arrange it.