9-Day Luxury Tanzania Honeymoon Safari

Overview

Tour highlights

• Fly-in start near the Mara River
• Three nights in the northern Serengeti
• Big cats and kopjes in the central Serengeti
• A day on the Ngorongoro Crater floor
• Two nights among Tarangire’s baobabs and elephants
• Honeymoon touches and local drinks included

1. Day 1 Fly North to the Mara River Stay Luxury tented camp in the northern SerengetiMeals Lunch, Dinner

   After a morning meet-and-greet, board a light aircraft for the flight to Kogatende airstrip in the far north of the Serengeti. From the window, the plains roll out below you, broken by rocky kopjes and lines of trees along the rivers. Your guide is waiting at the airstrip, and the drive to camp doubles as your first game drive. Settle in over lunch, then head out again in the late afternoon toward the river, where hippos crowd the pools.

2. Day 2 Waiting on the Riverbank Stay Luxury tented camp in the northern SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Today belongs to the Mara River. In the dry season the migration herds mass on the banks, sometimes for hours, before the first animal jumps and the rest follow. Your guide reads the herd and positions you with patience rather than racing between sightings. Crocodiles wait in the water, and lions often hunt the stragglers. A picnic lunch lets you stay out as long as the action lasts. If the herds are elsewhere, the northern plains still hold resident lions, elephants and giraffes.

3. Day 3 The Quiet Corners of the North Stay Luxury tented camp in the northern SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Spend a second full day in the northern Serengeti, which sees fewer vehicles than the center of the park. Look for cheetahs on the open grass, elephants moving through the riverine woodland, and herds of topi and eland. Lunch can be back at camp or out on the plains. Return early enough to enjoy the deck at sunset, and end the day with a lantern-lit dinner arranged just for the two of you.

4. Day 4 South to Seronera and the Central Plains Stay Luxury lodge in the central SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   After breakfast, drive south through the park toward the central Serengeti, stopping whenever something catches your guide’s eye. The landscape changes from rolling hills to wide grass plains dotted with granite kopjes. The Seronera area is known for its resident lions and leopards, and your guide will scan the sausage trees and rock outcrops where cats like to rest. You reach your lodge in time for a late lunch and an afternoon drive.

5. Day 5 Kopjes, Cats and an Optional Village Visit Stay Luxury lodge in the central SerengetiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   A full day in the central Serengeti. Start at first light, when lions are often still on the move, and follow the Seronera River valley, where leopards rest in the trees. Mid-morning, you can visit a Maasai village to see how families live alongside wildlife, or keep the whole day for game viewing. The afternoon is a good time to return to the lodge for a swim, before heading out again for a slow evening drive.

6. Day 6 Last Serengeti Drive, Then Up to the Highlands Stay Luxury lodge in the Ngorongoro highlandsMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Use the cool morning for one more game drive in the Serengeti, then leave the park and climb into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The short-grass plains give way to green highlands, and Maasai herders walk their cattle along the roadside. You reach your lodge in the afternoon. The highlands sit well above the plains, so evenings are cool, and a fire and a warm dinner are welcome after the dust of the Serengeti.

7. Day 7 Down Into the Crater, On to Tarangire Stay Luxury tented camp or lodge in the Tarangire areaMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater soon after breakfast. The crater floor holds a dense mix of wildlife in a small space: buffalo, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, lions and, with luck, one of the black rhinos that live here. Flamingos often gather on the soda lake. After a picnic lunch, climb out and drive on toward Tarangire, arriving in the late afternoon. Your camp for the last two nights is in quiet country, and dinner is served by lantern light.

8. Day 8 Elephants and Baobabs in Tarangire Stay Luxury tented camp or lodge in the Tarangire areaMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Tarangire is the place to see elephants in large family groups, especially in the dry months when they gather along the Tarangire River. Huge baobab trees, some scarred by elephant tusks, stand over the grass. Spend the whole day exploring with a picnic lunch, looking for lions, pythons resting in the trees and the park’s many birds. Return to camp for your final safari dinner and a quiet evening by the fire.

9. Day 9 Farewell Game Drive and Departure Meals Breakfast, Lunch

   Head out after breakfast for a last game drive, or take an easy morning at camp. On the way out there is time for a short stop at a local village, a chance to meet the communities who live beside the park. After lunch, your guide drives you back toward Arusha and on to the airport for your flight home. Tarangire is about 2 to 2.5 hours from Arusha, so the timing is set around your departure.

Questions about this safari