Tanzania Classic Safari is the perfect way to see Tanzania in a relatively short span of time, maximizing your time in its justly renowned game parks and reserves. Northern Tanzania is home to some of the most prolific wildlife found anywhere in the world, and its landscapes are remarkable. There is the Ngorongoro Crater, which has some 2,000-foot-high walls and protects large populations of wild animals.

We’ll also spend ample time in the Serengeti grasslands, quite possibly the greatest reservoir of plains game on Earth. At Lake Manyara we look for its hallmark sighting — tree-climbing lions. And Olduvai Gorge is renowned as the place where the Leakey family discovered hominid remains that have influenced our understanding of prehistory. Join us and you’ll see all this and more, in a style that contributes to your knowledge and understanding.

Day 1
U.S. / En Route

We depart the U.S. on a connecting flight to Tanzania. (Meals Aloft)

Day 2
Arusha

Connect with our flight to Africa. Arriving at Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania, we transfer to our hotel, Mountain Village Lodge, which has lovely gardens of bougainvillea and views of Kilimanjaro. (Meals Aloft)

Day 3 
Lake Manyara National Park

We drive across the Great Rift Valley, en route visiting Mto Wa Mbu and a village. On a leisurely stroll with a village guide we will visit local homes, farmlands and a school, meeting the residents along the way. We enjoy an afternoon game drive at Lake Manyara, famous for its large herds of elephant. Lake Manyara National Park has large baobab and acacia trees, and we’ll check the acacias to see if we can find the tree-climbing lions for which the park is known. We are likely to see buffalo, baboon, flamingos and prides of lion. Later we settle into Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, which is perched on the edge of the Rift Valley escarpment, with breathtaking views. (B,L,D)

Days 4 & 5
Ngorongoro Crater

Twelve miles wide, the Ngorongoro Crater is home to rare rhino and has its own lake. The concentration of animals means that you are likely to see several lion in a short period of time. You descend 2,000 feet for a thrilling day among Africa’s “Big Five” (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard) before returning to our home for the next two nights, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge. The setting has a sublime beauty. Our lodge fits into the contours of the crater rim and is built of volcanic rock. It offers a spectacular view of the crater floor. (B,L,D Daily)

Day 6
Serengeti National Park

Today, we head for the Serengeti, en route visiting Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakey family unearthed thousands of fossil bones and stone tools. We descend to the Serengeti Plains, home to millions of large animals, including wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, impala and hartebeest. Predators include lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena and wild dogs. You may also enjoy an optional hot-air balloon safari over the Serengeti. We overnight at the Serengeti Serena Lodge. (B,L,D)

Days 7 & 8
Serengeti National Park

Travel to one of the most intimate and luxurious tented camps in Tanzania: Kirawira, set in the remote western Serengeti, in an area where the wildlife is just extraordinary. We’ll enjoy game drives each day. Along the Grumeti River, we’ll find hippos and crocodiles. Our camp has gourmet dining, a lounge and elegant furnishings, and our nights will be spent under canvas. (B,L,D Daily)

Day 9
Serengeti / Arusha / En Route

During our last game drive (time permitting), we may encounter water birds, zebra and lion. Fly to Arusha in time for lunch and a visit to Arusha Town with shopping opportunities. Dayrooms await us at Mountain Village. Tonight, transfer to the airport for our connecting flight to the U.S. (B,L)

Day 10
U.S.

Connect with flights to the U.S. (Meals Aloft)

Nestled in the heart of a coffee plantation on the shores of Lake Duluti, near Arusha, Mountain Village provides a true experience of a coffee plantation and is designed as an African village. It is renowned for its collection of spectacular bougainvillea. Accommodation is in banana-stem thatched huts, grouped in semi-circles around tropical shade trees. All guest rooms have private balconies that have magnificent views of snow-capped Kilimanjaro on one side and, on the other, Lake Duluti and the rugged peaks of Mount Meru.

Lake Manyara Serena Lodge

This lodge is perched on the edge of the Mto Wa Mbu Escarpment, overlooking the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara. Manyara is a jewel of a park, situated between the 2,000-foot escarpment and Lake Manyara itself. It is noted for its tree-climbing lions, but also has big populations of impala, elephant, zebra, waterbuck and other plains animals.

Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

On the crater’s rim, this luxurious lodge provides a dramatic view of one of the most incredible wildlife areas on Earth — Ngorongoro Crater. Emphasizing spaciousness and comfort, delicious meals and superior service, the lodge also allows easy access to the crater.

Kirawira

One of Tanzania's most elegant tented camps, Kirawira is near the Grumeti River, home to the largest crocodiles in Africa. From the verandas of your tent, you can gaze into the horizon and see a landscape teeming with animals as wild and free as they were millions of years ago.

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