Be astonished by the abundance of wildlife, the vast wilderness areas and the gracious welcomes we will encounter in Northern Tanzania. We visit several well-known national parks: Serengeti, a safari mecca populated by the “big five” game (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino), Arusha, from where we will see Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, and Lake Manyara, an unexpected oasis of tropical ground forest. 5-star lodges and tented camps provide us luxurious comfort along the way. For the game drives, we will travel in extended Toyota Land Cruisers (or similar) with sliding windows and vertical opening roofs. Each traveler will have a safe window seat with unobstructed views. These versatile vehicles include 12-volt outlets for recharging cameras, and a cooler, so we always have cold water available.

 

We are fortunate to have Tanzania native and London educated Lucas Mhina as our tour guide. He has a keen interest in ecology and truly enjoys being with people so that he can share his knowledge of the birds and wildlife of East Africa. He has been guiding and leading groups since 1999. Lucas has created this special itinerary for our Sun Tours travelers!

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Included meals are denoted: Breakfast: B, Lunch: L, Dinner: D

 

DAYS 1       

We embark from Albuquerque International Sunport and travel overnight to the country of Freedom and Unity.  

 

DAY 2                

We arrive in Arusha and transfer to 5-star Lake Duluti Luxury Lodge for our two-night stay. After our arrival, we get a good night’s rest and prepare for our morning game drive. 

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DAY 3              B,L,D

We depart after breakfast and a short safari briefing for a game drive in Arusha National Park. This park is known for the abundance of flamingos, Colobus monkeys, giraffes, zebra, and buffalo. A picnic lunch is a welcome break in the afternoon. Afterwards, we take a ranger-led nature walk in the foothills of Mt. Meru. This evening, we return to our lodge for dinner.

 

DAY 4              B,L,D

This morning enjoy a pre-breakfast walk around the lodge grounds. After breakfast, we visit Shanga Beads, a local project founded in 2007, and made up of a group of more than 70 people with a wide range of disabilities. They create a variety of products, including weaving, glass blowing, beading, paper making and metal work, using recycled materials wherever possible. Their philosophy is that kindness is a language that blind people see and deaf people hear. Learn about the birth of the project, visit the workshops and the gift shop to witness the amazing artistry of this heartwarming project. We continue to Maramboi Tented Lodge, where we enjoy a welcome drink and refreshing towel. The lodge has both indoor and outdoor seating and decks with stunning views of Lake Manyara. The tents were built to minimize disruption of the environment and to maximize usage of solar energy. The hotel is situated less than 5 miles from the entrance to Tarangire National Park. There is an optional walk to the lake, or we can enjoy some time to relax and see wildlife around the lodge. Before dinner there is a briefing by our Tour Director for the next day’s program. Two nights’ lodging at Maramboi Tented Lodge.

 

DAY 5              B,L,D

Today we enter Tarangire National Park for a full-day game drive. The Tarangire River snakes through the park and wildlife travel long distances, drawn to the area's only permanent river. The 1,096 square miles of protected lands are home to a large variety of game such as wildebeests, elephants, zebras, gazelles, elands, gerenuks, lions and leopards. Extensive grasslands, dusted with the occasional acacia or baobab tree, provide the optimum conditions for viewing wild animals. Bird lovers will have the opportunity to see more than 500 avian species including yellow‑collared lovebirds, rufous‑tailed weavers, ashy starlings, stocking‑thighed ostriches, and kori bustards. We’ll take a picnic lunch so that we make the most of our time on safari. Afterwards, we drive back to the lodge where we will have time to relax or take a guided nature walk.

 

DAY 6              B,L,D

Before breakfast, we visit a local Maasai village to observe as members of the community go about their morning rituals. We transfer back to the lodge for breakfast. Next, we transfer to Lake Eyasi with an en route stop at Mto wa Mbu. During our walk through the village, we will be able to observe the way of life in this rural community. We enjoy lunch prepared by a local family with an explanation of the different culinary delights and how they are made. One night’s lodging at Acacia Farm Lodge.

 

DAY 7              B,L,D

After a late breakfast, we head to Serengeti National Park, home to the greatest concentration of large mammals in the world. Migratory herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle roam in an ongoing search for grass and water. The remainder of the afternoon will be free to relax and enjoy the views offered at lodge. We stay at Serengeti Sametu Camp for two nights.  

 

DAY 8              B,L,D

You spend today exploring the Serengeti. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the location of the famous annual migration of over a million wildebeest. Other wild animals include zebra, gazelle, buffalo, elephant and giraffe along with predators like lion, cheetah and leopard. Morning and afternoon game drives.  

 

DAY 9            B,L,D                DAY 10           B,L,D

Moving to the Central Serengeti, we find the best place for crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, and lots of hippos! Morning and afternoon game drives both days as we continue our watch for more wild cats. We spend the next two nights at the Mbugani Tented Camp.

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DAY 11            B,L,D

We take our last game drive as we exit Serengeti National Park and head to Karatu. On route, we stop at Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important prehistoric archaeological sites on Earth. It was there in 1959 that archaeologist Mary Leakey discovered a skull fragment, dated to about 1.75 million years ago, belonging to an early hominin dubbed “Nutcracker Man” because of its huge molars (indicative of a vegetarian diet). Late in the afternoon, we check in at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge. 

 

DAY 12           B,L,D

Today we take a full day to visit the sunken caldera, and World Heritage Site, Ngorongoro Crater. Ten by twelve miles in diameter, animals are found throughout the year due to the permanent availability of grass and water. This is one of the most spectacular game haunts in Africa, and contains an impressive variety of wildlife, including black-maned lions, the highly endangered black rhino, herds of wildebeest, zebra, elephants, and hippos, we will enjoy the morning game drive with a picnic breakfast. Then, we take an afternoon drive to Acacia Farm Lodge for a late lunch. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a guided walk around the lodge or just enjoy the beauty of the lodge. Tonight, we have a group dinner at the lodge. 

 

DAYS 13 - 14            B,L                   

After breakfast, we drive back to Arusha, enjoying a farewell luncheon before our overnight flights home. 

 

Itinerary subject to change