Western Kilimanjaro to Southern Serengeti
This safari is centered on the plains of Western Kilimanjaro and
then moves across to the remote Southern Serengeti. Western
Kilimanjaro camp is set in a private concession which means just
that - it is private and not a public park. It covers 75,000
acres and borders Kenya's Amboseli National Park. The landscapes
here consist of floodplains, hills and acacia woodland. This
destination is amazing as the camp is luxurious and game
spotting is done against the dramatic back-drop of Mount
Kilimanjaro. In the evening enjoy the stars of the southern sky
and the amazing sight of Mount Kilimanjaro illuminated by
moonlight.
The Southern Serengeti is an incredible place from January
through to March, the wildebeest migration is in the area and
during this time the hordes amass around the Kusini Camp for the
birthing of their young. This is the world's last great
migration and so can be said to be unique, without any danger of
exaggeration.
Day 1 & 2 - Kambi ya Tembo in the Western Kilimanjaro
Kambi ya Tembo (Elephant Camp) looks across the plains at
Kilimanjaro and offers accommodation in ten tents with en suite
facilities. Each luxury tent is under the shade of a massive,
old acacia tree and combines the luxury and warmth with the best
cultural and natural experience possible. Full board here
includes tea/coffee local beers, wines, sprits and laundry
service.
Day 3 - Transfer to Tarangire National Park
Travel from West Kilimanjaro and stop in Arusha for lunch in
this small bustling town in Northern Tanzania.
After lunch travel for ninety minutes to the Tarangire National
Park and to River Camp Lodge which is close to an old Baobab,
that dominates the dry riverbed. This camp is made up of 18
Luxury Safari Tents within 25,000 hectare concession which is
set aside for conservation by the local Maasai community of
Minjingu.
Day 4 - After breakfast enter into Tarangire National Park for
the full day, stopping for picnic lunch in the Park.
In the late afternoon drive to Ngorongoro Farm House. This is an
exclusive lodge facing the Ol-deani Volcano, and is set on a
huge coffee farm. Three separate and intimate camps of nine
comfortable bungalows each are built in the design of an old
colonial farm. They are tastefully decorated, using local
materials offering an imaginary journey to days long past.
Day 5 - Ngorongoro Crater: the full day is spent exploring the
world's largest unbroken volcanic caldera. The steep sides of
the crater mean that it has become a natural enclosure for
wildlife, including most of the species found in East Africa.
The night is spent in one of the luxury lodges perched on the
rim of the crater - all rooms offering magnificent views of the
crater bellow. Day 6 to 8 - Journey to the Southern Serengeti
with game viewing en-route. The lodge is Kusini Camp - full
board here includes tea/coffee local beers, wines, sprits and
laundry service.
The Serengeti would not be the same without the beautiful rock
outcrops known as kopjes. The rounded shapes of these ancient
granite rocks are the result of cracking and erosion from
exposure to sun, wind, and rain. They provide shelter and
capture water for a wealth of wildlife and plants. In fact,
without such environs, lions and other large animals would be
unable to survive the dry season on the plains.
Kusini Camp is perfectly sited in a cluster of kopjes, Kusini is
a permanent tented camp blended seamlessly into the delicate
environment of the predator-rich plains of the Serengeti. The
surrounding short grass plains provide the setting for the most
spectacular natural phenomenon in the continent of Africa, the
wildebeest migration, during which time the hordes amass around
the camp for the birthing of their young.
Day 9 - Leave the Serengeti and drive through the Ngorongoro
Conservation and return to the Ngorongoro Farm House.
Day 10 - After breakfast game drive in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is home to millions of flamingos,
pelicans, storks and other plentiful bird life, as well as
hippos that can be observed at close range. Pink flamingo graze
by the thousands whilst yellow-billed storks swoop and corkscrew
on thermal winds rising up from the escarpment, and herons flap
their wings against the sun-drenched sky. This park is also
famous for the tree-climbing lions. In addition to the lions,
the national park is also home to the largest concentration of
baboons in Tanzania.
Return to Arusha and end of safari.