Blessed with a volume of animals unequalled anywhere else in the world, Tanzania is without a doubt one of the most dramatic safari destinations in Africa. Combining this with the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda makes for a truly incredible experience.
The iconic images of the Maasai people tending their herds against the backdrop of one of nature’s most spectacular shows - the annual migration of nearly 2 million animals - is a humbling experience. The classic umbrella thorn acacia trees scattered across a landscape covered with animals is a scene that has been well documented in both classical films and wildlife documentaries. Shadowing the migration with your own private vehicle and guide, we will combine intimate permanent lodges with small mobile camps alongside the world’s largest movement of mammals to take full advantage of all areas visited on this safari.
Full days are spent absorbing the sheer enormity of it all, from the masses of animals, contrasting landforms, and tribal peoples, to the peace and solitude of a day on safari. Ensuring exclusivity and flexibility are maintained at all times, this safari combines the vastness of the Serengeti with the chilly highlands of the Ngorongoro Crater, the large herds of elephants in the rugged landscape of Tarangire National Park, and the quaint, manicured setting of Arusha Coffee Lodge, where the safari begins.
From the Serengeti we move to the Rwandan highlands and visit one of the last remaining families of Mountain Gorillas left in the wild today. To spend a full hour, literally a few metres away from a family of gorillas, watching and photographing them as they go about their daily lives in the pristine indigenous forests, is an experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
We look forward to guiding you through some of the best wildlife experiences that Africa has to offer.
Tanzania Road Transfer from JRO International Airport to Arusha Coffee Lodge
The perfect place to catch your breath and settle into the relaxed pace of safari, Arusha Coffee Lodge is located in expansive coffee plantations and is within minutes’ drive to Arusha Airport, from where you will depart the following morning bound for Oliver’s Camp.
Light Aircraft Transfer to Oliver’s Camp
Tarangire National Park is located in northern Tanzania, 120km south-west of Arusha. The park is named after the Tarangire River that runs through its centre from south to north-west, and drains into Lake Burunge. Tarangire is known for its impressive herds of elephant and majestic baobab trees. You can find many of the large African mammals here, including lion, leopard, buffalo, and lesser- and greater kudu. The park hosts an enormous variety of birds - more than 500 species.
Oliver's Camp is situated in the remote south-eastern part of the park, in the heart of Tarangire's unspoilt wilderness. The camp is ideally placed to access the yearly migrations of wildlife, and to view bustling activity at waterholes and in the spectacular Silale swamps. This area offers the best chance of seeing lion, leopard and cheetah and, especially during the dry season, the swamps are filled with elephant, buffalo and zebra.
Road Transfer to Plantation Lodge
Like a green oasis, Plantation Lodge rests on the soft, red-brown hills amidst the vastness and silence of East Africa. The individually furnished rooms and suites melting harmoniously into the flowering gardens offer comfort and relaxation. Everywhere you look, you can see and even feel the personal atmosphere of this owner-run lodge. To stay at Plantation Lodge is to immerse oneself in a world of rest and relaxation.
Located just stone’s throw from the entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Plantation Lodge acts as a perfect base from where to explore the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unbroken ancient caldera in the world. Covering more than 8 000 square kilometres (3 100 square miles), this volcanic crater is said to have the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa - nearly 30 000 mammals. With a variety of habitats consisting of grassland, swamps, forests and Lake Makat, a central soda lake filled by the Munge River, there is no need for the animals to leave the crater floor and as such are resident year round.
Flanked on all sides by sheer cliffs and mist-covered peaks, this fertile landscape is also home to one of Africa’s last remaining wild populations of the critically endangered black rhino. During this part of the safari you will be able to make the most of your time in the crater by spending a full day exploring the crater floor in search of the bird and mammal species that frequent this unique part of Africa.
Light Aircraft Transfer to Serengeti Safari Camp
The Serengeti is a vast ecosystem that has remained largely unchanged for millions of years. The movement of animals is determined by local rainfall patterns, which ultimately provide the best grazing for the nearly two million animals that live on its vast plains and fertile valleys. We have chosen Serengeti Safari Camp in this itinerary for the intimate tented atmosphere it offers, all with en-suite facilities and bucket showers which make for an authentic safari experience with all of the comforts of home. This camp moves throughout the year, on average every three months, to shadow the movement of the herds, thereby offering the best chance of being in the right place at the right time to view the spectacle of the annual migration and accompanying wildlife.
Road Transfer to Lamai Serengeti Camp
The iconic Kogakuria Kopje in the northern Serengeti holds the most commanding vantage point for miles around. This is where Lamai Serengeti Camp is located, with never-ending views beyond the Mara River valley across the whole Lamai area to the north. Tucked away in these hills and offering every luxurious comfort, this small, intimate, permanent camp is perfectly positioned to experience both the annual migration in the later part of the year as well as boasting some of the best year-round resident game viewing in the Serengeti. The surrounding rolling hills and open savannah forms a backdrop to this classic East African landscape.
The Mara River is a major attraction here. The chance to see a wildebeest crossing during the migration and braving some of Africa’s largest crocodiles is a very real possibility, a spectacle that, once seen, will be remembered forever.
Light Aircraft Transfer to Kigali, Rwanda.
Enjoy the plush surrounds of the Serena Hotel where we will overnight between the Tanzanian portion of the safari and the start of the Rwandan safari. The following morning we will head towards the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge where we will be spending the next two nights. Part of the journey to Sabyinyo Lodge includes a city tour of Kigali, as well as a visit to the Genocide Memorial Centre. This will give you a good insight into the history of Rwanda as well as a look at the role played by tourism in this country's bright future.
Road Transfer to Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
The focus of our time at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge will be to trek and spend time with one of the last remaining families of Mountain Gorillas left in the wild. A close encounter with these gentle giants is an experience that will stay with you forever. Being able to sit within a few metres of these magnificent animals is both awe-inspiring and humbling. As pressure from a growing human population threatens this species (and many more), it is rewarding to know that by visiting the lodge and viewing the gorillas, you are creating jobs for the local community as well as helping to ensure that the gorillas remain protected. Their estimated population of just 600-700 individuals faces an uncertain future.
Road Transfer to Kigali
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