Day 1 — Arusha → Central Serengeti (L, D)
07:30 pickup from your Arusha hotel/airport. Trip briefing and depart across the Great Rift and Ngorongoro highlands.
Expect vistas and occasional roadside wildlife. Enter the Serengeti at Naabi Hill, stretch
your legs and enjoy a picnic lunch while your guide registers the vehicle.
Afternoon game drive toward the central plains and kopjes. This area holds resident lions, leopards (often in riverine trees),
cheetahs on the short grass, and large herds of plains game year-round. We focus on productive loops and patient
positioning rather than rushing between radio call-outs.
Driving & Notes: Arusha → Naabi gate ~5.5–6.5 hrs plus stops; game-viewing to camp ~1–2 hrs. Roads vary from tarmac to graded gravel; some
sections corrugated after rains. Overnight: Serengeti Safari Haven or Serengeti Tortilis Camp (midrange, ensuite).
Day 2 — Central Serengeti → Ngorongoro Rim (B, L, D)
Up before dawn for first light—prime time for predators and active herbivores. We work the river lines and open plains,
scanning kopjes for cats warming in early sun. Stop for a bush coffee and continue toward hippo pools and known cheetah
territories. Optional hot-air balloon (extra $590 pp) with post-flight bush breakfast can be arranged; departs pre-dawn.
After a late morning break, continue game-driving en-route east through the Serengeti toward Naabi, then into the
Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As altitude rises, temperatures cool and vistas expand across
the crater highlands. Check in near/along the crater rim for the night.
Driving & Notes: Game drives ±4–5 hrs (flexible). Serengeti central → NCA rim ~3–4 hrs depending on sightings and road conditions.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Tortilis Camp or Ngorongoro Angata Camp (midrange tented, ensuite).
Day 3 — Ngorongoro Crater Descent → Arusha (B, L)
Early start for gate formalities, then descend 600m to the crater floor. High wildlife densities and permanent water create
one of Africa’s most reliable single-day game drives. We work the Lerai woodland, open short-grass plains and the marsh edges
for lion, hyena, buffalo, elephant and, with luck, black rhino. Birdlife includes crowned cranes, kites, and seasonal flamingos.
Picnic at a designated site by the hippo pools. After an unhurried session (within park time limits), ascend the rim and set off
for Arusha with a comfort stop en route. Expect arrival mid/late afternoon; hotel or airport drop-off included.
Driving & Notes: Crater floor time typically ~4–6 hrs per regulations/permit. Rim → Arusha ~3.5–4.5 hrs depending on traffic/roadworks.
No off-road driving; we comply with NCAA rules to keep the experience safe and sustainable.
Gallery
Scenes from the Route