Safari tour includes: Kirurumu Tented Lodge – tented rooms, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge – bedroom rondavels in Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area, Northern Safari Circuit, Tanzania

Suitability: All ages / Luxury Eco-traveller / Adventure camper

Activities: Game Drives, botanical and birding walks

Arrive: Kilimanjaro International Airport Depart: Kilimanjaro International Airport

Read About: Ngorongoro Crater Conservancy Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

What to expect on this Ngorongoro Crater Safari:

From Arusha you will travel to Lake Manyara National Park - famous for its tree-climbing lions. Spend the night at Kirurumu Tented Lodge, set high on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, enjoying a panoramic view eastward over Lake Manyara, the Rift floor and Mt. Losimingori.

Spend two nights at the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge. Spread out along the uppermost, eastern rim of the Ngorongoro World Heritage Site, the lodge offers breathtaking views of the crater floor below. A day's safari through this unique conservation area provides you with spectacular and memorable game viewing experience. This safari in Tanzania is perfect as a ‘add on’ trip to a Kenyan safari itinerary.

Day 1 : Lake Manyara National Park

Situated in the lush foothills of Mount Meru, you will find Arusha – northern tanzania’s major commercial centre and the country’s safari capital. Arusha is well connected to the rest of Tanzania and Nairobi by both road and air. You will be met by your Tanzania safari guide and enjoy a delicious lunch at the Arusha Coffee Lodge, which lies in a tranquil coffee plantation. The extensive menu of the Redds African Grill House features an exciting array of traditional Tanzanian cuisine as well as variety of other African specialties.

Kirurumu Tented Lodge is a two hour drive from Arusha. You will arrive at the lodge late in the afternoon. Dotted across thirteen acres of land, each of the Kirurumu tented rooms sit on a raised wooden deck and has a spacious bedroom, en-suite and veranda. There are large comfortable beds covered in throws made from traditional Maasai blankets.

Behind Kirurumu, the Ngorongoro Highlands rise, forming the gateway to Ngorongoro Crater and, finally, Olduvai Gorge, the Serengeti and the 200 sq. km. game-rich Loliondo Concession which immediately borders the Serengeti.

There are many walking trails from the lodge and local Maasai guides will be happy to escort you on botanical and birding walks. You can also hire mountain bikes and take guided trips into the valley and the local village and meet the farmers and locals.

Enjoy dinner tonight, which is international style cuisine, though often Kirurumu Tented Lodge will have a traditional Swahili night where you can try a variety of local dishes. A favourite spot at Kirurumu Tented Lodge is its bar area – which has wonderful views over Lake Manyara. Enjoy a nightcap under the vast African skies, before retiring for the night.

Days 2 & 3 : Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Tea or coffee will be delivered to your room with a wake-up call this morning on your Ngorongoro Crater safari in Tanzania. Spend the morning in Lake Manyara National Park, which is a 20-minute drive away, before you head towards the Ngorongoro Crater. Kirurumu Tented Lodge is a one hour drive to the gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge is located on Lemala Hill on the uppermost, eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, a World Heritage Site, in the highlands of northern Tanzania. The Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge is the only tourist development on the eastern rim of the crater and thus offers unique and spectacular views down into the crater floor and of the sunsets over the western horizon.

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge has 97 rooms, which are set in large two-storey rondavels, separate from the main building. There are two bedrooms in each rondavel, with one above the other, and each has views out over the Crater. Rooms have central heating, a private lounge with mini bar, a bedroom with two queen size beds and ample room for a third, an en-suite bathroom with shaver sockets and a hair dryer, and a private solarium which offers stunning views down into the crater floor below.

Enjoy a half day excursion in the crater on your Ngorongoro Crater safari in Tanzania. Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. It measures about 16-19km in diameter, with walls of 400-610m in height. The mineral-rich floor of this caldera is flat, open and covered in nutritious grasses. Large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze here as well as herds of buffalo, Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle and tsessebe. Black rhino are often seen in open grasslands. Lion, Spotted hyena and Cheetah are seen as well as leopards, especially in the vicinity of the Lerai Forest.

Day 4 : Return to Arusha

Drive back to Arusha arriving around 1pm.

Included:

• Teas & Coffees
• Transfers
• All meals
• Excursions
• Guiding fees
• Accommodation
• Park entry fees
• Laundry

Not Included:

• Medical and travel insurance
• Gratuities for guides and staff
• International flights
• Visa fees