6 Days · 5 Nights Ngorongoro, Serengeti & Lake Manyara Road Safari

An early start will take you down the steep crater wall to the floor of this vast, self-contained ecosystem, packed with an extraordinary density of wildlife on open, flat terrain. You will have excellent opportunities to get remarkably close to lions, including the crater's famously photogenic black-maned males, as well as buffaloes, elephants, hyenas, flamingos and the rare black rhino. A picnic lunch on the crater floor will give you a chance to soak in the ancient caldera setting before a late-afternoon ascent back to the rim.

• Early morning descent to the Ngorongoro Crater floor
• Full-day game drive across the crater's open grasslands and soda lake shores
• Close-up viewing of black-maned lions, black rhino, buffalo and flamingos
• Picnic lunch on the crater floor
• Late afternoon ascent back to the crater rim

After breakfast you will depart the crater rim and head west toward the Serengeti, pausing at the world-famous Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakey family's discoveries of early hominid fossils, tools and ancient footprints helped establish Africa as the cradle of humankind. Continuing into Serengeti National Park, you will begin encountering the park's legendary wildlife at rocky granite kopjes, where lion cubs and their resting parents make for unforgettable photographs. The late afternoon drive through the Serengeti's golden light will set the tone for the days ahead.

• Breakfast at the lodge followed by departure toward the Serengeti
• Guided stop at Olduvai Gorge museum and fossil site
• Game drive en route into Serengeti National Park
• Wildlife viewing at granite kopjes, including lions, cheetahs and leopards
• Late afternoon game drive as predators become active at dusk

A full day in the Serengeti will offer you some of the finest game viewing on the African continent, with early morning drives giving you the best chance of witnessing predator activity. The vast mosaic of short-grass plains, riverine forests, rocky kopjes and permanent hippo pools supports approximately three million animals, and from December through June the Great Wildebeest Migration brings over a million wildebeest and zebra sweeping across the plains. Your guide will share deep knowledge of animal behaviour and ecosystem dynamics throughout the day.

• Pre-dawn or early morning game drive to catch predators on the hunt
• Full-day game viewing across Serengeti plains, kopjes, forests and rivers
• Big Five and big cat sightings, including lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and buffalo
• Hippo and crocodile spotting at permanent water sources
• Seasonal viewing of the Great Wildebeest Migration (December to June)
• Sunset game drive before returning to camp

Your final Serengeti morning will begin with a sunrise game drive across the plains, and for those wishing to add an extraordinary memory, an optional hot air balloon flight over the Serengeti is available at an additional cost, followed by a celebratory champagne brunch in the bush. You will then depart overland toward Lake Manyara, arriving at your escarpment lodge in time to enjoy spectacular rift valley views before an afternoon game drive in the compact but species-rich Lake Manyara National Park. The park is renowned for its tree-climbing lions in the acacia woodlands, large elephant herds along the Ndala River, and colourful birdlife along the lakeshore.

• Sunrise game drive through the Serengeti
• Optional hot air balloon flight over the Serengeti (additional cost)
• Optional champagne bush brunch following balloon ride (additional cost)
• Overland road transfer to Lake Manyara
• Panoramic views of the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara from the escarpment
• Afternoon game drive in Lake Manyara National Park
• Tree-climbing lion viewing in acacia woodlands
• Elephant watching along the Ndala River
• Birdwatching along the lake including flamingos and pelicans
• Leopard and monkey spotting in the groundwater forest

After a leisurely breakfast with final views over the rift valley, you will depart Lake Manyara for the drive back to Arusha, arriving in time for a farewell lunch before your transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your onward flight. Your Africompass driver-guide will ensure you are checked in with time to spare, leaving you with memories of five remarkable days in Tanzania's greatest wilderness areas.

• Breakfast at Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge
• Scenic road transfer from Lake Manyara to Arusha
• Farewell lunch in Arusha
• Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for departure