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Pure safari, Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti

12 days from £5200pp

If you are all about the safari adventure, then this northern Tanzania safari may be the perfect itinerary for you, taking in the key highlights and best national parks of the region. You will be able to awe at the wildlife and sweeping plains and swamps of Tarangire, the stunning landscapes and interesting flora and fauna of Lake Manyara as well as the breathtaking beauty and phenomenal wildlife of the Ngorongoro Crater. Your safari adventure finishes off in the Serengeti where we will position you for the best possible wildlife viewing. There is also a day in the middle for a little rest and relaxation or perhaps enjoy some local activities and explore with your private vehicle and driver.

All of the itineraries that you see on our website are samples of what is possible, every holiday that we operate is completely tailor-made to your requirements, likes and dislikes. Just let us know your ideas when getting in touch and we will craft your plans around these, get your feedback, and keep working on it until everything is perfect.

Tour Highlights

  • Experience the different wildlife and landscapes in the national parks of the north including ending in one of the best wildlife viewing places on earth, the Serengeti.
  • Big Five and a huge variety of some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa.
  • See the Great Rift Valley and Ngorongoro Crater, some of the finest geographical sights in Africa.
  • A day in the middle of the itinerary for a little rest and relaxation or a day of activities if you prefer.
  • Private vehicle and guide throughout your safari.

Price Includes

  • International flights
  • Light aircraft flights
  • All transfers on a private basis
  • Accommodation
  • All safari activities on a private basis
  • All meals while on safari
  • Private vehicle and guide throughout
  • In country and 24-hour UK support
Make an enquiry
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Day 1 - Overnight flight from the UK

Depart from the UK for your flight to Kilimanjaro Airport. There is a huge range of airlines and routes available, please let us know your preferences when getting in touch.

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Day 2 - Private transfer on arrival to Arusha, overnight Arusha.

You will be met on arrival and assisted to your private vehicle and driver who will take you straight to your accommodation for the night. You can spend the remainder of the day resting after your journey and preparing for your safari adventure tomorrow.

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Day 3 - Meet your private vehicle and driver, drive to Tarangire for an afternoon game drive. Overnight Tarangire.

You will meet your private vehicle and driver this morning, after breakfast. After a brief introduction and run through of the itinerary you will set off for the beautiful Tarangire National Park...

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... Please let us know if you have a particular wildlife interest and we will match this with a guide that shares your passion. This drive is interesting as you pass through towns and villages, for the first hour or so, before gradually getting further into the wilderness. You will arrive at around lunchtime and can find a shady picnic spot to enjoy your packed lunch before heading into the park to enjoy an afternoon of game drives.

You will likely make your way down to the swamp area where you will find a huge variety and excellent density of wildlife including buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and giraffe to name a few. After your game drive head to your lodge where you can freshen up before enjoying a delicious dinner.

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Day 4 - Day of game drives in Tarangire with your private vehicle and driver. Overnight Tarangire.

Today you will enjoy a full day game drive (or a morning and afternoon game drive, returning to camp for lunch, if you prefer) with your private vehicle and driver. One of the best things about having your own driver guide...

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...is that you can go on game drives whenever you want and spend as much, or as little, time as you wish at each wildlife sighting. Your guide also knows what animals you have already seen and what you are yet to find.

The wildlife of Tarangire never disappoints and spending a full day in the park allows further exploration. Perhaps you will spot the elusive cheetah on the grassy plains, also frequented by hyena, or even wild dog in this same area. Lion numbers are very good here and often seen.

The plains wildlife is very good with a great mix including warthog, kudu, oyrx, gerenuk and hippo to name a fraction. Not forgetting the huge species of birdlife here which is seriously impressive. After your safari adventure you return to camp to freshen up, perhaps a pre-dinner drink around the campfire and share the days safari stories, one of our favourite parts of the day!

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Day 5 - Game drive in Lake Manyara National Park with your private vehicle and driver then drive to Karatu. Overnight Karatu.

This morning you will make your way the short distance to Lake Manyara National Park for a day of game drives...

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...An early start will ensure that you are at the park gate when it opens which will maximise your time there. The nice thing about game drives here is the variety of landscapes. One minute you are in forest watching baboons frolic, and perhaps tree climbing lion which the park is famous for, the next marvelling at beauty of the park from plains.

Then at the lake shore among the hippo and buffalo with the elephant never far behind. While we wouldn’t expect Manyara to be the highlight of your safari adventure the wildlife is plentiful and interesting and the park beautiful and well worth time exploring.

Following your game drive, you will make your way to Karatu, around 45 minutes from Lake Manyara, which you will use as your base for the next three nights and to visit the Ngorongoro Crater.

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Day 6 - Day at leisure. Overnight Karatu.

Day at leisure in Karatu. There are a host of activities possible in the area, these vary slightly depending on your accommodation choice but, if you would like to get out and explore then you won’t be short of options and your private guide will be more than happy to give you ideas.

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...Some of the activities which we particularly enjoy include taking a coffee plantation tour, Karatu town tour, local brewery tour, a visit to the local market and hikes in the highlands in search of the elephant caves and waterfalls of the area. You could, of course, take it easy today and enjoy the tranquillity of the area.

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Day 7 - Private game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater. Overnight Karatu.

Today you will want to get to the park gate, around half an hour from your accommodation, just before it opens to ensure you are one of the first on the crater floor. The views as you descend into the crater are phenomenal and...

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...one that pictures can do no justice to. You will spend the next six hours marvelling at incredible and abundant wildlife. The crater is so well protected that it is home to a good number of the critically endangered black rhino as well the other members of the big five, lion, leopard, buffalo, and elephant. Although rarely achieved, it is possible to see all of these amazing animals on one game drive. Other wildlife includes hyena and cheetah as well as impala, giraffe, warthog, wildebeest, zebra and hippo although the variety is far too many to mention, one thing is for sure, you will enjoy an incredible experience here.

Following lunch on the crater floor, with elephant and hippo for company, you will make your way up to the rim of the crater where your jaw will once again drop with the views that you are presented. You can spend some time here enjoying the vistas before making your way back to your accommodation for the rest of the afternoon and night.

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Day 8 - Private game drive into the Serengeti National Park. Overnight Serengeti.

Location in the Serengeti is key to make the most out of your time here and to ensure that you will see the incredible wildlife that the park is famous for. We will use our expertise to make sure...

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...you are in the right place at the right time with the best guides, so you have the most incredible safari adventure.

This morning you will depart for the Serengeti. Your journey passes the Ngorongoro Crater rim so you can stop on the way to enjoy the views. As you descend the other side of the crater you will be game driving in the greater Serengeti eco-system so you can expect to see wildlife early into your journey. Depending on the location of your accommodation you will stop off in a shady spot to enjoy a packed lunch before continuing on to your accommodation. There are a few options for the afternoon and you can decide on the drive.

You could game drive for the day and arrive at your accommodation late afternoon where you can settle in and then enjoy dinner. Or you could go straight to your accommodation and settle in and then head back out for an afternoon game drive or finally go straight to your accommodation where you can take it easy for the afternoon, the choice is yours.

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Day 9 - Day of private game drives in the Serengeti. Overnight Serengeti.

Today will be spent enjoying morning and afternoon game drives with your private vehicle and driver, or, if you prefer you could take a packed lunch and head out for the whole day. This is one of the benefits of having a private vehicle and driver...

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...ultimate flexibility to do what you want on a daily basis. The wildlife of the Serengeti is huge in numbers and far to varied to mention everything but, there are regular sightings of lion, leopard, crocodile, hyena and cheetah as well as plains wildlife including elephant, giraffe, buffalo, and hippo. Birdlife here is also superb with over 500 species including the kori bustard, secretary bird, ostrich and ground hornbill as well as the stunning lilac breasted roller and superb starling.

Do let your guide know if there is anything particular that you would like to see and they will speak with the camp staff and other guides in the area to check on the location of the latest wildlife sightings. Following game drives you can enjoy pre-dinner drinks around the camp fire where you can share stories of your safari adventures with the camp staff and other guests. Be sure to look up when it is dark, with such little light pollution the African night sky is some of the best in the world for star gazing.

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Day 10 - Day of private game drives in the Serengeti. Overnight Serengeti.

Your final full day on safari with your private vehicle and guide. A typical day on safari will start with an early wake up call, with a hot drink and small snack, and then...

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...you will head out straight away when the predators are most active. If you are going out on a full day safari you will take a packed lunch with you. Alternatively, you will stay out for the morning, returning to camp for brunch followed by a rest for a few hours during the heat of the day when the wildlife is least active.

As you start your drive the excitement builds, thinking about what amazing wildlife and spectacles that you might see. With over 300 mammal and 500 bird species you are sure to have a fantastic safari adventure. And, do ask your guide as many questions as you can, their knowledge is encyclopaedic, you won’t catch them out!

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Day 11 - Morning game drive to the airstrip. Light aircraft flight to Kilimanjaro airport to connect with your flights back to the UK

There will be time for one last game drive this morning, on the way to the airstrip for your flight to Kilimanjaro airport. For those that are not keen on light aircraft flights this itinerary is also possible avoiding these...

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...All we would need to do is alter the order of the itinerary so do let us know if you would like to explore this option.

Instead of a game drive this morning you could decide to rest around camp before heading straight to the airstrip, the choice is yours.

Your light aircraft will depart the Serengeti around mid-morning and you most likely fly over the Ngorongoro crater which is an incredible sight to see from the air. On arrival into Kilimanjaro airport connect on to your international flights back to the UK. There is a huge range of airlines and routes available, please let us know your preferences when getting in touch.

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Day 12 - Arrive back into the UK

Arrive back into the UK and then start planning your next adventure!

Get in touch now.

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Example accommodation options for this itinerary

Browse all accommodation in Tarangire

Tarangire River Camp

3.5 Star. Excellent family friendly camp just outside the park.

Maweninga Camp

4 Star. Excellent value for money with a stunning location within Tarangire.

Ormatai Rocks

4.5 Star. High standard with an amazing location overlooking the park.

Tarangire Ndovu

4.5 Star. Modern, chic and stylish high standard camp with large rooms.

Browse all accommodation at the Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Farmhouse

3.5 Star. Great all round lodge with excellent facilities and great value.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

3.5 Star. Large lodge and less personal but stunning location.

Kitela Lodge

4 Star. Lovely lodge with a beautiful hilltop setting. Super value.

Plantation Lodge

4 Star. One of the best options for the region with stunning gardens.

Browse all accommodation in the Serengeti

Ndutu Safari Lodge

3.5 star. A super permanent option with fantastic staff and a secure feel.

Lake Masek Tented Lodge

4 star. Fantastic location on the lake shore and a high standard of accommodation.

Ubuntu Migration Camp

4 star. A classic safari camp with luxurious tented rooms, very slick operation.

Testimonials

Sarah
What an amazing experience
We spent a lot of time trying to plan our ‘once in a lifetime’ family holiday to Tanzania and needed some expert advice. We found Tim at Speke Travel as part of a Google search and he really made our trip an unforgettable experience. The support and expert knowledge given by Tim transformed a great trip into the most unbelievable experience that we will treasure forever. There is always going to be an element of luck on what you see on safari, however, getting the right trip planned will always help. The quality of the route, the safari guide and the camps/hotels that Tim planned meant we were given the best possibilities to see what we wanted ….. and so much more, it was mind-blowing. Throughout the whole process, we were very specific about what we wanted to do and Tim could not have been more helpful, nothing was too much trouble and he worked with us until we had the perfect trip arranged. The booking could not have been simpler and it was never a problem to ask Tim questions and make changes. Tim’s knowledge and enthusiasm for Africa is exceptional and set him apart from the competition, giving us complete confidence. For anyone looking for an African adventure we would highly recommend Tim and Speke Travel.
Karen Rowe
Zimbabwe/Botswana Safari
I recently went on a safari with a group of friends that was tailor made by Tim to fit a budget and ensure that we had a true African safari experience. The entire trip was amazing …everything went to plan with no hitches. We had three different locations over a period of ten days and each one gave a different experience that will never be forgotten…his expertise and knowledge made the trip one of the most amazing holidays I’ve ever had.
Diana
The experience was amazing
The 10day experience was amazing! From Johannesburg to Honeyguide Mantobeni safaris, Cape Town highlights to wine tasting in Stellenboch-all transfers were seamless. Speke has a strong network with South Africa!
Carol
We couldn’t have done it without Speke Travel
Tim Parry was our advisor, and he was a true professional with the experience required to navigate an African Safari for two couples traveling together but had some different needs. He was patient, thorough, informative, knowledgeable, and sensitive to the type of travel and experience we were looking for. He made us feel comfortable asking very basic questions and provided a wealth of information on a variety of subjects. He was quick to respond to our queries, and you could tell that he took time to answer our questions. The travel documents were detailed and organized. While there are many travel arrangements we can all do ourselves these days, Africa is huge and the experiences are unlimited, and we would not have been able to plan and execute this trip without Tim.
Bonnie Fair
The Trip of a Lifetime from Tim Parry at Speke Travel
Tim Parry at Speke Travel designed the trip of a lifetime for us in Tanzania with Asilia Africa. He responded to our many, many emails within a day (we are in California, USA, he's in the UK) in spite of our very different time zones. His advice and recommendations were all excellent, and we followed all of them. We can't imagine working with anyone who could have been more helpful and sincere in their effort to give us the best trip at the best price. We are forever grateful to have found him and highly recommend him to anyone seeking a safari in Africa. He is nothing less than outstanding as a travel agent.
Jim Kavanagh
The trip to Tanzania for a family of 6…
The trip to Tanzania for a family of 6 wasn’t easy to organise but Tim from Speke managed to get a bit of everything into the trip. Great organisation and plenty of dialog to create the trip. Thoroughly recommend the Speke team.
Andrew
Three Trips with Speke Tim at Speke really understands the…
Tim at Speke really understands the type of trip that you want, has excellent knowledge of the region and finds the route and type of accommodation that meets both expectations, timescales and budget.
Jane Cotton
Excellent service from start to finish – true experts!
A friend recommended Speke Travel to us as they'd had a number of fantastic experiences. They did not disappoint! Tim Parry planned a 3 week adventure in Tanzania and Zanzibar for our family of 5. He has a wealth of knowledge about the country and was able to tailor our itinerary to suit our preferences and our budget. It was just amazing to have every single detail taken care of so that we didn’t have to think about anything other than enjoying the many incredible places we visited. We are very much planning future trips to other parts of Africa, and will definitely call upon Tim's excellent service in the future. I would recommend Speke Travel to anyone planning an adventure to any African country.
Ed
Zimbabwe and Botswana Trip
We used Tim at Speke travel to organise our honeymoon in Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls) and Botswana (Chobe and Okavanga Delta). Tim was pulled together some great options (varying price points) and was very helpful throughout. We had an amazing time and I would thoroughly recommend him.
Arabella Smith
Exceptional – will never use anyone else for Africa (and would use for the rest of the world if possible!)
Thank you for creating a honeymoon of dreams for us. Every step of the planning process was made so easy by Tim, and it really felt that we were creating something unique together. We loved every single second of our time away, especially Namibia, which now holds a special place in our hearts. Tim created an unforgettable experience for us and if we could, we would be giving 6 stars for this review! Seriously, if you’re thinking of travelling around Africa, look no further as Speke Travel/Tim will help you create an adventure of a lifetime.
Richard L, Georgia USA
Zimbabwe/Botswana
Having never been on a safari trip, I was apprehensive about the logistics and arrangements. Based on a friend’s advice we booked through Tim at Speke Travel. His advice and assistance with booking arrangements were absolutely essential to making our trip a tremendous success. The accommodations were excellent and the numerous safari outings that were included went beyond my expectations. Each of our three locations had daily activities arranged by Tim. Each one was more impressive than the last. The logistics to move us from one location to the other (across international borders) went perfectly. I have already recommended his services to friends and will continue to do so.
Andrew Bradley
South African wildlife and Wine Safari
I ditto everything my traveling companion Susan Durman mentioned. The fact that our missed flight was rearranged so quickly and with out fuss was fantastic and saved us a load of hassle. Couldn’t recommend Speke Travel enough.

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We are here to help you plan your next African adventure. Simply fill in the contact us form and we will be in touch. We think a phone call is the best way to start things off, so that we can really understand your plans, but, if you prefer to start things off by e-mail that’s just fine as well.

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