10 Days Bird Watching Safari

ARRIVAL

Welcome to Tanzania!

Your Ol-Lerai Africa safari guide will be waiting for you at Kilimanjaro International Airport. We will then drive to your accommodation in Arusha (approximately a 1.5 hours’ drive, depending on traffic and time of arrival.) We will leave you to relax in the hotel for remainder of the day. Dinner and Overnight.

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Day 1: ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK

Arusha National Park covers Mount Meru, a prominent volcano with an elevation of 4566 m, in the Arusha Region of north eastern Tanzania. The park is small but varied with spectacular landscapes in three distinct areas. In the west, the Meru Crater funnels the Jekukumia River; the peak of Mount Meru lies on its rim. Ngurdoto Crater in the south-east is grassland. The shallow alkaline Momella Lakes in the north-east have varying algal colors and are known for their wading birds. Overnight arusha

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DAY 2: Lark plain

Depart for the Lark Plains, Birding the Lark Plain and having lunch later drive back to your accommodation

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Day 3 – 4: Tarangire National Park

You will depart Arusha in the morning and heading to Tarangire National Park, named after the river that runs through it which quenches the thirst of a variety of animals, including giraffes, waterbucks, wildebeests, zebras and a high density of elephants. Tarangire is home to over 550 species of birds and its hilly landscape is dotted with baobabs and diverse grasses. After a morning game drive, you will enjoy a picnic lunch. We will continue exploring and arrive at your lodge, surrounded by abundant wildlife. Dinner and Overnight

As the sun rises, beaming beautiful golden light, we will do our first game drive of the day, taking a picnic breakfast with us. This is a fantastic time to view wildlife and to take memorable photos. Tarangire has a rich and diverse avifauna, but the prime specialties here are two Tanzanian endemics, Ashy Starling and Yellow-collared Lovebird, both of which are common, as well as the restricted-range Northern Pied Babbler.

In the middle of the day, we will return to the lodge for lunch and a rest, swim or massage. Later in the day we will explore the park further with another game drive before dinner.

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Day 5: LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast you will head to Lake Manyara, an alkaline lake, rich with plant and bird life. The lake’s environment supports over 300 species of birds including cormorants, pink flamingos, pelicans and storks. After a picnic lunch, we will enjoy an afternoon game drive where you can see elephants and baboons (in fact Lake Manyara boasts the most baboons in any park in Africa!) If you are lucky, you will also see the famous tree-climbing lions. Dinner and Overnight Karatu.

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Day 6: NGORONGORO CRATER

In the morning after an early breakfast, you will be one of the first vehicles descending the 600 meters (2,000ft) into Ngorongoro Crater for superb game viewing with picnic lunch boxes. The Ngorongoro Crater is a natural enclosure supporting 20,000-30,000 animals at any one time making it virtually a Noah’s ark and inhabiting almost every species of wildlife that is indigenous to East Africa. The Crater is considered one of the natural wonders of the world and has the highest densities of predators in Africa such as lions, hyenas and leopards. It is also one of the best places in Africa to see the endangered black rhino. In the late afternoon, slowly begin the climb out of the crater and head toward Karatu for dinner and overnight.

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Day 6: LAKE EYASI to NDUTU PLAINS

You will wake up very early, just before sunrise, to visit the Hadzabe tribe, one of the last true nomadic tribes in Africa. After some explanations about the tribe, you will join them in their daily morning activities. This experience is off the beaten track and does not feel touristic by any means. The photographic opportunities are out of this world. This tour will definitely be a highlight of your safari. The activities with the tribe can either be joining the men in their daily hunting, or the women in their fruit gathering session. In either of them, you will learn about many aspects of the Hadzabe way of living. After finishing the activities with the tribe, we will visit another tribe known as Datoga or black smith. After all activity heading to ndutu plains for overnight.

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Day 7 – 9: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast you will leave the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and head to the very beautiful and productive Central Serengeti, which is famed for its terrific cat sightings. As you progress well into the Serengeti, you will see why the name means, in local language, ‘endless plains’. The Serengeti, together with Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Park, form Africa’s most famous wildlife parks. The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomizes Africa for many, and when you add a Masai warrior and some cattle to the picture the conversation needs to go no further. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet – with almost two million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; you will encounter large prides of lions, elephants and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles and eland to mention but a few. Aside from traditional vehicle safaris, hot-air ballooning over the Serengeti plains has become almost essential. Spend three days exploring.

We are completely flexible with your preferences and the days will be organized according to your wishes. On every day of the safari, your guide will discuss with you the best timings for you, including the game drives and the wake-up time. For example, you could do a morning game drive, return to the camp for lunch and relaxation and finish with an afternoon game drive, or you could do a full day game drive with picnic lunch.

Although populations fluctuate, there are an estimated 3 million large game animals in the Serengeti, including over 2,500 lions, 1.2 million wildebeest and over 200,000 zebras.

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Day 10: SERENGETI to ARUSHA

This is your last morning game drive at Serengeti national park. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast or perhaps head out early for a short morning game drive before traveling to Seronera Airstrip to catch your schedule flight back to Arusha. Having a day room and lunch in the afternoon, meet your private transfer to Kilimanjaro International airport (JRO), and catch your departure flight back home.