10 Days Calving Season Safari – Ol Lerai Africa Safaris

10 Days Calving Season Safari
JANUARY – MARCH

ARRIVAL

Welcome to Tanzania!

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport. After passport control, you will be met by your safari guide (who will be with you for the rest of your safari) outside the arrival lounge and transferred to your accommodation in Arusha. Enjoy a great meal and a relaxing evening before starting your Tanzania safari.

Sample of accomodation

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.

Sample of accomodation

Day 2 & 3: TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast you will set off from Arusha and make your way through beautiful tribal areas en-route to Tarangire National Park with picnic lunch boxes and enjoy a game drive before you check into your accommodations in the late afternoon.

After the Serengeti, Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania. In the dry season the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. The river of the park is full of wildlife ranging from a large variety of birds to lions, leopards, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, antelopes and, of course, elephants. In fact, the park has the largest concentration of elephants in the whole country and provides unique chances to observe the interaction between elephant families. This is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx and gerenuk are regularly spotted. Tarangire is particularly known for its spectacular baobab trees, and its breathtaking views of the Maasai Steppe and the mountains to the south.

Sample of accomodation

Day 4: LAKE MANYARA NP

After breakfast, make your way towards Lake Manyara National Park, a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the towering cliffs of the Gregory Rift Valley and the lake itself. Although small in dimension (205 sq. miles), the park has breathtaking scenery and is well famous for its “tree climbing” lions and growing population of baboons and blue monkeys. Park also has fantastic bird life; thousands of flamingos line the shores of the lake at certain times of year. Explore the different areas of the park and enjoy the game viewing later heading to karatu for overnight.

Sample of accomodation

Day 5: 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.

Sample of accomodation

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.

Sample of accomodation

Day 7-9: NDUTU PLAINS (SOUTHERN SERENGETI)

You will enjoy two full days in the Ndutu Plains. The area has high densities of cheetahs and lions particularly when the wildebeest inhabit these plains from December to March. There are two beautiful sodic lakes in the vicinity. Being in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) you will be able to drive off road – a great advantage for getting close up to Africa’s large mammals! This area is also the traditional birthing ground for the wildebeest, which are attracted to the area by the high concentrations of phosphorus in the soil, an essential mineral for lactating mothers. It is one of the greatest places in Africa to sit around a campfire and listen to the night sounds under a sky full of stars.

Sample of accomodation

Day 10: NDUTU PLAINS to ARUSHA

This is your last morning in the Ndutu plains. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast or perhaps head out early for a short morning game drive before traveling to Ndutu Airstrip to catch your scheduled 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.