7 Days Lake Eyasi and Lake Natron Safari

You will depart with packed lunch boxes towards Lake Natron. Located about 3.5 hours drive away from Mto Wa Mbu/Manyara, Lake Natron is a surreal destination and unique natural spectacle. Its waters are highly alkaline and unusually shallow, averaging just one meter in depth. After checking into your campsite and a short break, you will put your walking shoes on as a Maasai tribesman takes you on a walk around the shores of Lake Natron on the lookout for birds, especially the lesser flamingos. Lake Natron is the most important and regular breeding site for lesser flamingos in East Africa hosting up to 2 million of them during the breeding season. The majority of egg-laying and hatching takes place from September to January. After the hike, you will head back to your camp.

Main Destination: Lake Natron
Accommodation: Maasai Giraffe Eco Lodge

After an early breakfast, you will head towards the Serengeti National Park. The Rift Valley goes up into the wide plains of the Serengeti. Serengeti National Park is one of the largest natural migration systems for wild animals. Annually between the conservation areas,  over 1.4 million gnus, almost 300,000 Thomson’s gazelles, about 200,000 zebras and several thousand topis migrate. They move with the rainy seasons to areas with greenery and lush meadows. Furthermore, the park is home to many other animal species, such as giraffes, buffalo, hyenas, elephants and crocodiles. Particularly large is the population of feline predators, about 3,000 lions, 300 cheetahs and an estimated 400-700 leopards have their hunting ground here.

Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Nyani Campsite, inside Serengeti NP
Meals & Drinks: • All meals included, drinking water & beer and wine (other drinks not included)

Today, you will spend the whole day in the Serengeti National Park. You’ll head out and start to explore at sunrise then enjoy a full-day game drive exploring the beautiful scenery of Serengeti, searching for the Big Five and plenty of other wildlife. You will then return to the campsite for lunch and afterwards head out for an afternoon game drive. There is more to Serengeti than large mammals – there are more than 500 bird species recorded, ranging from the oversized ostrich and bizarre secretary bird of the open grasslands to the black eagles that soar effortlessly above the savannah. You will continue to search for Serengeti wildlife and return to camp at sunset for dinner and your overnight stay. Depending on the time of year, we will make sure that you will follow the wildebeest migration during your tour with us on this day.

Main Destination: Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Nyani Campsite, inside Serengeti NP
Meals & Drinks: • All meals included, drinking water & beer and wine (other drinks not included)

This day begins early in the morning with a picnic lunch before descending 2,000 feet to the crater floor in your 4WD vehicle for wildlife watching in this ‘Garden of Eden’. Ngorongoro Crater is a deep volcanic crater in Tanzania, with abundant grasslands, marshes, woodlands, and constant water, which is why the fauna is so diverse and prolific.

Main Destination: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Simba Campsite, on the crater rim of Ngorongoro Crater
Meals & Drinks: • All meals included, drinking water & beer and wine (other drinks not included)

Early risers are rewarded with breathtaking views of the rising sun over the crater’s edge and, after a hearty breakfast, you will drive down the adventurous track into the crater. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and the most incredible ecosystem on earth, formed millions of years ago in the massive explosion of a volcano. It is 610 m deep and covers roughly 260sq km. Due to its dense animal population of approximately 25 000, the crater offers the best game viewing of all the parks in Tanzania. In a matter of minutes, you will be able to see wildebeests, zebras, gazelles, elephants and some of the more than 500 bird species in the area. With a little bit of luck, you might catch a glimpse of the endangered black rhinos through the grass. After lunch, you will ascend the steep walls of the crater and head to your campsite for dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, you will traverse the rough road to Lake Eyasi, another soda lake in the Rift Valley. You will arrive in the afternoon for a cultural interaction with the Tatoga tribe, a very interesting tribe. Our Tatoga guide at the village will lead the tour. You will explore the dry and rugged landscape area on foot, which is still inhabited by a small group of bushmen, the Hadzabe or Watindiga. These tribes still live in bands, hunting with bows and arrows, gathering roots, tubers and wild fruits, just as humans did to survive 10,000 years ago. Another interesting tribe in this area is the Datoga (also called the Barabaig or Mang’ati). Initially, they were exercising a lot of rivalry over grazing lands with the Maasai tribe. Later on, you will drive back to Arusha or be dropped off at the airport.

Main Destination: Lake Eyasi, Arusha
Accommodation: No accommodation (end of tour)
Meals & Drinks: • Breakfast & lunch (dinner not included), drinking water & beer and wine (other drinks not included)