After breakfast you will be transferred to Arusha Airport for your flight to Manyara.  On arrival at Manyara airstrip you are met and transfer to the Ngorongoro Crater area and check in to the new Ngorongoro Highlands Camp. Set on the edge of the mountain forest hugging the Olmoti volcano to the north of Ngorongoro Crater.

Experience the highlands of the wild Ngorongoro Conservation Area surrounding camp, home to leopard, buffalo and elephant. Follow ancient Maasai trails to the summit of the Olmoti crater and visit local communities to catch a glimpse into the traditional Maasai way of life that has defined this corner of East Africa for centuries. The famous Ngorongoro Crater is easily accessible from camp, while the setting ensures maximum privacy, a rich adventure and a range of activities not possible elsewhere in Ngorongoro.

This afternoon you have a visit with the local Maasai in one of the neighbouring villages to learn about the traditional way of life that has defined this corner of Africa for centuries. School visits may be possible depending on the time of year.

This morning you depart the camp for a half-day excursion to the Ngorongoro Crater. This protected area is located in the Great Rift Valley. The Crater actually is a gigantic fracture of the earth’s crust. The magnificent landscape consists of volcanoes, mountains, plains, lakes, forests and archaeological sites. At 1600 meters altitude the bottom of the Crater (265 km square), dotted with watering holes, offers shelter to almost 30.000 animals in an area naturally enclosed by the slopes of the volcano. The Crater elephants are strangely, mainly bulls. There is a small number of black rhino. The bird life is largely seasonal and is also affected by the ratio of soda and fresh water on the Crater floor. You will also explore the wildlife: lions, elephants, zebra, hippo, buffalos, and rhino are just a few to be mentioned. Enjoy picnic lunch at the crater floor. After an exciting safari ascend the other side of the crater and proceed back to camp. Rest of the afternoon at leisure.

After breakfast you will be transferred to Lake Manyara airstrip for your flight to the Ndutu airstrip in the Southern Serengeti. On arrival you will transfer to  Olakira Migration Camp, on the border between the southern Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. 

Known for its superb locations during the Great Migration, Olakira Migration Camp also boasts beautiful stargazing tents with 270-degree views from your bed. Olakira immerses itself in the Great Migration, moving twice a year to follow the herds, ensuring a front-row seat to nature’s greatest spectacle. The nine spacious tents with en suite bathrooms and fully plumbed showers provide the perfect retreat after a day of adventure.

Safari activities take place in the early morning and late afternoon when the wildlife is most active. You will explore with expert guides on game drives, looking for the big cats that have made the Serengeti famous, as well as elephants gently rumbling to each other and giraffe browsing the fresh shoots of acacia trees. In between, you will return to camp for a delicious lunch and a siesta or catch up on a good book. Evenings are spent sharing stories of your day’s adventures with other guests around the dinner table.

There’s time for a final morning game drive and lunch in camp before you fly out to Rubondo Island on Lake Victoria in the mid-afternoon. A guide will drive you through the dense tropical forest to the camp, which will be your base for this final stage of your safari. Settle in to Rubondo Island Camp for three nights. Rubondo Island Camp is the only lodge on Rubondo Island, the largest island national park in Africa. Tropical forests provide a protected habitat for wildlife that includes sitatunga, elephant, giraffe, 200 species of birds and wild chimpanzees. The deep waters of Lake Victoria also offer spectacular fishing for record-breaking Nile perch. 

Activities from camp are focused around discovering and enjoying the remarkable ecosystem of the island. An astonishing array of birds and wildlife waits to be discovered and highly trained guides lead game excursions deep into the forest. Activities aren’t restricted to dry land either: canoe, kayak and boat trips and fishing excursions making for a memorable way to experience the island.

You’ll also get the chance for the Chimpanzee Habituation Experience. The island is home to a very special group of chimpanzees whose ancestors were brought here in the 1960s as part of an ambitious conservation project, today you can be part of the habituation process.

Enjoy a final breakfast overlooking Lake Victoria before a short drive to the airstrip for your morning flight back to Kilimanjaro Airport in Arusha, taking a picnic lunch with you. You will land at the international airport so you can simply collect your luggage and check in for your international flight home.  Alternatively, you can also ask us about adding on some time for beach and relaxation in Zanzibar.