Package Overview What this trip is, in a nutshell
That single structural choice reshapes the whole week. A conventional circuit spends its final day on a long drive back to Arusha; this itinerary spends it on a dawn game drive followed by one of the most spectacular short flights in Africa. Your safari ends looking down at the Serengeti rather than in a rear-view mirror.
The road half is generous with time. Tarangire opens the journey with ancient baobabs and its famous elephant herds. Lake Manyara earns a full day and two nights - rare on a seven-day trip - because it is one of the very few Tanzanian parks permitting both guided walking safaris and night game drives, so you meet the bush on foot in the morning and under a spotlight after dark. The Ngorongoro Crater follows with a dawn descent onto the caldera floor, and the Serengeti closes the mainland with two nights inside the park.
Wildlife possibilities span the complete northern cast: lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, and - with luck on the crater floor - the critically endangered black rhino. Lake Manyara adds tree-climbing lions, flamingos and 400-plus bird species; the night drive adds genets, civets and bushbabies you would never otherwise meet. Sightings are never guaranteed in the wild, and we will not pretend otherwise. What this route offers is variety, and the hours to make use of it.
The safari is entirely private: a dedicated 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and a professional English-speaking Tanzanian guide-driver from your first morning to the airstrip. Accommodation blends a comfortable Arusha lodge, a tented camp perched on the Rift Valley escarpment above Lake Manyara, a highland lodge near the crater, and a tented camp inside the Central Serengeti.
With a minimum age of just two, this is also the most family-friendly itinerary we offer. Distances are moderate, the pace is unhurried, and the flight at the end removes the one leg that tests young travellers most - the long road back. Seasonal flexibility is built in: between December and March the Serengeti days tilt south toward the calving grounds; in the dry months we work the rivers and waterholes.
The value is unusually clear here, because the domestic flight to Zanzibar is included in the quoted price rather than sold as an extra. Private vehicle and guide, all park and crater fees, a walking safari, a night game drive, two Serengeti nights, full board on safari, airport transfers, and the flight to the coast are all covered. Send us your dates, and our Arusha team will build the week around them.
Package Summary Everything at a glance
| Item | Package detail |
|---|---|
| Duration | 7 Days |
| Safari type | Private |
| Comfort level | Semi-Luxury |
| Starting point | Arusha |
| Ending point | Zanzibar |
| Main destinations | Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro, Serengeti, Zanzibar |
| Accommodation type | Lodge (Lodge, Tented Camp) |
| Meal plan | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast |
| Transportation | Private Car, 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up, Domestic Flight |
| Suitable travellers | Family, Sole travellers, Couples and small groups |
| Customization | Yes — this itinerary can be tailored to you |
Route Overview 7 days — where you go and how far
| Day | Route | Overnight | Approx. distance | Approx. time | Transport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kilimanjaro International Airport → Arusha-Moshi corridor, coffee farms and roadside markets → Arusha | Arusha | 50 km | 1 hour | Private Car |
| Day 2 | Arusha → Maasai Steppe, Tarangire River circuit, Silale Swamp fringes → Rift Valley escarpment above Lake Manyara | Manyara | 190 km total (120 km to Tarangire, 70 km on to the escarpment) | 4 hours of transfer driving, with a full-day game drive between | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
| Day 3 | Rift Valley escarpment → Groundwater forest, hot-spring shoreline, Lake Manyara lake shore → Rift Valley escarpment (second night) | Manyara | Approx. 60 km of local driving | About 1.5 hours total driving, across three separate outings | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
| Day 4 | Rift Valley escarpment → Ngorongoro Crater floor, Lake Magadi, Lerai fever-tree forest, rim viewpoint → Karatu Highlands | Karatu | 130 km (including crater access roads) | Approx. 3 hours of driving, plus up to 5 hours in the crater | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
| Day 5 | Karatu → Ngorongoro crater rim viewpoint, Malanja Depression, Naabi Hill Gate → Central Serengeti (Seronera area) | Central Serengeti | 145 km | 4-5 hours of driving, broken by viewpoints and afternoon game viewing | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
| Day 6 | Central Serengeti camp → Seronera River loops, kopje fields, hippo pools, Maasai kopjes → Central Serengeti camp (second night) | Central Serengeti | Local game-drive loops | Flexible - a full day with picnic lunch, or two drives with a midday rest in cam | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
| Day 7 | Central Serengeti → Seronera Valley, Seronera Airstrip, the Serengeti from the air → Zanzibar | No accommodation — departure day | Short airstrip transfer, then a flight of approx. 2-2.5 hours including stops | Minimal driving; the day belongs to the air | Domestic Flight |
Distances and driving times are indicative and vary with road and game-viewing conditions.
Day 1 Arrival in Arusha - Where the Journey Begins
Day 1 — Arrival in Arusha - Where the Journey Begins
| Starting location | Kilimanjaro International Airport |
|---|---|
| Pass-by location | Arusha-Moshi corridor, coffee farms and roadside markets |
| Ending location | Arusha |
| Main destination | Arusha (arrival Day) |
| Approx. departure | On arrival of your international flight |
| Approx. arrival at lodge | Approx. 1 hour after airport pick-up |
| Approx. distance | 50 km |
| Approx. road-driving duration | 1 hour |
| Transport | Private Car |
Day description
Meet-and-greet at Kilimanjaro International Airport, a private transfer through the coffee country between Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, and an evening safari briefing before the week begins.
Morning
Depending on your flight schedule: arrival formalities at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where a Splendor Safari representative welcomes you in the arrivals hall with a name board and chilled drinking water. The included transfer begins your journey.
Afternoon
Private transfer along the Arusha-Moshi corridor through coffee farms and roadside markets, with Mount Meru rising ahead and - on clear days - the snows of Kilimanjaro behind you. Check in at your lodge and settle in: the gardens and pool are welcome after a long flight, and a good place for children to shake off the journey. Early arrivals may enjoy an optional visit to the Cultural Heritage Centre.
Evening
Pre-safari briefing with your consultant and guide: a walk-through of the week ahead, walking-safari and night-drive protocols, the 15 kg soft-bag limit for the Zanzibar flight, and any questions. Meals today are at your own arrangement - the lodge restaurant and several good Arusha restaurants are close by, and our team gladly recommends and reserves.
Landscapes & attractions
Wildlife possibilities
Photography opportunities
Arusha Farm House
About this stay
A green, restful arrival base close to the airport, with gardens and a pool that help families reset after a long flight. Alternatives: Arusha Planet Lodge; Ilboru Safari Lodge.
Tonight is the moment to repack for the flight at the end of the week. Anything you will not need on safari can be left in a case at the lodge and collected only if you return through Arusha - ask us how your particular routing works. No meals are include
Day 2 Tarangire - Giants Beneath the Baobabs
Day 2 — Tarangire - Giants Beneath the Baobabs
| Starting location | Arusha |
|---|---|
| Pass-by location | Maasai Steppe, Tarangire River circuit, Silale Swamp fringes |
| Ending location | Rift Valley escarpment above Lake Manyara |
| Main destination | Tarangire National Park |
| Approx. departure | 7:30 AM |
| Approx. arrival at lodge | Camp by approx. 6:00 PM |
| Approx. distance | 190 km total (120 km to Tarangire, 70 km on to the escarpment) |
| Approx. road-driving duration | 4 hours of transfer driving, with a full-day game drive between |
| Transport | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
Day description
A full day in Tarangire among giant baobabs and the river circuit's elephant gatherings, then west to a tented camp high on the Great Rift Valley escarpment overlooking Lake Manyara.
Morning
Depart Arusha west across the open Maasai Steppe, arriving at Tarangire's gate mid-morning. The park announces itself immediately: thousand-year-old baobabs standing over golden grassland, and the Tarangire River drawing wildlife from every direction.
Afternoon
Game drive along the river circuit, where Tarangire's famous elephant herds - among the largest concentrations in East Africa - come to drink and dust-bathe, with a hot picnic lunch at a shaded site overlooking the valley. Continue through acacia woodland and the Silale Swamp fringes, watching for lion draped in sausage trees and dry-country specials such as fringe-eared oryx. Late afternoon, exit the park and drive west to the Great Rift Valley escarpment.
Evening
Arrive at your tented camp high on the escarpment, with a long view over Lake Manyara and the valley floor below. Sundowner at the viewpoint, dinner, and - for families - a pool that has ended many a dusty day well.
Landscapes & attractions
Wildlife possibilities
Photography opportunities
Read about where you are
Meals
Africa Safari Manyara Escarpment Camp
About this stay
A spectacular clifftop position with long views over the lake, close enough to the Manyara gate to make tomorrow's morning walk, day drive and evening night drive all comfortable from one base - and two nights here remove a packing cycle entirely. Alternatives: Kilimamoja Lodge; Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp.
Tarangire is dusty in the dry season - a buff or scarf and a zip-lock bag for your camera cost little and help a great deal. The escarpment is noticeably cooler in the evening than the valley floor, so bring a light layer to dinner.
Day 3 Lake Manyara on Foot and After Dark
Day 3 — Lake Manyara on Foot and After Dark
| Starting location | Rift Valley escarpment |
|---|---|
| Pass-by location | Groundwater forest, hot-spring shoreline, Lake Manyara lake shore |
| Ending location | Rift Valley escarpment (second night) |
| Main destination | Lake Manyara National Park |
| Approx. departure | 7:00 AM |
| Approx. arrival at lodge | Back at camp after the night drive, approx. 9:30 PM |
| Approx. distance | Approx. 60 km of local driving |
| Approx. road-driving duration | About 1.5 hours total driving, across three separate outings |
| Transport | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
Day description
A guided walking safari with an armed ranger, a game drive through the groundwater forest to the flamingo shore, a genuine rest afternoon, and then the park again after dark under a spotlight.
Morning
Descend the escarpment to Lake Manyara for a guided walking safari with an armed park ranger. On foot the park changes entirely: you follow tracks in soft ground, learn to read dung and browse lines, and hear an alarm call before you see what caused it. The walk is easy-paced and level, suitable for most reasonable fitness levels and for older children.
Afternoon
Return to the vehicle for a game drive through the groundwater forest, alive with baboon troops and blue monkeys, then out onto the lake shore where flamingos, pelicans and storks gather seasonally in their thousands, with a hot picnic lunch beneath the Rift wall. The afternoon is then genuinely free at the escarpment camp: the pool, the viewpoint, a book, or a nap before the evening. Families particularly value this half-day of nothing scheduled - and it is rare on a seven-day trip.
Evening
After an early dinner, return to the park for the night game drive. Lake Manyara is one of very few Tanzanian parks permitting after-dark driving, and under a spotlight it becomes a different place - genets picking along branches, civets crossing the track, bushbaby eyes glowing in the canopy, and, with fortune, a leopard or hunting lion. Return to camp late, with a story.
Landscapes & attractions
Wildlife possibilities
Photography opportunities
Read about where you are
Meals
Africa Safari Manyara Escarpment Camp
About this stay
The second night on the escarpment above Lake Manyara - one base for the walk, the day drive and the night drive, with no packing in between. Alternatives: Kilimamoja Lodge; Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp.
Closed walking shoes with grip matter this morning, and a warm layer matters tonight - night drives are cooler than expected with the roof open. Both the walk and the night drive are subject to ranger availability and weather; if either cannot run, we sub
Day 4 Ngorongoro Crater - Dawn on the Floor of a Lost World
Day 4 — Ngorongoro Crater - Dawn on the Floor of a Lost World
| Starting location | Rift Valley escarpment |
|---|---|
| Pass-by location | Ngorongoro Crater floor, Lake Magadi, Lerai fever-tree forest, rim viewpoint |
| Ending location | Karatu Highlands |
| Main destination | Ngorongoro Crater |
| Approx. departure | 6:00 AM |
| Approx. arrival at lodge | Lodge by approx. 4:30 PM |
| Approx. distance | 130 km (including crater access roads) |
| Approx. road-driving duration | Approx. 3 hours of driving, plus up to 5 hours in the crater |
| Transport | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
Day description
A pre-dawn descent 600 metres onto the caldera floor for up to five hours among the 20,000-25,000 large animals that live inside the walls, then up the exit road into the cultivated highlands of Karatu.
Morning
Pre-dawn departure and a climb to the crater rim to be among the first vehicles down the 600-metre descent road as mist lifts off the caldera floor. Within these walls live an estimated 20,000-25,000 large animals: lion prides, huge-tusked elephant bulls, buffalo, spotted hyena clans and the flamingo-fringed Lake Magadi - plus one of Tanzania's best chances, never a certainty, of seeing black rhino.
Afternoon
Picnic brunch at the hippo-pool picnic site, one of the most memorable lunch spots in Africa (guard your sandwiches from the black kites), then on through the Lerai fever-tree forest and across the crater grasslands. Final crater loops before ascending the exit road in the mid-afternoon, pausing at a rim viewpoint to look down on where the day was spent, then descending into the cultivated highlands of Karatu.
Evening
Arrive at your farm-set highland lodge. A hot shower, a garden sundowner, and dinner featuring produce from the surrounding coffee country.
Landscapes & attractions
Wildlife possibilities
Photography opportunities
Read about where you are
Meals
Farm of Dreams Lodge
About this stay
A warm farm-set lodge in cool coffee country, positioned for the crater on one side and the Serengeti road on the other. Alternatives: Ngorongoro Farm House; Marera Valley Lodge.
Crater mornings are genuinely cold - often below 10 degrees C on the rim - so dress in layers you can shed as the floor warms. Vehicles are limited to six hours on the crater floor by regulation, which is exactly why the pre-dawn start earns its place.
Day 5 Onto the Endless Plains - Into the Serengeti
Day 5 — Onto the Endless Plains - Into the Serengeti
| Starting location | Karatu |
|---|---|
| Pass-by location | Ngorongoro crater rim viewpoint, Malanja Depression, Naabi Hill Gate |
| Ending location | Central Serengeti (Seronera area) |
| Main destination | Central Serengeti National Park |
| Approx. departure | 7:00 AM |
| Approx. arrival at lodge | Camp by approx. 6:00 PM |
| Approx. distance | 145 km |
| Approx. road-driving duration | 4-5 hours of driving, broken by viewpoints and afternoon game viewing |
| Transport | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
Day description
Up through montane forest to the crater rim viewpoint, down across the short-grass plains through Naabi Hill Gate, and into the Seronera Valley for the first of two nights inside the park.
Morning
Climb through montane forest to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area gate, then trace the crater rim to a viewpoint where the whole caldera opens beneath you - a different perspective on yesterday. Descend past Maasai homesteads and grazing cattle onto the short-grass plains.
Afternoon
Cross the plains to Naabi Hill Gate, where the horizon dissolves in every direction - Serengeti comes from the Maasai word for endless plains, and here the name explains itself - with a picnic lunch among the gate kopjes while park formalities are completed; the short climb up Naabi is worth ten minutes. Then your first Serengeti game drive, working slowly toward the Seronera Valley: the year-round wildlife heartland of granite kopjes and umbrella acacias, famous for lion prides and one of Africa's highest leopard densities.
Evening
Arrive at your tented camp inside the park. Sundowner by the fire, dinner under canvas, and a night of hyena whoops and distant lion.
Landscapes & attractions
Wildlife possibilities
Photography opportunities
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Meals
Safari Haven Serengeti Camp
About this stay
Sleeping inside the park wins the golden hours at both ends of the day, and puts you within easy reach of Seronera Airstrip for the Day 7 flight. Alternatives: Sightseeing Luxury Tented Lodge; Thorn Tree Camp.
Gate formalities at Naabi can take time in high season - it is planned into the day. From tonight, charging is limited to camp solar and generator hours, so top up every battery before leaving Karatu.
Day 6 A Full Serengeti Day - Big Cats and Golden Light
Day 6 — A Full Serengeti Day - Big Cats and Golden Light
| Starting location | Central Serengeti camp |
|---|---|
| Pass-by location | Seronera River loops, kopje fields, hippo pools, Maasai kopjes |
| Ending location | Central Serengeti camp (second night) |
| Main destination | Central Serengeti National Park |
| Approx. departure | 6:30 AM |
| Approx. arrival at lodge | Return to camp around sunset |
| Approx. distance | Local game-drive loops |
| Approx. road-driving duration | Flexible - a full day with picnic lunch, or two drives with a midday rest in cam |
| Transport | 4x4 Land Cruiser Pop-up |
Day description
A whole day given to the Seronera Valley: dawn among the big cats, a flexible midday, and a second session spent patiently with whatever the morning revealed.
Morning
Dawn departure - the finest hour in the Serengeti, when lions finish the night's business and cheetahs test the cool air. Your guide follows fresh tracks and radio reports through the Seronera Valley river loops and kopje fields, where leopards drape along sausage-tree branches.
Afternoon
Picnic lunch at a scenic site, or return to camp for a hot lunch and a siesta before the afternoon session - the better option for families with young children. Between December and March, the day can push south toward the migration herds and calving grounds instead. The second game-drive session works the hippo pools, the Maasai kopjes, and patient time at whatever the morning revealed - a leopard's tree, a pride in shade, a den of cubs.
Evening
Sundowner as the plains turn copper, then a final safari dinner and fireside conversation beneath an extraordinary sky. Bags are packed tonight for tomorrow's flight.
Landscapes & attractions
Wildlife possibilities
Photography opportunities
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Meals
Safari Haven Serengeti Camp
About this stay
The second night inside the Central Serengeti - dusk and dawn on the plains from the same base, with no transfer eating into the golden hours. Alternatives: Sightseeing Luxury Tented Lodge; Thorn Tree Camp.
Repack tonight into your 15 kg soft bag for the flight, and keep valuables, medication and camera gear in your daypack. Your guide will confirm tomorrow's departure time once the airline has released the schedule. An optional dawn balloon safari over the
Day 7 Farewell to the Plains - Flying Out to the Indian Ocean
Day 7 — Farewell to the Plains - Flying Out to the Indian Ocean
| Starting location | Central Serengeti |
|---|---|
| Pass-by location | Seronera Valley, Seronera Airstrip, the Serengeti from the air |
| Ending location | Zanzibar |
| Main destination | Central Serengeti, Then Zanzibar By Air |
| Approx. departure | Dawn game drive from 6:30 AM; airstrip transfer timed to your flight |
| Approx. arrival at lodge | Zanzibar in the early afternoon, flight schedule permitting |
| Approx. distance | Short airstrip transfer, then a flight of approx. 2-2.5 hours including stops |
| Approx. road-driving duration | Minimal driving; the day belongs to the air |
| Transport | Domestic Flight |
Day description
A final dawn game drive across the Seronera Valley, then a light aircraft from Seronera Airstrip that climbs over the plains and carries you east to the Indian Ocean the same afternoon.
Morning
A final dawn game drive across the Seronera Valley - often among the most productive hours of the whole trip, as your guide plays every card left. Breakfast is taken in camp or packed, depending on the flight schedule.
Afternoon
Transfer to Seronera Airstrip, where your guide sees you checked in and says goodbye. The light aircraft climbs over the plains you have spent two days exploring, and for perhaps ten minutes you see the Serengeti whole - river lines, kopjes and animal trails written across the grass. The flight continues east, sometimes with brief stops, then descends over the Indian Ocean into Zanzibar, where the air is warm and salted and the pace changes completely. Onward transfer to your beach hotel is arranged if you have booked the Zanzibar extension.
Evening
Your first evening on the coast - or, if you are connecting onward, an international departure from Abeid Amani Karume International Airport in Zanzibar.
Landscapes & attractions
Wildlife possibilities
Photography opportunities
Read about where you are
Meals
The 15 kg soft-bag limit is enforced at the airstrip, so pack accordingly the night before. Zanzibar accommodation is not included in the base price - if you are continuing to a beach hotel, tell us at booking and we will arrange the Zanzibar transfer so
Safari Highlights 12 reasons this trip stands out
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Drive in, fly out - the road journey in, then a light-aircraft flight from a Serengeti airstrip to Zanzibar, included in the quoted price rather than sold as an extra
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Four parks and an island in one week - Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, the Central Serengeti and the Indian Ocean, with no wasted return day
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Guided walking safari with an armed ranger - at Lake Manyara, where the bush at ground level reveals tracks, plants and small signs no game drive can show you
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Night game drive - Lake Manyara is one of very few Tanzanian parks permitting after-dark driving, when genets, civets, bushbabies and nocturnal hunters take over
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Two nights inside the Serengeti - a tented camp in the Central Serengeti puts you on the plains at dusk and again at first light, the hours day-visitors never see
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Dawn descent into the Ngorongoro Crater - among the first vehicles onto the caldera floor, with one of Tanzania's best chances of black rhino
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Exclusive private 4x4 vehicle and one guide - a dedicated pop-up-roof Land Cruiser for your party only, with the same professional guide-driver throughout the road journey
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Genuinely family-friendly, from age two - moderate distances, an unhurried pace, an escarpment camp with a pool, and no long drive home at the end
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Two nights above the Rift Valley - an escarpment camp overlooking Lake Manyara, so the park is explored properly rather than glimpsed in passing
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Outstanding photography and birding - baobabs, flamingo flats, crater panoramas, kopje light, over 400 bird species at Manyara alone, and an aerial view of the Serengeti on departure
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Return airport transfers and the domestic flight included - meet-and-greet at Kilimanjaro International Airport and the scheduled flight to Zanzibar, both covered
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Responsible wildlife viewing - strict adherence to park regulations on foot, after dark and at sightings, with support for locally owned lodges and suppliers
Included
- Private 4x4 safari Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, exclusively for your party for the road journey
- Professional English-speaking guide-driver throughout the safari
- Scheduled light-aircraft flight from the Serengeti (Seronera Airstrip) to Zanzibar, within the stated fare allowance
- Return airport transfer at Kilimanjaro International Airport on arrival, and airstrip transfer on departure
- All 6 nights accommodation as specified or confirmed equivalents
- Meals as stated in the day-by-day itinerary (full board Days 2-6; Day 1 meals at own expense; Day 7 breakfast)
- Guided walking safari at Lake Manyara with an armed park ranger, including the ranger fee
- Night game drive at Lake Manyara, including the applicable park night-drive fee
- All national-park entry fees, Ngorongoro Conservation Area fees, crater service fee and concession/camping fees for non-residents
- All game drives and park activities described in the itinerary
- Unlimited bottled drinking water in the vehicle throughout the safari
- All government taxes and VAT applicable to the quoted services
- Pre-departure safari briefing in Arusha and printed itinerary pack
- Flying Doctors (AMREF) emergency evacuation cover for the safari duration
- 24/7 emergency logistical support from our Arusha operations office
Excluded
- International flights to and from Tanzania
- Zanzibar accommodation, meals, transfers and activities from arrival on Day 7 onward (arranged on request)
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance (mandatory for booking), medical expenses and vaccinations
- Meals not stated in the itinerary, including all meals on Day 1
- Any light-aircraft fare increase above the stated allowance, and excess-baggage charges above 15 kg
- Accommodation before Day 1 (arranged on request at extra cost)
- Tips and gratuities for your guide and camp staff
- Personal purchases: souvenirs, laundry, phone/data and spa services
- Alcoholic drinks and premium beverages unless a property includes them
- Optional activities: balloon safari, canoeing, cultural visits and bush dining
- Bank transfer and card-processing charges
- Any government-imposed increases in taxes or park fees after quotation
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best time of year for this tour?
Dry seasons often offer easier wildlife viewing (Jun–Oct). Green seasons are beautiful and quieter (Nov–Mar).
Can we customize the itinerary?
Yes — add days, change lodges (lodge/camp), or include balloon safaris/cultural visits.
What is the typical group size?
Private tours are just your party with a driver-guide. Shared departures may have 4–7 guests per vehicle.
See it for yourself
A few moments from this safari, filmed on the ground.
