Tanzania Family Safari - Featuring Serena Lodges P a g e 1
P a g e 2 Tanzania Family Safari - featuring Serena Lodges Arusha - Lake Manyara National Park - Central Serengeti - Ngorongoro Crater - Tarangire National Park 8 Days / 7 Nights 0 Persons Date of Issue: 16 January 2016 Click here to view your Digital Itinerary
P a g e 3 Overview Tanzania Family Safari featuring Serena Lodges (2014/15) SEAT IN VEHICLE BASIS Days of operation from Kilimanjaro International Airport Friday and Sunday Starts at Kilimanjaro International Airport Ends at Kilimanjaro International Airport Arrival may be at any time. Please note that the earliest check-in at Lake Duluti Serena Hotel is 1400 hours The earliest departure from Kilimanjaro International Airport on the last day of the safari should be after 1600 hours. Destination Accommodation Nights Basis Room Type Arusha Lake Duluti Serena Hotel 1 B&B Lake Manyara National Park Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge 1 FB Central Serengeti Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge 2 FB Ngorongoro Crater Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge 2 FB Tarangire National Park Tarangire Sopa Lodge 1 FB Key RO: Room only SC: Self Catering HB: Half Board B&B: Bed and breakfast D, B&B: Dinner, bed and breakfast FB: Dinner, bed, breakfast and lunch FB+: Dinner, bed, breakfast, lunch and activities daily FI: Fully inclusive Price From $2,499.00 per person sharing Meet and greet services Transfers Seat in shared 4x4 vehicle with photo roof (maximum 7 clients per vehicle) Services of an English speaking driver-guide Guaranteed window seat Game drives and crater tour All accommodation and meals as specified All park fees and government taxes One bottle of mineral water per person per day during game drives
P a g e 4 Excluded International flights Visas Airport tax (pay direct) Driver guide or local escort gratuities Drinks and dining rooms tips, porterage, personal travel and baggage insurance Telephone bill, laundry and any items of a personal nature Medical insurance, evacuation cover and travel insurance Day 1: Lake Duluti Serena Hotel, Arusha Arusha Arusha is the safari capital of Tanzania located at the foot of Mt. Meru, close to Mount Kilimanjaro, the Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks. From there it s only a short trip to the Serengeti. Just to the north, on the slopes of Mt. Meru is the Arusha National Park. Built by the Germans as a centre of colonial administration because of the temperate climate, Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from your safari. Overnight: Lake Duluti Serena Hotel Nestled at the foot of the wooded slopes of Mount Meru, this unique hotel stands amid coffee plantations on the shores of tranquil Lake Duluti. Designed to echo the traditional style of the colonial coffee farm, which originally stood on this site, Mountain Village offers a range of tastefully presented cottage-styled rooms set amid extensive landscaped grounds. Standing at the gateway to the famous Tanzanian Northern Safari Circuit', the hotel offers a broad range of attractions, which include: walking, mountain biking, canoeing on the lake, and trips to the nearby Arusha and Mount Meru national parks. Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport (flight booked by agent), where you are met and transferred to your hotel located a short distance from Arusha Town Centre.
P a g e 5 Bed & Breakfast Day 2: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, Lake Manyara National Park Lake Manyara National Park With the Lake on its east and the Manyara Escarpment to its west the Lake Manyara National Park offers breathtaking views and a large variety of habitats. Acacia woodlands, water forests, baobab strewn cliffs, algaestreaked hot springs, swamps and the lake itself. And thanks to this the small Park is able to support a large number of animal species and incredible bird life. Manyara has the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world and the lions here are also renowned for their tree climbing. Overnight: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge Standing high on the bluff of a dramatic ochre and terracotta streaked cliff above the flamingo-frosted expanse of Lake Manyara s gleaming alkaline waters, the Lodge commands panoramic views across the volcano-studded floor of the Great Rift Valley. Designed to reflect the brilliance of Lake Manyara s unique birdlife, the Lodge draws on an inspirational architectural motif that melds swooping avian curves with the gentle concentric patterns of traditional Maasai Bomas (encampments) whilst the vibrantly coloured frescoes lining the walls are designed to depict the colourful intricacy of bird migratory patterns. The ambiance of the Lodge is a fusion of lakeside tranquility, towering volcanic splendour and adventure-packed sporting activity. As to wildlife, the park offers abundant sightings of; monkey, jackal, mongoose, hyena, hyrax, zebra, hippo, warthog, buffalo, Masai giraffe, duiker, waterbuck and impala. Significant numbers of elephant are also resident in the Park whilst sightings of black rhino and leopard are not uncommon. Manyara is also especially noted for its wealth of bird life, being visited by many thousands of sugar-pink Lesser Flamingos, significant numbers of Greater Flamingos and a host of other woodland, plains and water birds Morning at leisure with safari briefing followed by lunch. Afternoon join seat in vehicle safari and you depart Arusha passing through the Masai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee and banana plantations. At the town of Makuyuni you turn North West and continue the journey up through a scenic escarpment that brings you to your lodge, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley with stunning views over the distant Lake Manyara.
P a g e 6 Day 3: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, Central Serengeti Central Serengeti The Serengeti together with Kenya s Masai Mara Game Park form Africa s most famous wildlife park. The image of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomises Africa for many, and then add a Masai warrior and some cattle to the picture and the conversation need go no further. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet with more than a million animals following the rains. But that is not where the game viewing ends; 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 and you can even do a horseback safari. Overnight: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge is situated high a tree clad ridge, commanding panoramic views across the Serengeti. The lodge is a fusion of traditional African architecture and modern style. Centrally located adjacent to the Western Corridor and Grumeti River, the lodge has been designed to blend completely into the living landscape. A series of traditional domed rondavels are widely spaced throughout the grounds, which are cooled by groves of acacia trees and watered by sparkling streams. On the very edge of the ridge is a pool, which looks out over the endless plains. The lodge has been styled to offer a showcase of cultural performance, heritage and traditional art, illustrated by the lavish Makonde carvings which decorate the rooms and the stunning domed dining room. After breakfast there is a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park that returns to the lodge for lunch. Leaving Lake Manyara behind, the journey continues North West across the stunning hilly countryside of the highlands which is filled with wheat and coffee plantations, and then into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. From here lie the vast plains of the Serengeti, where you ll hopefully start spotting game well before you get into the park.
P a g e 7 Day 4: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, Central Serengeti Morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti National Park. Day 5: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater Ngorongoro Crater The Ngorongoro Crater is game viewing gone crazy and it is not surprising that with is one of Tanzania s major tourist drawcards. Within the crater rim a daily wildlife drama is played out as large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze nearby lions, leopards, elephants and black rhinos. Outside of the crater a similar drama continues in a more spread out manner with Masai herdsmen thrown into the mix. Overnight: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge Perched on the jagged rim of the crater, wreathed in morning mist, camouflaged in river-stone and cloaked in indigenous creepers, the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is a triumph of ecological and architectural fusion. Sensitively constructed so as to take nothing from its environment whilst affording endless vistas over the heatshimmering reaches of the crater below, the clustered boulder-built buildings of the Lodge hug the crater rim, linked by rope-lashed timber walkways that skirt the buttressed roots of ancient, liana-hung trees. The interior, radiating out from the primeval log fire glowing at the heart of the Lodge, blends the concentrated hush of a game-viewing hide with the ochre, rust and charcoal images of a prehistoric cavern. Lit by flaming wall-lanterns, clad in gigantic volcanic boulders and decorated by the iron spears, bright-beaded robes and intricately carven artefacts of the Maasai, the Lodge is a unique blend of world-class luxury, timeless volcanic splendour and ethnic style. As for the views, from lilac-streaked sunrise, to indigo star-studded night, the immeasurably ancient Ngorongoro Crater delivers a theatre of vistas, most unchanged since the dawn of time. Strung around the crater rim, each with its own rock-enclosed balcony, the rooms feature brass lamps, embossed leather headboards, wildwood mirrors, Maasai carvings and flamboyant prehistoric wall motifs depicting fleeing giraffes, stylised gazelle and plunging buffalo. Each room draws on a cave-grey, indigo-blue and jasper-red colourscheme, is fully air-conditioned and enjoys uninterrupted views over the Crater's unmatched splendour. At the end of an action-packed day, guests can also follow a gentle nature trail that loops around the Lodge through moss-hung glades and plunging ravines, take a guided walk to the Crater's rim, relax with a herbal massage, or watch as the burning sun sinks behind the mountains from a unique vantage point on the craggy heights of the Crater's rim.
P a g e 8 After breakfast you depart for Ngorongoro with a picnic lunch viewing game across the vast Serengeti plains, stopping en route for a picnic lunch you then continue to your lodge, set high on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. Day 6: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater A highlight awaits you this morning as you depart to explore what is commonly referred to as the World s largest wildlife zoo. After breakfast, you descend with a picnic lunch through the early morning mists and 2,000 feet into the crater. Ngorongoro Crater is the World s largest intact volcanic caldera. Due to its size and diversity, the crater floor is comprised of several distinct areas, ranging from forest, swamps, lakes and springs, to open grassland and some sandy dunes. It s an awesome wildlife experience. A picnic lunch is served overlooking a small lake populated with hippos. You return to the lodge in the late afternoon. Day 7: Tarangire Sopa Lodge, Tarangire National Park Tarangire National Park After the Serengeti, Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania and in the dry season the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland gather and not surprisingly the predators follow. This is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx and gerenuk are regularly spotted. Tarangire is also known for its spectacular baobab trees, and its breathtaking views of the Masaai Steppe and the mountains to the south. Located just a few hours drive from the town of Arusha, Tarangire is a popular stop for safaris travelling through the
P a g e 9 northern circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. The park extends into two game controlled areas and the wildlife are allowed to move freely throughout. Overnight: Tarangire Sopa Lodge Hidden among the kopjes, lies Tarangire Sopa Lodge, surrounded by ancient baobab trees. It is the home of the greatest concentration of elephants in Africa, and other game including the elusive leopard. Over 400 bird species can be spotted here as well. With water constantly available in the area, the greenery is lush providing a wonderful contrast to the burnt ground. Departing Ngorongoro Crater after breakfast, head south east past Lake Manyara and Mto wa Mbu village. Through the highlands and the Karatu district, you ll view the scenic wheat plains and coffee plantations here before journeying down the spectacular escarpment where you turn south on to the main Arusha Dodoma road and into the park. From here to the lodge, you ll enjoy a game drive en route. After lunch and perhaps a swim, the remainder of the afternoon will be spent on a game drive. Day 8: Departure Depart after breakfast and head north east to Arusha. The journey will pass through the Masai Steppe filled with many picturesque African villages as well as maize, coffee and banana plantations. On arrival in Arusha you will be provided lunch followed by transfer to Kilimanjaro Airport to connect international departure flight (booked by agent). END OF OUR SERVICES
P a g e 10 Transport Transfers Date Pick Up Drop Off Time Vehicle Kilimanjaro International Airport [JRO] Lake Duluti Serena Hotel Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge Tarangire Sopa Lodge Arusha Lake Duluti Serena Hotel Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge Tarangire Sopa Lodge Arusha Kilimanjaro International Airport [JRO] Urgent Contact Numbers Company Name Telephone Email Address Contact Person Safari Ventures Inc 18138108879 npatel@safariventures.com Niru Patel Contact Details & Reference Numbers Service Provider Ref. Number Telephone Address Lake Duluti Serena Hotel Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge +255 754 620 664 +255 27 253 9162 +255 27 254 5555 Box 2551 Arusha - Tanzania. Located 15 kms along Arusha - Moshi road off Tengeru shopping centre1.5kms on the right.