Northern & Southern Tanzania Circuit Safari 12 Days

After a hearty breakfast at the Lodge, you will board a flight into the Katavi National Park in Southern Tanzania. Unexplored and utterly remote, the floodplains of Katavi are home to heavy concentrations of game. At present, the park hosts only a handful of visitors - long may this last! Katavi has a wild, almost primeval feel, which hits you intensely from the moment you first see the game scattered over the Katisunga flood plain, as you approach by air. Herds of buffalo - two or three thousand strong - graze on the plains; pods of several hundred hippo cram the seasonal rivers; herds of elephant feed on the plains and drink from the springs. There is little to no infrastructure in the park, and, consequently, a palpable sense of freedom in the air. Here one can explore the untouched wilderness, by foot, at animal pace, or off-road by Land Rover, throughout the day, discovering the most hidden areas of the park, without ever seeing another soul. The day’s itinerary is in your hands, leaving room for the many pleasant surprises that abound in the African wilderness. Most days begin with early morning game drives and delicious bush breakfasts out on the plains. Guests return to camp between treks to eat lunch and relax. Inevitably, the afternoon game drives end up with a sunset over the hippo pool, across the plains from camp, where thousands of these chubby creatures provide evening entertainment. Returning to camp, you will settle in around the campfire, before a full dinner in the mess tent, and enjoy the sounds of the African night.

Overnight Chada Tented Camp

Today you will board your flight to the remote Selous Game Reserve. Sands River Selous is a luxurious lodge tucked deep into the vibrant Selous Game Reserve where it sits under magnificent Tamarind and Pod Mahogany trees on a rocky peninsula overlooking a vast sweep of the Rufiji River. There are 8 wonderful open-fronted guest cottages, constructed from local wood and stone with large en-suite bathrooms. The lounge and dining areas are in a thatched boma with open sides offering glorious views of the river and the open air swimming pool sits under an inviting baobab tree. There is a congenial, old-English atmosphere about the service here and the guides are exceptional. Your days and nights will be full of wildlife and adventure. A day on the river will offer hippos and crocs. There will be elephant bush walks and you’ll take to 4wheel drive vehicles to track lion and wild dog. You’ll sleep out under the stars and go on fly-camping expeditions and fishing safaris.

Overnight Selous Sand River Lodge

After breakfast your guides will take you to the airstrip, where you will board your flight to Lake Manyara airstrip where you will be picked up transferred to Lake Manyara tree lodge for dinner and overnight.

Much of the northern part of the park is fed by underground water from the Ngorongoro Highlands and as a result is covered in dense forest vegetation, giving the appearance of a tropical jungle. This forest is ideal habitat for elephant, bushbuck, blue monkey, and huge troops of olive baboon. Some parts are dry bushland attracting zebra, impala and giraffe, while the lakeshore provides another habitat, perfect for flamingos and other shore birds. We game drive slowly south through the park and arrive at the innovatively designed Lake Manyara Tree Lodge in the late afternoon.

Overnight Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

Today we explore more of the park, enjoying the views of the lake and the escarpment, which forms the western edge of the Great Rift Valley. We have a good chance of seeing elephant. It was here that Ian and Oria Douglas-Hamilton did their well-known study on elephant and wrote a book called "Among the Elephants". We can also visit the hippo pool and look for blue (Sykes) monkeys and large Nile monitor lizards. We may visit one of the hot springs, a favorite place for feeding flamingos.

Overnight Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

We explore more of Manyara this morning on our way to Ngorongoro (1½ hrs drive from the Lake Manyara park gate). Our drive takes us up the Rift Valley escarpment, where the views back over Lake Manyara and the floor of the Rift Valley are amazing. We continue through rolling farmland in the Mbulu Highlands, where we notice cool highland air. Further on, at the Ngorongoro Crater rim, we marvel at the beauty of this World Heritage site, before continuing to the luxurious Ngorongoro Crater Lodge where we have dinner and spend the night.

Overnight Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

In the early morning, we can often watch banks of cloud lift off the Crater as the sun penetrates an already magical setting. We descend more than 2,000 feet on steep tracks cut into the crater wall to reach the open plains of the Crater floor. The Ngorongoro Crater is undoubtedly the best place in Tanzania to view black rhino as well as large prides of lion that include magnificent black-manned males. It is also home to huge herds of wildebeest and zebra and many other plains game, such as Thomson's gazelle. An alkaline lake in the floor of the Crater provides a habitat for colorful flamingo and a variety of other water birds. Massive bull elephants feed in the swamps, some adorned with enormous tusks. In the mid-afternoon we ascend to the lodge, relax on our veranda and marvel at the view. We can soak in a hot bath, or walk around the lodge grounds.

Overnight Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Today you will have a leisurely breakfast and then start the drive to Arusha through the Great Rift Valley, close to Lake Manyara and arrive in Arusha in time for lunch. After lunch there will be time for shopping (Optional) before the trip to Kia Lodge where the day use room will be provided for you to freshen up before transferred to airport for your departure.

Kia Lodge Day use room