Private Journey Details

Trip Highlights

• Meet Sarah Durant, head of the Tanzania Cheetah Conservation Program and a National Geographic grantee in Serengeti National Park.
• Observe everyday life in the African bush on a visit to a village school.*
• Explore Olduvai Gorge and see the site where Louis and Mary Leakey discovered Homo habilis on a National Geographic-sponsored expedition.
• Set out on wildlife safaris from the comfort of some of Tanzania's finest luxury safari camps and lodges.
• Meet with a Maasai elder to learn about his legendary tribe's traditions.

Itinerary - 10 Days

Days 1 & 2 — U.S./Amsterdam, The Netherlands/Arusha,Tanzania

Depart on your overnight flight to Amsterdam and connect to your flight to Arusha. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.
Mountain Village Lodge

Days 3 & 4 — Arusha/Tarangire National Park

Fly to Tarangire National Park, home to large herds of eland, oryx, wildebeest, and zebra, along with a sizable elephant population. Settle into your luxury tented camp and spend two days exploring the undulating grasslands of this vast, lesser known park. Enjoy breakfast in the bush, and set out to spot wildlife on morning and afternoon game drives, accompanied by expert guides. Pay a visit to a primary school in the village of Mamire to meet the headmaster and several students. (Please note: The school is closed for one-week periods in March, June, and September, and during holidays. Please call for details.)
Swala Camp (B,L,D)

Day 5 — Tarangire National Park/Ngorongoro Crater

A short flight brings you to Lake Manyara, where you'll continue by road to Gibb's Farm for lunch. Drive with your private guide to the Ngorongoro Crater, a huge natural amphitheater created by the collapse of an ancient volcano. Inside the crater's walls lives a fascinating microcosm of East African wildlife, from zebras and flamingos to leopards, hippopotamuses, and crowned cranes. This afternoon, meet with a Maasai elder to learn about his legendary tribe's traditions and their adaptation to the modern world. Your home for the next two nights is the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, perched on the rim of the crater and offering spectacular views.
Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 6 — Ngorongoro Crater

This morning, drive down into the crater, where short-grass prairies, low woodlands, and shallow lakes create an ideal haven for lions, elephants, hyenas, wildebeests, gazelles, and the elusive black rhinoceros. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the crater followed by an afternoon game drive.
(B,L,D)

Day 7 — Ngorongoro Crater/Serengeti National Park

Set off for Serengeti National Park this morning, stopping at Olduvai Gorge on the way. Follow your guide through this archaeological site, where in the early 1960s, Louis and Mary Leakey discovered Homo habilis, one of the early humans, on an expedition sponsored by National Geographic. Continue into the rolling savanna of the Serengeti, a vast ecosystem covering 11,500 square miles that supports one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in the world. Each year, the Serengeti is the scene of a spectacular migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and zebras. Following an afternoon game drive, return to the lodge for dinner.
Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 8 — Serengeti National Park

On morning and afternoon game drives, observe the interaction of animals and their habitat. Keep an eye out for elephant families sloshing playfully at the water's edge, zebras watching warily for predators, and brilliantly colored rollers and lovebirds flitting among the trees. Meet Sarah Durant, head of the Tanzania Cheetah Conservation Program and a National Geographic grantee, or one of the project's senior staff for an informative talk about cheetahs and conservation work in the Serengeti.
(B,L,D)

Days 9 & 10 — Serengeti National Park/Arusha/Amsterdam/U.S.

After breakfast and a short morning game drive, fly to Arusha and check into a day room at the Mountain Village Lodge. Later, transfer to the airport for your late evening flight to Amsterdam. Arrive in the morning and connect to your flight to the U.S., arriving the same day.
(Day 9: B, L)

Optional Extension

• Zanzibar - Post-Trip Extension, 5 Days

National Geographic Private Journeys are unique itineraries designed for independent travelers. You'll explore fascinating places with private guides, and wherever possible, meet National Geographic experts at work in the field.

• What is a Private Journey?
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