4 Days & 3 Nights: Manyara, Ngorongoro & Tarangire

Game drives. Lake Manyara, below the Rift Valley escarpment, is home to various habitats despite its small area (330 sq km/205 sq miles), of which two hundred are occupied by the lake). They range from dense forests fed by springs that emerge at the foot of the Rift Valley to savannahs and wetlands. Among many animal species there are large colonies of baboons, vervet monkeys and other species of monkeys, elephants, giraffes and three hundred and eighty species of birds. From December to March, large flocks of lesser pink flamingos can be found here which then migrate towards Lake Natron from June to October. Predators include numerous leopards and lions; the latter, annoyed by soil moisture and insects, have acquired the habit (rather rare in these big cats and found only in a few other areas) of climbing on tree branches. Late afternoon, proceed to Karatu, on the Ngorongoro Highlands. Overnight at Acacia Farm Lodge

The Ngorongoro Crater is unique and unparalleled in the world. It is what remains of an ancient volcanic cone, whose peak collapsed about two and a half million years ago, creating the current caldera: a truncated cone containing a large “pan” with a diameter of 16/20 km (9/12 miles) with raised edges reaching about 600 metres (2000 feet) over the ground. This basin has developed into savannah inhabited by more than 25,000 big game and every species typical of the region, with the exception of the giraffe (which does not find food here) is represented in the Ngorongoro Crater. The crater rim reaches an altitude of 2,350 metres (7,700 feet) and offers breath-taking views. The outer slopes are covered with dense primary forest. Overnight at Acacia Farm Lodge

With its 2,600 square kilometres (1600 sq miles), Tarangire is a different habitat to the other northern parks. It is 30 km across (18 miles), from east to west, and 100 km across (62 miles), from north to south. Considered a “park of giants”, Tarangire is home to huge baobab trees and large herds of elephants, as well as lions, leopards, antelopes, gazelles, wildebeests, zebras, buffalo, and about five hundred species of birds, both resident and migrant, the highest concentration in Tanzania. The centre of life is the Tarangire River itself, which during the dry season, along with the Silale Marsh, becomes the only source of water, thus attracting large numbers of animals. Overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge

(depending on your departure flight), back to Arusha for lunch then transfer to Airport.