Long Safaris

Long Safari Itinerary

8 Days Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Arusha NP

After breakfast you drive to Arusha NP for a full day game drive with an optional canoeing safari to Momella lakes, later we drive to our lodge, camp or campsite in Momella, Usa River or Arusha for dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Arusha – Tarangire

Today we drive to Tarangire NP most famous for its herds of elephants for a game drive with lunch boxes served in the park, later for drive to our lodge, camp or campsite in Tarangire for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Tarangire – Lake Manyara

Early in the morning we leave back to Tarangire NP for an early morning game drive and later we leave for Lake Manyara for an afternoon (a half day) game drive, picnic lunch to be served in the park, and the evening we leave the park to either Mto wa Mbu or Karatu for dinner and overnight in a lodge, camp or campsite.

Day 4: Lake Manyara / Karatu to Seronera (Central Serengeti)

After breakfast we drive to Serengeti NP with Lunch Boxes to be served en route, for evening game drive in Seronera. Today we have an option to pass by the Olduvai Gorge. In the evening we leave to our lodge, camp and campsite for dinner and overnight in Seronera.

Day 5: Seronera

Today after breakfast we will have a full day game drive in Seronera, park lunch to be served in the park with an optional hot lunch. Seronera is full of resident animals that do not move with the migration, this makes it good to visit for the full year, later in the evening we go back to our lodge, camp or campsite for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Seronera – Ngorongoro

After breakfast we leave for and early morning game drive in Seronera before leaving to Ngorongoro where we will have an evening game drive, your lunch boxes will be served on the way. Later we will overnight in a lodge on the crater rim or in a camp or campsite.

Day 7: Ngorongoro – Karatu

Today we will have a full day game drive in Ngorongoro with our picnic lunches served in the park, later in the evening we will depart to our lodge, camp or campsite in Karatu for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Karatu – Arusha

In the morning after breakfast we leave to Arusha with an optional flight to Zanzibar to continue with your beautiful holiday in Zanzibar, or a day room to prepare yourself for your flight back home while meditating your beautiful safari, or even an optional transfer to Kilimanjaro International airport for flight back home.

Note: If Arusha NP is not included in Day 1 this will be a perfect 7 days safari Itinerary

Safari Itineraries from 11 to 15 Days

Tanzania Safari itineraries are according to choice. They all include one to two nights at Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro and two or more nights in the Serengeti. The itineraries that follow are suggested. For those interested in combining game viewing with hiking, the two-day Ngorongoro Highlands (Embakai) to Lake Natron hike is recommended (after seeing Ngorongoro Crater).

As an addition to a safari, we recommend the Tanzania Coast. It is one of Tanzania’s best kept secrets. The coast may not have the exotic appeal of Zanzibar but it has wonderful unspoilt beaches.

Safaris start and end in Arusha.

If you have a particular preference for accommodation, please let us know. Swala Safaris’ choice of lodges is for the smaller and more intimate one’s. See our more complete selection of lodges in our accommodation page. The following are suggested itineraries and can be modified.

11 Days / 10 Nights: Itinerary recommended mid – July to end of October.

Day 1. Arrive Arusha and transfer to lodge or lodge in Arusha

Day 2. Drive to Tarangire National Park for day in park. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Tarangire

Day 3. Day in Tarangire National Park. Overnight as above.

Day 4. After an early lunch, a 90 minute drive takes you to the bottom of the Rift Valley and your lodge for the next two nights. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Mto wa Mbu

Day 5. Day in Lake Manyara National Park. The park has a variety of habitats in a relatively small area: ground water forest, grass plains, and acacia woodland. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Mto wa Mbu

Day 6. Continue to Lake Natron via Engaruka and implosion crater. Walk up Engare Sero gorge to the waterfalls and visit lake shore. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Lake Natron

Day 7. Continue to Serengeti via Salei Plain (six hours). Picnic lunch. Arrive in Serengeti Park in afternoon. Game viewing en route. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Lobo

Day 8. Game drive in northern Serengeti. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Lobo

Day 9. Game drive and/or hikes in central Serengeti. Good area for spotting leopard and cheetah. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Seronera

Day 10. Continue to Ngorongoro Crater via Olduvai Gorge. Afternoon in Ngorongoro Crater. Overnight at a lodge, camp or campsite in Ngorongoro

Day 11. Morning Game Drive in Ngorongoro and later drive to Arusha (three hour drive, mainly on tarred road). Overnight at a lodge or hotel in Arusha

Note: Allow one more night in Lake Natrone for Oldoinyo L’Engai Climb. This itinerary is best when migration on the north.

12 Days / 11 Nights: Itinerary recommended mid – July to end of October.

As for 11 Day safari with extra day in Tarangire.

13 Days / 12 Nights

As for 12 Days / 11 nights with extra night at Lake Natron.

14 Days / 13 Nights 

As for 12 Days / 12 nights with extra nights at Speke Bay Gulf on the shores of Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria is on the western edge of the Serengeti (3 hour drive from Seronera in the centre of the Serengeti). Optional is a two night stay at Lukuba Island Lodge. Lukuba is a small island a half – hour boat ride from the town of Musoma. There is a small fishing village on part of the island. Optional is a flight by small plane from Seronera to Musoma and then by boat to Lukuba Island.

Combined Tanzania and Kenya

The Masai Mara is one of the best parks in Africa particularly during the dry season from July to October. It is a five hour drive from the Masai Mara to a lodge in Tanzania on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Combined Safari and Kilimanjaro Climb

Safari and Kilimanjaro Climb 12 days / 11 nights

Days 1 – 7: As for 7 Days / 5 nights safari.  On Day 7 return to Arusha and continue to Protea Aishi Lodge in Machame.

Days 8 – 11: See Kilimanjaro Climbs, Machame Route.  Four nights on mountain.

Day 12: Return to Machame gate. Day room at Protea Lodge. Transfer to airport in evening.

13 days / 12 nights

Days 1 – 8. As for 7 Days / 6 nights.  On day 8 return to Arusha and continue to Protea Aishi Lodge in  Machame.

Days. 9 – 13. See Kilimanjaro Climbs, Machame Route. Five nights on mountain.

Day 13. Return to Machame gate. Day room at Protea Lodge. Transfer to airport in evening.

14 days / 13 nights

Days 1 – 8. As for 8 Days / 7 nights.  On day 8 return to Arusha. Overnight lodge in Arusha or Machame.

Days. 9 – 14. See Kilimanjaro Climbs, Machame Route. Five nights on mountain.
Return to Machame gate. Day room at Protea Lodge. Transfer to airport in evening.

Combined Safari and Zanzibar

Flights Arusha – Zanzibar and Zanzibar – Dar es Salaam included. Hotel in Zanzibar is on bed and breakfast basis. See Zanzibar Safaris.

Family Departures: Children under 16 sharing accommodation with parents, discount of 50% per child.

Vehicles:

Game viewing vehicles in the national parks and game areas; transfers between camps are by Land Cruisers / Land Rovers 4-wheel drive, depending on the area and prevailing conditions. Game viewing vehicles at the camps are 4-wheel drive. Swala Safaris driver – guides are experienced and knowledgeable in wildlife and their game spotting skills are excellent.