Northern Circuit Fly-In Safari

Take a deep breath.  The big day has arrived!  On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be welcomed by your dedicated Africa Flash McTours representative.  You will then be transferred to your Arusha hotel.  There, your guide will brief you on the coming adventure.  Spend the rest of the day at leisure before enjoying dinner and a good night’s rest in anticipation of the incredible wildlife experience you are about to have.

Tanzania is located just south of the equator on the east coast of Africa.  Long considered a premier safari destination, the country is synonymous with the Great Wildebeest Migration of the Serengeti and some of the finest predator viewing on the continent.  Additionally, it has a near-pristine coastline, where visitors can pair their safari experience with a tropical beach holiday.  The country is politically stable and safe for tourists to visit.  The country is culturally and historically rich, adding colour and depth to any visit.  English is widely spoken, particularly in the popular vacation destinations.

Lying at the foot of Mount Meru, Arusha is the country’s safari capital, with thousands passing through on their way to the parks of the country’s Northern Safari Circuit.

Rising early, your guide will be ready to transfer you to Arusha Airport in time for the short flight to Tarangire National Park.  After touching down, you’ll get into the action immediately.  Boarding your dedicated safari vehicle, you will commence a full-day game drive, exploring the distinctive landscape of Tarangire in search of its diverse wildlife.

Situated a little off the traditional safari route, Tarangire is regarded by many safari aficionados as Tanzania’s best-kept safari secret.  Among its many highlights, visitors appreciate the sense of wilderness inferred by the low visitor numbers.

Tarangire is most frequently remembered for its otherworldly baobab trees and large elephant population (said to be the highest in East Africa).  Tarangire is Tanzania’s 6th largest national park, covering an area of some 2850 km² (1100 mi²), nearly the size of the state of Rhode Island (USA) or Luxembourg (EU).

Named for the Tarangire River, which runs from south to north through the reserve, the name is said to mean “winding river of warthogs”, and while these are plentiful, there is much more to the park that makes it a worthwhile destination.

As the sun dips towards the horizon, you’ll arrive at your lodge in time for dinner and bed.

You won’t regret an early wake-up call when you see the red sun rise, silhouetting the branches of the baobabs and acacias.  

Today, you can look forward to seeing Tarangire from a different perspective.  You’ll be setting off on foot in the company of an armed ranger for an immersive walking safari.  As amazing as game drives are, much of what the bush has to offer is missed.  However, when on foot, you’ll truly start to appreciate the complexity of the ecosystem, as explained by your knowledgeable guide.  

Your senses will awaken in ways you never thought possible.  You’ll catch the bovine scent of buffalo.  You’ll hear the crack of a twig as a bird takes off.  You’ll feel the grass caress your legs.  And, you might taste a wild berry, still enjoyed as a snack by the locals.  Your guide will point out animal tracks, various plants, birds and mammals seen along the way.

After the walk, lunch is served back at your lodge.  Then, as the afternoon begins to cool, you’ll head out on a game drive.  Then, as the day comes to an end, return to your lodge for dinner and bed.

Today, you will depart Tarangire after breakfast.  We will fly from the park’s Kuro Airstrip, direct to your next destination: the world-renowned Serengeti National Park.  As the aircraft descends, you’ll quickly see how it earned its name, as Serengeti is the Maasai word meaning ‘endless plains’.  Reaching out as far as the eye can see, a vast, gently swaying grassland is home to an incredible array of wildlife, not least of which are the herds of wildebeest that gather to form the bulk of the epic Great Migration.

Serengeti National Park covers nearly 15,000 square kilometres (5791 sq. mi) of rolling grasslands, crisscrossed by rivers and interspersed by thickets and rocky outcrops.  The climate in the Serengeti is pleasant year-round, thanks to the altitude.  While it doesn’t get too hot, temperatures drop significantly overnight.

After touching down, you’ll board a safari vehicle and drive to the central Serengeti on a full-day game drive.  Serengeti is most famous for the annual wildebeest migration, during which a million wildebeest and millions of other herbivores follow the rains in search of fresh grazing.  Through the course of the day, we will make a concerted effort to share this incredible spectacle with you.

Today, we’ll once again set off in search of the migration and the non-stop drama it attracts, breaking the day with a packed picnic lunch.  

As you can imagine, with so many wildebeest and antelope running around, the area boasts a very healthy population of large predators.

The most abundant of Serengeti’s big cats is its lions.  Several large prides of Africa’s largest carnivores rule the plains with an iron paw.  From the raw power of the shaggy-maned lions to the mischievous snarls of the cubs, they are a consistent delight.

For cheetahs, Serengeti offers a near-perfect habitat.  Capable of speeds exceeding 100 km/h, they can truly use their speed advantage to devastating effect on the endless plains.  Less frequently sighted, but equally beautiful, leopards are most often found in thickets or draped on the high branches of the flat-topped acacia trees that dot the plains of the Seronera region..

Serengeti’s most numerous large predators are spotted hyenas.  Once maligned, these part-time scavengers are accomplished predators in their own right.  Highly intelligent and social, they are the low-key rivals to lions for domination of the plains.

After an exhilarating day, you’ll return to your lodge for dinner and bed.

Today will be your last full day in the Serengeti, so be sure to catch the sunrise before setting off on another thrilling game drive in pursuit of the migration and whatever other action Mother Nature deems fit to share.

Contrary to the common misconception, the Great Migration is effectively an ongoing mass movement of herbivores driven by their need for fresh grazing and water.  The bulk of the migratory herd is made up of over a million blue wildebeest.  Pausing on the southern plains of the Serengeti between January and March, around half a million wildebeest drop their calves within just a couple of weeks.  

Soon thereafter, the great herd sets off, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of zebra and antelope.  Along the path of their circuitous route, many challenges await.  If the rains fail, food will be scarce.  Predators lie in ambush around every turn.  Swiftly flowing rivers teeming with crocodiles must be crossed.  No wonder it has been dubbed ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.

An estimated quarter of a million wildebeest will not survive the complete migration circuit.  But their sacrifice has not been in vain.  The predators are fed and the soil revitalised.

Return to your lodge for dinner and bed.

All too soon, your time in the Serengeti is drawing to a close.  Savour one last Serengeti sunrise before sitting down to a farewell breakfast.  Afterwards, we’ll be transferred to the Seronera Airstrip, where you will board a light aircraft for the short flight to your next destination: Lake Manyara National Park.  On arrival, you’ll have lunch before continuing on a game drive in the park.

Lake Manyara National Park is located in northern Tanzania, between Arusha and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  The lake accounts for two-thirds of its 330 sq. km (127 sq. mi) area.  While the park is home to an abundance of mammals, for many, the key attraction is the birdlife, particularly the colourful diversity of waterbirds that thrive around the lake.  In all, more than 400 species are represented, with up to 100 species easily identified in a day.

The park is home to 4 of the Big 5 – lion, leopard, elephant and Cape buffalo.  Of these, the park boasts a few magnificent elephant bulls with huge tusks.  Meanwhile, its lion population is unique in that they regularly sleep in trees.

After the game drive, you will be taken to your lodge for dinner and bed.

Today, you’ll enjoy one of the tour’s highlights: a full-day tour of the Ngorongoro Crater.  We will depart after breakfast, enjoying various wildlife sightings en route to the crater’s entrance gate.

The Ngorongoro Crater was formed millions of years ago, when a massive volcano imploded during an eruption.  Separated from the surrounding landscape by sheer 600-metre-high slopes, the crater floor within is an isolated ecosystem teeming with life.  Covering 260 square kilometres (100 sq. mi.), the crater has two main ecosystems: forests on the slopes and grasslands (with occasional marshes) on the floor.  Here, the climate is temperate and mild, with two wet seasons, occurring in November-December and from March to May.

Of its many accolades, the crater is said to be home to the highest density of lions in the world.  It is also one of the few places in Tanzania where you can see the Big 5 in one place.  You have an excellent chance of seeing white rhinos, and if you’re very lucky, you might also get to see the smaller, but more temperamental black rhinos emerging from the thickets.

Another highlight is Lake Magadi, a shallow alkaline lake which attracts large flocks of flamingoes and is home to numerous honking hippos.  After the game drive, you will be taken to your lodge for dinner and bed.

All too soon, the tour is reaching its conclusion, and we’ll be changing the pace somewhat.  After breakfast at your lodge, we’ll drive you up to the top of the Ngorongoro caldera for a scenic walk along the rim of the crater.  Savour the views as clouds and raptors drift by on unseen air currents.  The trail passes through some gorgeous habitats, most notably ancient forests that ring with birdsong.

Later on in the day, we will return the the Manyara Airstrip for your return flight to Arusha/Kilimanjaro International Airport.  Safely back at our starting point, it is now time to say our goodbyes and wish you well on your onward travels.

Having seen and experienced so much, we can confidently assure you that Africa has so much more to offer.  Should you decide to return, we at Africa Flash McTours would be delighted to host your next African safari adventure.