Magical Migration & Beach Tour

Days 1 -  Onsea House , Arusha

This tour starts at Kilimanjaro International Airport where you will be met by your driver guide and transfered to Onsea House in Arusha.

Onsea House is located just outside the town of Arusha. Situated between Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha town, it is perfectly positioned for the first stop of your holiday after a long flight into Tanzania. Spread out over two levels, Onsea House has the feeling of a private home instead of a boutique hotel. Owner managed, and with a reputation of culinary excellence, Onsea House provides the perfect start or finish to any safari experience.

Days 2 to 3 -  Plantation Lodge , Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast on day 2 you will depart with your driver guide in a westerly direction as you head towards Lake Manyara National Park.

One of the smaller parks in Tanzania, Lake Manyara offers a microcosm of the safari experience to be found in Tanzania. The diverse landscape includes lush forests hosting baboons, monkeys and canopy dwelling birdlife. Grassy floodplains play home to larger mammals like buffalo, wildebeest, zebra and giraffe. Inland one might find the famous tree climbing lions and herds of elephant. In addition to the wildlife, over 400 species of birds have been recorded within the park.

In the afternoon, make your way up the steep Rift Valley escarpment, into the small town of Karatu and up to Plantation Lodge. After checking in, enjoy a refreshing swim or relax under the trees in the beautiful garden.

Plantation Lodge is located on a 45-acre working coffee plantation, just outside the town of Karatu. The rooms are in small white cottages dotted around the well-kept gardens, where there is also a peaceful pool area with great views over the Ngorongoro Highlands. Each of the rooms is individually decorated in a traditional safari feel with a contemporary twist and features a sitting room with fireplace, private veranda and en suite facilities. The food and service is very good and most of the produce used to create the meals is from the extensive farm gardens. For those wanting to visit the Crater during the day, but to get away from the crowds at night, the lodge offers very good value in a beautiful setting.

An early start to Day 3 is best in order to avoid the later influx of tourists into the Ngorongoro Crater. The park gate opens at 0600, so it is best to be there as close to this time as possible.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a large, unbroken, un-flooded caldera, formed when a giant volcano erupted and collapsed some three million years ago. Had it not become a caldera, it is possible that the volcanic mountain would be about the same height as Kilimanjaro. Down on the crater floor there is an abundance of wildlife including black rhino, wildebeest, zebra and eland. There are a number of lion which are typically larger in size than an average lion due the large amount of game in the area. The crater floor tends to get very busy, with there often being numerous vehicles at any wildlife sighting.

Enjoy a packed lunch under the trees on the crater floor, but keep an eye out for the monkey’s which are always keen to take advantage of an opportunistic moment. In the afternoon, drive up and out of the crater, and back down the road towards Karatu. Spend the afternoon in the pool, schedule a massage, or catch up on some reading under the trees.

Days 4 to 6 -   Ubuntu Camp , Northern Serengeti

After an early breakfast on Day 4. you will depart from Plantation Lodge making your way to Manyara Airstrip. Here you say farewell to your driver guide and connect with your  flight to Kogatende Airstrip in the Northern Serengeti. On arrival at Kogatende you will be met by a resident guide from Ubuntu Camp. A welcome table will be set up either at the airstrip or a short distance away, with tea & coffee, cold drinks and snacks allowing you to refresh while your guide briefs you on the surrounding area. Depending on your preference, you may enjoy a short game drive or head directly for camp.

After lunch, there is time to unwind and relax before heading out for a late afternoon game drive in an open safari vehicle. The afternoon culminates with the sunset sliding into the Serengeti plains whilst you enjoy your drink of choice.

Ubuntu camp is a seasonal camp of just six tents. The intimate camp is designed to reach key areas of wildlife activity when a camp is most needed. The camp is lightweight enough to move seasonally but it also offers every comfort possible. Each tent is either a double or a twin (triples available), with flush toilets, running water and safari showers in en-suite bathrooms. Hospitality, great food and a wonderful relaxed environment is the essence of Ubuntu Camp. “Ubuntu” refers to the human characteristics of generosity, consideration and humane-ness towards others in the community. Ubuntu Camp encompasses this characteristic in its personalized and warm hospitality.

The next 2 days will be spent exploring the Serengeti and the Great Migration. Depending on your preference, there are a couple of options with regards to how your day is structured. One option is to break camp early and head out with a picnic breakfast, returning to camp in time for lunch. Alternatively, you can eat breakfast in camp and head out with a picnic lunch, returning in the mid afternoon. Despite sharing vehicles on a Game Package basis, the camp will do everything it can to ensure that your ideal structure is met.

Day 7 to 10 -   Matemwe Lodge , Zanzibar

After breakfast on Day 7 you will depart camp and make your way to Kogatende Airstrip. Here you will bid your guide farewell as you board your flight to Zanzibar. On arrival at Zanzibar Airport you will be met and transferred by road to Matemwe Lodge in the north east of the island.

One of only a handful of boutique lodges in Zanzibar, Matemwe is perched on a coral rock outcrop overlooking a sandy beach gently sloping into the Indian Ocean. Adjacent to the lodge, the corals surrounding the Mnemba Atoll offer superb diving and snorkelling. Fresh seafood, refreshing cocktails and relaxing massages are just some elements of the laid-back daily routines of Matemwe’s guests. Matemwe is made up of only twelve beach chalets all overlooking the Indian Ocean. Each of the private verandas is furnished with large hammocks and sofas, perfect for whiling away the time as the occasional dhow drifts past in the distance.

There are a variety of activities available either at Matemwe Lodge, or that can be arranged through reception. Activities outside of the resort can usually be booked at 24 hours’ notice, so it is best to arrange these on arrival at the lodge. Your days are therefore open to be structured as you choose, with either as much relaxing by the pool, or as many activities as you wish.

Day 10 - Return to Dar Es Salaam

Depending on the time of your flight out of Zanzibar, a Day Room at Matemwe can be booked. This allows you a space in which to relax and shower before getting the homeward journey underway. You will be transferred to Zanzibar Airport in time for your  flight across to Dar es Salaam. Connect with a quick inter terminal shuttle and check in for your international flight home.

Pricing

From US$5950 in low season US$ 6950 in Peak Season per person sharing.