5-Days of Honeymoon Bliss

Your adventure begins with an early morning departure from Arusha, heading southwest toward Tarangire National Park, a journey of about 2.5 to 3 hours. Upon arrival, you’ll enter a landscape dominated by towering baobab trees and rolling savannahs. Tarangire is famous for its large elephant populations, especially during the dry season when wildlife congregates around the Tarangire River. You’ll spend the day on a game drive, searching for lions lounging in the shade, herds of wildebeests, giraffes browsing the treetops, and perhaps even a stealthy leopard. After a picnic lunch inside the park, your afternoon continues with more wildlife viewing as you make your way toward the park’s exit. In the early evening, you’ll drive to a lodge near Karatu where you’ll relax, have dinner, and prepare for the next day’s journey into the heart of the Serengeti.

After an early breakfast, you’ll embark on a scenic drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area en route to Serengeti National Park. This journey takes about 4 to 5 hours, but the changing landscapes and wildlife along the way make it a spectacular part of the experience. You’ll pass through Naabi Hill Gate the official entrance to the Serengeti for lunch and stunning views of the plains ahead. Once inside the Serengeti, your game drive begins immediately as you traverse vast open grasslands dotted with acacia trees. Depending on the season, you might encounter parts of the Great Migration massive herds of wildebeests and zebras as well as predators like lions and cheetahs trailing behind. By late afternoon, you’ll arrive at your lodge or tented camp in the Central Serengeti (Seronera region) for dinner and an overnight stay under the stars.

Today is devoted entirely to exploring the Serengeti, one of the most iconic wildlife destinations in the world. You’ll begin with an early morning game drive when the predators are most active and the light is ideal for photography. If you’re up for a once in a lifetime experience, you can take a hot air balloon safari at sunrise (optional), offering a breathtaking aerial view of the plains and wildlife below. Throughout the day, your guide will take you across various Serengeti habitats river valleys, rocky outcrops (kopjes), and grasslands in search of the “Big Five” and more. You’ll enjoy a bush lunch or picnic in the wilderness before continuing your exploration. The Serengeti is teeming with wildlife: watch for prides of lions lounging on rocks, cheetahs stalking prey on the open plains, and large pods of hippos wallowing in pools. In the evening, return to your camp or lodge for a warm meal and stories by the campfire.

After breakfast, you’ll enjoy a final morning game drive in the Serengeti as you begin your journey back toward the Ngorongoro Highlands. The drive takes you once again through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, but today’s focus shifts from wildlife to culture. You’ll arrive in the highlands region known for its cool climate, green hills, and traditional Maasai villages by early afternoon. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to visit an authentic Maasai community. Spend the afternoon learning about their pastoral way of life, customs, and traditions. You may be invited to observe or participate in cultural practices, such as dancing, cattle herding demonstrations, or a guided walk to learn about traditional medicine and Maasai beliefs about nature and wildlife. This is a chance to experience the human dimension of the Tanzanian landscape. You’ll spend the night in a lodge or eco-camp in the highlands, surrounded by misty hills and the peaceful sounds of rural life.

On your final day, you’ll have an early breakfast before descending into the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most wildlife-rich areas in Africa. The crater floor, a collapsed volcanic caldera, is home to a high concentration of animals in a relatively small area, making for an action-packed final safari. You’ll spend the morning on a game drive across the crater floor, where sightings of the Big Five especially black rhinos, lions, elephants, and buffalo—are very possible. Keep an eye out for flamingos on the lake, hyenas on the hunt, and hippos in the pools. After a picnic lunch at a scenic spot inside the crater, you’ll ascend the crater wall and begin your drive back to Arusha, arriving in the late afternoon or early evening. Depending on your plans, you’ll be dropped off at your hotel or the airport for your onward journey, bringing your unforgettable Tanzanian adventure to a close.