Day 1: Arrival JRO, Arusha

Transfer, Arusha Coffee Lodge – Dinner
Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met and assisted with a transfer to Arusha Coffee Lodge. The aptly named Arusha Coffee Lodge lies hidden among the sprawling grounds of Tanzania’s largest coffee plantation, set below the rugged peaks of Mt. Meru. Guests can unwind in one of the lodge’s exclusive Plantation Suites, each boasting a romantic four-poster bed draped in Egyptian cotton linen, a split-level sitting area, an ensuite bathroom, an open fireplace, a personal bar, and a private veranda that looks out onto rows and rows of berry-laden coffee bushes.

Meals included: Dinner | Stay: Arusha Coffee Lodge (1 night)

Day 2: Transfer to Tarangire National Park
Accommodation: Nimali Tarangire – Fullboard
After breakfast, you will be picked up by your safari guide and transferred by road to Tarangire National Park. Upon arrival, you will check in at the luxurious Nimali Tarangire. Nimali Tarangire is a permanent, lodge-style tented camp that opened in 2015 on the northeastern boundary of Tarangire National Park. Built on a private concession, it is located on the pretty banks of a seasonal river in the Radilen Wildlife Management Area. The lodge is situated alongside the riverbed and well hidden among the acacia and baobab trees. Natural materials are merged with contemporary decor to provide guests with a unique and unforgettable bush experience. The main areas comprise a spacious lounge, library, and a central dining area that overlooks the swimming pool and a waterhole that attracts wildlife. Safari books are available for guests to read. Every evening, guests can relax in the lounge and have sundowners by the fireplace.

Tarangire National Park features sun-kissed granite mountains, sparkling river valleys, prolific bushveld, and free-roaming wildlife you will behold from the moment you touch down in Tanzania and transfer to your decadent suite overlooking the park’s boundless wilds.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Nimali Tarangire (1 night)

Day 3: Lake Manyara National Park
Accommodation: Lake Manyara Tree Lodge – Fullboard
Morning game drive in Tarangire. Return to your lodge for lunch. This afternoon you will continue with your guide through the scenic escarpment to your lodge, perched on the edge of the Rift Valley. You will check in at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, designed to exert minimal impact on the environment and provide a tranquil haven. The lodge offers an exclusive interpretive safari in a more remote area of the national park. The team exudes gentle Tanzanian hospitality and has a passion for delighting guests, whether on a honeymoon or a family safari. The lodge is the ultimate spot to rejuvenate mind, body, and soul, with wellness as a pivotal thread. The lush forest environment is an idyllic cocoon to recharge. Holistically centered, the lodge offers healing therapies, organic practices, and the opportunity to connect with nature. Enjoy nourishing dishes with their food-to-table philosophy, sip the freshest juices and smoothies, and work out in your room with their convenient Gym in a Basket. Unwind with a massage in the massage sala.

Lake Manyara National Park offers a wilderness experience in diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Apart from a spectacular setting, the park is famous for its unusual tree-climbing lions and the vast elephant herds it was established to protect. The shores of the lake, encrusted with pink flamingos, attract more than 400 species of birds, many of them waterfowl or migrants. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives through this diverse habitat to look for tree-climbing lions. Explore areas of the park that cannot be reached by day visitors and are undisturbed by others. You will traverse a mosaic of acacia woodlands, grassy floodplains, and tall forests in search of wildlife.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Lake Manyara Tree Lodge (1 night)

Days 4-6: Transfer to Serengeti National Park
Accommodation: Serengeti Under Canvas
Your adventure continues in the Serengeti, where you will make your way to &Beyond Serengeti Under Canvas to follow the thundering wildebeest migration. Go on a game drive to look for the herds and the predatory cats that often follow them. Experience the breathtaking beauty of the Serengeti National Park on a once-in-a-lifetime hot air balloon flight. At dawn, rise as the sun greets the day and float in whichever direction the winds of the morning take you. Enjoy dinner under the stars and share stories around the campfire.

Experience a classic tented safari in soothing solitude and spectacular comfort, with only the canvas walls of your tent separating you from the wonders of the Serengeti. Moving five times a year, the camps attempt to anticipate the movements of the Great Migration, bringing guests as close as possible to the wildebeest action, as well as exploring the magnificent resident game. With just nine tents nestled at each private campsite, enjoy the luxury of complete contentment and nights spent in the African bush.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Serengeti Under Canvas (3 nights)

Days 7-8: Ngorongoro Crater
Accommodation: Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge
After breakfast, proceed to Ngorongoro Crater, enjoying a game drive on the way. Have a picnic lunch en route. You will check in at Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge. Set in 50 acres of virgin Tanzanian bush in the Ngorongoro volcanic landscape, this all-suite wood log cabin-style retreat is located a few steps from the Game Reserve Gate and 20 minutes’ drive from the Ngorongoro Crater, which is said to have the densest concentration of wildlife in Africa. This all-inclusive property features 20 spacious private log cabins with a fireplace, a restaurant, a bar, and conference facilities. Indulge in moments of relaxation at the swimming pool or at the Earth & Rain Spa after a full-day game drive.

The Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area is home to more than 30,000 protected animals. It is an area of spectacular beauty and excellent game viewing, an utterly unique safari destination in Africa. The Ngorongoro Crater, once a gigantic volcano, is the largest intact caldera in the world. Wake early to the views of the Crater, and after breakfast, head off for a full-day game drive on the Crater floor, abundant with wildlife. You will see black rhinos protected within its rim, giant tusked elephants, big-maned lions stalking the grasslands, and bright pink flamingos crowding the soda lakes.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge (2 nights)

Day 9: Transfer to Kigali
Accommodation: Kigali Serena Hotel
Depart this morning by vehicle to Arusha, where you will enjoy lunch before continuing to Kilimanjaro Airport. Board your scheduled inter-Africa flight to Nairobi and onward to Kigali, Rwanda. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to Kigali Serena Hotel. The elegant Kigali Serena Hotel is perfectly situated on one of the city’s most vibrant boulevards. Here, guests are welcomed into a gleaming granite atrium adorned with fantastic Rwandan artworks. You will be ushered into contemporary rooms featuring air conditioning, Wi-Fi connectivity, satellite television, and a lovely ensuite bathroom. The hotel offers a wonderful selection of dining options, from the Milima Restaurant that overlooks the sparkling swimming pool to the Sokoni Restaurant, a popular meeting place for both locals and travelers. In the evenings, retreat to the hotel’s convivial lounge, where two bar areas await.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Kigali Serena Hotel (1 night)

Days 10-12: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
Accommodation: Ingagi Parkview Lodge
After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and a short drive through the city, depart with your driver-guide to Ingagi Parkview Lodge in Musanze, near Volcanoes National Park. Your gorilla trekking adventure will begin in earnest. You will meet your tracker and proceed for your first gorilla visit, spending the day tracking mountain gorillas. You can also choose between a golden monkey trek or your second gorilla trek. After your trek, enjoy a relaxing afternoon visiting the farmlands, villages, and markets that surround Kinigi and Musanze towns.

Ingagi, meaning “Gorilla” in Kinyarwanda, offers a comfortable base for exploring Volcanoes National Park. The lodge is located just five minutes from the ranger post and ten minutes from the main park gates, offering spectacular views of the volcanic mountains stretching through Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lodge is Rwandan-owned and run, with staff that go about their work with pride. The gardens are beautiful, and sundowners around the firepit with views of the Virunga Massif are delightful. The bedrooms are big and comfortable, ensuring a good night’s rest.

Meals: Fullboard | Stay: Ingagi Parkview Lodge (3 nights)

Day 13: Depart, Transfer to Kigali
Optional: Meals/Dayroom
This morning, enjoy a Kigali City Tour, including a visit to the Genocide Museum and the local market. A visit to the Women’s Organization can also be arranged. You will then be transferred back to Kigali airport for your international flight.