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Tanzania Wildlife Safari

Join us on a transformative wildlife safari through the heart of East Africa, the backdrop to the year-round migration of grazing herbivores that traverse the Serengeti Plains. Here, exploration is rewarded with insight, and every experience provides memories that resonate over a lifetime. With exceptional access to national parks and reserves, you'll witness spectacular wildlife, colorful local traditions, and endless, sun-drenched savannas of Tanzania during this epic 12-day journey.


NOTE: Tour information is current as of 4/24/2024.

Program Highlights

– Explore some of the most important parks and reserves in East Africa, including the legendary Serengeti—host at different times of the year to the Great Migration, the cyclical journey of 1.6 million herbivores on their quest for survival.

– Participate in up to 12 game drives accompanied by an Orbridge Expedition Leader and expert naturalist guides aboard safari-outfitted Land Cruisers.

– Spend a full day at Ngorongoro Crater—home to populations of lions, leopards, black rhinos, hyenas, wildebeests, buffaloes, elephants, and zebras.

– Reserve an optional hot-air balloon safari over the Serengeti at sunrise, including a champagne breakfast and game drive (additional fee).

What's Included

  • 9 nights deluxe accommodations (each carefully selected to emphasize wildlife viewing and comfort) plus a day room on departure day
  • 9 breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 8 dinners (including a special farewell Serengeti bush dinner) 
  • Expert naturalist guides throughout, including an Orbridge Expedition Leader
  • Daily game drives in custom 4x4 Land Cruisers with roof hatch access and guaranteed window seating
  • Coffee and tea with meals and filtered water while on game drives
  • Internal flight from the Serengeti to Arusha
  • All main program gratuities
  • All taxes, service charges, and park fees
  • Temporary membership in Flying Doctors Service
  • Airport transfers for guests arriving and departing on the suggested flights

Itinerary

Note: Locations selected for this safari promise excellent viewing of wildlife, however, spotting specific wildlife cannot be guaranteed. Some activities are dependent on weather and seasonal conditions.

Day 1: En Route from U.S.

Day 2: Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania
After an evening arrival to the Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be met by an Orbridge representative who will assist with the transfer to your hotel.
Overnight: Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa

Days 3-4: Tarangire National Park
-  Following breakfast and a welcome briefing by your Orbridge Expedition Leader, depart Arusha to enjoy two days exploring Tarangire National Park. Morning and afternoon game drives provide your first look at Africa's natural beauty, power, and wonder. This seasonal park has the second highest concentration of wildlife (after the Serengeti), including diverse habitats such as dry open woodlands, thorny Acacia thickets, rolling hills, rocky outcrops, extensive swamps, the Tarangire River, and many huge, iconic Baobab trees.

Tarangire, known for elephants, reportedly has the largest elephant concentration in the world during the dry season. Witness in sheer awe the commanding presence of these majestic creatures in close proximity as they roam the surrounding landscape.
 
In addition, the park boasts hundreds of bird species—the highest of any Tanzanian park. Notable common birds include the ashy starling, red-and-yellow barbet, red-bellied parrot, speckle-fronted weaver, little bee-eater, and tawny eagle. Bird lovers should keep an eye open for flocks of the dazzlingly colorful yellow-collared lovebird and the equally striking lilac-breasted roller—with its greenish head, lilac throat and breast, blue belly, and bright wing feathers.

This ecosystem is also home to lions, as well as elusive cheetahs and leopards, all sustained by herds of zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, and more.

Between thrilling experiences of wildlife viewing, savor delightful moments to reflect, including a welcome cocktail, a bush lunch inside the park, and educational presentations by the camp fire.
Overnight: Tarangire Sopa Lodge (B,L,D daily)

Day 5: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Today's journey includes a game drive en route to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Next, drive to Gibb's Farm for a guided farm walk and lunch. This award-winning sanctuary, established in the early 1900s as a coffee plantation, offers a welcome respite for travelers. Replenish with inspired organic cuisine, fresh from the farm’s gardens, bakery, and dairy, and enjoy the beauty and tradition of the surroundings. An immersive experience, Gibb's Farm provides opportunities for interested guests to partake in a variety of activities, including the daily vegetable harvest, cow milking, pig feeding, and egg collecting. 

Later, continue to tonight's lodge for dinner and an evening at leisure.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater
This morning, descend some 2,000 feet to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest inactive and intact volcanic caldera in the world. The crater was thought to have developed millions of years ago when the cone of a large active volcano collapsed after eruption. It is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, and its unique ecosystem is often called a "Garden of Eden" due to the wide range and ever-present abundance of wildlife attracted by the year-round water supply on the crater floor.
 
A thrilling full-day game drive provides ample wildlife-viewing opportunities, including, but not limited to: buffaloes, zebras, warthogs, wildebeests, Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, leopards, the densest population of lions in the world, and the best place in East Africa to spot black rhinoceroses.
Overnight: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge (B,L,D)

Days 7-8: Olduvai Gorge | Serengeti National Park - Seronera Valley
- Navigate around the crater’s rim, descending to Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important prehistoric archaeological sites on Earth. It was here in the 1950s that Louis and Mary Leakey first uncovered the fossilized teeth and skull of one of man's earliest ancestors. 

After an interpretive presentation, continue to the Serengeti—Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park—to experience its vastness and beauty. Spanning 12,000 square miles, this ecosystem’s name is appropriately derived from the Maasai language meaning “endless plains.”

Daily morning and afternoon game drives reveal the best of East Africa's natural beauty as we traverse the savanna's golden fields underneath an endless expanse of blue sky. Experience moments of tranquility and pulse-racing action during breathtaking opportunities to observe life in the wild.
Overnight: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge (B,L,D daily)

While in Tanzania, you can opt to take a once-in-a-lifetime hot air balloon safari. Guests choosing to reserve this excursion will enjoy a dawn ascent over the southern Serengeti. Experience incredible birds-eye views over the wildlife and vast landscape. Afterward, enjoy a champagne breakfast and a game drive before rejoining the group. (Note: This excursion must be purchased in advance to guarantee availability and is non-refundable inside 90 days to departure.)

Days 9-10: Western Serengeti | Grumeti
- Traveling west beyond the Seronera Valley, enter the western corridor of the Serengeti and the Grumeti River region. This relatively narrow corridor—made up of open savanna, woodlands, and floodplains—follows the path of the crocodile-infested Grumeti River all the way to Lake Victoria. It's home to abundant wildlife, including rare Colobus monkeys.
 
Daily morning and afternoon game drives afford plenty of opportunities to observe, explore, and learn about these reserves and their diversity of bird and mammal species.
 
Bid a fond farewell to the sights, sounds and magic of the Serengeti with a memorable bush dinner. 
Overnight: Mbalageti Serengeti Tented Chalets (B,L,D daily)

Day 11: Serengeti | Flight to Arusha | Depart for U.S.
From Grumeti, take the short, scenic flight back to Arusha. On arrival, enjoy lunch and finish any last-minute shopping for woodcarvings or art at the Cultural Heritage Center. Day rooms at the hotel provide comfort and downtime until your transfer to the airport this evening.
Day Room: Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa (B,L)

Day 12: En Route | Arrive in U.S.

B = Breakfast, L =  Lunch, D = Dinner

(Itinerary subject to change.)

Activity Level

Moderate

This safari program requires an ability to walk safely over uneven and slippery ground without assistance, transport luggage a short distance, get in and out of a 4 x 4 Land Cruiser, and physically tolerate vehicle motion on oftentimes bumpy Serengeti roads. 

Average elevation: 5,000 feet

Optional Excursion(s)


Hot Air Balloon Safari
$599 per person

An optional Hot Air Balloon Safari is available while in the Serengeti. Guests choosing to reserve this excursion will enjoy a dawn ascent over the southern Serengeti. After the ride, toast the experience with champagne and a full English breakfast. A game drive on the return to camp will round out the morning before you rejoin the group and continue the day’s exploration. This excursion is available for additional payment of $599 per person and is non-refundable inside 90 days to departure. If you wish to participate, contact Orbridge, as reservations must be made in advance.

Accommodations

Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa

A comfortable retreat on the shores of beautiful Lake Duluti, this country house-styled hotel is built on what used to be a coffee plantation. Relax in one of its 42 rooms in banana-stem thatched cottages, all with a private balcony, or take in the tranquil surroundings outdoors.

Room Amenities: King or twin beds, mosquito netting, complimentary bottled water, TV, phone, complimentary Wi-Fi, safe, ceiling fan, slippers, and en suite bathroom with sundries and hair dryer.

Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Situated inside Tarangire National Park, Tarangire Sopa Lodge offers outstanding accommodations amidst the gorgeous landscape. Circular-roofed, airy guest suites surround an inviting outdoor pool and the centrally located common room, featuring marble floors, a bar and lounge, outdoor terrace, and pool table.

Room Amenities: Air conditioning, two queen beds with mosquito netting, a sitting area, complimentary bottled water, minibar, coffee and tea maker, and en suite bathroom with sundries and hair dryer.

Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Built from local river stone and designed to completely blend in with the landscape, this luxury hotel sits on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Each room features a panoramic, private balcony with unobstructed views of the volcanic expanse below. Friendly and attentive staff is ready to greet you with warm, Tanzanian hospitality.

Room Amenities: King or twin beds, private rock-enclosed balcony, mosquito nets, complimentary Wi-Fi, phone, bathrobes and slippers, mineral water, and en suite bathroom with sundries.

Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge

Here, your home is a thatched circular rondavel nestled among acacia trees in the manner of a traditional African village. Surrounded by natural stone and wood décor, relax amidst modern comforts and views of the Serengeti wilderness. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in main lodge area.

Room Amenities: King or twin beds, complimentary bottled water, safe, bathrobe and slippers, snack and drink room service, and en suite bathroom with sundries and hair dryer.

Mbalageti Serengeti Tented Chalets

Experience real safari living within Mbalageti's semi-tented chalets. This property offers a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view of the Serengeti Plain, comfortable and well-appointed rooms, and a refreshing pool—inviting you to reflect, refresh, and relax after your game drive. 

Room Amenities: Double or twin beds, complimentary bottled water, bathrobes, slippers, flashlight, umbrellas, walking stick, whistle, binoculars (on request), safe, emergency light, and en suite bathroom with shower, bathtub and hair dryer.

(Accommodations subject to change.)

Optional Pre-Tour

Rwanda


Search for the gorillas that traverse the Virunga Mountains for the heart-pounding thrill of observing these giants in their natural habitat. The intimate experience of coming close to these gentle giants as they interact, play and nestle into the forest foliage can be life-changing and unforgettable.

Itinerary

Day +1: En Route from U.S.

Day +2: Arrive in Kigali, Rwanda
After arriving meet your host for the transfer to the Kigali Serena Hotel for a restful evening.
Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel 

Day +3: Kigali | Kinigi
Morning sightseeing today includes a tour of the Genocide Museum. Enjoy lunch in Kigali before the drive to the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge where you can rest and prepare for tomorrow morning's trek.
Overnight: Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (B,L,D)

Day +4: Kinigi | Volcanoes National Park | Morning Gorilla Trek | Kigali
After an early breakfast we begin the gorilla trek. Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is one of the most exciting natural history opportunities in all of Africa. To be so close to these amazing animals can truly be a life-changing event. Experienced national park guides will lead you through the thick forest in search of one of the habituated gorilla families that traverse the Virunga Mountains. Upon finding the group, we will have one hour with them to observe and capture remarkable photographs.

Following this memorable adventure, return to Kigali for the evening.
Overnight: Kigali Serena Hotel (B,L,D)

Day +5: Kigali | Flight to Arusha | Main Program Begins
After breakfast take the group flight to Arusha to join fellow travelers to begin the main program. (B)

NOTE: Trekking will involve walking and climbing hills in tropical forests on uneven and sometimes rocky, steep and/or slippery ground at a moderate, unhurried pace. Park regulations state that the maximum time that can be spent with the gorillas is one hour. The time spent searching for the gorillas does not count as part of the hour.

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Pre-tour space is limted. We recommend reserving early for best availability.

(Itinerary subject to change.)

Activity Level

We expect that guests on this program be in very good physical condition with the ability to walk up and down hills in tropical forests on uneven and sometimes rocky, steep and/or slippery terrain. The forest can be humid and paths may have heavy vegetation. A degree of physical fitness is necessary as you may need to pull yourself up steep slopes by grasping onto branches or bushes, or even get a boost. Porters can be hired at Volcanoes National Park to assist you with trekking and to carry your equipment.

Trekking can take anywhere from 1-5 hours, depending on how long it takes to find the gorillas. It is advisable to bring an energy bar and bottled water. Also keep in mind that you will experience varying altitudes to which you may not be accustomed, from 5,100 feet in Kigali to 7,000-9,500 feet while gorilla trekking.

Accommodations

Kigali Serena Hotel

While in Kigali, you will relax in style in the five-star Kigali Serena Hotel on one of the city's most charming boulevards. Relaxed yet elegant, the hotel's pan-African style, wide sundeck overlooking a large outdoor pool and lovely tropical gardens will be a peaceful retreat while you enjoy your time in Rwanda's capital city.

Room Amenities: King or twin beds, air conditioning, flat-screen satellite TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, phone, safe, minibar, coffee and tea maker, and en suite bathroom with sundries (shampoo, conditioner, and soap) and hair dryer.

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

On the edge of Volcanoes National Park, the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge’s location is an ideal base from which to trek the Virunga Mountains and its habituated groups of Mountain Gorillas. Its friendly staff and collection of individual cottages will make you feel at home, and its beautiful views will remind you of adventures in store for you. Each cottage has a fireplace (wood and charcoal or space heaters provided on request). 

Room Amenities: King or twin beds, sitting area, coffee and tea maker, bathrobes and slippers, safe, and en suite bathroom with shower, sundries, and hair dryer.

(Accommodations subject to change.)

What's Included

  • 2 nights accommodations at Kigali Serena Hotel (or similar)
  • 1 night accommodations Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (or similar)
  • 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners
  • Excursion transportation, all park fees, and one gorilla trek permit
  • Temporary membership in the Flying Doctors Service
  • Airport transfer for guests arriving on the suggested flight
  • Internal airfare from Kigali to Arusha for the main program

Optional Post-Tour

Zanzibar


Known as Spice Island and overflowing with influences from Africa, Arabia, India, and Europe, Zanzibar is a fascinating destination with a dramatic history, endless coastlines and a magical atmosphere.

Itinerary

Day 11: Flight from Arusha to Zanzibar
Following this morning's game drive and flight from the Serengeti Grumeti airstrip to Arusha, board the quick flight to Zanzibar—the Spice Island.
Overnight: Zanzibar Serena Hotel (L,D)

Day 12: Zanzibar | Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
Awake to your spectacular view over the Indian Ocean.

After breakfast set out on a walking tour of Zanzibar's old town, Stone Town—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—and its market, which exists today much as it did in the days when Zanzibar was a popular trading center known throughout the world for spices and timber.  

Following the winding streets notice the serene atmosphere and neighborhoods dotted with whitewashed houses, ornately carved wooden doors and balconies studded with brass. 

Visit the House of Wonders, which displays exhibitions dedicated to Swahili culture, as well as the Palace Museum, highlighting its ties to Zanzibar's Omani history. 

At the Zanzibar Old Fort discover the fortification's colorful history, from its development in 1698 to how the structure is still being occupied today.  

After lunch travel across the island through quaint villages and lush vegetation to enchanting Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park—the only national park in Zanzibar and home to the unique red colobus monkey. Enjoy time to explore the forest before returning to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight: Zanzibar Serena Hotel (B,D)

Day 13: Zanzibar | Optional Spice Plantation Tour | Depart for U.S.
The morning is at leisure to wander Stone Town or enjoy the beach. 

Or, depending on departing flight times, you may choose to join the optional spice tour excursion. This walking tour and tasting through organic spice plantations reveals why Zanzibar is known as the Spice Island. The bounty of cloves, nutmeg, ginger, chilies, black pepper, vanilla, coriander and cinnamon have found their way around the world for centuries. (You may purchase this optional excursion in advance from our Guest Services team. Space is limited. We recommend reserving early for best availability.)

Relax in your room at the Zanzibar Serena Hotel until taking the complimentary transfer to Abeid Amani Karume International Airport for flights home. 
Day Room: Zanzibar Serena Hotel (B,L)

Day 14: En Route | Arrive in U.S.

(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

Post-tour space is limited. We recommend reserving early for best availability.

This post-tour is not escorted by an Orbridge Travel Director. Included sightseeing is accompanied by a local guide.

(Itinerary subject to change.)

Activity Level

Moderate

Activities are generally not very strenuous, but a fair amount of walking can be expected. It is our expectation that guests are able to follow a guide through cobblestone streets, as well as even and uneven terrain, at an average pace for two hours, and walk up and down stairs without assistance.

Accommodations

Zanzibar Serena Hotel

Zanzibar Serena Hotel is in a stunning location—directly on Zanzibar's idyllic waterfront, flanked by an exotic mix of sultan's palaces, Portuguese forts, ancient harbors, and bright bazaars. It's a tranquil setting just a short walk from the bustling city center. Antique clocks, crystal chandeliers, Persian rugs, and brass-studded doors enhance the hotel’s gracious tropical colonial décor. 

Room Amenities: Individual climate control, mosquito nets, satellite TV, complimentary Wi-Fi, phone, minibar, safe, 240V/3 pin (square) sockets and shaver sockets, tea and coffee maker, bathrobes and slippers, and en suite bathroom with sundries and hair dryer.

(Accommodations subject to change.)

What's Included

  • Internal airfare from Arusha to Zanzibar
  • 2 nights accommodations at Zanzibar Serena Hotel (or similar) plus a day room during departure day
  • 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners
  • Guided panoramic city tour
  • Admission to the House of Wonders, the Palace Museum, and Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
  • All excursion transportation
  • Airport transfer for guests departing at the suggested times

Terms and Conditions