On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will proceed to the Coastal Aviation desk for your light-aircraft flight to Tarangire National Park, just 20 minutes away (15 kg luggage limit per person; soft bags required for all flights on this itinerary). 

Your guide from Oliver’s will meet you here and game-drive you back to camp, where you can settle in and enjoy some lunch. Relax during the heat of the day before afternoon tea is served, and then go out on an afternoon game drive to explore this varied and wildlife-rich park. 

The next morning set off on a guided walking safari, learning to look for signs of wildlife nearby, from bird calls to tracks in the earth. You can approach smaller creatures such as warthogs, small antelope species  and birdlife, all of which are less skittish when approached on foot compared to a vehicle. Return to camp for lunch and a rest during the heat of the day. After tea and cake, head out on a late-afternoon game  drive, stopping for sundowner drinks in a scenic spot. The adventure continues with a night game drive, seeking out nocturnal species such as mongoose and nightjars, as well as predators such as lions on the move.  Return to camp for a late dinner.

Depart after a leisurely breakfast for the airstrip. From here, you will fly over Lake Manyara to the Manyara Airstrip. A guide from The Highlands will drive you through coffee plantations toward the Ngorongoro Crater, a journey of 3 hours to reach the property, enjoying a packed lunch on the way. Stop at the viewpoint overlooking the crater to soak in the spectacular landscape and continue your drive around the rim until you reach the Olmoti Crater, where you will stay for the next two nights. 

After an early breakfast the next morning, depart with your guide for the Ngorongoro Crater, a drive of around an hour until you reach the descent road.  Spend the morning game-driving on the crater floor in search of the varied wildlife that lives here. You’ll enjoy a picnic lunch during the heat of the day in a shady spot before driving back to The Highlands, where you can relax a little.

In the late afternoon, a guide will take you to one of the nearby Maasai villages, where you can learn more about this rich culture and take part in their afternoon activities, which often include rounding up cattle into the boma for the night.

Depart by road for the Manyara Airstrip, 3 hours away, where you will catch a flight to the central Serengeti, just 45 minutes away. A guide from Namiri Plains will meet you at the airstrip and game-drive you back to camp, stopping at any wildlife sightings along the way. 

Settle into your tent before going on an afternoon game drive. The Serengeti is impressive in terms  of both the diversity and density of wildlife found here, so there is  plenty to discover each day. Return to camp in the early evening for drinks around the campfire and dinner.

Safari activities at Namiri take place in the early morning and late afternoon, when the wildlife is most active. You will explore with expert guides on game drives, looking for the big cats that have made the Serengeti famous as well as hippos wallowing in muddy pools and giraffe browsing the fresh shoots of an acacia tree. 

In between, you will return to camp for a delicious lunch, and to have a siesta or catch up on a good book. Evenings are spent sharing stories of your day’s adventures with other guests around the dinner table.

After breakfast, you will be driven to the airstrip for your morning flight south to Ruaha National Park, a flight of approximately 2 hours. A guide from Jabali Ridge will meet you and game-drive you through this very different park, arriving at the camp for lunch. Settle in here and enjoy views overlooking the baobab forest and a refreshing swim in the infinity pool, before going on an afternoon game drive, exploring the sandy riverbeds looking for elephants as they dig for water or leopards hiding in the rocky kopjes.

Enjoy a morning walking safari to experience the flora and fauna from a different perspective, taking in the sounds of bird calls, looking for tracks and signs in the earth, and encountering smaller creatures that often run away at the sound of a vehicle. Return to the camp to rest and relax, enjoying lunch and some pool time before an afternoon game drive to explore further afield. Ruaha’s varied terrain is home to a wide variety of wildlife including large herds of buffalo, hippo, more unusual antelope species such as sable and lesser kudu and — if you are really lucky — wild dog, which roam huge distances each day in search of their next meal, making sightings impossible to predict.

You’ll have a final breakfast at Jabali Ridge before a drive to the airstrip for your late-morning flight to Dar es Salaam.

• All logistics starting at Kilimanjaro International Airport and ending at Dar es Salaam International Airport, All light-aircraft flights within Tanzania

• All park fees and taxes including Ngorongoro Crater descent fee

• Shared safari activities

• All meals

• House drinks on safari

• Medical evacuation insurance