Bush & beach express

Kilimanjaro International Airport-> (Gran Melia)

After an hour’s drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will arrive in the city of Arusha whereGran Melia is locatedwith spectacular views of Mount Meru.A destination at the gateway to thenorthern Tanzaniasafari circuit. This spectacular hotel is located between the Serengeti and Kilimanjaro National Parks, opening out onto all of Tanzania’s majestic natural beauty. An oasis of five-star comfort and elegance, with extensive, unbeatable facilities, exclusive suites, and international cuisine.

Activities & Excursions: Swimming Pool, Horse Back Riding, Serval Wildlife and Town Tour.

A long day awaits as you are going to head to Ngorongoro conservation Area and then to Serengeti National Park. And so, you will depart from Arusha at the crack of dawn for the long but scenic drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Along the way, you’ll pass bustling Maasai villages and sweeping plains dotted with acacia and the occasional giraffe or wildebeest.

Upon arrival at the park, you’ll sign in and then begin the winding descent into the caldera. The mist shrouded rainforests of the mountain are home to cape buffalo and baboon troupes, and the particularly lucky might even spot a grazing elephant or a shy leopard moving through the dense green undergrowth.

You’ll stop at the Ngorongoro viewing area for a stunning view of the caldera’s sheer scale. The shadows of clouds dapple the caldera floor, and the keen-eyed might spot the great herds of wildebeest and zebra moving about below. The sun glitters off the soda lakes and it all combines to make for a truly beautiful landscape.

From here you’ll continue our descent into the caldera, where over 120 species of mammals go about their lives. The park is the best place in the northern circuit to see the black rhinoceros and the cape buffalo, but is home to the entirety of the Big Five. We’ll also see large packs of hyenas as well as lesser known predators such as jackals and serval cats.

A picnic lunch by the famous hippo pool is also a surreal experience, as you’ll take your lunch a few feet from where great hippopotamus wallow lazily in the cool water.

After lunch you will ascend and continue making your way to Serengeti but along the way you can choose to break up the drive with one or both of the below optional activities:

Olduvai Gorge Museum: Sometimes known as the Cradle of Mankind, the Olduvai Gorge Museum commemorates some of the oldest evidence of human habitation ever found. Here you can see some of the oldest fossil evidence in the world of human habitation, visit the Olduvai Gorge Museum to learn more about the human journey, and take in the stunning views of this stark gorge country.

Maasai boma visit: Pay a visit to one of the famous Maasai bomas, where you’ll have the opportunity to witness (and participate in) traditional Maasai dance, tour an authentic Maasai village, and even do a little souvenir shopping at the local market.

Both of the above activities attract an additional cost. Speak with your safari expert about adding them to your itinerary.

After your break, it will be time to explore the Serengeti. Just minutes away you will arrive at Nabi Gate(Entry to Serengeti National Park). Your guide will sort your permits in minutes and of to Witness Africa’s iconic savannah landscape and be amazed by the sheer number of animals that roam these grassy plains.

Dinner and overnight in the heart of the Serengeti National Park according to the standard and the type of accommodation requested from our options.

You’ll start your day with an unforgettable sunrise game drive across the Serengeti. See the sun set fire to the savannah as predators such as leopards and lions hunt for their morning meal.

Alternatively, you may wish to take to the skies with a sunrise hot air balloon safari and champagne breakfast. Ask your safari expert about how this can be added to your itinerary.

After your breakfast, you’ll take a packed lunch and proceed for a day long game drive through the park. Your driver will pick a route designed to ensure you have the best possible chance of spotting the Big Five and the Wildebeest Migration.

You’ll then overnight within the park.

As this is your last day in Serengeti, you may choose to lay back at your hotel until your flight time or again alternatively, may wish to take to the skies with a sunrise hot air balloon safari and champagne breakfast and say bye bye to Serengeti win style. Your flight to Zanzibar will take of at 1100hrs so best leave the hotel early enough or directly leave from the Balloon safaris landing spot to the airstrip.