5 days - Central Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Eyasi
Five days from the Central Serengeti through the Ngorongoro Crater to Lake Eyasi, meeting the Hadzabe and Datoga peoples before the flight to Zanzibar.
The journey
Warm, green and mostly dry. The Hadzabe visit is comfortable, the crater is at its best and the central Serengeti is quieter for herds but good for big cats.
A flight to Seronera and two days of game drives, with an optional balloon flight.
Go to the airport early for your flight to the central Serengeti, 08:00 – 11:00, with brief stopovers at Arusha Airport. At the Seronera airstrip an Iconic Expeditions guide meets you and your safari begins.
You game drive on the way to your camp for a fresh lunch. Once you are rested, there is an afternoon game drive.
A full day of game drives in the central Serengeti with your knowledgeable driver.
As an alternative, you can take a hot-air balloon flight. The flight lasts an hour, starting at sunrise, and shows you the animals from above. Afterwards you have a champagne breakfast under the acacias, and each guest receives a certificate for the flight.
A drive to the conservation area and a day in the crater.
A final morning game drive before you say goodbye to the Serengeti.
You then drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a journey of about four hours through beautiful landscapes. At the lodge you have a hot lunch, followed by a drink or a visit to the spa.
After breakfast you drive to the Ngorongoro Crater, which some call the Eighth Wonder of the World. Your first glimpse of the vast, green caldera from the viewpoint explains the reputation.
From your open-top vehicle you can watch and photograph some of Africa’s most recognisable wildlife. Lunch is served by the hippo pool.
A morning with the Hadzabe and the Datoga, then the flight from Arusha to Zanzibar.
An early start brings two very different communities.
The Hadza are one of the last hunter-gatherer peoples in Tanzania, numbering about a thousand. They live with very few possessions and take only what they need from the bush: honey from the trees, leaves for their medicinal properties and, occasionally, small animals.
The Datoga are nomadic pastoralists whose diet rests on the milk and meat of their cattle and goats. Datoga women make their own jewellery and wear colourful traditional dress, and the bracelets on their wrists and ankles keep the beat for singing and dancing.
Afterwards you transfer to Arusha for your flight to Zanzibar, 16:45 – 18:00.
The detail
Five days that connect the wildlife of northern Tanzania with the people who have lived beside it for generations. You fly into the central Serengeti for two days of game drives, travel to the Ngorongoro highlands and the crater, then finish at Lake Eyasi with the Hadzabe and the Datoga.
With the Hadzabe you gain an insight into a hunter-gatherer way of life, and can even try your hand at shooting an arrow. The trip ends with the afternoon flight from Arusha to Zanzibar.
Good to know
Photographs from the route, not stock library scenery.
Work down the list. Each step depends on the one above it.
The practical detail that decides whether a trip runs smoothly.
The Hadza live simply and the visit follows their routine. Ask before photographing anyone and follow your guide’s lead throughout.
The Lake Eyasi visit begins early, and the afternoon flight leaves from Arusha, so the day has little slack. Pack the night before and keep your passport and tickets in your day bag.
The drive from the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area takes about four hours. Carry water and a snack, and look out for wildlife on the way.
The Ngorongoro highlands are high, and evenings and mornings on the rim are cold. Pack a fleece and a windproof layer.
Descent roads are steep and the crater floor is busy by mid-morning. An early start gives you the best light and fewer vehicles.
A 100 to 400mm zoom covers the Serengeti, the crater and the walks at Lake Eyasi. Bring spare batteries and cards, and a dust cover for the dry months.
Plan to tip your guide and the lodge team. Ask us how much is usual at the moment, and carry small notes.
Plan this journey
Every journey is planned around your dates and your party. Tell us who is travelling and when, and a specialist will come back with a tailored itinerary and a quote. Payment is by invoice.
