Luxury Tanzania Safari

Arrive in Kilimanjaro and transfer to Arusha. Many people use this peaceful little town as a base for climbing Kilimanjaro, and there are plenty of relaxed restaurants and bars to choose from. Adventures to be had in the region include Arusha National Park, the3.5million-year-old Laetoli Footprints and the nearby coffee plantations, tranquil fields that you can explore by bicycle or on foot. And don’t forget to try a cup of local coffee too.

Fly by light aircraft to Lake Mayara National Park, where a vast soda lake attracts plenty of birds. There are a large number of elephants here too, as well as buffalo, cheetah and giraffe, but what the park is most famous for is its tree-climbing lions. For something a little bit different, book yourself on a night drive and watch the park come alive after dark. Porcupines, civets and genets are common night-time sightings, and you might be lucky enough to spot a leopard.

Fly on to the Ngorongoro Crater, a giant caldera. Soak up the spectacular views from the rim, then descend 600 metres to the crater floor, where 30,000 animals roam, including black rhino, leopard, lion and giant tusked elephants. It’s a stunning area, and would be well worth a visit even without the animals. Look out for the tell-tale pink of flocks of flamingos on the lakes and keep your fingers crossed for a glimpse of a black-maned lion.

Get close to nature as you hear the lions roar and the elephants trumpet across the vast plains of the Serengeti National Park. Close your eyes and think of Africa, and you are most likely to be thinking of the wide Serengeti plains – tall yellow grasses dotted with acacia trees and the odd rocky outcrop, home to lions, cheetah, hyena, hippo and ostrich, and location for one of nature’s greatest spectacles, the migration of the wildebeest. To finish your Journey in style, take to the skies above the Serengeti in a hot-air balloon and drift slowly across the plains, spotting wildlife as you go (optional, extra cost).