Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Africa. There is nowhere like it on the planet for wildlife, wild lands & rich traditions that endure. How do you capture the essence of Africa on paper without using up every cliche in the book? No other continent comes close to it for scale, variety & pure, raw impact

Whether you are a wide-eyed first-timer or a frequent visitor, Africa cannot fail to get under your skin. The canvas upon which the continent's epic story is written is itself astonishing, & reason enough to visit. From the tropical rainforests & glorious tropical coastline of Central Africa to the rippling dunes of the Namib Desert, from the signature savannah of the Serengeti to jagged mountains, green-tinged highlands & deep-gash canyons that mark the Great Rift Valley's continental traverse – wherever you find yourself on this big, beautiful continent, Africa has few peers when it comes to natural beauty.

And on to Tanzania - wonderful wildlife, idyllic beaches, friendly people, fascinating cultures, Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Mt Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar Archipelago - Tanzania has all these & more wrapped up in one adventurous, welcoming package.  You just prepare to be charmed….

Welcome to lush & green Arusha near the foot of Mt Meru, Tanzania's gateway to the Northern Circuit of stellar National Parks & the starting point of many a memorable safari. A large, sprawling city with all the contradictions that brings, it offers a nice break from the rigours of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay & eat

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? subsequent to Immigration & Customs &, you will be welcomed by the Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort & accompany you to a restaurant for lunch. He / she will also discuss the program for the next few days & will then introduce you to the driver who will provide the transfer to Lake Manyara National Park. 

On arrival, Check-in at the Lodge located on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the lake below.

Relax for an hour before meeting the Ranger & commencing your safari at the Lake Manyara National Park.

The Park is tucked below the majesty of the Rift Valley wall and the white-hot shores of an ancient soda lake on the other. More than 400 species of birds can be found here. Highlights include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration, as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans, cormorants & storks.

From the entrance gate, the road winds through an expanse of lush jungle-like groundwater forest where hundred-strong baboon troops lounge nonchalantly along the roadside, blue monkeys scamper nimbly between the ancient mahogany trees, dainty bushbuck tread warily through the shadows & outsized forest hornbills honk cacophonously in the high canopy.

Contrasting with the intimacy of the forest is the grassy floodplain & its expansive views eastward, across the alkaline lake, to the jagged blue volcanic peaks that rise from the endless Maasai Steppes. Large buffalo, wildebeest & zebra herds congregate on these grassy plains, as do giraffes - some so dark in coloration that they appear to be black from a distance.

Inland of the floodplain, a narrow belt of acacia woodland is the favoured haunt of Manyara’s legendary tree-climbing lions lying languidly among the branches in the heat of the day & impressively tusked elephants. Squadrons of banded mongoose dart between the acacias, while the diminutive Kirk’s dik-dik forages in their shade. Pairs of klipspringer are often seen silhouetted on the rocks above a field of searing hot springs that steams & bubbles adjacent to the lakeshore in the far south of the park.

Return to the Lodge after the game drive exploring this beautiful Reserve.

Balance of the day free to relax or optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Early morning, depart for Serengeti National Park.

You will pass through the forested slopes of Ngorongoro, before the predator rich plains of the Serengeti unfurl before you. The Serengeti ecosystem has a vast array of amazing habitats, ranging from open grassland plants to acacia strewn savannas & rocky outcrops. It sustains more than 30 species of large herbivores & over 500 varieties of birds. As enduring as the game-viewing, is the liberating sense of space that characterises the Serengeti Plains, stretching across sunburnt savannah to a shimmering golden horizon at the end of the earth. Yet, after the rains, this golden expanse of grass is transformed into an endless green carpet flecked with wildflowers. And there are also wooded hills & towering termite mounds, rivers lined with fig trees & acacia woodland stained orange by dust.

Few people forget their first encounter with the Serengeti. Perhaps it is the view from the summit of Naabi Hill at the Park's entrance, from where the Serengeti's grasslands stretch out like a vision of eternity.

Or maybe it is a coalition of male lions stalking across open plains, their manes catching the breeze. Or it could be the epic migration of wildebeest & zebra migrating in their millions, following the ancient rhythm of the Africa's seasons. Whatever it is, welcome to one of the greatest wildlife-watching destinations on earth.

Tanzania's oldest & most popular UNESCO World Heritage listed National Park, recently proclaimed a 7^th  world wide wonder, the Serengeti is famed for its annual Migration, when some 6 million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra & 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. The sights, sounds & smells of such a vast number of animals on the move, followed every step by hungry predators, is quite spectacular. Yet even when the Migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant & giraffe and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala & Grant’s gazelle.

The spectacle of predator versus prey dominates Tanzania’s greatest Park. At 14,763 sq km, the Serengeti is an epic place, and it's renowned for its predators, especially lions, leopards & cheetahs, with plenty of elephants in residence, too.

Golden-maned lion prides feast on the abundance of plain grazers. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia trees lining the Seronera River, while a high density of cheetahs prowls the southeastern plains. Almost uniquely, all 3 African jackal species can be seen here, alongside the spotted hyena & a host of more elusive small predators, ranging from the insectivorous aardwolf to the beautiful serval cat.  But there is more to Serengeti than large mammals. Gaudy agama lizards & rock hyraxes scuffle around the surfaces of the Park’s isolated granite koppies. A full 100 varieties of dung beetle have been recorded, as have 500 plus bird species, ranging from the outsized ostrich & bizarre secretary bird of the open grassland, to the black eagles that soar effortlessly above the Lobo Hills. Popular the Serengeti might be, but it remains so vast that you may be the only human audience when a pride of lions masterminds a siege, focussed unswervingly on its next meal.

Continue your journey to your Camp with some excellent game viewing opportunities en-route.

You will stop for a picnic lunch, before arriving at the Camp, set in among a kopje, providing lovely views over the plains.

Check-in & relax and shortly after, proceed for a 3 hour  game drive to explore this majestic Park.

Return to the Camp / Lodge.

Balance of the day free to relax or optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Today you will set off on a full day of game viewing.  

You will have more time to explore a larger area of the Serengeti, with its various landscapes, from savannahs, forests, dry river beds & rocky kopjes, all of which offering a better environment for a whole range of animals.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in a secluded spot in the Park among the wildlife.

Return to the Camp / Lodge by late afternoon in time to enjoy a relaxing sun downer on your veranda.

Balance of the day free to relax or optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Early morning, Check-out & embark on another game drive in Serengeti.

Then, depart for Ngorongoro Crater, enroute stopping at Olduvai Gorge to visit the site where Mary & Louis Leakey first discovered the remains of Zinjanthropus Bosei, a distant ancestor of man believed to be 1.8 million years old, Australopithecus Bosei, the ‘Nutcracker Man’, a species that became extinct about 1 million years ago & fossilised footprints that date back 3.6 million years. Through this discovery, Tanzania has become known as the ‘cradle of mankind’.

A unique safari destination, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to more than 30,000 protected animals. The Ngorongoro Crater, once a gigantic volcano, is the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera in existence. About 20 kms across, 600 meters deep & 300 sq kms in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder, one of the largest unbroken calderas in the world that isn’t a lake.

Its steep walls provide the setting for an incredible natural drama, as prey & predators graze & stalk their way around the open grasslands, swamps & acacia woodland on the crater floor. It is such an impressive sight that, other vehicles aside, you will wonder whether you have descended into a wildlife paradise.

Nearly 3 million years old, it shelters one of the world's most beautiful wildlife havens. There are plenty of hippos around the lovely Ngoitoktok Springs picnic site. About 300 + giant tusked elephants wander in the Lereal Forest in the crater. Predators include around 600 spotted hyenas, 55 lions (at last count) & both golden & black-backed jackals. These predators are sustained by large numbers of resident herbivores, with wildebeest, zebras, buffaloes & Grant's gazelles the most common.

Less commonly seen are elands, warthogs, hartebeests, bushbucks, waterbucks & bohor reedbucks. Around 20% of the wildebeest & zebras migrate annually between the crater & the Serengeti.

Another huge drawcard is the chance to see the critically endangered black rhino - around 30 inhabit the crater floor within its rim & they are most often seen between the Lereal Forest & the Lemala ascent-descent road. Black-maned lion stalk the grasslands & soda Lake Magadi attracts flocks of flamingos to its shallows in the rainy season.

The reason for all this abundance is the presence of water, both from the permanent springs that sustain the swamps and the permanent streams & rivers fed by run-off from the crater-rim forests.

Continue to the Camp / Lodge at Ngorongoro Highlands & Check-in on arrival.

Balance of the day free to relax or optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, depart for the Ngorongoro Crater, descending into the crater floor itself, for a game drive.

Game drives through the Ngorongoro Crater begin early in the morning in closed safari vehicles with pop - up roofs. Accompanied by an expert ranger, a magnificent experience is sure to be had! The descent into the crater is one of scenic beauty, as you make your way through lush forests, home to numerous elephants & buffalo.

Spend the morning exploring this fascinating wildlife amphitheater. As you reach the inside of the Ngorongoro Crater, marvelling at the incredible landscape around you, your ranger will take you through the grassy crater floor, the unbelievable fever tree forest, the banks of Lake Magadi and the surrounding marshes. This caldera, formed by a volcano sinking, hosts a unique cross-section of eco-systems, from Soda Lake to savannah and is home to almost every major species of African mammal, which remain in the crater due to the constant supply of water from the springs. There is a very good chance of spotting the big five: lion, elephant, endangered black rhino, buffalo & leopard plus countless other African mammal species.

Lunch is served picnic style, surrounded by the natural wonders around you as well as the exceptional wildlife, roaming freely, with which you share this extraordinary paradise.

Return to the Camp / Lodge by evening.

Balance of the day free to relax or optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, leave for Tarangire National Park.

Check-in & relax.

Welcome to one of Africa's most underrated Parks. Thanks to its proximity to the Serengeti & Ngorongoro, Tarangire is usually assigned only a short time as part of a larger Northern Circuit itinerary. But it deserves a whole lot more, at least in the dry season as this is a place where elephants dot the plains like cattle &d where lion roars & zebra barks fill the night, all set against a backdrop of constantly changing scenery.

One of the lesser-known Game Reserves in Tanzania, Tarangire rivals the Serengeti in the great number & diversity of its wildlife. It is a good choice for travelers who wish to encounter more animals (particularly elephants as its renowned for frequent sightings) & less tourists while on safari. The Tarangire National Park is also known as a wonderful birding destination. During the dry season, the Tarangire River is the only source of water in the area, which offers excellent sightings as it attracts the Reserves’ abundant wildlife. The landscape is a photographers dream too, due to the high number of scenic baobab trees & its extensive marshlands.

Tarangire is a good sized National Park located just to the south of Lake Manyara & is a classic Africa of lore with shimmering acacia stands, old baobab trees, Masai tribes & herds of elephant. The main highlight here is elephant, which mass here in enormous numbers during the dry season July to October.  General game is also good, although predators tend to be quite difficult to find.

In the dry-season of July-October, Tarangire National Park surpasses the Serengeti in terms of animal concentration as big herds begin to congregate around the permanent water of Tarangire River. Herds of up to 300 elephants scratch the dry river bed for underground streams, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest & eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It is the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem - a smorgasbord for predators - & the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx & peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed.

During the rainy season, these seasonal visitors scatter over a 20,000 sq km range until they exhaust the green plains and the river calls once more. But Tarangire's mobs of elephant are easily encountered, wet or dry.

The swamps, tinged green year round, are the focus for 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world. On drier ground you find the Kori bustard, the heaviest flying bird; the stocking-thighed ostrich, the world's largest bird; and small parties of ground hornbills blustering like turkeys. More ardent bird-lovers might keep an eye open for screeching flocks of the dazzlingly colourful yellow-collared lovebird & the somewhat drabber rufous-tailed weaver & ashy starling - all endemic to the dry savannah of north-central Tanzania.

Disused termite mounds are often frequented by colonies of the endearing dwarf mongoose & pairs of red & yellow barbet, which draw attention to themselves by their loud, clockwork-like duetting. Tarangire's pythons climb trees, as do its lions and leopards, lounging in the branches where the fruit of the sausage tree disguises the twitch of a tail.

After lunch, meet the Ranger & proceed for a game drive driving through the acacia woodlands, baobab trees, savannah plains & swampy floodplains s to spot the wildlife as they graze around the Park.  

Return to the camp / lodge.

Balance of the day free to relax or optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Morning, depart for Arusha.

Reaching the city, proceed to a restaurant for Lunch.

Post lunch, you will be transferred to Arusha Kilimanjaro Airport for your onward fight.

Whether you are a wide-eyed first-timer or a frequent visitor, Africa cannot fail to get under your skin. The canvas upon which the continent's epic story is written is itself astonishing, and reason enough to visit. From the tropical rainforests and glorious tropical coastline of Central Africa to the rippling dunes of the Namib Desert, from the signature savannah of the Serengeti to jagged mountains, green-tinged highlands and deep-gash canyons that mark the Great Rift Valley's continental traverse – wherever you find yourself on this big, beautiful continent, Africa has few peers when it comes to natural beauty.

So, we are sure you will come back to Tanzania or wider Africa to explore some more.

Proceed to Check-in for your onward flight. Bon Voyage. B L

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