Day 1: Arusha – Tarangire National Park
You will leave Arusha at around 08:00 for Tarangire National Park, passing through Arusha town for any last-minute purchases before heading to the bush. The drive crosses the beautiful Masai steppe and several villages, reaching Makuyuni junction before turning onto the Arusha–Dodoma highway toward Tarangire, about 2.5 hours on tarmac. Game drives start right from the gate — expect to see many animals and birds, including the rare Greater Kudu, Fringe-Eared Oryx and Ash Starling. Tarangire is famous for its elephant population of around 6,000 roaming the Tarangire–Lake Manyara ecosystem, huge baobab trees, and tree-climbing pythons. Your guide will take you to the best wildlife-viewing areas along the river and lake shore, where eland, buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, zebra and predators such as lion, leopard, hyena, jackal and cheetah gather for water. Packed lunch is served inside the park. Late afternoon, drive across to the Great Rift Valley escarpment, stopping at the Lake Manyara view point for photos during sunset, before continuing to your lodge at the Ngorongoro highlands for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Marera Valley Lodge or similar, near Karatu town
