Welcome to Tanzania!

Regardless of your arrival time at Kilimanjaro International Airport, your Mirable driver-guide will be eagerly awaiting your arrival, ready to greet you with a warm smile. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the comfort of your private vehicle as you're chauffeured to your accommodation in Arusha, often referred to as Tanzania's "safari capital."

During the approximately one-hour journey to the hotel, you'll catch a glimpse of Arusha's vibrant and bustling cityscape, providing you with a brief but captivating impression of this commercial hub.

Depending on your arrival time, you may have the opportunity to attend your pre-safari briefing today. If not, rest assured that it will be scheduled for early tomorrow morning, ensuring you're fully prepared for the exciting adventures that await you.

Accommodation:
For those seeking luxury and comfort in Arusha, look no further than the Gran Meliá Arusha. Nestled amidst 18 acres of meticulously maintained tea and coffee plantations, with its own herb and vegetable gardens, this modern and opulent hotel offers breathtaking views of Mount Meru.

The rooms are elegantly modern and spacious, furnished to the highest standards expected from an esteemed international hotel chain.

Guests can indulge in the hotel's amenities, including a heated pool, spa, and gym – perfect for unwinding and rejuvenating during your stay. The Yellow Chilli restaurant, offering Indian-inspired cuisine, is highly acclaimed, while the hotel's two other dining options ensure that every palate is catered to.

Meal Plan:
Enjoy a delectable dinner at your hotel, where you'll have the opportunity to savor culinary delights prepared with care and expertise.

Tour Briefing: If your arrival yesterday didn't allow time for your safari briefing, it will be conducted after breakfast. During this briefing, we will provide you with all the essential information you need before embarking on our adventure. Following the briefing, we'll set off for our first safari destination: the diverse Tarangire National Park. There, we'll enjoy lunch, embark on an afternoon game drive, and spend the night amidst the wilderness.

Journey: (Morning) Arusha to Tarangire National Park: Our morning journey to Tarangire National Park spans approximately two hours, covering a distance of 120 kilometers as we head westwards from Arusha. Along the route, you'll be treated to a vibrant display of Tanzania's colors and character. Keep an eye out for scenes like Maasai herdsmen guiding their flocks of goats to new pastures. This journey also provides the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with your knowledgeable driver-guide, who effortlessly shares insights and answers any questions you may have.

Day’s Highlight: Safari (Game Drive) in Tarangire National Park: Tarangire National Park greets us with its vastness, stretching as far as the eye can see. Known as the 'Elephant Playground,' this remarkable park is home to massive herds of these majestic mammals. However, its wildlife diversity extends beyond elephants to include buffalo, lions, wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles. Tarangire's animal densities rival even those of the famous Serengeti.

During our game drive, keep your eyes peeled for fascinating sightings. Perhaps you'll encounter a solitary male lion relaxing beneath a tree, or a trio of male cheetahs enjoying some leisurely bonding time in the sun. Graceful Grant's gazelles and zebras might bound away from the road, while giraffes leisurely munch on acacia branches. Look out for Tarangire's specialties, such as kudus and oryx.

Don't overlook the small wonders of Tarangire. While it's easy to be captivated by the grandeur of elephants and the elegance of giraffes, keep an eye out for smaller creatures like the agama lizard, which undergoes color changes based on temperature, or the hyrax, a small creature surprisingly related to elephants. Avian enthusiasts will delight in sightings of colorful birds like the lilac-breasted roller and blue-eared starling.

Tarangire is also renowned for its splendid baobab trees, rolling savannah, and acacia woodland. Although the park can be dusty at times, this minor inconvenience is outweighed by the abundance of wildlife sightings. Don't forget to wear a scarf over your mouth to mitigate dust exposure while enjoying the plethora of wildlife experiences Tarangire has to offer.

Journey: (morning) Tarangire National Park to Serengeti National Park

(afternoon) As we bid farewell to the wonders of Tarangire, our journey continues north and west towards the iconic Serengeti National Park. Over the course of our 7-hour (344km) drive, feel free to engage your driver-guide in conversation about Tanzanian culture, traditions, tribes, and wildlife. Consider him your "encyclopedia on legs," ready to illuminate any topic with his wealth of knowledge. By the time we arrive at the awe-inspiring Serengeti plains, you'll likely feel like an expert yourself. Upon arrival, we'll enjoy lunch before embarking on an afternoon game drive.

Day’s Highlight:

Serengeti National Park promises a plethora of wildlife surprises during your stay, but perhaps today's highlight—especially for first-time visitors—is simply the breathtaking Serengeti terrain itself. The vastness of the plains, stretching endlessly before you, evokes a profound sense of awe.

Safari in Serengeti National Park:

Finally, we arrive at the incomparable wonder of Tanzania—the Serengeti. Here, nature's theatrical performances unfold before our eyes, combining the familiar with the unexpected. As we embark on our afternoon game drive, anticipate moments of sheer amazement as the ever-changing light casts new hues upon the landscape, and a diverse cast of animal actors graces us with their presence. While capturing memorable photos is tempting, remember to pause, breathe deeply, and immerse yourself in the raw beauty of nature unfolding in real-time.

Day’s Highlight:

In the vast expanse of the Serengeti National Park, wildlife abounds, often making you feel like the sought-after observer rather than the seeker. Today's highlight remains a mystery, as the animals adhere to their own schedule! However, depending on the season, we might encounter some of the majestic 'big cats' prowling and hunting for prey. Cheetahs, leopards, and lions are among the possibilities awaiting us!

Safari in Serengeti National Park:

Today promises a full day of exploration, offering a chance to marvel at the diverse landscapes of the Central Serengeti. The Seronera River winds its way through the park, providing sustenance for all forms of wildlife. Along the route, you'll encounter the iconic rocky outcrops known as kopjes, some of which date back an astonishing 600 million years! These ancient formations, home to lions and other felines, also harbor snakes and hyraxes. Weathered by wind and rain over millennia, they reveal layers of geological history upon close inspection.

The Serengeti's beauty undergoes seasonal transformations, with migrating herds joining the resident wildlife in May, November, and December. During the rainy season, the landscape transforms into a breathtaking sight as hundreds of thousands of wildebeest blanket the plains—an awe-inspiring spectacle not to be missed.

Day’s Highlight:

Once again, our highlight awaits its grand reveal. However, keep your eyes peeled for the majestic Kori Bustard, the world's heaviest bird capable of flight. Resembling a lumbering cargo plane, this impressive bird can weigh up to 15kg and boasts a wingspan of nearly three meters!

Safari in Serengeti National Park:

Our journey continues through the Serengeti, with a stop at the informative visitor center in the Seronera area of the Central Serengeti. This region, renowned as the park's most popular area, is equally beloved by its wildlife inhabitants. The Seronera River sustains a year-round flow, providing a constant source of fascination for observers. Numerous game drives in this area may unveil prides of lions, hippopotamuses, or herds of elephants, whose numbers have increased in recent years.

Depending on wildlife sightings and movements, we may visit the Serengeti Visitor Centre. Here, you'll gain insight into the park's ecosystem and the history of conservation efforts, including the pioneering work of the Frankfurt Zoological Society and Bernhard Grzimek. Even within the center's confines, wildlife thrives, with populations of hyrax, mongoose, and various bird species adding to the vibrant tapestry of Serengeti life.