8 Days Serena Safari Experience with Cultural Hike

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha – Lakeside Serenity at the Foothills of Mount Meru

Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Serena Mountain Village, Arusha
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you’ll be met by your driver-guide and transferred to your charming hotel nestled at the foot of Mount Meru. Surrounded by lush coffee plantations and overlooking tranquil Lake Duluti, Serena Mountain Village offers the perfect retreat after a long flight. Enjoy a relaxing evening as you prepare for the adventure ahead.

Day 2: Lake Manyara National Park – Flamingos, Forests & Tree-Climbing Lions

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
After breakfast, drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a full-day game drive. This compact park packs a punch: marvel at the acacia woodlands, spot elephants, giraffes, and perhaps even the famous tree-climbing lions. The shores of the lake are lined with pink flamingos and over 400 species of birds. End the day at the lodge perched on a dramatic escarpment with stunning views over the alkaline waters below.

Days 3–4: Serengeti National Park – Endless Plains & Epic Wildlife

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Serengeti Serena Lodge
Depart after breakfast for the world-renowned Serengeti National Park. Your drive takes you through the heart of the Great Rift Valley and into Tanzania’s most famous wildlife destination. Over the next two days, enjoy thrilling game drives across the savannah where lions stalk, cheetahs chase, elephants roam and wildebeest thunder across the plains. Your home in the wild is Serengeti Serena Lodge, perfectly positioned to catch every sunrise and sundown over the golden plains.

Day 5: Optional Balloon Safari & Game Drive – Floating Over the Serengeti

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Serengeti Serena Lodge
Rise before dawn for an optional hot air balloon safari (at extra cost), drifting above the Serengeti as wildlife stirs below. After a champagne breakfast in the bush, continue your day with a game drive led by your expert guide. Or, if you prefer, sleep in and enjoy a relaxed breakfast before heading out in search of the Big Five.

Day 6: Ngorongoro via Olduvai Gorge – Cradle of Mankind

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
Today, journey onward to Ngorongoro Conservation Area with a stop at Olduvai Gorge—an archaeological treasure trove and site of groundbreaking discoveries in human evolution. Continue to your lodge clinging dramatically to the crater rim. Designed with river stone and camouflaged into the landscape, the lodge offers panoramic views into the lush 600-meter-deep crater below.

Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater – A Natural Wildlife Paradise

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
After an early breakfast, descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, often dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. Home to over 25,000 animals, this UNESCO-listed site is one of the few places where you may spot the endangered black rhino alongside lions, hippos, elephants and hyenas—all in one compact area. Return to the lodge in time for a warm dinner and storytelling by the fire.

Day 8: Tarangire National Park – Elephants, Baobabs & Back to Arusha

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Can be arranged at an extra cost
On your final safari day, enjoy a game drive in Tarangire National Park, a hidden gem famous for its baobab trees, dense elephant population and seasonal river that attracts an abundance of wildlife. Fewer crowds make for more intimate game viewing. After your final wildlife encounters, return to Arusha where you’ll be dropped at your hotel or transferred to the airport for your onward flight.