Compare Tanzania Photo Safari by National Geographic Expeditions vs Essence of Tanzania Safari by Rothschild Safaris

Days 1 & 2: U.S./Arusha, Tanzania

Depart on an overnight flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport, and arrive the following evening.

Arusha Coffee Lodge

Day 3: Arusha/Lake Manyara National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Plantation Lodge

Drive to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its elephants, hippos, giraffes, flamingos, and tree-climbing lions. Get your equipment ready for our first safari this afternoon, and train your lens on giraffes or Cape buffalo against the stunning mountains of the Rift Valley.

Day 4: Lake Manyara National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Plantation Lodge

Rise early for a morning game drive, heading to the shores of Lake Manyara to photograph the numerous bird species and other wildlife that congregate here. Visit a coffee plantation this afternoon, and document the coffee production process and the culture of the local people

Day 5: Ngorongoro Crater

Meals: Breakfast,Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Travel into the Ngorongoro Highlands after breakfast for a very special opportunity to visit with a Maasai community off the beaten path. With your camera in hand, pay a visit to a school, witness an initiation ritual, and learn about this fascinating culture from the village chief and his wives. Capture the spirit of traditional song and dance, and enjoy time to work on portraiture and photographing daily life with these proud people. After lunch, descend 2,000 feet to the base of the Ngorongoro Crater, where volcanic slopes shelter almost 25,000 animals. Document the interactions of predator and prey; zoom in on birdlife from marabou storks to rainbow-hued lovebirds; and test your wildlife photography skills on elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, and more.

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Return to the crater floor at sunrise for breakfast and a morning photo safari. Take the afternoon to relax and, look over your images. Listen to a talk by our National Geographic photographer, and ready your camera to catch the sun set over the crater this evening.

Day 7: Olduvai Gorge/Serengeti National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive to the Olduvai Gorge where, on a National Geographic-sponsored expedition in 1960, Louis and Mary Leakey discovered Homo habilis, one of the earliest members of the human genus. Take a private tour of the site and learn about recent finds before continuing west to Serengeti National Park. In order to provide travelers with the best opportunity to witness the wildebeest migration, the Serengeti days differ by season. The March departure coincides with wildebeest calving season, when the animals move south to give birth to tens of thousands of calves. Travel overland to our luxury tented camp on the southeastern border of Serengeti National Park, stopping to photograph lions, cheetahs, and leopards along the way.*

Days 8 & 9: Serengeti National Park

Meals: Breakfast,Lunch, Dinner

Embark on an off-track safari in the Ndutu area in search of resident lion prides, giraffes, and bountiful herds of wildebeests, elephants, and zebras. On morning and afternoon game drives, photograph magnificent birds, hippos, packs of hyenas, and pairs of jackals lurking around the surrounding marshlands and lakes. For the ultimate photo experience, you may choose to soar over the plains on an optional early-morning hot-air balloon ride, photographing magnificent scenery and distant herds from the air.

Days 10 & 11: Serengeti/Arusha/U.S.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Rivertrees Lodge

Take a final morning photo safari before we fly back to Arusha. Enjoy the afternoon to take a photo walk in town or just relax at the hotel. We transfer to the airport tonight for evening flights home.

Day 1: Arusha

Welcome to Africa and the best Tanzania Safari. Transfer to the Arusha Coffee Lodge, built around a plantation home from the early 1900’s and beautiful, sprawling coffee fields. Enjoy dinner and overnight.

Day 2:Tarangire National Park Day and Night Game Drive

After breakfast, your flight takes you into Tarangire National Park, famous for it’s impressive elephant migration and high concentration of game around the Tarangire River during the dry season. After settling into Swala Camp, set out on your first game drive in Africa. After a restful afternoon, you leave camp again at dusk for an exciting evening game drive. Search for the rarely seen, nocturnal animals. This is one of the few places in northern Tanzania where you can enjoy a safari by moonlight. At night, you may encounter an African wild cat, the elusive leopard or feel the round eyes of a bushbaby peering down at you as the moon rises into the sky. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Walking in Tarangire National Park and Game Drive

Rise early this morning with a hot cup of coffee and set out for an early morning game drive. You’ll be met in the bush with one of the most perfect ends to thrilling game drive; a hot breakfast. Later this afternoon you will set out on foot to explore the grassland around camp in one of the most secluded areas of the park. An armed guide will accompany you and explain animal behaviour whilst tracking a variety of game. You may encounter zebra, waterbuck, impala, ostrich, elephant as well as a number of birds. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Ngorongoro Highlands

After breakfast, drive west towards the Ngorongoro Highlands and Entamanu Camp. En-route stop off at Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive through the park with a picnic lunch. Arrive at Entamanu mid-afternoon in time for High Tea. Enjoy the breathtaking views of Empakai, Olmoti, and OlDonyo Lengai Mountains as well as the spectacular bird life right in camp. After a busy day, savor a delightful evening in camp mingling with other travelers from around the globe, over dinner.

Day 5: Full day Game Drive Ngorongoro Crater

Set out early for the nearby Ngorongoro Crater by safari vehicle. The crater is a huge volcanic caldera formed about 2.5 million years ago when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself. Here you can view the Big 5 in high concentration with the stunning backdrop of crater walls. Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch on the crater floor. Return to Entamanu for dinner and overnight.

Day 6: Bush Plane to Serengeti, High Tea and Afternoon Game Drive

After breakfast, hop on a bush plane for a quick flight to Serengeti Safari Camp. Arrive in time for lunch, siesta, high tea and then head out on an afternoon game drive. As this is a seasonal mobile safari camp, the camp is set up in the best possible location for prime wildlife viewing (oftentimes right from camp). Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 7: Full day Migration Experience in the Serengeti

Today, head out with a guide and packed picnic lunch for a full day exploring the Serengeti plains. Move as quickly or as leisurely as you would like in your private safari vehicle. This is a fabulous opportunity to see the great wildebeest and zebra migration, large herds of plains game and the highest concentrate of predators in Africa. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.

Day 8: Early Morning Game Drive in Serengeti, High Tea, Afternoon Game Drive

This morning, rise early and set out as the sun begins to rise. This is the time of day when the wildlife is most active. Return to camp for a full breakfast and spend the afternoon relaxing in the shade, reading a good book. After high tea, set out for one final game drive in the Serengeti, stopping to watch the sun set with cocktails and appetizers.

Day 9: Travel Home

Enjoy the final moments of the best Tanzania safari, then fly back to Arusha and connect to your international flight home.