7-Nights Ultimate Tanzania Safari - Small Group Journeys from $10,295

1 Arrive Arusha, Tanzania

Your adventure begins in Arusha, where you settle into your lodge, set on a working coffee plantation. Your private chalet near Mount Meru features a log fireplace and a balcony. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to exploring the natural wonders of Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater.

Kick off your explorations in Arusha by enjoying one of these Design Your Day activities.

• Visit Ilboru Primary School, a project supported by A&K Philanthropy, to meet students facing special challenges.
• Explore Arusha on a Walking Tour, meeting resident entrepreneurs on an active introduction to local culture.
• Tour the Shanga Workshop with a private guide to learn about the handmade jewelry and homeware created there.

Return to your lodge for lunch before flying to Tarangire National Park, a wild landscape with open grasslands, acacia trees and the Tarangire River. Set out on a game drive and later enjoy a welcome dinner.

Today, enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in search of eland, oryx, wildebeest and zebra as well as the park’s large elephant population. Your local expert driver-guide draws on years of experience in the bush to locate the best wildlife viewing opportunities right as they happen. Later, this afternoon, learn how to prepare local dishes like ugali and kachumbari as part of a chef-led culinary experience.

As you cross the Great Rift Valley, stop for a market visit in a local village where stalls brim with vibrant local produce. Then, see the village from a different perspective as you ride by tuk-tuk, viewing the local community and rice fields as you go. Next, take a scenic drive to tranquil Gibb’s Farm, where you stop for a lunch made with organic, just-picked ingredients. Later, arrive at the natural amphitheater of Ngorongoro Crater, a 2,000-foot-deep caldera. A fascinating microcosm of East African wildlife — including buffalo, flamingoes, lions and leopards — resides inside. Climb the outer wall, passing through dense vegetation until a breathtaking view across the crater floor appears. Arrive at your camp, nestled in a wooded area with easy access to the crater floor and featuring elegant, tented accommodations adorned with handwoven rugs, comfortable beds with crisp linens and en-suite bathrooms. Relax on your veranda to view a gathering of acacia trees akin to an enchanted forest, watching in awe as late afternoon light peeks through the woodland and a campfire crackles in front of the main lounge, creating an almost magical atmosphere.

Descend into the crater, arriving ahead of most visitors — thanks to the closer proximity of your ideally located accommodations — to view the resident wildlife at its most active time of day. This afternoon, visit with an elder at a Maasai village, where you learn about the tribe’s traditional, nomadic lifestyle and coexistence with wildlife. Sense the spirit of this pastoral, nomadic people who have kept their tribal traditions alive through countless generations of life in East Africa.

Fly to the fabled Serengeti National Park and settle into your remote, authentic camp. Then, set out in the boundless Serengeti, one of the oldest and least-changed ecosystems on earth, where the circle of life plays out every day. It is home to one of the world’s largest concentrations of wildlife, with lions, hyenas and leopards all roaming free. For a portion of each year, dictated by weather patterns and the unpredictable nature of wild animals, vast herds of wildebeest and zebra move through the Serengeti in search of grass and water as part of the year-round Great Migration cycle. This evening, sip a cocktail and reflect on the majesty of Africa, a relaxing experience that harkens back to safaris of yore.

Venture out on a morning game drive in the protected Serengeti refuge, where flowing rivers support a plethora of species. In addition to lions, elephants, Cape buffalo and leopards, keep your camera handy for sights such as a cheetah bolting after a fleet-footed Thomson’s gazelle. Take a break for a private lunch in the bush — an A&K luxury safari specialty — savoring fine food and drink as a symphony of wildlife sounds envelops you. On this afternoon’s game drive, once again enjoy ideal game viewing as your highly experienced driver-guide strives continually to keep you in the heart of the action. Tonight, gather for a memorable farewell dinner.