Day 1 - ARRIVE INTO ARUSHA, TANZANIA

On arrival you will be met by our representative and transferred to the Gran Melia Arusha for the night.

The Gran Melia Arusha is set out on 18 acres of beautiful landscaped coffee & tea plantations, with spectacular views of Mount Meru. A natural river runs through the property, with several natural springs, adding to the tranquility of its setting. The hotel's 171 rooms are spacious and enjoy views of either Arusha city or Mount Meru, which you can savor from the privacy of the room's balcony along with a piping cup of hot local coffee. Meals at Gran Melia are an adventure with eclectic dining options including Saba Saba, the all-day dining restaurant, Yellow Chilli, a specialty restaurant serving Hindu cuisine and the Rooftop, offering Peruvian - Spanish gastronomy along with high energy cocktails. There's a gym and a pool for those who need to burn off some energy and a spa offering delectable treatments for those that need to unwind.

Overnight: Gran Melia Arusha

Meal Plan: 

Day 2 - NGORONGORO CRATER

After breakfast set off towards the Ngorongoro Crater. On the way you will stop in the village of Mto wa Mbu for a unique  Insider Access Experience - an authentic local cooking class.

First you will meet your local guide who will take you through the shopping list before jumping into a tuk tuk (local name for a rickshaw – a very popular form of transport) and driving across to the vegetable market. Here you will test your bargaining skills, with the help of your guide who will translate for you, as you check your items off the list.

Then it's back in the tuk tuk to drive to Nazira’s home in the middle of the banana plantations; she is the chef who will teach you to cook like a Tanzanian. You will help prepare the food and cook it, under instruction of your guide and Nazira, on the traditional charcoal jiko’s (ovens) before sitting down to sample your creations.

After you have eaten you will continue up the Great Rift Valley to the top of the Ngorongoro Crater Rim to Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp.

Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp, in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Conservation area, is nestled into an Acacia forest near the crater rim with easy access to the floor for game drives. It features ten stylish tents adorned with handwoven rugs, comfortable beds with crisp linens, and en suite bathrooms with flush toilets and piping hot showers. The camp, which would have satisfied safari-goers from the grand old days of Teddy Roosevelt and his ilk, manages to be sumptuously comfortable and simply elegant all at the same time. From the raised deck that hosts the lounge and dining room you will look out over the Ngorongoro Forest and, if you are lucky, spot some of the wildlife that calls it home. At sundown you can sit around a campfire, nicknamed "bush television" by guides here and indulge in recounting the adventures of the day over a drink.

Overnight: Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 3 - NGORONGORO CRATER

After breakfast you will drive down into the Ngorongoro Crater – a UNESCO World Heritage Site which is truly spectacular.

The Ngorongoro Cater is the world's largest intact caldera. With an area of just 260 km² (102 square miles) the Ngorongoro is a true Garden of Eden. Highland forest covers the 610 metre (2,000 ft) sheer sides of the caldera, a spectacular barrier encircling and protecting the roaming plains wildlife which patrol the flat crater floor. This is a world of grassland plains, acacia forests, pools and streams. All the ‘Big Five’ are here – elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and even rhino can still be found. The central soda lake attracts birds and sometimes flocks of flamingo.

You will drive back to camp in the late afternoon and have a chance to freshen up at camp before heading out for another  Insider Access activity – a crater rim sundowner walk.

The Ngorongoro Crater is an area of outstanding natural beauty and one that many visitors are only allowed to drive through. Now, with the exclusive Insider Access activity, you will be able to walk through this magical area after your game drive in the crater and gain a deeper understanding of the people, and wildlife, that call it their home.

Your walk will begin at 4.30 pm and will take you through the stunning forest that blankets the rim of the crater eventually coming to the edge of this magnificent World Heritage Site. The views down across the plains are second to none. As well as learning about the plants and animals of the area a talking point will be how the modern world is affecting the traditions of the Masai – a fascinating subject that cannot be exhausted.

At the end you will be greeted by a classic East African Sundowner – a table laid with your favorite drinks and chairs to relax on whilst watching the sun slip below the far edge of the Ngorongoro Crater.

Overnight: Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 4 - SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Today you will depart early and drive to the airstrip for your flight to the Serengeti National Park.

On arrival you will be collected by your driver and game drive through the vast plains of the Serengeti to Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp.

Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp is a mobile tented camp, which, depending on where the migration is, and relocates twice in the year within the Serengeti National Park - in a bid to keep up with the great wildebeest migration, the most spectacular movement of mammals on the planet.

The camp, ten huge tents, sumptuously comfortable and simply elegant, is reminiscent of the bygone era of safari, with sturdy hardwood furniture and generous swathes of mosquito net over huge beds. As in safari days of old, your tent attendant is on hand to cater to your needs, from the perfect timing of your shower to the perfect pre-dinner drink. The nomadic nature of the camp, though, means it blends into its bush environments with sensitive seamlessness whilst granting its guests excellent, up-to-the-minute, game viewing.

Overnight: Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 5 & 6 - SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

You have two full days to explore the vast open spaces of the Serengeti National Park. This superb wildlife area is made up of vast open plains which are dotted with rocky outcrops (kopjes) and wooded seasonal river lines all of which hold an abundance of wildlife.

From October to June each year the great wildebeest migration makes its way across the vast plains following the rain in the animals continual search for fresh pasture. In February they begin calving and it is truly an astounding sight seeing thousands upon thousands of wildebeest calves within the herds.

On one of the mornings you may opt to take a balloon ride over the plains – this is truly the best way to take in the staggering size of this wilderness. As you float into the sky the sun rises and illuminates the world around you whilst the wildlife peacefully grazes beneath you. This is all topped off with a bush breakfast and a glass of bubbles to celebrate – a time honored tradition.

Overnight: Sanctuary Kichakani Serengeti Camp

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 7 - MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE

After breakfast you will fly to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya – this is an extension of the Serengeti ecosystem however the landscape seems very different with th wall of the Oloololo Ridge forming the northern border and a myriad of rivers, including the Mara River, bisecting the plains.

You will be collected by a driver from Sanctuary Olonana who will take you back to the lodge in time for lunch.

Sanctuary Olonana's 14 exceptional new suites, at least 130 square meters (1399 square feet) in size, flaunt clean lines and organic materials. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors fold open to reveal magnificent Mara River views and the interiors have been finished with elegant nature-inspired furnishings to create an ever-present sense of being connected to the great outdoors. Sumptuous king-sized beds, with overhead fans and a daybed on the deck invite you to relax inside or out, while the sprawling lower lounge area offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. Three of the new suites feature an extra bedroom located off the open plan bathroom, perfect for families with young children. The unfaltering attention to detail extends to fully stocked mini-fridges, specially commissioned African art and glamorous en suites. Refined open plan marble- and slate-accented bathrooms feature a generous tub, double vanity and a rain shower with wall to ceiling glass windows ensuring you can enjoy the view wherever you are in the suite.

The soothing interiors of the main lodge are an extension of the surrounding wilderness as a Kenyan Greenheart tree extends through the centre. Dramatic glass doors open out from the lounge to the terrace. Here, faded indigo rugs and elegant Edison-bulb pendant lights gently illuminate the decking without competing with the natural ambiance. The inviting new fire pit is encircled by deckchairs, with each seat promising river views. Dine on the deck of the main lodge and overlook the river's resident hippos.

Overnight: Sanctuary Olonana

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 8 & 9 - MASAI MARA GAME RESERVE

The next two days are reserved for exploring this magical area of Kenya – head out on game drives and find those last few elusive animals that you have not yet managed to see. You may also choose to visit a local Masai Village that is supported by the lodge and get a taste for the way the Masai people live and their unique traditions. You will be shown into a house and be able to participate in a few of the dances that they perform to welcome you to the village.

You can also take the time to learn how the local community has partnered with AK Philanthropy to provide school children with clean drinking water. The Safe Water for School’s Initiative, started in 2017, brings the LifeStraw community filter, a high-volume water purifier to schools in need. The filter is designed to remove a minimum of 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.999% of viruses and 99.99% of protozoan parasites from dirty water. It prevents waterborne diseases common in Africa, such as diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, worms, and cryptosporidiosis. To date, AKP has delivered clean drinking water to 17,112 Maasai students and you can visit one of the schools and see the filter in action.

Overnight: Sanctuary Olonana

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 10 - BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

Today you will fly from the Masai Mara to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda for the last part of this exciting adventure. You will get to the lodge in the late afternoon where you can relax and enjoy the view out over this magnificent forest.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is located in the southwestern part of Uganda on the rim of the Rift Valley. The park is one of the richest, oldest and most diverse rainforests in the region, boasting over 400 plant species, 120 species of mammals, 348 species of birds, 220 species of butterflies and 27 species of frogs, chameleons, and geckos. The highlight of the park, of course, is the gorillas. It is home to over 500 mountain gorillas - half the world's population - some habituated so visitors can observe them in their natural habitat. The word “Bwindi” means “darkness” and taking a hike through this magnificent forest will certainly unveil how the forest got its name. You must be in good physical condition to trek through the dense, steep terrain. But once you have a sighting of these magnificent creatures, all fatigue melts away and have a willdife experience like no other. 

Deep inside the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, on a flat ridge high amongst the trees, is the remote tented camp of Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp. The unique location of the camp, on a UNESCO heritage site, compliments the many singular activities and experiences to be had in this area. The camp is often visited by gorilla families and you can enjoy the playful and curious nature of these apes while reveling in a landscape of forest, volcano, waterfalls, mountains and lakes.

Each of the ten private tents has two queen sized beds, a private deck, bathtubs looking out into the jungle canopy and a personal attendant. The mini spa at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp offers facials, body treatments and massages. The bar and dining cottage looks out over the rainforest and has a raised open-air platform for deck dining where you can enjoy the a la carte mix of European and local cuisine.

Overnight: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp 

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 11 & 12 - BWINDI IMPENETRABLE FOREST

It's an early start today to make your way down to the headquarters for your gorilla tracking adventure.

The gorillas you will track belong to one of the 'habituated' family groups in Northern Bwindi. For several years each group has undergone an extremely delicate process that has gradually made them used to the presence of humans. Experienced guides will accompany the tracking, many of whom have been involved in the habituation process themselves. Once the gorillas are located, the group will be allowed a maximum of one hour with them. A look into the deep and expressive brown eyes of these giants is surely one of the most unforgettable wildlife encounters that Africa has to offer. 

In the afternoon you may have the time to head out on a community walk which will give you real feel for the singular nature of this place. Walk through tea plantations, have a go at brewing local banana beer, visit the local hospital and speak to the traditional medicine man and then cap it all off with a dance performance by the Batwa pygmies. On the way you could also experience some of the AK Philanthropy Projects which includes the Bwindi Community Hospital & Nursing School, the Ebenezer Primary School and the Women’s Bicycle Enterprise.

Overnight: Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp

Meal Plan: B,L,D

Day 13 - DEPART

Today it is time to bid a fond farewell to East Africa. After breakfast you will drive to the airstrip and catch your flight to Entebbe. Here you will have a day room at a airport hotel so you can relax, have lunch and freshen up before your flight.

You will then be accompanied by our representative to the airport to catch your flight home.

Meal Plan: B,L