Untamed beauty & awe-inspiring wildlife
NGORONGORO AND SERENGETI SAFARI BY ASILIA
Embark on a journey of untamed beauty and awe-inspiring wildlife in Northern Tanzania, where the landscapes are as diverse as the creatures that call it home. Prepare to be enchanted by the wonders of Ngorongoro’s ancient volcanic caldera, where you’ll encounter the Big Five and revel in the ethereal beauty of the Serengeti, home to the legendary Great Wildebeest Migration and the incredible game viewing found on the plains.
Our exclusive Ngorongoro and Serengeti Safari invites you to explore two of Africa’s most iconic destinations, over a 10-night safari, where the essence of the wild comes to life in breathtaking fashion.
This safari is by road and your knowledgeable local driver-guide from Asilia Africa will be your companion through this ever-changing terrain. Your guide knows all the great game viewing spots and other places to visit during your Ngorongoro and Serengeti Safari. He is with you from the beginning and this means that your game drives are private and tailored to you.
Travelling between destinations in a comfortable 4X4 vehicle for your journey allows you to relax and appreciate the traditional rural landscapes framed by the breathtaking Rift Valley scenery. The vehicle is designed for optimal photography, featuring large windows and a pop-up roof, ensuring everyone enjoys a window seat. Stay at Asilia Africa’s magical safari lodges, The Highlands near Ngorongoro Crater, Namiri Plains in Eastern Serengeti and the gorgeous Sayari Camp in Northern Serengeti.
Your journey begins with a tranquil night in Arusha, a perfect way to unwind after your potentially long journey. From there, start your Tanzania safari with your guide, a picnic lunch and the open road ahead of you. Your adventure leads you to the iconic Ngorongoro Crater, home to majestic elephants and other imposing creatures like buffalo and giraffe, a full-day safari on the crater’s flat floor offers opportunities to encounter the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo), along with the chance to spot flamingos and hippos in the crater’s wetlands.
After your Ngorongoro Crater tour, travel into the eastern sector of the Central Serengeti for three nights before travelling to the far north for three nights. Travel between May and December to catch the Great Wildebeest Migration and the Serengeti has fabulous year-round game viewing, so this safari can be enjoyed for most of the year.
The Serengeti, one of Africa’s most iconic and renowned safari destinations, is a sprawling, pristine wilderness that spans approximately 30,000 square kilometres in northern Tanzania. It’s renowned for its incredible biodiversity and hosts a spectacular array of wildlife year-round. The Serengeti is most famous for its role in the Great Wildebeest Migration, a dramatic spectacle where millions of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles traverse the plains in search of fresh grazing land, accompanied by predators like lions, cheetahs, and hyenas.
This phenomenon unfolds across the Serengeti’s different regions throughout the year. Beyond the migration, you can witness the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, and buffalo—along with an abundance of other animals, including giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, various antelope species, and numerous bird species. Whether you explore the Southern Plains, Central Seronera Valley, Western Corridor, or the Northern Serengeti, this vast ecosystem promises extraordinary wildlife encounters against the backdrop of its striking savannah and acacia-dotted landscapes.
Ngorongoro and Serengeti Safari by Asilia
This trip starts and ends in Kilimanjaro and The rate is per person sharing and includes 10 nights of accommodation, all meals, all game activities, all local drinks and park fees. It includes the services of a private vehicle and local guide for the duration of your trip.
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Day by Day itinerary
Days 01 to 02: Legendary Lodge, Arusha
When you arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport, a driver will be waiting to welcome you to Tanzania and transfer you to the lush town of Arusha, less than an hour from the airport.
Your journey commences with a touch of luxury at Legendary Lodge, tucked away on the fringes of Arusha. This exclusive retreat is surrounded by lush gardens and towering trees, offering a serene haven away from the urban hustle and bustle. With captivating views of Mount Meru as your backdrop, Legendary Lodge sets the stage for your adventure through Tanzania’s remarkable national parks.
Legendary Lodge, nestled on the outskirts of Arusha, provides an enchanting start to your Tanzanian safari. This luxurious haven offers a tranquil escape from the urban hustle and bustle, surrounded by lush gardens and majestic trees. With views of the imposing Mount Meru as a backdrop, the lodge’s elegant ambience sets the stage for your adventure through Tanzania’s national parks. Here, you’ll experience impeccable service, sumptuous accommodations, and the perfect blend of comfort and sophistication.
Days 02 to 05 – The Highlands Ngorongoro, Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, you will depart from Arusha with a picnic lunch. Your journey continues to the Ngorongoro Highlands, where you’ll encounter wildlife en route, along with the vibrant Maasai cattle herders. Your accommodation for the next three nights is nothing short of extraordinary – Asilia’s The Highlands Ngorongoro. Nestled on the slopes of the dormant Olmoti volcano, this modern, high-tech tented sanctuary offers a unique experience. As you gaze out over the landscape, you’ll enjoy an exclusive location and array of activities at this extraordinary lodge.
The Highlands promises a one-of-a-kind experience amidst breathtaking surroundings. The eight tents are canvas and perspex domes – a design inspired by traditional Maasai bomas. At the heart of the camp is our library with its indoor fireplace that replaces the typical safari campfire. We gather here each evening to share stories of the day’s wildlife experiences over pre-dinner drinks.
Your days here are spent on game drives to the Ngorongoro Crater and in the area, walks in the surrounding forest, a climb up the Olmoti Crater and Empakaai Crater or visit the neighbouring Masai village and learn about their traditional way of life.
Days 05 to 08 – Namiri Plains, Eastern Serengeti
With a packed lunch and a thrilling game drive ahead of you, you’ll make your way to your next destination, Asilia’s Namiri Plains. Located in the productive and consistently rewarding and remote Eastern Seronera region of the Serengeti, the camp’s name, which means ‘big cat’ in Swahili, is well-deserved. This area is renowned for its year-round predator sightings, especially cheetahs. Before Namiri Plains was built, these grasslands were closed for 20 years to allow the cheetah population to be restored. The nearest other camps are over an hour’s drive away so you can experience the vast plains all to yourself.
Ten spacious, stylish tented suites (including one family tent) overlook the Serengeti plains. Since the 2019 refurb, tents are bigger and have sliding doors running the width of each room and opening on to an expanded viewing deck. The walls are made from calcrete, a sedimentary rock created from the ashes of the Ngorongoro volcanoes, that helps to regulate the temperature. The interiors are all decorated in natural materials and tones. Each bathroom has a view over the plains and a standalone resin tub on your private deck for an al fresco bubble bath with a chilled glass of fizz.
Game drives are the activity of choice in this part of the Serengeti and walking safaris are available in this area.
Days 08 to 11 – Sayari Camp, Northern Serengeti
Set off from Namiri with a picnic lunch and head north through the Serengeti to the simply beautiful Sayari Camp where you will spend 3 nights. Sayari Camp beckons as an exceptional luxury safari retreat, in a prime location to witness thousands of wildebeest crash across the Mara River as part of their Great Migration. Outside of June to October months, these plains boast outstanding game viewing which you have almost to yourself.
Overlooking the golden plains, the 15 bright and spacious suites have walk-in showers, al fresco tubs and verandas on which you can laze away the afternoon with a book. Sayari’s rim-flow pool is set between natural rock formations for guests to cool off in while watching elephants or zebras ambling past camp. After a dip, treat yourself to a calming massage or a beer at Serengeti’s first solar-powered microbrewery before an afternoon game drive and sundowners around the campfire.
The northern Serengeti is one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa, and for good reason. This is where the world-famous river crossings take place, as huge herds of migrating wildebeest cross into Kenya between July and September before heading back into Tanzania around October. Crossing the Mara River is one of the most dangerous parts of their journey, with crocodiles and hippos in the water and lions and other predators waiting on land. As the Mara River is just a few minutes from camp, guests can see all the action right from our doorstep.
Once the migrating herds have travelled back to the southern Serengeti in December, guests can experience much more privacy with fewer tourists and vehicles around the national park. This is the period of time when safari veterans like to visit and enjoy having these vast plains to themselves. There is still have plenty of wildlife around, including lions and cheetahs. You might see elephants and rhinos and even leopards lurking in the riverine forests. Birders can spot some of the European migrants that arrive over this season, too.
Day 11 – Journey’s End
Following a delightful breakfast at Sayari Camp, it’s time to begin your onward travel arrangements, bidding farewell to Africa with cherished memories. You will be taken to the Kogatende airstrip for your charter flight to Kilimanjaro for onward travel, to Masai Mara for some Kenya wildlife viewing or perhaps to Zanzibar for some relaxation on the white sand beaches.