Northern Highlights & Zanzibar (13n) – Luxury

On the first day of your holiday, you’ll touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), receiving a VIP Meet and Greet. From here, you’ll have a flight to Kuro Airstrip in Tarangire followed by a shared road transfer to Sanctuary Swala Camp. This property has a gorgeous setting, amongst immense acacia trees. The communal areas include lots of comfortable sofas, so you’ll be able to sit back and enjoy views of wildlife at the nearby waterhole and on the plains beyond. Swala also has an infinity pool! Guests are accommodated in 12 canvas pavilions, all in the shade of trees. Each features a spacious bedroom, indoor and outdoor showers, and a private veranda with waterhole views. From this superb base, you’ll head out on expertly guided game drives, night drives, and walking safaris. Among Tarangire’s wildlife highlights are four of the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo – as well as numerous smaller mammals and hundreds of birds. And if you stay here during the dry season, you’ll likely witness the park’s elephant migration, when approximately three thousand of the gentle giants move across the area to find water! Visits to a local beekeeping project are also available.

Board basis and activities:
All-inclusive accommodation, featuring all meals, a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, two shared game-viewing activities per day, transfers between camp and the local airstrip, and a laundry service.

On Day 3, you’ll travel from Sanctuary Swala Camp to Kuro Airstrip via shared road transfer and you’ll fly to Lake Manyara Airport. Here, you’ll be met by a private guide in a private vehicle. Both will be available to you throughout your stay in the Ngorongoro region, making for very exclusive vehicle safaris! On your way to The Manor at Ngorongoro, you’ll stop off in Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive. Considered one of the finest safari areas in Africa, due to its vast expanse of water and breathtaking Rift Valley backdrop, this park has plenty of wildlife highlights – you can look out for tree-climbing lions and vibrant flocks of flamingo! After your safari, your guide will drive you to The Manor, a Cape Dutch-style hotel with luxurious lounge and dining areas. The property has a billiards room too, in addition to a cinema room, spa, and gardens complete with swimming pool. You’ll stay in one of 18 cottage suites. Each has a private entrance, roomy sleeping and living spaces separated by a cosy fireplace, an en-suite full bathroom, and a lovely sun terrace. On your second day here, you’ll head down into the Ngorongoro Crater with your guide for another exciting private game drive! All Big Five are in residence here, alongside loads of smaller predators and herbivores, and ample birdlife. On-site activities at The Manor include horse riding, with picnic lunch if required.

Board basis and activities:
Full-board accommodation, including all meals, a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, and a laundry service.

Come Day 5, you’ll be driven from The Manor at Ngorongoro to Lake Manyara Airport by your private guide. You’ll board a flight bound for Kogatende Airstrip in the North Serengeti, and once you’ve landed you’ll have a shared road transfer to Lamai Serengeti. The communal spaces at this sumptuous camp include relaxing lounges and a very welcoming swimming pool! There are 12 safari suites, split between two sites. Each suite has a well-presented bedroom, smart en-suite shower room, and private deck with views over endless plains. Activities from Lamai comprise guided game drives and short strolls through the bush. During the period from July to October, the guides focus on bringing you thrilling sightings of the Great Migration, as the huge herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles move around the Serengeti’s northern region in their search for food. This sheer volume of herbivores naturally attracts a lot of big cats, and there’s a wealth of other plains game too. And the bird count is also very high here!

Board basis and activities:
All-inclusive accommodation, featuring all meals, a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, all shared safari activities (guided game drives, seasonal short bush walks, bush picnics), transfers between the camp and Kogatende Airstrip, and a laundry service.

Now it’s time to head for the beach! You’ll have a shared road transfer from Lamai Serengeti to Kogatende Airstrip, and you’ll fly out to the international airport on Zanzibar. Once you’ve landed, you’ll have another shared transfer to Baraza Resort & Spa. Situated on the island’s scenic east coast, Baraza has been voted the best hotel on Zanzibar! The property offers a very fine range of restaurants, plus a spa incorporating a gym and tennis court, and a swimming pool. The accommodation option we’ve selected for you is the ocean view villa, with walk-in dressing room, en-suite facilities including freestanding bathtub, good-sized terrace, and private plunge pool! You’ll spend the last few days of your trip relaxing on the beach and getting stuck into a variety of watersports and land-based activities if you’re feeling energetic. Baraza offers both low- and high-tide pastimes from its own Water Club, and diving can be arranged at the Rising Sun Dive Centre, nearby. You can hire bikes and explore Zanzibar at your own pace, or join tours of some of the island’s best-known attractions such as Spice Town and Jozani Forest. The hotel provides the Baraza Swahili Experience too, featuring classes in cooking, palm weaving, and language skills.

Board basis and activities:
All-inclusive accommodation, featuring three meals daily, a selection of alcoholic and soft drinks, use of gym and tennis court, use of snorkelling equipment, and rental of kayak and reef shoes.