10 Days Tanzania Birding and Wildlife Safari

Embark on this 10-day Tanzania birding and wildlife safari, rewarding you with the best of Tanzania. Superfine Safaris is your ultimate guide on this 10-day Tanzania safari for the best birding and wildlife viewing experiences. Hit Tanzania’s premier tourist sites in the Northern safari circuit and enjoy a combined birding and wildlife excursion. This long Tanzania safari will begin with a visit to Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro, Serengeti National Park, and lastly, end your vacation with Tarangire National Park. Tanzania alone is home to over 1100 bird species, which include 800 resident and 200 regular migrant species. On a birding safari in Tanzania, expect to identify birds such as love ridge’s sunbirds, banded green sunbirds, grey-crested helmet shrike, wattled cranes, Usambara eagle-owl, Pemba sunbird, flamingos, and more.

Wildlife safari in Tanzania offers exceptional encounters with the Big 5 (rhinos, leopards, lions, buffaloes, and elephants); cheetahs, wild dogs, zebras, aardvarks, hyenas, and wildebeests.

The Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up at Arusha & Travel by safari car to Lake Manyara

Day 2: Explore Lake Manyara on Game viewing & Birding

Day 3: Leave Lake Manyara for Ngorongoro Crater

Day 4: A full day of Game viewing combined with a birding tour

Day 5: Departure from Ngorongoro for Serengeti Game Park

Day 6: Serengeti Big 5 game tour –full day

Day 7: Game drive & Cultural encounters

Day 8: Serengeti-Tarangire

Day 9: Enjoy a full-day tour in Tarangire

Day 10: Drive back to Arusha town

The detailed itinerary

Day 1: Pick up at Arusha & Travel by safari car to Lake Manyara

Your epic 10-day Tanzania birding and wildlife safari in Tanzania will begin with an early breakfast and a later briefing. After, your driver guide will take you to Lake Manyara National Park, a 648 sq. km Protected Area and home to the rare tree-climbing lions. Check in your accommodation for relaxation and also for you to be served lunch.

After lunch, embark on a game drive through Lake Manyara National Park. The park is known for amazing wildlife sightings, including gazelles, hyenas, warthogs, buffaloes, elephants, and tree-climbing lions.

Accommodation Choices

• Budget: Nsya Lodge or Haven Nature Camp
• Midrange: Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge or Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp
• Luxury: Escarpment Luxury Lodge or Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Meals: Bed & Breakfast

Day 2: Explore Lake Manyara on Game viewing & Birding

You have a full day to explore and experience Lake Manyara National Park. This involves exploring Lake Manyara’s abundant wildlife plus birds. At Lake Manyara National Park, you will spot the Big game, antelopes, and birds. The birds to find in this park include, among others, speckled mousebirds, silvery-cheeked hornbill, pink-backed pelicans, little bee-eaters, palm but vultures, martial eagle, and black herons, etc.

Accommodation

• Budget: Nsya Lodge or Haven Nature Camp
• Midrange: Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge or Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp
• Luxury: Escarpment Luxury Lodge or Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 3: Leave Lake Manyara for Ngorongoro Crater

Say goodbye to Lake Manyara as you meet your private driver guide set for your journey to Ngorongoro Crater in the Northern safari circuit. Ngorongoro is a UNESCO site and features breathtaking landscapes characterized by forests, woodlands, grasslands, and abundant wildlife. Arrive early and you will have lunch and a late afternoon game drive, then return for evening relaxation.

Accommodation

• Budget: Plantation Lodge
• Midrange: Hhondo Coffee Lodge or Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge
• Luxury: Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge

Meals include Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.

Day 4: A full day of Game viewing combined with a birding tour

Get up early and set out for a full-day tour in Ngorongoro, one of the 7 wonders in Africa. A game drive through Ngorongoro plains comes with sightings including lions, buffaloes, black rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, and many antelopes. The popular birds to identify in Ngorongoro include European strain vultures, flamingos, Kori bustards, hammerkops, and more. Return from the long game drive session to enjoy the rest of the day in the lodge.

Accommodation Choices

• Budget: Plantation Lodge
• Midrange: Hhondo Coffee Lodge or Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge
• Luxury: Neptune Ngorongoro Lodge

Meals include Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 5: Departure from Ngorongoro for Serengeti Game Park

Transfer to Serengeti National Park, and en route, you will make a stopover at the Olduvai Gorge. Explore the historical richness of Olduvai Gorge, also referred to as the Cradle of Humankind. Have lunch en route and later proceed to Serengeti National Park.

Accommodation

• Budget: Seronera Wildlife Lodge
• Midrange: Four Seasons Lodge or Lemala Kuria Hills Tented Lodge
• Luxury: Manya Serengeti Luxury Camp or Serengeti Serena Lodge

Meals include Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 6: Serengeti Big 5 game tour –full day

Enjoy a hefty breakfast and after, you will head out for a game drive in the morning. A diversity of wildlife will be spotted on today’s full-day game viewing session. At Serengeti, the wildlife to come across includes rhinos, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, wildebeest, antelopes, and others.

Accommodation

• Budget: Seronera Wildlife Lodge
• Midrange: Four Seasons Lodge or Lemala Kuria Hills Tented Lodge
• Luxury: Manya Serengeti Luxury Camp or Serengeti Serena Lodge

Meals include Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 7: Game drive & Cultural encounters.

Return to the Serengeti savannas for more wildlife and bird sightings. Search for more of the Big game, antelopes, and birds, including ostriches, red-faced crombec, broad-billed sandpipers, mottled spine tail, and others. You will conclude the Serengeti wildlife tour with a visit to the Maasai community.

Accommodation

• Budget: Seronera Wildlife Lodge
• Midrange: Four Seasons Lodge or Lemala Kuria Hills Tented Lodge
• Luxury: Manya Serengeti Luxury Camp or Serengeti Serena Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 8: Serengeti-Tarangire

Start your journey from Serengeti and head out to Tarangire National Park, about 6 to 7 hours’ drive. Tarangire is worth exploring thanks to its ecological diversity and breathtaking landscapes. You will enjoy a leisurely time in your respective lodge.

Accommodation Choices to Stay

• Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge (Budget)
• Midrange: Kuro Tarangire Lodge
• Luxury: Chem Chem Safari Lodge

Meals include Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 9: Enjoy a full day tour in Tarangire

Enjoy a full day in Tarangire as you explore more of the Big game, antelopes, giraffes, zebras, and birds. Expect to have a bush land in Tarangire after the morning session, and later, proceed with the afternoon game drives.

Accommodation Choices

• Kirurumu Tarangire Lodge (Budget)
• Midrange: Kuro Tarangire Lodge
• Luxury: Chem Chem Safari Lodge

Meals include Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Day 10: Drive back to Arusha town

After a heavy breakfast, you will bid farewell to Tarangire and return to Arusha. Get dropped off at the hotel or airport for departure.

End of safari

Inclusions

• Game drives
• Pick up and airport transfers
• Cultural experiences
• Free bottled drinking water
• Park entrance fees
• Accommodation plus meals as per the trip plan

Exclusions

• Laundry charges
• Beverages or alcoholic drinks
• Transportation and driver services
• Telephone expenses
• Tipping plus gratuities
• Shopping costs
• Travel Insurance expenses