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Itinerary
You can have your own Grand Africa Safari of just you and your friends and family. Select the date you and your group wish to depart and we'll arrange it all. The best times to see the animals are in January, July and early November. The giant "million animal herds" are close by...either coming or going! GRAND AFRICA SAFARI -- $5,979 Day 1 - Thurs. Depart USA Day 2 - Fri. Arrive Amsterdam. Enjoy nearly a full day of exploring Amsterdam. Then overnight at the Hyatt Hotel. Day 3 - Sat. Depart for Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO). A morning flight to JRO near Arusha, Tanzania. Our guide, Magogo, greets you at the airport and takes you to a 4-star Arusha hotel. Day 4 - Sun. Church in Arusha and then Tarangire National Park. After breakfast, attend the Arusha Branch church service at 10 AM. Linger longer with sandwiches so you meet the African members. Then off to Tarangire National Park for a game drive. your first chance to meet up with elephants. Don’t be surprised if they’re standing in the middle of the van’s path, munching on grass. We’ll patiently wait for him to move on. And tell you how to tell the "hims" from the "hers." Dinner and overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge. Day 5 - Monday: Tarangire National Park Early morning and late afternoon game drives are prime for seeing the most animal activity. So...awake early for a great breakfast and morning game drive. Back to the lodge for a great buffet, a nap, a swim and stroll around the grounds. Then a late afternoon game drive in Tarangire National Park with another chance to view the unspoiled natural habitats. Full board and overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge. Day 6 - Tuesday: Lake Manyara, Rift Valley Wall, Gibbs Farm and orphanage to Ngorongoro Crater Morning game drive in Lake Manyara National Park with its variety of wildlife like buffalo, elephant, leopard, lions (sometimes seen on trees), giraffe and abundant pink flamingos on the lake shore. Lunch at famous old Gibbs Farm with a wonderful meal of fresh fruits, vegetables, and creative Tanzanian main dishes. Wander through the amazing flowering gardens. Then we head to an orphanage that loves our passengers. Bring some gifts for children for pre-school or younger to teens. Then on to our luxury hotel overlooking Ngorongoro Crater. Dinner and two nights. Day 7 - Wednesday: The Ngorongoro Crater Day! After breakfast you drive down to the crater floor -- one of the largest craters in the world -- 23+ miles across. Enjoy a full day crater game drive with picnic lunch. Then more game drives to find the rare leopard and rhino, as well as lions, elephants, ostrich, hyena, baboons, zebra and more. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge. Sunset is spectacular. Day 8 - Thursday: Oldupai Archaeological Digs, a Maassai village, and Serengeti! After breakfast visit Oldupai Gorge (actual Maasai word is Oldupai but some Germans accidentally changed it to Olduvai). Our archaeologist guide helps us tour the Gorge Museum and then takes us to where Louis and Mary Leaky found hand axes and quasi-human remains the labeled zinjanthropus. It is listed as the oldest archaeological evidence of human life dating back 1.8 million years. On the way to Serengeti we stop at a real Maasai village where we meet the tribal chief and enter his primitive enclosure -- tree branches held together by lattice and mud works. They show us how they live as a community in this departure from the modern world. Then on to Serengeti where everything is big from the herds of wildebeest and zebra to the lazy prides of lion which are relatively numerous and found during the day time resting on or below trees along the Seronera river. Full board and overnight at Serengeti Seronera Lodge. It's the best place to see wild animals -- not ultra-luxury but very nice with a pool. Our passengers once saw a hippo out their window eating the lawn. Some found monkeys awaiting them on the porch. Unexpected joys at every turn. Day 9 - Friday: The endless Serengeti! Breathtaking Balloon Ride Over Serengeti If you select this optional ride (highly recommended) we head out about 5 AM to the balloon launch site for a 1 hour flight over the Serengeti to spot animals and the morning sun. Beautiful gourmet setting and breakfast follows. Normal price is $550 but you only pay $395 per person. Then join the group on a morning and afternoon game drive in the immense Serengeti plains. Keep your camera ready for spectacular photographs of black-maned lions, cheetah, leopards etc. Visit the hippo pool with crocodiles, and a variety of birds such as the secretary bird, ostrich, starling, and marabou stork. Day 10 - Saturday: Morning game drive. After lunch, we fly ($350 flight included) to Arusha. We get to explore the seemingly ubiquitous Tanzania Cultural Arts Center before your evening flight to the USA. Call Liz @ 801.669.1777
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