Ngorongoro Crater & Namiri Plains — Kingdom of the Big Cats

Itinerary

Day by day

1. Day 1

   Arrival in the Foothills of Kilimanjaro

   Land at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and enjoy VIP meet-and-greet through customs and immigration, followed by a private transfer to a luxury boutique lodge set within lush coffee plantations near Arusha.

   • ·Unwind after the long-haul flight with locally grown Tanzanian coffee or a sundowner cocktail.
   • ·Accommodation: Gran Meliá Arusha or Legendary Lodge (1 night).
   • ·Includes airport VIP transfer, dinner and luxury suite accommodation.

   Meals included: Dinner

2. Day 2

   Scenic Flight & Arrival at the Crater Rim

   A bush flight from Arusha/Kilimanjaro to Manyara Airstrip, then a scenic drive up the Great Rift Valley escarpment through cloud forest to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.

   • ·Check into your lodge perched directly on the rim, with panoramic views over the 2,000-foot caldera floor.

   Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

3. Days 3 – 4

   Deep Crater Floor Safaris & Cultural Encounters

   Two full days exploring the world's largest intact volcanic caldera — home to over 25,000 large mammals and the densest concentration of predators in Africa.

   • ·Full-day caldera floor safari, descending through the morning mist in search of the Big Five and the critically endangered black rhinoceros.
   • ·Private gourmet bush picnic beside Lake Magadi, among flamingos and grazing herds.
   • ·Maasai cultural experience: a private village (boma) visit to learn pastoral customs, ancestral tracking and medicinal plants.
   • ·Highland nature walks along the forest rim accompanied by armed rangers.
   • ·Accommodation: &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge or Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp (3 nights).

   Meals included: All meals and premium drinks

4. Day 5

   Fly into Big Cat Territory

   Transfer to the airstrip for a bush flight deep into the eastern sector of the Serengeti National Park, landing at Namiri Plains Camp.

   • ·This sector was strictly closed to humans for over 20 years so the regional cheetah population could breed and recover uninterrupted.
   • ·As exclusive custodian of the zone, Namiri Plains offers untouched wilderness where you can track apex predators without another tourist vehicle in sight.

   Meals included: All meals and house drinks

5. Days 6 – 9

   Immersive Big Cat Safaris & Serengeti Discovery

   Four full days in the Serengeti's big-cat heartland, with sunrise and sunset game drives, walking safaris and bush dining.

   • ·Unrivalled predator sightings: vast lion prides, elusive leopards along the Ngare Nanyuki underground river, and cheetah hunts across open plains.
   • ·Guided bush walking safaris on foot with expert Maasai trackers.
   • ·Sunrise rock breakfasts atop the dramatic Soit Le Motonyi or Barafu Kopjes.
   • ·Optional hot-air balloon safari at dawn, followed by a full English breakfast in the open bush.
   • ·Primate and bird studies: over 400 bird species and localised wildlife along the seasonal riverbeds.

   Meals included: All meals, house drinks and laundry

6. Day 10

   Departure to Kilimanjaro

   A final morning game drive and bush breakfast before flying from the local Serengeti airstrip directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport.

   • ·A day-use lounge pass is arranged prior to your evening international flight home.
   • ·Accommodation for the preceding six nights: Namiri Plains Camp.

   Meals included: Breakfast