An Epic East African Adventure

The group touched down to a VIP meet-and-greet at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha. They were met airside by a representative and escorted through immigration, who assisted with their luggage. Then they were handed over to their drivers who were waiting just outside the airport. They were transported via a private road transfer to Gran Melia Arusha for their two-night stay to rest and recover from their long journey.

Day two in Arusha featured a hotel breakfast and a day at leisure to explore Arusha. Vehicles and drivers were at their disposal for plenty of sightseeing.

After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, it was safari time. Private safari guides met them at their hotel, providing a full briefing on what to expect over the next few days. The private safari vehicles were stocked with mineral water, soft drinks, beers and snacks, with each safari vehicle accommodating six passengers – each with their own window seat. The first stop was a game drive two hours away in Lake Manyara National Park with a luxury picnic stop complete with tables and chairs. Situated in Tanzania’s central-northern region with the Lake Manyara to its east and the Manyara Escarpment to its west, the Lake Manyara National Park offers breathtaking views and a large variety of habitats supporting an array of wildlife. This small park is home to surprising biodiversity and features a magnificent landscape of acacia woodlands, forests, baobab strewn cliffs, algae-streaked hot springs, swamps and the lake itself. The park supports over 400 species of bird and the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world. Other species to spot include giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, warthog, the Cape clawless otter, and the Egyptian mongoose. Thousands of flamingos on the lake, renowned tree-climbing lions, and large families of elephants strolling through the forest are other highlights of the Lake. After a full-day game drive in Lake Manyara, our guests headed to their accommodation located in the Ngorongoro Highlands where they spent the next two nights.

The first night of their stay at Entamanu Private, a secluded highland retreat overlooking the Ngorongoro Crater, guests were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Ngorongoro Crater, followed by dinner at the lodge. Day four featured an early breakfast at the lodge followed by a full-day game drive into the Ngorongoro Crater – home to the Big 5: elephants, lions, buffalos, leopards and rhino. The lodge prepared a picnic lunch for them to enjoy on the crater floor during their day out. On their way back to the lodge they stopped at a traditional Masai Village for a visit to meet the locals, before heading back to the lodge for some time to relax and a hearty dinner.

Days five to seven were spent at Cherero Camp in the Serengeti Western Corridor after a short private charter flight into Central Serengeti. New safari guides were waiting for these travel companions at the Seronera Airstrip where they embarked on a game drive transfer through the iconic Serengeti plains to their safari lodge. This beautiful luxury tented camp was the group’s base for the next three nights where they could enjoy as much, or as little safari time, as they liked.

This amazing property is ideally located in the Seronera area, known far and wide as having the oldest ecosystem in the world with a diverse range of flora and fauna. It is also known as the Big Cat Capital of Africa where lions, cheetahs and leopards are often sighted during African safari game drives. Home to over 3,000 lions, this area has one of the largest lion populations in the entire continent.

In addition to these fabulous felines, the Seronera also features a diverse ecosystem comprised of meandering rivers, savannahs, kopjes, grasslands, and swamps, such as the Seronera Valley and River, Moru Kopjes, Simba Kopje and Maasai Kopjes. This ecological diversity greatly contributes to the abundance of resident wildlife in the area.

Day eight of their trip marked their departure for Cape Town’s Table Bay Hotel after a final early morning game drive transfer from the lodge to Seronera Airport. A private charter flight from Seronera Airstrip to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi where the travellers received VIP airport assistance at the check-in desk for their flight to Johannesburg. Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, one of our representatives met the group off their flight and escorted them through immigration, taking them to the next check-in desk and walking them through to the waiting area for their next flight to Cape Town.

Upon arrival at the Table Bay Hotel guests were able to check in and immediately head to their rooms to enjoy hot showers and room service. Day nine featured a relaxed-pace, half-day city tour, starting at Oranjezicht City Farm Market – a local favourite. After exploring the market, their guide took the group to Table Mountain where they could use their fast-track tickets to skip the queue. Once they reached the top, they were welcomed with views over Cape Town, Table Bay, Robben Island and the Atlantic seaboard to the west and the south. Guests spent some time walking the footpaths where they even spotted a few adorable Dassies (Rock Hyrax) sunning themselves on the rocks. Guests could choose where they wanted to go for an early dinner in the city.

Day ten was dedicated to an epic full-day Cape Peninsula tour. Hopping into sidecars to travel along the Atlantic Seaboard, the group explored Cape Town’s most scenic road with all 144 curves of Chapman’s Peak Drive; Noordhoek Farm Village with a Cheeky ‘Kick Ass’ Ice Cream or Coffee; Cape Point; Boulder’s Beach to see the penguins; Kalk Bay; Muizenberg’s colourful cabins and surf vibes before returning to the hotel in the afternoon. On the final day of their grand African adventure, the adventurers were given a lazy morning to sleep late, relax by the pool, or take a stroll through the Waterfront for some last-minute shopping. They hopped onto a private road transfer to Cape Town International Airport for their flight home after a superb trip.