Have Your Cake and Eat It
12 Nights / 13 Days
Experience the very best of Northern Tanzania on an unforgettable journey that combines exceptional wildlife, meaningful cultural encounters and immersive walking safaris. From the Ngorongoro Highlands and Lake Eyasi to the vast plains of the Serengeti, this itinerary offers a deeper, more varied adventure through some of Tanzania's most remarkable landscapes.
The Best of Everything
Some safaris ask you to choose between wildlife, culture or adventure.
This journey doesn't.
Beginning in the Ngorongoro Highlands before travelling to Lake Eyasi and the Serengeti, this itinerary combines extraordinary game viewing with authentic cultural experiences and exclusive wilderness walking. Meet Maasai communities, spend time with the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers and finish your journey exploring the Serengeti on foot through remote wilderness areas rarely visited by other travellers.
"We think this is the best of everything taking in incredible wildlife but also time with different cultures both the Maasai in their vibrant red robes and herds of cattle and the Hadzabe one of the few remaining click speaking hunter gatherer tribes in Africa. Then on to the vast wilderness zones of the Serengeti for some incredible time on foot in the world's most iconic park."
Day-by-day
Day 1 – Arrival – Moivaro Coffee Lodge, Arusha
We propose clients arrive on the evening KLM flight into Kilimanjaro International Airport from Amsterdam. We meet this flight and transfer guests to Moivaro Coffee Lodge for a light supper and overnight stay. Alternatively, arrivals via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam can also be arranged.
Day 2 – Mysigio Luxury Camp, Ngorongoro
Drive from Arusha to the Ngorongoro Highlands where Mysigio Camp sits amongst the acacia forests on the southern side of the highlands. Explore the surrounding hills with local Maasai chief Ole Dorop, visiting villages and enjoying spectacular views across the Serengeti Plains.
Day 3 – Ngorongoro Crater
Spend a full day exploring the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa's greatest wildlife destinations. This remarkable caldera is home to an extraordinary concentration of wildlife and offers exceptional opportunities for close-up game viewing and photography.
Day 4 – Wilderness Camp, Lake Eyasi
Descend into the Rift Valley to spend time with the Hadzabe, one of Africa's last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes. Learn about their traditional way of life, from foraging and hunting to the medicinal use of native plants, before spending the night in a lightweight wilderness camp close to their village.
Day 5 – Wilderness Camp, Lake Eyasi
Spend a full day with the Hadzabe, perhaps joining an early morning hunt, following the honey guide bird to wild beehives or learning to make traditional bows and arrows. Relax beneath ancient baobab trees before continuing your cultural immersion with the community.
Day 6 – Pembezoni Luxury Seasonal Camp, Serengeti
Ascend from the Rift Valley before travelling across the vast Serengeti plains, enjoying game viewing along the way. Arrive at Pembezoni Camp, which moves seasonally to remain close to the wildlife and migration while providing exceptional comfort in the heart of the Serengeti.
Days 7 & 8 – Exploring the Serengeti
Spend two full days exploring the Serengeti in search of the great herds, predators and the remarkable wildlife that inhabits these plains throughout the year. Every day is shaped by wildlife movements, allowing each safari to unfold naturally.
Day 9 – Into the Wilderness
Leave the game viewing tracks behind and enter the Serengeti's remote wilderness walking areas. Settle into a lightweight wilderness camp before an afternoon orientation walk introduces you to this extraordinary landscape, where you'll have exclusive access to one of Africa's last great wildernesses.
Days 10, 11 & 12 – Walking Safari
Spend three unforgettable days exploring the Serengeti on foot. Walking here is about slowing down rather than covering distance, allowing time to observe wildlife from rocky kopjes, watch animals gathering at waterholes and appreciate the smaller details that are often missed from a vehicle. Throughout the experience you'll enjoy exclusive access to wilderness areas where you are unlikely to encounter another visitor.
Day 13 – Return to Arusha
Enjoy a final morning in the Serengeti before beginning the journey back to Arusha, arriving in the late afternoon in time for onward travel or an evening flight.
Why Choose This Safari?
This itinerary showcases the extraordinary diversity of Northern Tanzania. Alongside exceptional wildlife viewing in Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, you'll spend meaningful time with both Maasai communities and the Hadzabe people before finishing your journey on foot through the Serengeti's remote wilderness. It's a safari designed for travellers who want more than simply ticking destinations off a list.
With African Environments' own camps, experienced guides and decades of local knowledge, every day is shaped by the landscape, wildlife and opportunities that arise naturally along the way.
Discover Another Adventure
Looking for a slightly shorter itinerary?
Far from the Madding Crowds offers an unforgettable combination of Ngorongoro, Maasai culture and an exclusive walking safari through the Serengeti's remote wilderness.
