Luxury Fly-In Safari

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrive & transfer to Arusha

   VIP fast-track arrival at Kilimanjaro, then a short transfer to a boutique lodge set in a working coffee estate. Immigration fast-track, porterage and a private vehicle waiting airside. Suite with fireplace, spa treatment on arrival and dinner from a seasonal estate menu. Trip briefing with your private guide, who accompanies you for the whole safari.

   Accommodation:

   Boutique coffee-estate lodge, Arusha

   Meals:

   Dinner

   Travel:

   40 km / about 45 minutes

   
   
2. Day 2: Bush flight to the Serengeti

   Mid-morning light-aircraft flight from Arusha over the Rift Valley and crater highlands onto a Serengeti airstrip. Scenic low-level flight with views over Manyara, Ngorongoro and the plains. Met at the strip by your guide and driven to camp with a game drive en route. Afternoon tea, then a first evening game drive with sundowners set up on the plains. Camp of 8–10 tents only, with butler service, private deck and outdoor shower.

   Accommodation:

   Exclusive tented camp, Serengeti

   Meals:

   All meals and drinks

   Travel:

   1 hr 15 min flight plus game drive

   
   
3. Day 3: Balloon safari and full-day game viewing

   Lift off before dawn for an hour of silent flight over the plains, then a full day in the field with your private guide. Pre-dawn transfer to the launch site, safety briefing and sunrise flight at treetop height. Traditional champagne bush breakfast under an acacia after landing. Late-morning return to camp for a siesta and lunch on your deck. Afternoon drive focused on whatever you most want to see — cats, birds or photography light.

   Accommodation:

   Exclusive tented camp, Serengeti

   Meals:

   All meals and drinks

   Travel:

   Full-day game viewing

   
   
4. Day 4: Fly north to the Mara river

   Short hop to Kogatende in the far north, the best area in Tanzania for river crossings and low vehicle numbers. Morning game drive to the airstrip, flight over the Grumeti and Lobo hills. Camp positioned within minutes of the main Mara river crossing points. Afternoon at the river watching hippo, crocodile and, in season, the herds massing on the banks. Private dinner served wherever you like — deck, riverbank or under the stars.

   Accommodation:

   Luxury camp, northern Serengeti

   Meals:

   All meals and drinks

   Travel:

   50 min flight plus game drives

   
   
5. Day 5: Walking safari and night drive

   A day in a private concession where activities off-limits inside the national park are permitted. Guided morning walking safari with an armed ranger — tracks, plants, insects and the small details you miss from a vehicle. Bush brunch in a shaded riverine grove. Afternoon at leisure: massage in camp, plunge pool or photography hide. After-dark game drive with a spotlight for genet, civet, aardvark, bushbaby and hunting lion.

   Accommodation:

   Luxury camp, northern Serengeti

   Meals:

   All meals and drinks

   Travel:

   Walking and night driving

   
   
6. Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater

   Fly south to Lake Manyara airstrip and transfer up to a crater-rim suite, with a private descent into the caldera. Morning flight with views over the whole ecosystem you have just travelled. Private crater game drive with a gourmet picnic set out at Ngoitokitok Springs. Black rhino, tusker elephants and the flamingo flats of Lake Magadi. Evening in a suite overlooking the caldera, with butler-drawn bath and fireplace.

   Accommodation:

   Crater-rim suite, Ngorongoro

   Meals:

   All meals and drinks

   Travel:

   1 hr flight plus crater drive

   
   
7. Day 7: Departure

   A slow breakfast on the rim before the transfer back to Kilimanjaro for your international connection. Optional highland forest walk or Maasai cultural visit before leaving. Private road transfer, or an add-on flight direct to Zanzibar if you are extending. Day room and lounge access arranged at the airport.

   Accommodation:

   Departure

   Meals:

   Breakfast

   Travel:

   200 km / about 4 hours, or a 1 hr flight