Day 1: Arusha

You will be met at Kilimanjaro or Arusha Airport by your personal safari specialist and driver who will brief you on the journey ahead. Equipped with a wealth of knowledge, our experts will be able to answer any questions you have and provide you with all the information necessary for an unforgettable safari experience. After checking into your chosen Arusha hotel, relax and unwind before enjoying dinner at the hotel or in one of our recommended local restaurants in Arusha town.

Overnight at the Giraffe Residence in Arusha

Day 2: Horse riding

After breakfast, you will start your fifteen minutes walk or five minutes drive from the residence, on the same estate. Experience all the Giraffe Residence & Dolly Estate from a different perspective. Get up close & personal with the wildebeest & antelope. If you lucky you may spot one of the most elegant mammals found in Tanzania, the Gerenuk.

The wildlife day ride is suitable for all horse riding levels. If you have little riding experience, we can take a gentle hack along dusty tracks spotting a rich array of wildlife along your way.

All horse rides are led by experienced guides with unique knowledge of the estate & landscape.  The horses provided are well groomed horses that have been carefully selected for their temperament.

After your 2-hour hack, you will head to the unique Tarangire National Park. One of the last untouched places on earth, the park is famous for its huge herds of elephants against a stunning backdrop of majestic, ancient Baobab trees. Between November and June, many of Tarangire’s larger residents follow the rains to greener pastures. Wildebeest and zebras join elephants, buffalo and giraffes to form a wildlife migration second only to the Serengeti/Maasai Mara phenomenon.

There are large populations of impala, giraffe, eland and buffalo. Thompson’s gazelle, hartebeest, bohor reedbuck and both the greater and lesser kudu are also in abundance here. In terms of predators, lion prides are common throughout Tarangire, as are leopards and spotted hyena. Packs of wild dogs sometimes pass through as well.

After an afternoon day spent exploring Tarangire, at 6pm you will head to your lodge for dinner and overnight rest.

Overnight at your chosen camp in Tarangire (Full Board)

Day 3: Tarangire National Park - Serengeti National Park

After breakfast you will depart for the South Serengeti ecosystem belonging jointly to the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. One of the most scenic drives in Tanzania, you can see Maasai warriors grazing cattle and, depending on the time of year you may witness what makes up the largest mass migration of animals on earth. Huge herds of wildebeest, gazelle and zebra moving clockwise to find better grazing areas.

After lunch, you will begin your afternoon game drive where you can expect to see large numbers of elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, monkeys, baboons, hippos, rhinos, antelopes and many exotic bird species. Your drive will end at your chosen camp or lodge where you will relax and rest overnight.

Overnight at your chosen camp in the Serengeti

Day 4: Serengeti National Park

The endless plains of the Serengeti…

Today’s tour departs around 6am in search of nocturnal predators returning from their night’s hunting or animals waking up in the early dawn. Breakfast boxes will be prepared and you will take a brief stop for a bush breakfast to enjoy the sun rise. Next, your drive will continue to look for prides of lions, cheetahs and leopards, all in abundance in the Serengeti. You will learn the history of the park as we pass by the information centre in the Seronera area, before returning to your lodge for a relaxed lunch and cold drinks.

Later in the afternoon, when the sun is less intense, you have the option to go on an early evening game drive or a nature walk around the camp with the resident tribesmen, who will be happy to share their knowledge of the regions’ plants and animals with you.  

If you wish to maximise your time in the park, lunch can also be taken as a picnic – a long day but an experience you won’t forget.

Overnight at your chosen camp in the Serengeti (Full Board)

Day 5: Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Crater

After an early breakfast you will begin your journey to the stunning Ngorongoro Conservation Area. By lunchtime, you will be descending into the Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, formed when a volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself 2-3 million years ago.  You will enjoy your first game drive around the crater floor, stopping for a picnic lunch at one of the many scenic lunch spots. With its 2,000-foot-high walls, very few animals migrate in and out of the crater making it an area with its one of the highest concentrations of wild animals in the world.

You’ll be searching for lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, hippos, flamingos, jackals, rhinos, antelopes and many rare birds you might even get to see the “Big Five” all in one day!

At around 6pm you will depart for your lodge perched on the edge of the crater rim. The rest of the evening can be spent relaxing and enjoying the spectacular views over this prehistoric landscape.

Overnight at your chosen lodge/camp in Karatu (Full Board)

Day 6: Karatu Area

Another day on the saddle exploring the charming region of Karatu, the outer slopes of Ngorongoro crater, cultural village of Tloma and the expanse of coffee plantations and farming communities by horseback.  The morning ride departs at 0800AM and the afternoon ride departs at 1630PM.  The times are flexible however these are the best hours of the day to be out exploring on horseback.

Those with little riding experience can enjoy a gentle hack along the iron rich soils, following historical trails, enjoy the genuine farming culture and relish in the beauty of it surroundings. Led by experienced guides and professionally trained horses, one can explore the meandering paths and enjoy a thrilling gallop up the slopes of the Ngorongoro highlands. An activity the whole family can enjoy, suitable for complete beginners as well as advanced riders.

We offer morning and afternoon rides, 1.5-hour ride (depending on pace).

Overnight at your chosen lodge/camp in Karatu (Full Board)

Day 7: Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Arusha

Enjoy breakfast before, departing for Arusha town/Kilimanjaro Int. Airport, where you will take a flight to Zanzibar.

Zanzibar

Our driver will meet you at the airport and drive you to your chosen hotel, after checking into your hotel, relax and unwind before enjoying dinner at the hotel.

Overnight at your chosen hotel in Zanzibar (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 8: A Day at your hotel

Enjoy a full day of relaxation in Zanzibar.

Overnight at your chosen lodge in Zanzibar

Day 9: Ride to the Sandbanks

After breakfast you will make your way to the Zanzibar Horse Club stables. Here the horses will be waiting, ready to be mounted and shortly after we will ride through the Nungwi village to the Sandbanks. These amazing sandbanks only appear at a super low tide and are only accessible for approx. 10 days per month and have the best and most isolated beaches in Zanzibar. You will never likely see such white sand and clear water. This ride is for experienced riders only as it involves lots of cantering and walking along a rocky coast. Once we reach the sandbanks there is endless opportunities for galloping and getting some amazing photos.

Overnight at your chosen hotel in Zanzibar (Bed & Breakfast)

Day 10: Great Northern beach and jungle ride

From our stables we head south onto the main beaches of Nungwi and Kendwa, we will walk, trot and canter at intervals along this amazing beach. We will head to Kilindi bay which is a great place for photographs then head inland to the Kilindi farmlands & the remote villages of Kidoti. En-route we will pass through isolated communities and jungle forests that are rarely seen by tourists. Once we arrive at Kidoti Villas & ranch you will have the opportunity to visit our paddocks and other horses and enjoy some refreshments. After a 30-minute break we will re-mount the horses and head back to the northern beaches finishing the ride with a 7 km canter along the white beaches of Kendwa and Nungwi.

Enjoy the rest of your day before departing for Zanzibar airport, where you will take a flight to your next destination, or transfer to a different part of the Island if required.

Stay longer: for a more relaxed pace to your stay and in order to maximize the opportunity of seeing more different regions, there is the option to extend your stay by one day.

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