Choose an optional game drive in Tarangire National Park, keeping watch for elephants and other wildlife among its broad savannahs. The park’s huge, sculptural baobab trees are an unmistakable feature of the landscape.

Named for the Tarangire River, the park provides a safari setting distinct from the crater, Serengeti and Lake Manyara. Wildlife movements change with the seasons, so every drive is different. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Explore Lake Manyara National Park on a game drive, looking for wildlife across its woodland and lakeside habitats. Keep watch for elephants, birdlife and the tree-climbing lions for which the park is known, though sightings are never guaranteed.

Set beneath the steep wall of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, Manyara offers a different landscape from the Serengeti’s broad plains. Changing vegetation and lake conditions give this safari its own character.

Explore the Ngorongoro Crater floor on a game drive, scanning grasslands and wetlands for lions, elephants, buffalo and other wildlife. The enclosed landscape brings varied habitats into a remarkably compact safari setting.

Formed by the collapse of an ancient volcano, this vast caldera is part of the UNESCO-listed Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Its steep green walls provide a striking backdrop as you watch for animals; sightings, including any of the Big Five, depend on conditions and luck.

• 5 Breakfast (B)
• 4 Lunch (L)
• 4 Dinner (D)

• Serengeti: Hot air balloon rides may be available in the Serengeti through independent local operators. While floating over the savannah sounds pretty iconic, this isn’t an activity Contiki promotes, sells or books, as local provider insurance does not meet our required standards. If you’d like to take a hot air balloon ride, you’re free to arrange and pay directly with a local operator while on tour. This is completely independent of Contiki and follows the operator’s own terms, safety standards and insurance cover.
• Amboseli: Premium camping is classic camping, levelled up. Our road crew will set up these tents for you – all with premium facilities like chill-out zones, communal bathrooms and all the creature comforts.
• Amboseli: Nope, you’re all good! All equipment (tents, sleeping bags, etc) will be provided for you.
• Amboseli: You don’t have to. Your road crew will set up camp, cook meals, and clean up afterwards – but you’re always welcome to help!
• Amboseli: You’ll have access to proper bathrooms with real toilets, hot showers and everything you need – just shared with the crew.

• Arusha: Support this social enterprise that employs local disabled people with artisanal skills. Watch weaving, glass blowing, beading, paper making and metal work. 
• Serengeti: Watch out for local wildlife as we head to our camp, which is bang in the middle of these endless plains. Could the location be any more epic? 
   
• Serengeti: Was that lion we heard last night? Let’s go find out. Take an incredible morning drive in search of the wildlife we heard throughout the night. 
• Serengeti: Cruise around the plains at sunset to explore new areas and spot a few more animals before they head off to bed. 
• Serengeti: Another day, another game drive, giving us the most amount of opportunities to see the wildlife that roams these plains.

Visit the Shanga Community Project in Arusha to watch artisans practise weaving, glassblowing, beadwork, papermaking and metalwork. See how everyday materials become colourful, handcrafted pieces in the workshops.

This social enterprise creates employment for local people with disabilities through skilled work. The visit offers a close look at Tanzanian craftsmanship and the people behind it, making each demonstration more meaningful than a conventional souvenir stop.

Search the Serengeti’s open plains on included game drives, with opportunities to observe wildlife in morning light, through the day and towards sunset. Watch for big cats, elephants, giraffes and herds moving across the grasslands.

The Serengeti is a vast ecosystem shaped by seasonal rains and the movement of grazing animals. If the wildebeest migration is in the area, you may witness large herds of wildebeest and zebra; their location and all wildlife sightings vary throughout the year.

Visit a Maasai village in the Lake Manyara area for an introduction to local community life. A hosted village tour offers a chance to learn about aspects of Maasai culture and speak with residents, subject to the format arranged locally.

This is an opportunity to engage with the people of northern Tanzania beyond its wildlife reserves. The experience is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; your Tour Director can provide details of the visit.

Cycle around Mto Wa Mbu on an optional mountain-biking outing, taking in the village surroundings at a more active pace. The ride offers a ground-level perspective on this busy community near Lake Manyara.

Mto Wa Mbu sits between the Rift Valley escarpment and the region’s national parks, giving the outing a setting distinct from a vehicle-based safari. This activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour; ask your Tour Director about the route and arrangements.

Paddle on Lake Manyara for a water-level view of the lake and its Rift Valley setting. Canoeing replaces the sound of a safari vehicle with the rhythm of paddles, offering a different way to take in the scenery.

The lake’s shoreline and birdlife make this a distinctive alternative to another drive, although conditions and wildlife sightings vary. The canoeing excursion is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour; your Tour Director can confirm local arrangements.

Head into the Lake Manyara area on a night game drive to search for wildlife when daylight sightings give way to movement in the dark. Watch for nocturnal animals and the possibility of predators on the move.

Safari after dark offers a different sensory experience: limited light sharpens your attention to sounds and sudden glimpses of wildlife. Sightings cannot be guaranteed. This drive is optional, at additional cost and bookable on tour.