This offbeat safari offers a way to see northern Tanzania with your own private 4WD vehicle and guide, whilst avoiding the busier parts of this famous safari area; near Lake Manyara National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater travellers will give back to the surrounding community simply by staying at Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge, whilst the intrepid will delight in the remote and dramatically scenic Lake Natron before ending up in Loliondo on the edge of the Serengeti National Park - a great area for game viewing.

Day 1

Depart London Heathrow on your scheduled overnight flight to Nairobi with Kenya Airways.

Day 2 Ngorongoro Crater & Conservation Area, Tanzania

On arrival in Nairobi, connect straight onto a flight to Arusha where you will be met by your private superior guide and 4WD safari vehicle complete with a fridge and a pop-top roof. Drive for around two hours out into rural Tanzania, passing occasional Maasai tribesmen herding their cattle and small herds of antelope or giraffe along the way. After climbing the Great Rift Valley Escarpment, and driving through farmland, you'll reach the well situated …

Kirurumu Manyara Lodge (full board & activities)

Enjoy the amazing views out over Lake Manyara before descending into the National Park for a game drive the following morning. The relatively small Lake Manyara National Park has a surprising array of habitats and a wide variety of wildlife making it a wonderful introduction to your wildlife safari experience.

Days 3-4 Ngorongoro Crater & Conservation Area, Tanzania

After you've seen your fill of animals in Lake Manyara National Park's woodlands, and on the open plains around the alkaline lake, you'll depart the park and climb back up the escarpment once again. It's a relatively short drive through fertile farmlands and past small villages to reach your accommodation at the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area –

Rhotia Valley Tented Lodge (full board & activities)

The following morning you'll drive for about an hour to reach the rim of the impressive Ngorongoro Crater from which you are afforded some spectacular views. Descending to the Crater floor you'll spend the day seeking out the plentiful wildlife found here with your knowledgeable safari guide. The 'big five' occur in the Crater: lion, buffalo, rhino, elephant and, if you're lucky enough to see one, leopard.

Days 5-6 Lake Natron, Tanzania

Leave Rhotia Valley Lodge in the early morning and follow the line of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment through remote Maasai lands and geologically impressive landscapes. Few visitors choose to drive this way so you are unlikely to share the remote road through increasingly dramatic scenery with other traffic. After about three hours the imposing outline of the active Oldoinyo Lengai volcano marks the edge of the soda Lake Natron and the location of the nearby….

Ngaro Sero Lake Natron Camp (full board & activities)

Near the edge of Lake Natron, one of the world's most caustic bodies of water, this rustic and unusual camp makes a great base from which to explore this remote region. Spend your days on activities such as a walk out to the edge of the soda lake to photograph the many flamingos that gather here to breed, or a walk up to the Engero Sero falls. In every direction there is dramatic scenery and it is this that makes the region so special.

Days 7-9 Serengeti Migration Area, Tanzania

Rise for an early breakfast and head off at your own pace with your own private 4WD and superior guide. It is worth taking this drive slowly and stopping frequently to take in the views which become increasingly spectacular as you climb to the top of the rift valley. Look back at Lake Natron and Oldoinyo Lengai one last time before dropping down towards Loliondo and the Serengeti and arriving at…

Nduara Loliondo Camp (full board & activities)

Situated just outside of the Serengeti National Park, this area is still very much part of the Serengeti's eco-system and so also offers great game viewing. Though, because you are in a game controlled area rather than a national park, you have the added bonus of being able to do guided safari walks and night drives here. Nduara Camp is a lovely semi-permanent camp designed with the idea of Mongolian yurts in mind. The camp is moved seasonally to be closer to the wildebeest migration.

Day 10

Drive to a nearby airstrip and catch a light aircraft flight to Arusha. From here, either continue on to one of our beach add-ons in Pemba, Zanzibar, or the peaceful Mafia Island, or connect with your flight to Nairobi and on to the UK with Kenya Airways.

Day 11

Arrive back in London early in the morning with memories of an offbeat safari to some of the world's most remote and spectacular landscapes combined with first-class wildlife viewing.

Cost of this trip
From	To	Cost
1-Jan-2012	29-Feb-2012	£4,228
1-Mar-2012	14-Mar-2012	£4,186
15-Mar-2012	31-Mar-2012	£3,898
1-Apr-2012	12-Apr-2012	£3,822
19-May-2012	31-May-2012	£4,257
1-Jun-2012	30-Jun-2012	£3,898
1-Jul-2012	13-Jul-2012	£4,554
14-Jul-2012	18-Aug-2012	£5,076
19-Aug-2012	30-Sep-2012	£4,554
1-Oct-2012	31-Oct-2012	£4,526
1-Nov-2012	14-Dec-2012	£3,898
Notes: The prices shown are based on two people travelling together and sharing double or twin rooms. Because this is based on a private vehicle and guide, the costs for this trip would reduce if more than two people are travelling. Conversely, they would increase substantially if only one person is travelling alone. Nduara Camp is closed between 13 April and 19 May. Ideas for add-on trips: After your safari, if you feel the need to relax on a beach, then add one of our beach add-on trips to Zanzibar, Pemba, Ras Kutani or the Mafia Archipelago, to your itinerary.

This itinerary includes:

• Economy flights from the UK, plus airport departure taxes.
• All transfers in Tanzania.
• Current park fees for Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, Lake Natron Controlled Area and the Serengeti National Park.
• A complementary laundry service and most drinks whilst at Nduara Camp. Only champagne and premium wines and spirits will cost extra.

A superior guide and private 4WD for the duration of your safari.

This itinerary excludes:

• Drinks and a laundry service at all camps except for Nduara Camp as stated above.
• Tips, which are optional.
The cost of arranging visas - currently (Jan 2012) holders of British and American passports do need a visa for Tanzania, which can be obtained through your nearest Tanzanian Embassy.

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