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FROM US$7,440-US$10,740

Firefinch Drive-Fly Safari

Enjoy a combination of privately guided and shared game drives during this good-value exploration of northern Tanzania. Explore game-dense regions from three comfortable bases which offer a variety of activities.

Firefinch Drive-Fly Safari: Summary

Firefinch safari in a nutshell

This drive-fly safari encompasses three of the most sought-after destinations in northern Tanzania, and is great value. With a combination of privately guided drives, light-aircraft flights and shared game drives, it is a well-rounded and immersive safari, initially with the attention of a personal guide then sharing the experience with a small group.

Beginning at Oliver’s Camp in the quieter south-east of Tarangire National Park, you'll journey with your personal 4WD to the remoter regions of the park where you can enjoy bush walks, night drives and a plethora of spectacular birdlife.

Situated mid-way between Lake Manyara National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Plantation Lodge then provides an immaculate and comfortable base from which to explore both. Safari to the great soda lake and watch for large herds of elephants, or journey to the crater floor where it is possible to spot the elusive black rhino.

After flying into the Serengeti, you will join shared game drives at a small and authentically rustic bushcamp. As a mobile camp that moves thrice annually, Ubuntu aims to maximise the potential for migration sightings, following the journey of the herds as they travel through the consistently game-rich plains of the Serengeti.

At a glance

Starts: Kilimanjaro International Airport
3 nights Oliver's Camp - Tarangire National Park, Tanzania Full Board
3 nights Plantation Lodge - Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania Full Board
3 nights Ubuntu Camp - Serengeti Migration Area, Tanzania Full Board
Ends: Kilimanjaro International Airport

Oliver's Camp

Days 1-4

In the quiet south-east of Tarangire National Park, beside Silale and Lormakau marshes, Oliver's Camp is a lovely tented camp set on a low, sandy ridge. It is particularly good for wildlife in the height of the dry season, when the marshes attract huge herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest. It originally started off as a temporary camp, but was made permanent in 2008.

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Plantation Lodge

Days 4-7

The privately run Plantation Lodge, first opened in 1998, lies between Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Lake Manyara National Park, a short distance from the bustling Tanzanian market town of Karatu. Set in three hectares (seven acres) of beautifully maintained gardens, it is staffed entirely by local residents. The lodge is mainly used by visitors travelling with their own guide and vehicle, as a base for visits to the Ngorongoro Crater and sometimes to Lake Manyara National Park.

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Ubuntu Camp

Days 7-10

Ubuntu Camp is a small, mobile camp in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, which moves two times a year to optimise the chance of witnessing the great wildebeest migration. Between mid-November and mid-March, it is situated on the open southern plains, where the annual migration spreads out to graze. From mid-June to October it is located in the northern Serengeti, where it is perfectly positioned to witness the wildebeest crossing of the Mara River. The camp closes from mid-March to mid-June.

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Oliver's Camp

Oliver's Camp

Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Plantation Lodge

Plantation Lodge

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Ubuntu Camp

Ubuntu Camp

Serengeti Migration Area, Tanzania

About image

Highlights

Our thoughts on five of the top experiences of this Firefinch Drive-Fly Safari.

  • Driving alongside hundreds of wildebeest
  • Experiencing the culture and meeting local people
  • Seeking black rhino on the floor of Ngorongoro Crater
  • Immersing yourself in nature during bush walks
  • Enjoying both a private safari and shared drives

Activities

Some activities which can be included in the Firefinch Drive-Fly Safari: talk to us about those which interest you.

  • 4WD Safari

  • Birdwatching

  • Cultural excursion

  • Guided walking safari

  • Hot air ballooning

  • Mountain biking

  • Night drive

About image

Key species to see on the Firefinch Drive-Fly Safari

Based on our travellers' observations, we’ve estimated the likelihood of seeing these species during the Firefinch Drive-Fly Safari. Click on the animals and our wildlife surveys page for more info.


Lion

100% chance

Leopard

100% chance

Buffalo

100% chance

Elephant

100% chance

Giraffe

100% chance

Wildebeest

100% chance

Zebra

100% chance

Eland

98% chance

Hippo

97% chance

Cheetah

95% chance

Spotted Hyena

95% chance

Black Rhino

40% chance

Wild dog

29% chance

Roan antelope

26% chance

Oryx

11% chance

Aardvark

0% chance

Pangolin

0% chance

Striped Hyena

0% chance

Side-trips whilst on this safari

We may be able to build in some of these optional excursions from the Firefinch Drive-Fly Safari. Talk to us: they’re usually best arranged when you book.


Mto Wa Mbu Village Walk

Mto Wa Mbu Village Walk

Two to three hours

Discover the nuances of day-to-day life in the large Tanzanian village of Mto Wa Mbu with a knowledgeable local guide. This is not a village set up for tourists – Mto Wa Mbu is a real community and offers a chance to see a side of Tanzania that many visitors pass by.

More about Village Walk
90% (6 reviews)
Balloon Safari over the Serengeti

Balloon Safari over the Serengeti

Three hours - approx. one hour flight

As the sun rises over the Serengeti National Park in Northern Tanzania, climb aboard for an extraordinary adventure. For an hour you’ll float in a hot air balloon over beautiful savannah and woodland and a diversity of plains wildlife.

More about Balloon Safari
100% (17 reviews)
Empakaai Crater Hike

Empakaai Crater Hike

Half day, two - three hour walk

Spend a half day hiking through the Empakaai Crater, in the Highlands area of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), led by an experienced guide and accompanied by a ranger.

More about Empakaai Crater Hike
100% (1 reviews)
Olmoti Crater walk

Olmoti Crater walk

Half day - two to three hour walk

Follow an ancient Maasai cattle trail on this private hike up the Olmoti Crater, led by an experienced guide and accompanied by an armed ranger. The crater may not compete in size with the neighbouring Ngorongoro Crater, but the birding is good, the mountain views wonderful, and the array of ferns is a botanist’s dream.

More about Olmoti Crater walk
90% (2 reviews)
Crater Rim Walk

Crater Rim Walk

Half day - two hour walk

For some fantastic views, and the chance to see flora and fauna up close, take a walk along the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater. Led by an experienced safari guide and accompanied by an armed ranger, you will be able to take in the scale and beauty of the landscape from a different perspective.

More about Crater Rim Walk
100% (3 reviews)
Olduvai Gorge visit

Olduvai Gorge visit

One - two hours

See for yourself the renowned archaeological site of Olduvai (or Oldupai) Gorge, which lies en route between the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park. Famed for the discoveries of early hominin remains as well as the Laetoli Footprints, the site offers beautiful views, an engaging museum and potentially the opportunity to visit an active dig.

More about Olduvai Gorge visit
93% (14 reviews)
Lake Manyara Treetop Walkway

Lake Manyara Treetop Walkway

Usually one hour

Experience the forest of Lake Manyara National Park from a whole new perspective – high up in the trees. The first suspended walkway in Tanzania, it stretches underneath the canopy for 370m between the mahogany and fig trees, giving intrepid visitors a unique view of the surrounding flora and fauna.

More about Manyara Treetop Walk
75% (4 reviews)

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