T R AV E L E R F AV O R I T E
O N SA FA R I : TA N Z A N I A ' S G R E AT M I G R AT I O N
• Meet Louise Leakey or Dr. Fidelis Masao for a tour of the fossil-rich Olduvai Gorge. • Travel alongside a wildlife biologist, who will interpret the flora and fauna we encounter. • Learn firsthand about Maasai culture during a private village visit.
DAY 3 I LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK On a morning game drive, observe the wildlife that congregates on the shores of Lake Manyara. Later, hike to an area coffee plantation. Plantation Lodge | Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D
DAY 1 I ARUSHA, TANZANIA Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfer to our hotel. Rivertrees Country Inn DAY 2 I LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK Drive to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its elephants, hippos, giraffes, flamingos, and tree-climbing lions. Set out on our first safari to discover East Africa’s legendary wildlife. Plantation Lodge | Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D
DAY 4 I NGORONGORO CRATER Travel to the Ngorongoro Highlands to meet with Maasai community members. Far from the tourist circuit, enjoy a rare opportunity to view traditional singing and dancing, witness an initiation ritual, and learn about this fascinating culture from the village chief and his wives. Descend 2,000 feet to the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, where volcanic slopes shelter more than 25,000 animals. Observe the interactions between predator and prey; spot colorful birdlife; and track elephants, rare black rhinos, cheetahs, and more. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge | Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DAY 5 I NGORONGORO CRATER Return to the crater floor for breakfast and a morning safari, followed by an afternoon to relax. Tonight, National Geographic Explorer at Large Louise Leakey or Dr. Fidelis Masao, co-director of the Olduvai Landscape Paleoarchaeology Project, joins us for dinner and a discussion about the groundbreaking
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paleontological finds in the region. Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge | Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DAY 6 I OLDUVAI GORGE/SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK Drive to the Olduvai Gorge, where, on a National Geographic–sponsored expedition in 1960, Louis and Mary Leakey discovered Homo habilis—one of the earliest members of the human genus. This morning, Louise (the Leakeys’ granddaughter) or Dr. Masao will discuss the family’s legacy and ongoing work at Olduvai Gorge. Then take a private tour of the site, or accompany Dr. Masao on a walk through the area where much of his life’s research has been conducted. Later, look for wildlife while driving to our lodge in the southern Serengeti. Lake Masek Tented Camp | Meals: 1B, 1L, 1D DAYS 7–8 I SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK Embark on an off-track safari in the Ndutu area in search of lion prides, giraffes, and bountiful herds of wildebeests, elephants, and zebras. On morning and afternoon game drives, witness magnificent birds, hippos, packs of hyenas, and pairs of jackals lurking around the surrounding marshlands and lakes. You may also choose to take an optional hot-air balloon ride to view the plains from above. Later, meet
Clockwise from above: Wildebeests cross Tanzanian grasslands on their annual migration; a male lion gazes out over the Serengeti; two zebras nuzzle beneath a brooding cloudscape; a giraffe stoops for a drink.
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