Serena Serengeti Safari

An extraordinary journey through contrasting landscapes with excellent opportunities for game viewing in Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.

Lake Manyara features early in the itinerary. This unusual park lies in the shadow of the Great Rift Valley whose reddish brown escarpment wall looms on the eastern horizon. The park is particularly known for its tree-climbing lions, who may be seen sleeping off the heat of the day on a branch instead of a shady spot on the ground.

Then onto the world-famous Serengeti National Park. Serengeti means ‘endless plain’ in the Masai language. Here there are vast open savannahs dotted with acacia trees and a few rocky hillocks. The Serengeti is Tanzania’s largest and best-known national park, with a massive concentration of migratory animals who move around the park according to the availability of food.

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest unbroken volcanic caldera whose steep sides form a natural enclosure for a wide variety of wildlife. An estimated 25,000 animals, including the ‘big five’ inhabit the interior of the crater.

Accommodation is in Serena properties which are situated in some of the finest locations in the parks.

DAY 1 SUNDAY – HEATHROW-NAIROBI
Fly from Heathrow overnight to Nairobi.

DAY 2 MONDAY – ARUSHA
On arrival connect with your flight to Kilimanjaro airport, near Arusha. Transfer to Serena Mountain Village (approximately 45 minutes), a haven of calm and serenity away from the hustle and bustle of Arusha. Overnight: Serena Mountain Village. (l,d)

DAY 3 TUESDAY – LAKE MANYARA
After breakfast drive to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions (150 km – approximately 2 hours 30 minutes). Your lodge commands panoramic views across the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Here you have time to relax before an afternoon game drive. Overnight: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge. (b,l,d)

DAY 4 WEDNESDAY – SERENGETI
Drive to the world-famous Serengeti National Park with game viewing en route (235 km – approximately 5 hours). Overnight: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge. (b,l,d)

DAY 5 THURSDAY – SERENGETI
Enjoy an early morning game drive followed by breakfast at the lodge. Or take an early morning balloon flight over the Serengeti followed by a ‘bubbly’ bush breakfast (optional extra). Later enjoy an afternoon game drive. Overnight: Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge. (b,l,d)

DAY 6 FRIDAY – NGORONGORO
Drive to the Ngorongoro Crater via Olduvai Gorge (200 km – approximately 4 hours). Lunch at your lodge which is perched on the jagged rim of the Crater. The afternoon is at leisure. Overnight: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge. (b,l,d)

DAY 7 SATURDAY – NGORONGORO
Drive down into the Crater for a half-day of game viewing. This extinct volcano plays host to wildebeest, zebras, buffaloes, gazelles, elephants, rhinos and big cats. Visit a local Masai village (time permitting). Overnight: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge. (b,l,d)

DAY 8 SUNDAY – EXTENSION OR HEATHROW
Return to Arusha (200 km – approximately 3.5 hours). Lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Nairobi. Proceed with your chosen beach extension or return to Heathrow. (b,l)

Alternatively, there is the option to fly from Arusha to Zanzibar for your beach extension (from £220).

Mara Extension: Overnight in Nairobi. Fly to the Masai Mara for two nights at the lodge or camp of your choice, including game drives. Return by light aircraft to Nairobi (from £610).

15kg luggage allowance on all light aircraft.

On days 4 and 5 it is possible to upgrade to Kirawira Tented Camp – please call for details and prices.

Established in 1968, Somak Holidays is an independant Tour Operator specialising in holidays to East Africa.

Somak Holidays aim to offer inspiring holidays to the most superb locations in Africa. Above all they pride themselves on being a family-owned and run company. That means they are solely focused on the holidays they arrange, and not on appeasing shareholders. Somak Holidays continually inspect hotels and airlines, and test itineraries in order to improve some aspect or another.

Somak Holidays is a multi-award winning operator, winning such accolades as “Best Independant Tour Operator to Africa” in the Travel Weekly Awards 2010.

Our Opinion
“Somak Holidays has been arranging safaris to Kenya for over 40 years and have built an excellent reputation as the number one independant tour operator to East Africa.”