The Ultimate Tanzanian Safari
Tanzania's 'Northern Circuit' safari in exclusive style away from the crowds
Personalised journeys from start to finish
Every trip helps support Conservation
Every detail taken care of
What's included
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Luxury accommodation on a full board basis throughout
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All flights as mentioned in the itinerary
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Private and shared lodge transfers
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Full support from your Travel Concierge before, during and after your trip
At a glance
Experience Tanzania’s most captivating landscapes and wildlife, while staying in some of the most luxurious and comfortable accommodation East Africa has to offer on this extravagant eight-night safari.
After a short stay in the shadow of Mount Meru in Arusha, drive to the exclusive Chem Chem Reserve, idyllically located between the Tarangire National Park in the east and flamingo-favourite Lake Manyara to the west, and a two-night stay at a stylish lodge or romantic camp. The wildlife and cultural experiences here are the perfect initial immersion into Tanzania.
Next up is the dramatic Ngorongoro Crater, a vast caldera whose walled-in plains and wetlands contain a fascinating array of wildlife including the ‘Big Five’ as well as a whole host of excellent plains game. You’ll be based out of one of our favourite lodges or camps, some of which enjoy incredible views from up on the crater’s edge.
End with three nights in one of the best safari landscapes in all Africa – the legendary Serengeti – eschewing the crowds of the national park for the adjoining Singita Grumeti, the largest private reserve in Tanzania at 350,000 acres and home to just a handful of exquisite lodges and camps, some of our favourites in all Africa. The reserve rumbles to the hooves of the great migration as it trundles across the reserve in June and July, but the reserve is a privileged place for a safari with excellent game viewing all year round.
Example trip itinerary
Arusha
Transfer
Arrive in Kilimanjaro
Transfer
Private transfer from Kilimanjaro airport to Arusha hotel
Lodges and Camps in Arusha
- 6 Luxurious garden cottages
- 1 Family cottage: 2 rooms
- 2 Luxury rooms in the Old Farmhouse
- Walk around the grounds
- Explore Arusha's museums and markets
Each of the six garden cottages has their own private veranda and is beautifully decorated with a nod to a bygone era with the choice of antique furniture. They have large and extremely comfortable beds and a lounge area with a fireplace to take the chill off the cooler African nights.
The family cottage has two bedrooms and a private garden which is a superb way to spend some time relaxing in absolute luxury during your stopover before or after your safari. Two cosy en-suite rooms in the Old Farmhouse provide a comfortable retreat from which you can explore the grounds of this genuine coffee farm.
After roughly an hour’s drive through Arusha, you will arrive at the farm and have the chance to either relax and spend time in the well kept grounds, or venture into the city to see some of the museums and markets on offer. The service at Legendary Lodge is excellent, without doubt one of the premier hotels in the area.
Overnight in Arusha
Enjoy a restful overnight stay in your chosen accommodation in or just outside of Arusha. Arguably the 'Safari Capital' of East Africa, Arusha is a bustling city in northern Tanzania and the main hub for those who are going to be embarking on a safari in this extensively game rich country.
Transfer
Private transfer to your lodge in the Chem Chem Private Conservancy
Chem Chem Private Conservancy
Accommodation in Chem Chem Private Conservancy
- Swimming pool & spa
- Walking safaris
- Lakeside Sundowners
- Run with the Maasai
- Day & night game drives
- Hot air ballooning
- Cultural tours to local Maasai villages
- Private picnics (breakfast in the bush, dinner under the stars)
Chem Chem Lodge is located in its own 4,000-acre conservation-focused concession between Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks.
Eight luxury tented suites are widely spaced to ensure absolute privacy, sat on the edge of a palm island overlooking Lake Manyara waters. One is a family suite with two bedrooms.
In centre is the main lodge, shaped to reflects the form of a flamingo with its wings spread, which includes a dining room, lounge, library, viewing tower, swimming pool, spa, sundeck and its own spectacular view over Lake Manyara.
Expect a very personalised service, and a focus on ‘slow safari’ where you enjoy the wildlife, culture, landscapes of the reserve and national parks at a relaxed and unhurried pace, to really savour and make the most of it.
- Six vintage safari tents
- Dining tent
An off-shoot of Chem Chem Lodge, Little Chem Chem is an intimate camp on the eastern side of the private reserve that embraces the elegance and simplicity of a more traditional safari.
Six tents are far from basic, with en-suite shower rooms housing hot-water bucket showers and flushing toilets, a study desk, rocking chair and a dressing room. Outside, find a private fire pit whose crackles twinned with the sound of the African wilderness at night evoke a prehistoric notion of place.
Meals are served in the mess tent, although private dining is available too, where guests can dine by their campfire. For lunch, you can disappear for a private picnic lunch in the African bush.
Of course, game drives and walking safaris are the order of the day here at Little Chem Chem, and there’s also the option to embark on a sunrise drive or night safari – a perk of staying on a private reserve. Around the camp, you’ll find elephants, lions and cheetahs, with wildebeest and zebra calving during the wet season (December to March). For adventurous guests, there are hot air balloon rides available, too.
- Three tents, including one two-bedroom family tent
- Lounge tent
- Swing bed
Forest Chem Chem is an exclusive-use camp set within a secluded pocket of fever trees along the Tarangire River within Chem Chem’s 20,000 acres of private land.
The camp consists of two vintage-style safari tents and one two-bedroom family tent, all with indoor and outdoor showers. Accommodating up to six adults and two children, it is perfect for families or small groups looking for an intimate safari experience. A soft yellow, grey and black colour scheme is carried throughout the camp, and there is an elegant lounge tent, a fire pit and outdoor swing bed.
As well as morning and afternoon game drives, there is the option to zoom in on the smaller details on a walking safari, visit a local Maasai village and join in with cooking around the camp fire. Start the day right with a walk up the hills to watch the sun rise over the entire Chem Chem concession and finish on a high with sundowners around Lake Burunge.
Two nights in Chem Chem Private Concession
Explore Chem Chem’s private concession, which sits within the Burungwe Wildlife Management Area, and its surrounds in ways that allow you to get closer to the African bush than within national parks, such as on bush walks and cultural visits as well as guided day and night game drives. Activities include learning to track animals with the Maasai, visits to a local school or day trips to other attractions outside the concession such as Lake Manyara.
Ngorongoro Crater
Transfer
Private transfer to your Ngorongoro lodge
Lodges and Camps in Ngorongoro Crater
- 12 suites in North Camp
- 12 suits in South Camp
- 6 suites in Tree Camp
- Private butler service
- 4x4 morning and afternoon game drives
- Birdwatching
- Half-day excursions to Olduvai Gorge and Shifting Sands
- Crater Rim walks
- Cultural excursions
Perched up high on the edge of this remarkable natural wonder, the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge holds a prime position. With views spanning the spectacular caldera, you can enjoy a relaxing visit to this otherwise bustling attraction and dip into a world that’s the permanent home to roughly 25,000 animals.
The huge amounts of game that find sanctuary here roam over 20 kilometres on the crater floor and this allows for some excellent game viewing opportunities. Prides of bachelor lions are sometimes seen spanning the landscape, on the hunt for their own families and, dotted among the plains game, you might be lucky enough to spot a rhino in the distance. Morning and afternoon game drives are taken by highly experienced guides with visits to the nearby Olduvai Gorge available when vehicle occupancy allows.
The crater itself can get quite busy but there’s a peaceful quiet that flows through the rooms, social areas and outside spaces of the lodge. North and South Camp both have twelve beautiful suites and the Tree Camp, slightly set apart from the others, has just six. Raised up on stilts, these rooms are all tastefully decorated with Tanzanian hardwoods and silk curtains which make the rooms cosy and warm; the ridge can get quite nippy, after all. The dining areas have viewing decks and comfortable indoor lounges which are ideal for catching up on some midday afternoon reading, or ticking off the birds that you might have seen so far. You could also decide to have a relaxing massage in your room, and completely pamper yourself.
- Eight domes including a family and a honeymoon suite
- In-room wood-burning stoves
- Dining area
- Library
Set high on the slopes of Olmoti volcano, with views all the way to the Serengeti, this camp is far from any other camp in the area, yet guests can get to the Ngorongoro crater floor for dawn.
Eight domed perspex-and-canvas suites offer king-sized beds with floor-to-canvas-ceiling bay windows opening out to the spectacular views, en-suite bathrooms and wood-burning stoves for the cold winter evenings. One is designed to accommodate two adults and two children and the honeymoon suite is a little bit more private with a large elevated deck and an outdoor hot tub.
This warm and stylish high altitude camp is redefining the Ngorongoro experience. Deliberately positioned deep in this highland wilderness for maximum privacy, it offers a richness of adventure and range of activities not possible elsewhere in crater area.
The camp is perfectly located for great hikes and nature walks, or you can visit the local Maasai communities to get a glimpse into the way of life that has shaped this area of East Africa while sightings of zebra, buffalo, porcupine and even elephants have been reported from the camp.
Two nights in the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area
Spend your days exploring all the dramatic scenery and wildlife of the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area. The largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, its magnificent topography and fertile soils attract a wide variety of plains game and predators in what makes for a thrilling amphitheatre of wildlife viewing. The Big Five are all present here including Black Rhino and you can spot flamingos on the central soda lake, zebras grazing on the plains, lions lazing in the tall grass, leopards lying in the trees, as well as big "tuskers" in the forests.
Transfer
Private transfer from Ngorongoro to Manyara airport
Flight
Flight from Manyara to Grumeti Reserve
Singita Grumeti Reserve
Transfer
Transfer from to your lodge or camp
Lodges and Camps in the North Serengeti
- Completely private camp
- 6 Luxury Canvas Tents (maximum 12 guests)
- Private guide, camp host, chef and camp staff
- Spa treatments upon request
- Laundry and valet services
Singita Explore is a return to the very essence of safari. This exclusive mobile camp treads lightly on 350,000 private acres of Tanzania’s majestic Serengeti, offering completely private, en-suite canvas hideaways that restore true adventure to days in the wilderness. Luxurious yet uncomplicated, a safari with Singita Explore is pure, distilled Africa.
Singita Explore is sold on an exclusive use basis and available all year round. The best location is selected for the camp site in terms of game viewing and scenery for the time of year. Remote parts of Singita Grumeti Reserves have been identified to offer you a true wilderness experience in confident luxury.
Singita Explore offers a total of 6 tents and 2 mess areas. This means that two individual mobile camps may be run at the same time.
- 10 opulent cottages
- Tennis courts
- Spa & gym
- Singita shop
- Wireless internet access
- 4x4 day and night game reserves
- Archery
- Star gazing safaris
- Mountain biking
- Wine tasting
Nominated as the Best Luxury Lodge in the world many times over, Singita Sasakwa is just that.
Singita Sasakwa has 10 opulent cottages where you can totally relax and and be feel completely pampered. Each cottage has a private heated plunge pool with views spanning across the stunning reserve and a private lounge with a fireplace to keep you warm on those chilly nights. Varying between one and four rooms, you will be able to enjoy your own little bit of class on this stunning reserve regardless of your numbers.
Swarovski telescopes give you the chance to do some serious game spotting from the comfort of your own room, and with game roaming so freely around the grounds of the lodge, you’ll have a zoom big enough to count eyelashes.
The main house is built in a remarkable likeness to an Edwardian manor house with grand furniture, silverware and high ceilings. As you walk in you will feel quite regal and as the staff do their magic, you don’t have to worry about anything whatsoever. You can simply relax and make the most of your time either out with the game or reading a book by the open fire.
- Nine luxury tents
- Dining tent and library
- Swimming pool
- Spa and gym facilities
- Tennis court
Inherently African and earthy, Singita Sabora Tented Camp has been extensively redesigned with the traveller who longs for wide open spaces and intuitive service in mind. The modern interpretation of luxury tented safari still retains the quintessential romantic elements of an African wilderness experience.
The nine tented suites are now even closer to the ground and subtle design elements celebrate Africa’s creative energy and modern cultural identity. The spirit of classic East African adventures endures in hand-stitched leather finishes, durable canvas and antique furniture. The updated aesthetics have been inspired by the surrounding grasslands with the colours and textures of the wilderness creating a relaxing, natural space.
With its farm-to-table ethos, Sabora’s culinary side celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients and regional flavours. In the main lodge area, you can enjoy the ‘Guest Deli’ where there are baskets and fridges filled with tempting treats for you to enjoy out on a picnic, or in your suite.
Find true restoration and relaxation with the camp’s individual private meditation decks and secluded outdoor salas where shaded daybeds invite you to spend long, lazy afternoons either reading or watching the game passing through. With nothing separating you from the rolling grasslands and with breathtaking views of the sweeping Serengeti before you, this is a truly special way to experience the sights, sounds and aromas of the region.
Singita Sabora offers you access to huge numbers of birds, healthy packs of lions and, for a few months a year, the famous wildebeest and zebra migration. It isn’t uncommon for the wildlife to stroll casually through the camp and bring you some extra special close encounters that you will remember for life.
Explore on guided walks and bird watching trips, visit the local community and anti poaching unit, play tennis, cool off in the pool and enjoy wine tasting. The camp also boasts in-room fitness areas, soothing treatments and a variety of other wellness options. Your stay here is sure to nurture and nourish, making the most of the healing potential of nature.
- 8 Luxury Suites
- Luxury Villa
- Luxury Family Suite
- Two Infinity Swimming Pools
- Wireless Internet Access
- Singita Shop
- Spa and Gym
Absolute luxury. Absolutely sublime service. An absolutely unforgettable experience.
Faru Faru Lodge is an exceptional place to enjoy some quality time being pampered and with your own concession area of some 350,000 acres of untouched wilderness, your experience will be a special one. It is perfectly placed for you to simply sit back and relax as the migrations come to you and during the months that the wildebeest and zebra have moved on, you will still have a rich variety of game on your doorstep to marvel at.
There are 8 pristine and divinely luxurious suites, a Villa Suite that can accommodate two couples travelling together and a dedicated family suite or four. Each of these stunning rooms have their own reading area, picturesque window wall with lovely views and to increase the quality of the game you see, a Swarovki Telescope.
The main dining area is unbelievably gorgeous and a great space to share your game experiences. All the modern facilities are available such as a gym and spa, as well a sweet shop stocked full with some perfect souvenirs to take back home. Unusual activities including archery, mountain biking and stargazing are also possible from this unbelievably beautiful lodge.
- Four suites
- Spa
- Gym
- Infinity swimming pool (25 metre)
- Wi Fi
Located on the slopes of the Sasakwa Hill within the expansive 350,000 acre Grumeti Reserve is Singita’s exclusive retreat house, with breath taking views of Serengeti’s open plains.
The property enjoys picturesque views of a watering hole, from its perch on the south east of the hill slopes. Décor represents a mix of European country designs and African artefacts and the house provides ample space throughout the indoor and outdoor lounging areas, all which offer interrupted views.
Within the house there are four spacious rooms; two suites in the main house and two garden suites, situated either side. Each of the rooms has a very unique and homely feel, which contributes to the understated glamour of Serengeti House.
Singita Serengeti House encourages a wealth of experiences to make your time in the Serengeti, that extra bit special; from game viewing, memorable outdoor dinners, storytelling, and impromptu celebrations.
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Three nights in the Grumeti Game Reserve
Bordering the west of the Serengeti National Park this huge private concession has all the big game highlights of the park in a more intimate and exclusive wilderness shared between only three lodges and two camps. This means your daily game drives here are almost guaranteed to be private and without another vehicle in sight.
Hot air balloon flight over the Grumeti
Wake up early before being driven to the launch site to meet your pilot, receive a briefing and watch in eager anticipation as the balloon is inflated. At dawn, the balloon takes off, rising with the sun floating in whichever direction the winds of the morning are moving. The pilot can precisely control the altitude of the balloon – sometimes at treetop height, sometimes lower, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities of the wildlife below. At other times the pilot will ascend to 300m (1000 feet) or more in order to view the enormity and wonderful panorama of Singita Grumeti Reserves. From time to time he may put more heat into the balloon with the powerful whisper burners. In between these burns there is absolute silence apart from the natural sounds of the Serengeti landscape. The flight lasts for about an hour, depending on the conditions of the day, and you'll be back at your lodge in time for a lavish breakfast and the start of the day’s activities.
Transfer
Transfer to local airstrip
Flight
Flight to Kilimanjaro
We design private journeys for people who wish to go beyond the typical and experiencing something truly special. Our amazing team of travel designers, concierges and local guides work together to create unique journeys that get deep under the skin of where you’re visiting.
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The Ultimate Tanzanian Safari
How we work
Experience Tanzania’s most captivating landscapes and wildlife, while staying in some of the most luxurious and comfortable accommodation East Africa has to offer on this extravagant eight-night safari. After a short stay in the shadow of Mount Meru in Arusha, drive to the exclusive Chem Chem Reserve, idyllically located between the Tarangire National Park in the east and flamingo-favourite Lake Manyara to the west, and a two-night stay at a stylish lodge or romantic camp. The wildlife and cultural experiences here are the perfect initial immersion into Tanzania. Next up is the dramatic Ngorongoro Crater, a vast caldera whose walled-in plains and wetlands contain a fascinating array of wildlife including the ‘Big Five’ as well as a whole host of excellent plains game. You’ll be based out of one of our favourite lodges or camps, some of which enjoy incredible views from up on the crater’s edge. End with three nights in one of the best safari landscapes in all Africa – the legendary Serengeti – eschewing the crowds of the national park for the adjoining Singita Grumeti, the largest private reserve in Tanzania at 350,000 acres and home to just a handful of exquisite lodges and camps, some of our favourites in all Africa. The reserve rumbles to the hooves of the great migration as it trundles across the reserve in June and July, but the reserve is a privileged place for a safari with excellent game viewing all year round. | Whats included?
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Days 1-2 |
Arusha |
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Flights & transfers
Arrive in Kilimanjaro |
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| Private transfer from Kilimanjaro airport to Arusha hotel | |
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Lodges and Camps in Arusha
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Legendary Lodge - $$$$$
A very private experience on the outskirts of Arusha, the Legendary Coffee Lodge is situated...
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| Overnight in Arusha Enjoy a restful overnight stay in your chosen accommodation in or just outside of Arusha. Arguably the 'Safari Capital' of East Africa, Arusha is a bustling city in northern Tanzania and the main hub for those who are going to be embarking on a safari in this extensively game rich country. |
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Flights & transfers
Private transfer to your lodge in the Chem Chem Private Conservancy |
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Days 2-4 |
Chem Chem Private Conservancy |
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Accommodation in Chem Chem Private Conservancy
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Chem Chem Lodge - $$$$$
Chem Chem Lodge is located in its own 4,000-acre conservation-focused concession between Lake...
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Little Chem Chem - $$$$$
An off-shoot of
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Forest Chem Chem - $$$$$
Forest Chem Chem is an exclusive-use camp set within a secluded pocket of fever trees along...
|
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| Two nights in Chem Chem Private Concession Explore Chem Chem’s private concession, which sits within the Burungwe Wildlife Management Area, and its surrounds in ways that allow you to get closer to the African bush than within national parks, such as on bush walks and cultural visits as well as guided day and night game drives. Activities include learning to track animals with the Maasai, visits to a local school or day trips to other attractions outside the concession such as Lake Manyara. |
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Days 4-6 |
Ngorongoro Crater |
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Flights & transfers
Private transfer to your Ngorongoro lodge |
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Lodges and Camps in Ngorongoro Crater
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Ngorongoro Crater Lodge - $$$$$
Perched up high on the edge of this remarkable natural wonder, the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge has...
•
The Highlands Ngorongoro - $$$$$
Set high on the slopes of Olmoti volcano, with views all the way to the Serengeti, this camp...
|
|
| Two nights in the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area Spend your days exploring all the dramatic scenery and wildlife of the Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area. The largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, its magnificent topography and fertile soils attract a wide variety of plains game and predators in what makes for a thrilling amphitheatre of wildlife viewing. The Big Five are all present here including Black Rhino and you can spot flamingos on the central soda lake, zebras grazing on the plains, lions lazing in the tall grass, leopards lying in the trees, as well as big "tuskers" in the forests. |
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Flights & transfers
Private transfer from Ngorongoro to Manyara airport |
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| Flight from Manyara to Grumeti Reserve | |
Days 6-9 |
Singita Grumeti Reserve |
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Flights & transfers
Transfer from to your lodge or camp |
|
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Lodges and Camps in the North Serengeti
•
Singita Explore Tented Camp - $$$$$
Singita Explore is a return to the very essence of safari. This exclusive mobile camp treads...
•
Singita Sasakwa - $$$$$
Nominated as the Best Luxury Lodge in the world many times over, Singita Sasakwa is just that....
•
Singita Sabora - $$$$$
Inherently African and earthy, Singita Sabora Tented Camp has been extensively redesigned with...
•
Singita Faru Faru Lodge - $$$$$
Absolute luxury. Absolutely sublime service. An absolutely unforgettable...
•
Singita Serengeti House - $$$$$
Located on the slopes of the Sasakwa Hill within the expansive 350,000 acre Grumeti Reserve is...
|
|
| Three nights in the Grumeti Game Reserve Bordering the west of the Serengeti National Park this huge private concession has all the big game highlights of the park in a more intimate and exclusive wilderness shared between only three lodges and two camps. This means your daily game drives here are almost guaranteed to be private and without another vehicle in sight. |
|
| Hot air balloon flight over the Grumeti Wake up early before being driven to the launch site to meet your pilot, receive a briefing and watch in eager anticipation as the balloon is inflated. At dawn, the balloon takes off, rising with the sun floating in whichever direction the winds of the morning are moving. The pilot can precisely control the altitude of the balloon – sometimes at treetop height, sometimes lower, offering a unique perspective and great photographic opportunities of the wildlife below. At other times the pilot will ascend to 300m (1000 feet) or more in order to view the enormity and wonderful panorama of Singita Grumeti Reserves. From time to time he may put more heat into the balloon with the powerful whisper burners. In between these burns there is absolute silence apart from the natural sounds of the Serengeti landscape. The flight lasts for about an hour, depending on the conditions of the day, and you'll be back at your lodge in time for a lavish breakfast and the start of the day’s activities. |
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Flights & transfers
Transfer to local airstrip |
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| Flight to Kilimanjaro |
