Experience the best Ngorongoro Crater Highlands safari through Tand the Highlands to Lake Natron, and even you can see the sun rise over Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, meet your guide holding a sign, and transfer to a comfortable hotel in Arusha. Use the afternoon to rest, enjoy the lively town atmosphere and go through a tour briefing before heading into the wild tomorrow..
In the morning after an early breakfast in Arusha, drive to Ngorongoro and descend into crater floor with picnic lunch for a day game drive. At the picnic site at Ngoitoktok Swamp a hippo pool or Lerai Forest it is where you will have lunch. After lunch at around/about 16:00 hrs ascends the crater and drive to Simba campsite on the Ngorongoro crater rim for dinner and overnight. (Simba campsite).
Breakfast at the campsite, there after drive to Nainokanoka village and start walk through forest and ascend up to Olmoti crater rim. Will have lunch on the rim. After lunch, drive to Bulati campsite, game viewing crossing the Embulbul Depression. Late afternoon arrive at Bulati Campsite for short rest, dinner and overnight.(Bulati Campsite).
After an early breakfast walking from Bulati campsite to Empakai crater Rim will take 6.5 hrs, will have lunch on the way. Late afternoon visit around this area, you will see the Mountain of God (Oldonyo Lengai) from far and other exotic vegetation at these highlands and back to the campsite for dinner and overnight. (Empakai Campsite).
After a leisurely breakfast, follow the way and descend to the crater floor, enjoy the exotic vegetation and stunning views of the flamingo-lined soda lake. Thousands of flamingos line the shore, which gives the impression of a “pink beach” during the walk down. The walk around the lake takes approximately 3 hours, and the total trek is from 4 to 5 hours. Upon arrival back at the campsite for hot lunch, long rest, ready for the next day long hiking. This is an extra day here to acclimatize and maximize the chances for Oldonyo Lengai Summit, this ash and steep Mountain in East Africa. Dinner and overnight at the same campsite. (Empakai Campsite).
After breakfast depart the camp at around 10 am. The walk carries us on a rough 4 x 4 track leading along the rim of the crater, and eventually down a ridge looking out over the highlands to the north. The top of Oldonyo Lengai juts into the sky, its steep slopes piercing the horizon created by the highlands atop the Rift Valley Escarpment wall. Along the road we pass Maasai women walking to the crater rim with donkeys in search of long grass to cut for their cows, and for roofing for their Bomas (huts). The area is home to the Maasai people, living their traditional pastoralist lifestyle. We walk down into the small village of Nayobi with packed lunches, a center of trading ‘center’ for the local community. Continue on a cattle trail downward into scrub-woodland and groves of yellow barked Acacia (Fever Trees). The private campsite is set under acacia trees, with a stunning view of Oldonyo Lengai. You arrive at about 3pm to the campsite for snacks and drinks. Long rest, dinner and overnight. (Acacia Campsite).
After breakfast, set off early, downward still, though more steeply along to the edge of the escarpment wall. The trail turns sharply downward along an ancient trading route to the foot of Lengai for centuries the Maasai on the lower plains have traded their goods with the Maasai in the highlands. We stop midway along the trail to eat lunch in the shade of a canyon. The temperatures grow quite hot, and areas of shade are oasi s from the heat. Once we reach the base of the escarpment, we’ll be picked up and driven over to the private campsite under shade in the forest on the south shore of Lake Natron. Take the afternoon to relax in camp ready for night summit. For Lengai go to bed early. You’ll be awaken at 12 am with a cup of tea or coffee, and then drive to the starting point of the hike, about 45 minutes from the camp. The start point is at (1065 m.), and it takes 4-6 hours to reach the summit (3,017m). The trek begins at about 1 am, through scrubby bushes, and becomes increasingly steep as we trek through the night. By dawn, you should reach the steep rocks at the edge of the crater rim, to step into a world of lava chimneys (cornitos) venting sulphuric gases into the air. The sights here will forever enchant you. The 30 minute climb to the summit affords you panoramic views toward Ngorongoro, Empakai and the Highlands to Lake Natron, and even you can see the sun rise over Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. The descent (which takes 2.5 – 4 hours) is the most grueling portion of the trek, and it is quite dangerous due to the excessively steep terrain. The temperatures soar by mid-morning, and there are no trees to protect you from the hot sun. A vehicle will take your weary body back to camp where you can have breakfast and long rest. The total trekking time is about 8 to 11 hours. ( Ngaresero Campsite).
After a long rest, wake up for hot shower and lunch. Afternoon drive to the beautiful waterfalls to explore this God`s creation and late evening drive back to the campsite for hot shower, dinner and overnight at the same campsite. ( Ngaresero Campsite).
After an a leisurely breakfast, drive to Lake Natron, the soda Lake where many water birds can be seen in East Africa, the flamingos . From here drive to Mto wa Mbu village, will have lunch on the way. At Twiga camp you can swimming or you can visit this town market where all kinds of fresh fruits are found all the year. Dinner and overnight at Twiga campsite. (Twiga Campsite).
- After an early breakfast drive to Lake Manyara National Park for game drive and at around 12.30pm drive back to the Campsite for hot lunch and drive back to Arusha.