We dream of safari while we soar through the skies, bound for Africa.

A Micato Safaris representative will greet you upon arrival in Arusha and take you to the Arusha Coffee Lodge, an exquisite property nestled amidst the rolling acreage of Tanzania’s largest coffee plantation. It bears the genteel warmth of the old colonial plantation homes and the flair of a world-class boutique hotel. Set in the shadow of majestic Mt. Meru, Arusha is a fast-growing town and a famed embarkation point for Tanzania safaris. Surrounded by lush landscape, the city is a hub of coffee cultivation—and because of its altitude (roughly 4,600 feet above sea level), the climate is pleasant throughout the year.

After an early morning breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and then drive across East Africa’s golden landscape to Tarangire National Park. A jewel of a game park, Tarangire has a truly remarkable landscape of open plains dotted by thousands upon thousands of stunning baobab trees. The park is named after the river, which runs through the center of the park and provides the only permanent water source in the area – a fact that virtually guarantees enormous herds and excellent game-viewing. Upon arrival your driver guide will transfer you to your home for the next two nights for check in before your afternoon game drive. You retire to supreme luxury at Tarangire Treetops—including private balcony with views to Lake Manyara and the Rift Valley wall.

At the first break of day, you take to an Africa that is slowly awakening. In addition to the usual predators—cheetah, lion, leopard, hyena and hunting dog—the park is also host to a number of rarely seen species including eland, oryx, kudu and gerenuk. The tree-climbing pythons are also a highlight, as are the approximately 3,500 resident elephants. Tarangire also has the highest number of recorded bird species for any habitat in the world. In addition to your game drive, a full slate of activities is available from tracking game on foot to visiting the local Maasai people. You return for a nightcap at the split-level lounge, a relaxed setting with uninterrupted views of the landscape.

You’re up for an early breakfast and a last glimpse of the park’s voluminous game. After a gourmet lunch, you drive to Ngorongoro Conservancy and its eponymous crater. Unofficially the “eighth wonder of the natural world,” this ancient natural amphitheatre forms a unique haven for wildlife with over 20,000 animals thriving in its near perfect conditions. The drive itself will be most interesting, with the potential for wildlife around each bend in the road. Your base for exploration is the Neptune Ngorongoro Luxury Lodge. Nestled within fifty virgin acres in Ngorongoro’s volcanic landscape are deliciously private luxury log cabin suites, kitted out with open fireplaces and private viewing terraces. You arrive at the Lodge just in time for sunset.

After a delectable breakfast, you descend 2,000 feet into this ancient collapsed volcano, passing lush rainforest and thick vegetation, and then you see it: the largest concentration of animals in Africa. The small forest patches on the crater floor are now home to the leopard, monkey, baboon, jackals, eland, spotted hyena, dark maned lion and antelopes. The most beautiful sight is of the salt-whitened shores of Lake Magadi turned pastel pink from thousands of flamingos looking for food in the soda lake. After a full day of adventure complete with a picnic lunch, return to your lodge in time for evening cocktails and enjoy the peace and beauty of an unforgettable sunset at the crater.

Once again, you awake to a delightful breakfast and then say your goodbyes to this incomparable place—only to embark for yet another. You depart for Lake Manyara and your onward flight to the legendary Serengeti. This is archetypal Africa: the wide-open spaces, bright blue skies, magnificent wildlife. Your base is Migration Camp, alluringly set on a kopje overlooking the Serengeti hills. Spacious tents are superbly secluded and blend into their natural environment above the Grumeti River. With its vast rolling plains, flat-topped acacias, and huge herds of animals, it is just what you expect Africa to be. It is one of the greatest wildlife spectacles remaining on the planet, where herds of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle cover the plains from horizon to horizon.

On morning and afternoon game runs explore the vast Serengeti in depth. The open woodland and plains are ideal places to observe large predators. Lions are plentiful, and cheetahs are regularly sighted pacing the plains. At dusk or dawn you stand the best chance of seeing nocturnal felines such as civet, serval, genet and African wildcat. The wealth and diversity of birds is just as staggering as the mammal population, so keep your eyes open for ostriches, vultures, eagles, kingfishers, and the exquisitely coloured lilac-breasted rollers. And in this wild land, you are treated to world-class cuisine. Enjoy an elegant dining experience overlooking the Grumeti River, with inventive dishes made with locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible.

You awake, and piping hot coffee is already waiting for you. You may wish to take one last game drive, or to explore the area on foot before returning to the camp for breakfast. Finally, you bid adieu to the Serengeti as you wing your way to Arusha. You will be met on arrival and taken to Arusha Coffee Lodge, where a day room is reserved for you. As your time in Tanzania draws to a close, you reflect upon what has been an adventure for the ages.

Arrive home