Following an early breakfast, a driver collects you and delivers you to the airport for the flight to Arusha, where your safari guide is waiting. The journey then heads south-west to Tarangire National Park, a scenic drive of about 1 to 2 hours through the rolling hills and farming landscapes of northern Tanzania.

Your first full-day game drive starts at the park entrance, in one of Tanzania's most overlooked treasures. Tarangire National Park is famed for soaring baobabs and sweeping savannahs, and is home to northern Tanzania's densest elephant population.

In the dry season the Tarangire River pulls in wildlife from all around. Huge herds of zebras, wildebeests, buffalo and giraffes arrive, followed by predators such as lions and leopards.

Around midday you stop at a designated picnic site for a scenic bush lunch. The afternoon game drive then continues through the park's varied habitats, so watch for elusive species such as cheetahs and even tree-climbing pythons. As the sun sinks behind the baobabs, you leave the park and head to your charming lodge close by.

Night at Suricata Boma Lodge

Meals: Picnic Lunch, Dinner

Once breakfast is done, set off for Lake Manyara National Park, a scenic jewel tucked beneath the sheer walls of the Great Rift Valley. The park may be compact, but its wildlife variety is remarkable. It is best known for tree-climbing lions, pink flamingos and more than 400 bird species.

Begin with a morning game drive through groundwater forest, acacia woodland and open plains. By the lakeshore, watch for elephants, hippos, baboons and a stunning variety of birds.

Enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park, then resume your afternoon safari, soaking up landscapes and animals until early evening.

You return to Suricata Boma Lodge later to unwind. If you prefer, a guided nature walk or a cultural visit to a local Maasai village offers a more immersive experience.

Accommodation: Suricata Boma Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leave the lodge in Mto wa Mbu after an early breakfast and start the scenic journey towards the world-renowned Serengeti National Park. You pass through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where the road winds along the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater and offers spectacular panoramic views of this ancient volcanic caldera.

Next you come down onto the Serengeti's broad, open grasslands. In the Maasai language its name translates as “endless plains”. One of the planet's best-loved wildlife refuges, the park is renowned for its Great Migration as well as the Big Five – rhino, buffalo, elephant, leopard and lion.

Once at the Serengeti gate, enjoy a bush picnic lunch before setting off on your first thrilling game drive in the park. With your camera at hand, cross golden grasslands teeming with life and look for wildebeest and zebra herds, elegant giraffes, hippos basking in the sun and hunting predators.

By late afternoon you have reached your safari-style lodging at the heart of the Serengeti, with just enough time to refresh yourself ahead of a tasty dinner under the stars.

Overnight at Moyo Tented Camp, Serengeti

Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

Following an early breakfast at Moyo Tented Camp, you head out on a game drive across the Serengeti that fills the morning. The wide-open plains run to the horizon, support an extraordinary amount of wildlife and serve as the setting for the legendary Great Migration.

Spend the morning following herds of wildebeest and zebras and looking for predators such as lions and cheetahs. Elephants, giraffes and abundant birdlife are also there to admire in their natural habitat.

A picnic lunch at a scenic spot at midday lets you absorb the sights and sounds of the wild. The afternoon game drive continues as you head back to Moyo Tented Camp, where you arrive with time to freshen up before a delicious dinner under the stars.

Overnight: Moyo Tented Camp, Serengeti

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

Wake to the gentle light of dawn. For something extraordinary, join an optional hot air balloon safari over the Serengeti, which must be booked in advance and costs extra. Glide above the golden plains as the rising sun throws long shadows over herds of wildebeest and antelope, and perhaps catch a pride of lions starting its day.

Following the balloon flight, or a more relaxed morning, you have a hearty breakfast at camp. A last morning game drive through the Serengeti follows, giving you another chance to spot wildlife you may have missed, as the ever-changing landscape springs fresh surprises around every corner.

Later that day you set off south-east for the Ngorongoro Highlands, crossing the fertile countryside of the conservation area while the landscape shifts from parched grassland to verdant hills, Maasai villages and terraced farms.

Early evening brings you to the pleasant town of Karatu, where fresh highland air and a tranquil setting offer a welcome change from the untamed Serengeti. Check in at your lodge, tuck into a freshly prepared dinner and unwind after a thrilling day travelling.

Night at Karatu Simba Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch, Dinner

Wake early for a memorable journey down into the Ngorongoro Crater, frequently nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World". This vast, unbroken caldera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, harbours an astonishing density of wildlife, including lions, elephants, hyenas, hippos, flamingos and even the rare black rhino.

You drop 600 meters down into the crater and enter a wildlife sanctuary unlike any other. In this natural amphitheatre, the drama of the African savannah plays out in front of you. Have a picnic lunch at a scenic spot beside a hippo pool, then carry on with your game drive, soaking up the scenery and wildlife until mid-afternoon.

Once you have finished exploring the crater, the road leads back to Arusha, where there is a chance to freshen up if needed. From there you head for Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and catch your flight to Zanzibar; on touching down, a member of our team greets you and drives you directly to where you are staying.