After breakfast you will drive through Arusha with the chance to stop in a local market and see this bustling town. Afterwards you will drive out across the Maasai Steppe, seeing them graze their cattle before climbing the Great Rift Valley Escarpment and enjoying a stunning view down on to the land below as you have your lunch at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge.

Your final drive of the day is through the Ngorongoro Highlands on to the rim where you can enjoy sundowners looking down in to the Ngorongoro Crater and listening out for the different animal noises.

(Drive time from Arusha to the Ngorongoro Crater is approx. 4hrs)

Dinner and overnight Sanctuary Crater Camp BLD

This morning, descend down in to the Ngorongoro Crater with picnic lunches for a truly memorable game drive in this “Garden of Eden”. After picnic lunch down the crater drive out to Empakai Crater. On arrival at Empakai Crater there is the option to descend into the Empakai crater. This is around 40 minutes down and depending on season can be quite slippery but certainly a great hike with stunning views. Flamingos are often seen flying into the crater or feeding in the lake at the base. A hot shower is available before dinner. Overnight Empakai Private Campsite.

Dinner and overnight Empakai Private Camp BLD

Dawn rises and our lofty position affords a great sunrise. As we take breakfast our camp crew break camp and depart to send the camp ahead with donkeys. We then set off hiking with Maasai guides following a route that takes us through picturesque Maasai villages and rolling hills. Lunch can be taken on route as a picnic or if guests are very fit a late lunch can be had in camp. In the late afternoon a hike up to a nearby viewpoint is highly recommended and a great place for sundowners! Dinner & overnight Acacia Camp (full board).

Dinner and overnight Acacia Camp BLD

The final section of hiking has two options of a shorter hike or a longer more strenuous option right along the rift wall. The views are spectacular with the active volcano Oldonyo Lengai dominating the foreground. This volcano affects almost everything from hydrology to lifestyle, as will become apparent. Once down on the rift valley floor we are picked up and transfer to Lake Natron Camp, Ngare Sero and here have the chance to jump in the natural pools to cool down. Sundowners are served at any number of beautiful points close to camp. Dinner & overnight Lake Natron Camp

Dinner and overnight at Lake Natron Camp BLD

Lake Natron has a number of activities that are very easily combined with dawn walks and sundowners and in the middle of the day there is the nearby Ngare Sero gorge that you can walk to options of long hikes to the source or shorter hikes to waterfalls. The staff is on hand to make you stay as adventurous or relaxing as you want.

Dinner and overnight at Lake Natron Camp BLD

After breakfast you can do some additional activities before departure and picnic lunches are provided to ensure you reach your goal well fed

The drive is approximately 5hrs with another hour to Kilimanjaro Airport. Option of a day room in Arusha