THE ART OF SLOW SAFARI
Where Wilderness Meets Paradise
Experience Tanzania at a slower, more soulful pace during the quieter days of the green season, when landscapes are lush, new life is everywhere, and fewer visitors share the wild. Four nights in the Serengeti give you time to settle into the rhythms of the wilderness, with vast landscapes, abundant wildlife, and the rare sense of being truly away from it all. Two scenic flights keep the journey seamless, leaving more time to enjoy each place. At Gibb’s Farm, an award-winning eco-lodge in the Ngorongoro Highlands, the wilderness gives way to gardens, forest, and sweeping views — a place our guests have called heaven on earth.
Itinerary
Days of Adventure
DAY 1
Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania
Your guide will meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport via your Delta/KLM flight and escort you to tonight’s accommodations in Arusha.
As local Tanzanians, your guides know the country with unrivaled familiarity, so you’ll be in good hands from the moment you land.
OVERNIGHT
Gran Meliá Arusha
Set on a landscaped coffee and tea plantation, the Gran Meliá is an oasis of serenity amidst the bustling city of Arusha. Enjoy spectacular views of Mount Meru, heated outdoor pool, gym and spa services and a private, furnished outdoor balcony.
DAYS 2–5
Serengeti National Park
Take a flight to the iconic Serengeti, where acacia trees and granite kopjes rise from seas of waving grass. This legendary landscape is home to an extraordinary concentration of wildlife, from lions and cheetahs to elephants, giraffes and thousands of wildebeest and zebras.
Each day brings a new reason to venture out, whether you’re tracking a pride of lions, watching elephants move across the plains or encountering enormous herds on the move. The Great Migration adds another layer of drama throughout the year, as wildebeest and zebras gather, calve, cross rivers and continue their remarkable journey across the Serengeti.
OVERNIGHT
Serengeti Nyumbas
These seasonal camps are strategically located across the Serengeti to place you at the center of migrating wildlife. Relax with spacious tents, comfortable beds and en suite bathrooms, as sounds of the surrounding wildlife fill your ears. And no need to worry—with eco-friendly features like solar lighting, your stay won’t harm the landscape.
DAYS 6–8
Ngorongoro Crater & Highlands
Another short flight takes you to the Ngorongoro area, where the landscape shifts from open savanna to lush, rolling highlands. Descend into the 10-mile-wide Ngorongoro Crater, a collapsed volcano and self-contained ecosystem renowned for its remarkable concentration of wildlife. With some luck, you may even spot the Big Five, all in a single day.
Then trade the Crater’s wildlife-filled floor for the peaceful gardens of Gibb’s Farm — recently named Travel + Leisure’s Best Safari Lodges in Africa — where farm-to-table meals, beautiful cottages and the rhythms of rural Tanzania offer a memorable change of pace.
OVERNIGHT
Gibb’s Farm
Fresh food, fresh air and fresh perspectives abound at Gibb’s Farm (a three-time Travel + Leisure Top Safari Lodge in Africa). After full days of exploration, relax in your eco-friendly cottage, set amidst the farm’s lush gardens. Enjoy an outdoor shower, farm-to-table dining, and learn about local culture from the attentive staff.
DAY 9
Depart Tanzania
Head to Arusha, where you’ll enjoy a farewell lunch at Arusha Coffee Lodge. Relax in a day room at the Gran Meliá Arusha before your flight home.
Add-On
Fly over the Serengeti
Prepare for Takeoff
Enjoy a bird’s eye view, a hearty breakfast and a glass of champagne during a morning hot air balloon tour. Your entire trip will be unforgettable, but this will bring it to new heights.
Call for current pricing. Advanced reservations required.
Trip Extensions
Enhance Your Safari
Zanzibar
From $2,500 per person
Zanzibar invites you to turquoise waters, white sands, and vibrant culture. Explore Stone Town’s lively markets, unwind on serene beaches, and uncover the island’s rich history.
Zanzibar
Indulge in Relaxation
Snorkel or dive in the clear Indian Ocean, or sunbathe on the white-sand beaches. Explore bustling markets in Stone Town and visit historic slave and spice trade sites.
Recommended Stay: 5 days, including 3 nights on the beach and 1 night in iconic Stone Town
From: $2,500 per person
Rwanda
From: $8,000 per person
Travel to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park to trek through rugged terrain in search of endangered mountain gorillas. In Kigali, visit the city’s highlights, including the moving Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Rwanda
Spot Endangered Gorillas
Fly to Kigali, Rwanda and drive north to Volcanoes National Park. Journey on foot over wild, ungroomed mountain terrain in search of endangered mountain gorillas, of which only 1000 survive worldwide. After your arrival, tour Kigali, including the world-renowned Kigali Genocide Memorial.
Recommended Stay: 5 days
From: $8,000 per person
Mahale Mtn. National Park
From: $6,500 per person
Fly to Lake Tanganyika’s shores and take a boat to your secluded camp. Hike the Mahale Mountains to observe chimpanzees in their natural habitat.
Mahale Mtn. National Park
Encounter Playful Chimps
Fly to the shores of Lake Tanganyika, along the westernmost border of Tanzania, and take a short boat ride to your exclusive camp, a luxurious hideaway tucked along the shore. Hike the misty slopes of the Mahale Mountains in search of free-roaming chimpanzees, grooming, feeding and playing.
Recommended Stay: 4 to 5 days
From: $6,500 per person
Cape Town
Call for current pricing.
With Table Mountain as its backdrop, Cape Town offers stunning vineyards, fine dining, penguin sightings at Boulders Beach, and a visit to historic Robben Island. This vibrant city is sure to inspire.
Cape Town
Vineyards, Views and Fine Dining
Table Mountain National Park provides the dramatic backdrop to this vibrant, colorful city. Explore South Africa’s best vineyards, enjoy fine dining in town, observe penguins at the famous Boulders Beach, and visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela’s — and South Africa’s — struggles echo poignantly. A visit to Cape Town is sure to inspire and delight.
Ruaha National Park
From: $4,500 per person
Journey to the remote Ruaha National Park, a hidden gem in East Africa. Track elusive wildlife by day and enjoy torch-lit dinners by the river at night.
Ruaha National Park
Track African Wildlife
Fly to the remote wilderness of Ruaha National Park, one of the least explored parks in East Africa, where tracking is as much an art form as a practical pursuit. Explore uncharted territory by day, spotting leopard, cheetah and wild dog, and savor torch-lit dinners on the banks of the river by night.
Recommended Stay: 4–5 days
From: $4,500 per person
Nyerere National Park
From: $5,500 per person
Explore the Rufiji River’s wildlife by boat, and on foot. Spot elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and rare species like Greater Kudu on the plains.
Nyerere National Park
Traverse Vast Wilderness
Take a scenic flight to one of Africa’s largest national parks (formerly Selous Game Reserve), where you’ll view the Rufiji River’s wildlife. Travel by 4-wheel drive, boat and foot and spot elephants, hippos, and crocodiles in the riverine environment, while rare species like Greater Kudu can be spotted on the plains.
Recommended Stay: 4 days
From: $5,500 per person
