The Art of Slow Safari
The Tanzania Green Season Escape
Overview
From January through March, seasonal showers refresh the Serengeti and set a remarkable cycle of new life in motion. Wildebeest gather by the thousands to give birth, calves find their feet within minutes, and lions, cheetahs, and hyenas follow the herds. Migratory birds arrive in breeding plumage, fresh grass brightens the plains, and fewer safari vehicles make wildlife encounters more intimate. Four days in the Serengeti let you make the most of this fleeting season, while two bush flights maximize time in the field. Finish at Gibb’s Farm, where lush highland gardens, forest walks, farm-to-table meals, and estate-grown coffee offer a fitting finale.
Gallery
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Trip Highlights
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Witness the Serengeti’s Baby Boom
Experience wildebeest calving season, when hundreds of thousands of newborns arrive on the plains, drawing lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and other predators close behind.
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Stay in the Serengeti’s Wild West
Stay at a new private Thomson-exclusive camp near the Grumeti River, exploring the less-traveled Western Serengeti for resident lions, hippos, elephants, and abundant wildlife.
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Savor Life at Gibb’s Farm
Walk ten acres of organic gardens and forest trails, taste estate-grown coffee, and enjoy farm-to-table meals amid the lush, rolling Ngorongoro Highlands.
Itinerary
Itinerary 1 itinerary
Day 1: Touch Down in Tanzania
Meet your Thomson representative at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfer to your accommodations in Arusha.
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where a Thomson representative will meet you and accompany you to your vehicle. Drive into Arusha and check in at Gran Meliá Arusha, a comfortable retreat surrounded by coffee and tea plantations with views of Mount Meru.
Take the afternoon to settle in and enjoy the hotel. Cool off in the heated infinity pool, relax on your private balcony, or enjoy dinner at one of the hotel’s restaurants. Then get a good night’s rest before your morning flight to the Serengeti.
Days 2 to 5: Follow the Herds Across the Serengeti
Fly from Arusha to a private camp in the Western Serengeti and begin exploring eastward through the ecosystem.
Search riverine forests, rocky kopjes, woodlands, and open plains for lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras, and abundant birdlife.
Spend four days in the field, with ample time to follow fresh tracks, investigate recent sightings, and linger at sightings alongside your expert guide.
Fly over the Great Rift Valley into the Western Serengeti, where the green season brings fresh grass, new growth, and an abundance of wildlife. Land near the Grumeti River and settle into a Thomson-exclusive Western camp, surrounded by riverine forest, open plains, and wildlife as far as the eye can see.
Spend four days exploring the region as wildebeest calves follow their mothers across the fresh grass and resident wildlife takes advantage of the seasonal abundance. Look for lions moving through the tall grass, cheetahs scanning the plains, and leopards resting in the trees. You may also see elephants, giraffes, buffalo, hippos, and a wide variety of birdlife. With fewer visitors in the area, you can take your time with sightings and enjoy a quieter safari experience.
Days 6 to 8: Descend into Ngorongoro, then Head for the Farm
Fly from the central Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Highlands, maximizing your time in nature rather than in transit.
Descend nearly 2,000 feet into Ngorongoro Crater to search for lions, elephants, hippos, black rhinos, recently reintroduced white rhinos, and other wildlife.
Spend time at Gibb’s Farm exploring its gardens and forest, learning how its coffee is grown and roasted, and enjoying meals sourced largely from the farm.
Take an early morning flight toward the Ngorongoro Highlands, then descend nearly 2,000 feet into the crater for a morning of wildlife viewing. The crater’s permanent water and abundant grazing support a large population of resident animals, including elephants, hippos, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, lions, and black rhinos. With so much wildlife concentrated in one place, you may even see all of the Big Five in a single morning before climbing back to the rim.
Continue to Gibb’s Farm, where the green season transforms the historic estate into a lush garden retreat. Ten acres of organic gardens are especially vibrant, with fresh vegetables, herbs, and flowers growing throughout the grounds alongside the coffee trees. Walk the gardens and forest trails, visit the farm animals, meet the artists in residence, or spend time at the spa. You can also join the culinary team to pick fresh produce, learn about coffee grown and roasted on the estate, and enjoy farm-to-table meals made with ingredients from the gardens. In the evening, settle onto the veranda and listen to live music as the gardens cool in the evening air.
Day 9: Return to Arusha
Return to Arusha for a farewell lunch at Arusha Coffee Lodge.
Relax and refresh in a day room at Gran Melia Arusha before transferring to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your evening flight home.
Return to Arusha and enjoy lunch at Arusha Coffee Lodge before heading to Gran Meliá Arusha. Settle into a private day room where you can shower, repack, and relax for a few hours before your evening transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport.
If you have time, enjoy the hotel’s gardens or grab a drink before meeting your driver for the airport.
Add-Ons
Add-On
Fly over the Serengeti
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.
Accommodations
Dates, Prices & Info
As of July 1, 2016, Tanzania imposed a new Value Added Tax (VAT) on tourism activities. VAT starts at $300 and varies by trip. Single accommodations start at $800 and vary by trip. All prices are subject to change without notice.
Group Size
We specialize in small group travel (about 14 people or fewer), but the exact size varies from trip to trip. One thing’s for sure: you’ll have plenty of elbow room, 360-degree sightlines, and a guaranteed window seat.
What's Included
Your safari land package includes all accommodations, meals, purified water (with meals and on wildlife drives), airport transfers aligned with Delta/KLM flights, park fees, and the services of guides and drivers.
Not Included
International airfare is not included.
Additional costs may include tips for your guides, drivers and staff, bar beverages, laundry service, phone calls, passport and visa fees, souvenirs, and travel insurance.
Your pre-departure packet includes visa application instructions and information on travel insurance and tipping.
Important Information
A 20% deposit is required to reserve your space. This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable. Full payment is due 90 days prior to the first land day of the trip.
Notification of cancellation must be made in writing to Thomson Safaris. At the time we receive the cancellation, all moneys will be refunded less the following cancellation charges:
91 days or more before departure: cancellation fees equal the amount of your deposit
90 to 61 days before departure: 50% of the package price is non-refundable
60 to 46 days before departure: 65% of the package price is non-refundable
45 days or less before departure: 100% of the package price is non-refundable
No partial refunds will be given for unused meals, hotel rooms, airport transfers, etc., for any reason whatsoever. Thomson Safaris reserves the right to increase the tour price in the event of cost increases due to changes in airfares, currency fluctuations, park fee increases, fuel surcharges, taxes, etc. Accommodations are subject to change.
Travel Insurance
Thomson strongly encourages you to purchase travel insurance within two weeks of making your deposit to protect your investment, as we are not able to make changes to our cancellation policy for any reason. Travel Guard comes highly recommended by our guests.
Getting There & Getting Home
Delta/KLM have by far the quickest, easiest routing: an overnight flight from North America brings you to Amsterdam for a brief layover before arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport. Our scheduled trips and airport transfers are designed with the KLM arrival schedule in mind, so check with your safari consultants or trip managers before making arrangements with a different airline.
You’ll find your guide at the airport holding a Thomson Safaris placard with your name on it.
