The long journey is forgotten when you are awakened in an amazing lodge in the Serengeti, exhilarated by the sounds of baboons grunting and barking, lions roaring in the distance. Such was our home at andBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge in the depths of the national park surrounded by such diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to ancient mahogany forest. Incredible!
andBeyond Ngorogoro Crater Lodge was our next awe inspiring stay with the lodge perched above the ancient volcanic crater with the most amazing views over it. Down into the base of the crater we drove and the wildlife sightings did not disappoint: Lions resting after a meal; black rhino; flamingos; elephants, and even a rare serval which is one of the smaller cats of the big cat family.
Thereafter, on to Serengeti Under Canvas Camp 2 for a much treasured 2 night stay and in the most special of locations, this really is glamping at its finest and wins the prize for most comfy beds of the trip! So remote, this camp is well placed to view the Great Migration at the right times of the season as wildebeest, zebras and friends pass through Northern Serengeti to Kenya, in fact the Kenyan border is easily accessible within an hour’s drive of the Camp! Our most special viewings here were of 5 super cute lion cubs which are the babies of 2 sisters. We sat mesmerised in our jeep whilst they fed, played and meowed. At the other end of the scale as we were sadly leaving the Camp, 4 male lions were relaxing after a successful hunt. Pinch yourself moments are common-place in this special part of the world.
On to AndBeyond Grumeti River Lodge which has its own unique location and resident hippos which snort and grunt all day in the river directly in front of the lodge’s main bar and deck area. They can be viewed from the incredible villas also, perfectly situated with their own plunge pools and butler service on demand so this is somewhere you could truly kick back and relax for a few days, mixing with more amazing Safari experiences and even a day-trip to Lake Victoria to experience school and village life.
Lastly Zanzibar, set on the Spice route with its checkered history of the slave trade, for something lighter visit the Freddie Mercury Museum in the now UNESCO world heritage site of Stone Town where he was born. To complete our amazing time in Tanzania, White Sands Luxury Villas was just the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing beach break and wind down before our return home.
Thank you World Journeys, andBeyond and Tanzania for an incredible trip of a lifetime, although I do hope to be back one day!