4-Day Northern Untrammelled Beauty

Touch down at Kilimanjaro International Airport, or any other arrival point, where your Gip Adventure host is waiting with a warm, romantic meet-and-greet. From there it is a comfortable drive to your lodge on the edge of Arusha.

After a pre-safari briefing, take time to shake off the journey: wander the tranquil grounds, settle into your room and catch a glimpse of Mount Meru, the dramatic centrepiece of the Arusha skyline.

Enjoy a relaxed dinner together and a peaceful first night before the adventure begins.

Following breakfast at around 08:00, your driver-guide collects you for the drive to Tarangire National Park, 2,850 sq km of wilderness some 120 km south-west of Arusha town.

In the dry season, animals from all corners of the park converge on the Tarangire River to drink, wallow in the mud and escape the heat of the sun – making this one of Tanzania's most rewarding parks at that time of year. Look out for cheetah, African painted dogs, elusive kudu and marauding lions among the many species roaming here in abundance, along with Tarangire's great herds of elephants.

A picnic lunch is served in the park, followed by an afternoon game drive before you continue to your lodge in Karatu for a delightful dinner and a memorable night.

After breakfast at around 08:00, your driver-guide takes you up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and down 610 m into the most renowned volcanic caldera on earth – the largest that is still intact and unflooded. The 260 sq km crater floor is a natural sanctuary bursting with plant and animal life.

Take in the breathtaking views and the beautifully formed crater walls, and watch the birdlife on the salty Lake Magadi (Makat). The crater is home to the Big Five, and our highly trained guides – our 'search engines' – work tirelessly to reveal its treasures: pods of hippos, herds of buffalo and wildebeest, dazzles of zebra and much more. Listen for the deep, booming call of the ostrich, the world's largest, fastest and strongest flightless bird.

After a picnic lunch and a final game drive on the crater floor, return to your lodge in Karatu for dinner and a wonderful night.

After breakfast at around 08:00, drive to Lake Manyara National Park, a small but magnificent wildlife sanctuary set beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment. It is home to some of the largest troops of olive baboons recorded in Africa, to its famous tree-climbing lions and to Lake Manyara itself, a soda lake of over 200 sq km whose size varies greatly with the seasons.

Flocks of pink flamingos, waders and waterfowl gather on the lake, hippos crowd the hippo pool viewpoint, and the rift valley wall rises a dramatic 600 m above you. Look out, too, for the park's hot springs, where the water reaches 60°C. The park lies close to the lively market town of Mto wa Mbu, where many other activities, including cultural tours, can be arranged.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the park, then drive back via Arusha to Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your onward international flight home (transfer timing depends on your flight schedule).

Everyone at Gip Adventure Tours & Safaris wishes you a safe journey home, carrying memories of your honeymoon that will last a lifetime.