Serengeti, The United Republic of Tanzania
WOW, WOW, WOW!!!! This was the trip of a LIFETIME.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Rachel Wynne
- Trip type: Adult, Family, Group getaway
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: Two weeks
to & from
My daughter and I flew Swiss Air from San Francisco to Zurich. Then Zurich to Arusha.
My husband went another time and flew Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa to Arusha.
Upon arrival we had a driver pick us up and take us to the hotel.
Where to Stay
–River Trees Country Inn : A peaceful riverside retreat set among lush gardens just outside Arusha, offering cozy cottages beneath towering trees. Relaxing and picturesque it’s an ideal stop for beginning or ending a safari or Kilimanjaro adventure. We loved our riverside cottage with big canopy bed. The restaurant and bar is great people watching and the staff is super friendly. My daughter ordered a dessert every night called the ‘African Bounty’ and they have a great breakfast buffet with lattes.
–Gran Meliá Arusha: Modern hotel set on landscaped coffee and tea plantations with sweeping views of Mount Meru. The rooftop restaurant and bar have spectacular views of Meru especially at sunset. Super international crowd. This is ground zero for where safari vehicles depart. Very convenient and easy.
–Gibb’s Farm: Historic coffee plantation lodge nestled on the outer slopes of the Ngorongoro Highlands, surrounded by lush gardens, forest trails, and working farmland. This is enroute to the Serengeti so it is a bit outside of Arusha. We did not stay here but we were treated to lunch here by out guide Deo. It is a SPECTACULAR spot and the best farm to table food we had on the trip. It felt like an Out of Africa moment having lunch in main dining room. It is on our bucket list when we go back.