Wild Tanzania: Northern Birding Circuit

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transfer straight to Tarangire National Park, home of the baobab tree and one of Tanzania's best-kept birding secrets. An afternoon game drive among the great elephant herds introduces the park's specials - Yellow-collared Lovebird, Ashy Starling, Red-and-yellow Barbet and the striking Northern Pied Babbler.

A full day in Tarangire, whose riverine woodland and open grassland host over 550 bird species. Dawn drives along the Tarangire River pick up the superb Yellow-collared Lovebird, Ashy Starling, Red-and-yellow Barbet and the elusive Dickinson's Kestrel. The park's dense populations of elephants, and the lions that follow them, make this one of the most rewarding days of the trip.

Drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and climb onto the crater rim, where the Lerai forest and grasslands hold Hartlaub's Turaco, Silvery-cheeked Hornbill and the endemic-like Usambiro Barbet. The views from the rim over the world's largest intact volcanic caldera are breathtaking. An afternoon walk along the crater rim takes in the montane birds and the spectacular scenery.

Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, a natural amphitheatre teeming with wildlife and birds. Lake Magadi in the crater glows with flocks of flamingos, and the soda margins hold African Fish Eagles, crowned cranes and waders. The Lerai Forest provides cover for Hartlaub's Turaco and silvery-cheeked hornbills, while the grassland hosts the Big Five and the dense concentrations of game that make Ngorongoro famous.

Drive across the plains to the Serengeti National Park, stopping at Olduvai Gorge, the cradle of mankind, where the dry grassland is alive with Ostriches, Kori Bustards and Secretary Birds. Enter the Serengeti through the Naabi Hill gate and enjoy a first drive across the short-grass plains, where blacksmith lapwings, crowned cranes and vast herds of wildebeest and zebra set the scene.

A full day exploring the Serengeti ecosystem. Birding targets include the superb Lilac-breasted Roller, Superb and Fischer's Starlings, the spectacular Martial Eagle, White-bellied Bustard and the endemic Fischer's Lovebird. Around the kopjes, kori bustards strut and leopard rest in the shade of fig trees, while the migration herds stream across the plains during the season.

Morning drive through the Serengeti, then return south and descend into the Great Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park. The lake's shallow waters shimmer with flamingos and pelicans, and the groundwater forest teems with blue monkeys, baboons and an incredible density of birds - from Silvery-cheeked Hornbills and Crowned Hornbills to the park's famous tree-climbing lions.

A full day at Lake Manyara, one of the most diverse small parks in Africa. The lakeshore and its mudflats hold huge numbers of flamingos, pelicans, Yellow-billed Storks and waders, while the surrounding acacia and groundwater forest supports Crowned Hornbills, Silvery-cheeked Hornbills and the endemic Usambiro Barbet. Keep an eye out for tree-climbing lions dozing in the branches above.

A final relaxed morning at Lake Manyara for any remaining species, then drive to Arusha with views of Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro on the horizon. Depending on flight times, there may be time for a visit to Arusha's National Park or Cultural Heritage centre before transferring to the airport for departure.