WINGS OVER AFRICA - SkySafari Tanzania

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There’s a palpable buzz as you approach Kilimanjaro Airport: Africa’s highest mountain looms large outside. Once on the ground and whisked to your home for the night however, the buzz comes from the bushes: Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge sits in the foothills of Mount Meru one of Tanzania’s largest working plantations.

On the edge of Arusha and yet seemingly a million miles from the bustle of the city, the rooms are sprinkled amid the lush and fertile gardens of this charming and picturesque estate. It’s one of the most luxurious properties in Arusha, and the perfect pre and post safari lodge.

Retreat to your stylish room amid the bean-laden bushes, breathe in the heady java scent, dine in the glorious gardens and unwind in the spa. Soothing in the extreme, this is the perfect pre-safari stay.

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Your safari adventure starts from the minute you touch down in this incredible 2850 Km2 National Park. Tarangire is home to over 3000 elephants, the largest concentration in Tanzania, and one of the largest in East Africa. The landscape is varied and dramatically beautiful, delivering a diverse and fascinating eco system, as well as exceptional wildlife viewing all year round.

During the dry season the Tarangire River becomes a sole source of water for wildlife, and the area becomes host to a migration of animals, including wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, and kudu - seeking out the lush green pastures. It’s also a birders paradise, with the swamps populated with over 550 bird varieties, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world.

Tarangire Treetops is a fabulously unique property located in a private 312 Km2 conservancy borderin the national park. The communal lounge and bar area overlook a watering hole (with 24 hour webcam for those keen to check out the local wildlife prior to arrival) whilst the elevated position of the treehouse suites, sitting amongst the branches of the baobab and murula trees, provide incredible views of the conservancy, and local inhabitants.

Whatever your tipple, watching the sunset on the horizon from Sunset Hill will almost certainly be a highlight of your stay.

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Tarangire National Park is known for having the greatest concentration of wildlife outside of the Serengeti eco-system. Named after the river that crosses through it, this park - 2850 km2 (1,100 square mi) located southwest of Arusha, is sometimes sadly missed by those heading for the more well known of the National Parks in Tanzania.

During the dry season, the river is the only source of water for many animals, with thousands migrating to it from the nearby Lake Manyara National Park. The landscape here is diverse, with a mix of habitats that are unique to the area and not found anywhere else: hilly landscapes are dotted with vast numbers of baobab trees, dense bush and high grasses.

Herds of up to 300 elephants congregate here, whilst migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala and eland can also be seen, with the accompanying predators following along behind. The swamps are where you will find over 550 bird species, the most breeding species in one habitat anywhere in the world. It is a birder's dream with frequent sightings of yellow-collared lovebirds which can be seen during a game drive alongside the river.

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A UNESCO World Heritage Site and often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world, The Ngorongoro crater is the largest intact caldera on earth. The rim of the crater is made up of lush, mountain forest and coffee plantations: in contrast, the 260 Km2 crater floor is covered in open grassy plains, acacia thickets, riverine forest, and lakes. Relatively small it may be, but the crater really does pack one heck of a punch, offering the highest density of wildlife in Africa, including the Big 5 and over 400 species of birds.

Arguably one of the most lavish properties on the safari circuit, The Manor at Ngorongoro is located within the Shangri-La Coffee estate, on the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Manor, with its old-world Afro-European architecture, offers luxurious accommodation in the most beautiful grounds. Fine dining and exquisite food are delivered with the best in African hospitality, with the swimming pool, spa, games room, cinema and stables offer a variety of ways of enjoying your time at the property.

The Manor is surrounded by the natural beauty of the Tanzanian highlands, and is less than half an hour from The Ngorongoro Crater rim, and within close proximity to Lake Manyara National Park.

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The Ngorongoro Crater is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world. The Crater itself is the world's largest inactive and intact volcanic caldera, formed when it exploded and collapsed in on itself some two to three million years ago. The floor of the Crater covers 260 km2 (100 sq mi) and is mostly covered by grasslands with two small wooded areas and a seasonal salt lake in the centre of the crater; the lake is known by two names, Lake Magadi or Lake Makat. The other major water source is the Ngoitokitok, near the eastern crater wall.

Set in the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority area, part of the larger Serengeti ecosystem, it adjoins the Serengeti National Park, merging into the Southern Plains. The south and west of the area are volcanic highlands including Lake Natron ,the active volcano Ol Donyo Lengai and the lesser known Empakai Crater; the southern and eastern boundaries are defined by the rim of the East African Rift wall.

The Ngorongoro Crater, known as a great tourist attraction, is usually quite crowded, but the game viewing is very rewarding nevertheless. Within the whole area, there are over 25,000 large animals, including black rhinoceros, wildebeest, zebra, eland, Grant's and Thomson's gazelles, lion, leopards, elephants, mountain reedbuck, hyenas and huge herds of buffalo. Over 500 species of birds have been recorded within the area, including ostrich, white pelican and the greater and lesser flamingo on the lake within the Crater.

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The Serengeti is one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world and home to the annual wildebeest migration. The Serengeti National Park itself covers 14,750 km2 of grassland plains, open savannah, riverine forests and woodlands. It lies in the north of Tanzania, bordered by Kenya and the Masai Mara National Reserve in the north, the Ngorongoro Crater Area to the southeast, the Maswa Game Reserve to the south west and the Loliondo Game Controlled Area area to the east. Together, all these areas form the larger Serengeti ecosystem which almost all see the wildebeest herds at some point during their annual circuit.