After a night in Dar es Salaam and a night in Arusha we set out for our safari under the care of our capable driver Abdul.

Our itinary takes us across the rift valley to the Ngorongoro crater for two nights then off to the Western Serengeti staying in the splendid Kirawira tented camp before returning for a night at Lake Manyara. Lots of driving and dust but worth it for spectacular game and scenery.

After leaving Arusha on a good road we soon switch to a terrible, pot hole ridden dirt road. However concern over the bumps disappear when we climb the spectacular sides of the Rift Valley escarpment with views back over Lake Manyara.

The Ngorogngoro Crater is spectacular. From our lodge perched on the edge we have a great view of the floor 2000ft below. Kids soon become expert game watchers as we find Lion, Buffalo and Rhinos as well as thousands of Wildebeest, Zebra and Antelope.

Travelling on into the Serengeti we have a wonderful game spotting day seeing 11 cheetah and over 20 lions. The Serengeti Serena makes a great lunch and pool stop before carrying on into the much less travelled Western Serengeti.

Elephants are hard to find in Tanzania in August. We track this family down in Lake Manyara.

Meanwhile the black rhino is almost extinct. This carefully protected one keeps to the Ngorongoro crater.

Classic Western Serengeti landscape. Long grass, burnt in places, Acacia trees and hills and bluffs of volcanic ash and rocks.

So on to Kirawira tented camp. And some tents! With four poster beds, marble topped sinks and colonial furniture you could be staying in a gentleman's club in St James. Add to that the excellent cooking, service, views over the Serengeti, beautiful pool and the sound of animals grazing outside the tent in the middle of the night and you have a pretty fantastic place to stay.

Next stop...

Zanzibar