Cindy & Farid

From June to November the greatest concentration of animals can be found in the Central Serengeti. This valley offers varied landscapes as well as a high density of game year round. The Serengeti hosts the largest concentration of wildlife in the world, and is home to one of the great wonders of the natural world, the Great Migration. Over a million wildebeest and some 600,000 zebra move through the eco-system, with lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog and crocodiles making sure only the strongest survive. The sheer volume of numbers combined with the daily dramas of life and death make this an unforgettable experience.

Visit the famed Ngorongoro Crater, located at the eastern edge of the Serengeti, and nearly three million years old, the ancient caldera of the once-volcanic Ngorongoro shelters the most beautiful wildlife haven left on Earth. The Crater is home to countless cheetah, serval, wildebeest, gazelle, zebra, leopard, and jackal.

Balloon safaris are a romantic and evocative way of experiencing the wilderness of East Africa, as you gracefully and silently fly over the plains teeming with herds of wild life in the early morning. Typically, a ballon safari begins between 6 am and lasts for around 1-2 hours, during which you will likely see the magnificent wildlife below over several square kilometres of the game park. Ballon safaris are held regularly only in the Serengeti and take off from designated sites (in the Seronera area) where the disturbance to animals is kept to a minimum. Your safari vehicle drops you off at the take off site and picks you up from your landing site. The safari is followed by a champagne breakfast in the bush, a fitting end to your memorable flight in the wild.

We'll have a drink or two on you at the local bar or at our favorite saloon. Cheers!

Lake Manyara National Park, famed for its tree-climbing lion, is made up of acacia woodlands, grassy floodplains and verdant groundwater forests and is home to an incredible diversity of birds, especially waterfowl, as well as antelope, primates and predators.

Night game drives are a very enjoyable experience: travel in an open game drive vehicle with very knowledgeable guides. During the drives, the tracker uses a powerful spotlight searching for the nocturnal animals. Expect to see a wide variety of animals not normally seen during the day.

Far away from the beaten tourist track, the Northern Serengeti offers the unique opportunity to explore the fantastic Serengeti National Park undisturbed. Off-road driving is still allowed in the some parts of the northern Serengeti – unlike in the rest of the park. Endless rolling plains and riverine woodlands are home to lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, and large herds of antelopes amongst many, many others. The stunning Mara River filled with hippos and crocodiles, cuts through this land and hosts one of the greatest spectacles of nature: the dramatic wildebeest migration. Between mid July and November, the Great Migration typically visits the area and crosses the Mara River back and forth in search of green grass.

The Olduvai Gorge or Oldupai Gorge is commonly referred to as "The Cradle of Mankind." It is a steep-sided ravine in the Great Rift Valley, which stretches along eastern Africa, and is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world. It has been instrumental in furthering understanding of early human evolution. We will also visit a Masai village to experience the local culture.

We have a 6 hour layover in Amsterdam and we'll be hitting the town to see the Canal and the infamous red light district!

It may not have a particularly romantic name, but Stone Town is the old city and cultural heart of Zanzibar, little changed in the last 200 years. It is a place of winding alleys, bustling bazaars, mosques and grand Arab houses whose original owners vied with each other over the extravagance of their dwellings. This one-upmanship is particularly reflected in the brass-studded, carved, wooden doors - there are more than 500 different examples of this handiwork. You can spend many idle hours and days just wandering through the fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways.

Kikoti is a luxury, tented camp that recaptures the time-honored splendor of the traditional safari camp of yesteryear, when comfort was defined by superior service and campfire hospitality

Matemwe Beach Village is a supremely cosy guestlodge located on the northeast coast of Zanzibar. It's within excellent proximity to Mnemba Island, which offers some of the best diving off mainland Zanzibar. The simple makuti-thatched lodge and bungalows are situated along a glorious strip of palm-fringed beach. The main lodge has comfortable living areas, friendly staff and a very sociable atmosphere generated by the type of clientele they attract

Scenically located in a glade guarded by 3 million year old granite towers, Mbuzi Mawe makes maximum use of its unique wilderness location. There are al fresco breakfasts, safari luncheons, lantern-lit bush suppers, campfire roasts, and dance displays by the Ikoma people as well as game drives, ranger-led bush walks, ornithology and sightings of: elephant, lion, cheetah, leopard, buffalo, hyena, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, warthog, hippo and crocodile.

Hidden among the rocky outcrops or kopjes of the vast, internationally renowned Serengeti plains is a camp that exudes a decadence reminiscent of old Africa. The Serengeti, is synonymous with low impact high action game viewing in a landscape untouched since the dawn of time. Richly furnished throughout, the camp provides a haven of sumptuous indulgence among the raw splendor of the surrounding bush. It’s spacious tents have been carefully placed to provide privacy and blend into nature’s architecture, overlooking the Grumeti River and its resident hippos. Surrounded by a 360 degree verandah deck and with a capacious, 45 square metre, internal floor space, each guest tent is a private sanctuary. The split level lounge, cigar bar, restaurant, sundecks and swimming pool are perched among the outcrops and overlook the vast and rugged landscapes that are home to the world’s greatest mammal migration.

Like a green oasis, Plantation Lodge rests on the soft, red-brown hills amidst the vastness and silence of East Africa. The individually furnished rooms and suites melting harmoniously into the flowering garden offer comfort and relaxation.

Sayari is Swahili for universe or planet, capturing the vast plains and endless skies in which the camp is immersed. Sayari Camp was designed to strike the perfect balance between luxury and immersion in the extensive Serengeti. The 8 spacious guest tents blend perfectly into the majestic landscape. Each tent is beautifully designed with original and traditional cloth and furniture and has a king-size bed, en-suite bathroom and a private veranda with a comfortable couch, overlooking the Serengeti. The dining area, lounge area and campfire create a perfect bush setting, with Africa as the backdrop. Far away from any other sign of human life, the Sayari camp crew ensures that every guest feels at home in this remote location. Sayari Camp's talented cook offers guests a fusion of European cuisine with authentic African elements. The camp's naturalist guides offer a wealth of knowledge on the wonderful surrounding land and its inhabitants. The camp was chosen as one of the "Special Places" in Africa by Africa Geographic.

Suites are perched high up in the age old Baobab and Marula trees. Astride the path of the Elephant Migration, Tarangire Treetops sits alone in a private game reserve bordering Tarangire National Park and the Maasai Steppe amid rolling, baobab-studded hills with views to Lake Manyara and the Rift Valley wall.

It's casual, fun and perfect for an afternoon lunch. With so many restaurants in town, we'll choose the most perfect, casual restaurant where we'll take delight in the juiciest burgers, fresh sandwiches, chicken and fries!

Imagine us having dinner here in the middle of the reserve!

Stone Town's hottest hangout is the perfect marriage of style and substance. Livingstone combines creative spins on Zanzibari cuisine with breezy beachside real estate and an attractive dining room decked out with hand-carved Swahili furniture and works by local artists. Light bites like spring rolls with a coriander, mango, and yogurt salsa are good for an afternoon nibble; in the evening, there's a feast of fresh catches simmered in coconut milk, dry-rubbed with Zanzibari spices, or stuffed with a mango and cilantro sauce. With candlelit tables planted in the sand and starlit waves crashing on the shore, open-air dining hits a pitch-perfect note for romance. On the weekend, live music draws a mix of tourists and locals to the dance floor and you might struggle to find a cozy corner, but the tropical beats (and a lengthy cocktail list) offer a taste of Stone Town at its flirty finest.

With a lively beachfront setting and some of the best sunset views around, Mercury's is as much a Stone Town icon as the Old Fort. Named for Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, who was born just down the road, this busy hangout serves up an eclectic menu with everything from fajitas and fish tacos to pastas and curries. Red snapper in green curry and grilled tuna with pesto mayo stand out among a host of good, if not unforgettable, fish dishes; more reliable are the delicious thin-crust pizzas. In the evening, with the sun dipping toward the ocean and local fishermen playing soccer in the sand, there's no better place to drink a cold Kilimanjaro beer.

With so many ice cream parlors in town, we'll try everything from hot fudge sundaes to soft serve ice cream and thick milkshakes. Who cares about the diet on our fantastic getaway!

Any help to get to and from our destination is a wonderful gift. We will be thanking you long after take off.

Thank you for allowing us to pre-plan our trip. It all goes towards having the ultimate getaway made possible by your generous registry gift.

We'd like to buy a video camera to record our wedding and honeymoon memories! Any contributions would be appreciated :)