15 Days Active Tanzania Safari

Welcome to Tanzania!

Your Travel Seasons guide will be waiting for you at Kilimanjaro International Airport. We will then drive to your accommodation in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro (approximately a 40 minutes drive, depending on traffic and time of arrival.) We will leave you to unwind in the hotel for remainder of the day and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

After breakfast we will depart for Materuni Village, home to people of the Chagga tribe.

We will hike for approximately 45 minutes to a spectacular waterfall (with an option to swim!). After spending some time at the falls, we will walk for about 30 minutes through forests and farmland to the coffee plantation where we will share a traditional lunch.

After lunch, you will enjoy an Arabica coffee tour and take part in the process from harvest to cup! You will experience some local dancing and singing from the Chagga tribe.

Today we hike to the first camp on the Marangu route on Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5895 metres above sea level. We will drive to Marangu gate where we will register the climb before starting off towards Mandara Hut. You will hike through rainforests, with the opportunity to see eucalyptus trees, various bird life and Colobus monkeys.

A picnic lunch will be enjoyed at Mandara Hut before descending down to the Marangu Gate and returning to your lodge.

Early in the morning we will head to Arusha National Park. Although small, it has great diversity in its landscapes; ranging from the striking Mt Meru, grasslands, alkaline lakes, dense forests and a magnificent crater. The park is home to many species of birds, blue monkeys, baboons, colobus monkeys, giraffes, zebra, warthogs to name a few. Larger game are present including elephants, and leopards, but rarely seen.

Here we will take a canoe safari along the edges of Momella Lakes, home to hippos, a wide variety of birds and in particular pink flamingos.

You will spend the day at the outstanding Maasai Lodge, taking part in various activities, including a nature walk with a Masai warrior. You will have the opportunity to learn more about the Maasai, the most iconic tribe in East Africa. This is a stunning location, so enjoy the peace, the pool with a view, have a massage, a sauna and find the mirror cave!

After breakfast we will head to Lake Manyara, an alkaline lake, rich with plant and bird life. The lake’s environment supports over 300 species of birds including cormorants, pink flamingos, pelicans and storks. After a picnic lunch, we will enjoy an afternoon game drive where you can see elephants and baboons (in fact Lake Manyara boasts the most baboons in any park in Africa!) If you are lucky you will also see the famous tree-climbing lions.

After breakfast, we will go to the local produce markets in the small colourful town of Mto Wa Mbu (meaning ‘mosquito river’ in Swahili) before visiting sugar cane, rice and banana plantations and a local brewery. We will return to the hotel for lunch and a rest before embarking on a leisurely bicycle ride to the edge of Lake Manyara.

Today we head to Lake Natron, a salt lake near to the Kenyan Border where you can witness the most spectacular scenery and enjoy a variety of activities. We drive parallel to the Rift Valley wall, passing through changing landscapes with a good chance of seeing various animals. On the way we will enjoy a picnic lunch. It is a long drive and we will arrive in the evening into the tented camp at Lake Natron, enjoying dinner before heading to bed (or climbing a volcano!)

Optional: Climbing Ol Doinyo Lengai, an active volcano! The climb starts at midnight, arriving at the summit at 6am, to witness the colours and sounds of the volcano. The descend down is only about 2 hours. Be aware that this is not an easy climb, but steep, strenuous with often narrow paths! If you have a physical / medical issue problem or bad knees – do not attempt this climb!

After a relaxing breakfast in the lodge you will enjoy a full day of great activities around Lake Natron. We will visit the lake where you can see many flamingos (Lake Natron is the only regular breeding ground in East Africa for the 2.5 million Lesser Flamingos.) After walking tour you will have lunch at the camp. During your time at Lake Natron you have the option of visiting a local village, swimming under waterfalls or even riding donkeys!

After a breakfast, we will start our journey to the Serengeti National Park. The Serengeti National Park, home to the ‘big five’; rhinoceros, elephant, leopard, buffalo and lion, is one of the greatest national parks in the world, spanning over 14,000 km². The name Serengeti comes from a Maasai word meaning ‘endless plains’.

Although populations fluctuate, there are an estimated 3 million large game animals in the Serengeti, including over 2,500 lions, 1.2 million wildebeest and over 200,000 zebras. The Serengeti boasts the largest terrestrial migration in the world, with over 2 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle annually moving in search of greener pastures.

You will also have the opportunity to see giraffes, baboons, colobus monkeys, gazelles, antelopes, crocodiles, hippos, waterbuck, hartebeest and more! This vast and varied park is home to more than 500 bird species; including ostriches, vultures, martial eagles, kori bustards, crowned crane and secretary birds.

Enjoy the red African sunset and dine under a carpet of stars that light up the sky.

NOTE: Depend on the season will select where to stay. ( AUGUST TO NOVEMBER ) will stay all night in the northern side because of the wildebeest migration it’s the crossing of the river season.

Beginning the day with an early game drive, you will experience the Serengeti as the sun rises and wildlife awakens in the golden morning light. This is one of the best times for wildlife viewing. We will return to your lodge / camp for a late breakfast and rest, before setting out into the vast Serengeti plains for the rest of the day.

After breakfast we will enjoy at game drive to the main Serengeti gate and stop for a picnic lunch. Heading towards the Ngorongoro Crater we will pass through varied landscapes and micro-climates – vast plains, sweeping hills and dense forests.

We will hike along the crater rim for two to three hours, in the company of an armed ranger. There will be spectacular views looking into the Ngorongoro Crater and a chance to see a variety of animals and bird life including giraffes, elephants and buffalo.

Early in the morning, after breakfast in our lodge, we will drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa’s safari highlights. The name Ngorongoro is from a Maasai word meaning ‘Gift of Life’.

You will begin with taking in the magnificent views from the crater rim before descending into the crater itself. You will have the opportunity to see elephants, lions, buffalo, zebra and many other species of animals and birds. We will enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the hippo pool.

The Ngorongoro Crater is beautiful at any time of year and teaming with wildlife. You may experience clear views of the crater bowl or mists rolling down into the base – either way a memorable experience.

After leaving the crater, we will drive to our camp near Lake Eyasi.

Early in the morning we will visit people of the Hadzabe tribe for a bushwalk or a hunting trip (whichever you prefer.) The Hadzabe are one of the most traditional tribes in Tanzania, an indigenous ethnic group of only around 1000 people. They are hunters and gatherers, living in the same way as their ancestors did many years before. You will see how they survive, by watching (and taking part!) in their archery skills and fire lighting.

After leaving the Hadzabe people we will return to the lodge for a late breakfast and a rest, before heading to visit members of the equally fascinating Datoga tribe. The Datoga are pastoralists, known as skilled craftsmen and experts in making arrow heads (which they sell to their neighbours, the Hadzabe people).

After lunch we will visit Lake Eyasi itself and spend some time at the lake edge. Some seasons it is a dry salt bed and other times it will be rich with bird life when the water levels are high.

We will enjoy breakfast at your lodge before heading towards Arusha, via Mto Wa Mbu for afternoon tea. There will be several opportunities to stop along the way, enjoying the varied landscapes and a chance to browse in some cultural souvenir shops.

We will arrive back in Arusha in the early evening.

Today you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro International Airport to meet your flight home or to the Spice Islands of Zanzibar.