Welcome to the highlights of Tanzania!
The following trip leaves nothing to be desired! Depending on the season, you start with a visit to either the elephants in Tarangire (February - November) or the migratory birds in Lake Manyara (November - February) and continue your journey to the world-famous Serengeti. Enjoy the vastness of the plains and explore this impressive landscape. On the way back to Arusha you will make a detour to the Ngorongoro Crater - with a lot of luck you will come across the shy rhinoceros!
Truly one highlight chases the next - and maybe the lion also hunts its prey during your game drives ...
| Country | Tanzania |
| Accommodation | Middle class |
| Food | Fullboard |
| Minimum number of participants | 2 person |
Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport - Welcome to Tanzania
Today you land in East Africa - at the foot of the majestic mountain: Mount Kilimanjaro!
Perhaps you have already caught a glimpse of the highest mountain in Africa from the plane, if not, with a little luck you can still make out the summit on the drive from the airport to Arusha.
Your personal driver will be waiting for you at the exit of the airport with a sign in his hands and will give you a warm welcome on Tanzanian soil with a cheerful "Jambo" and "Karibu".
The drive to Arusha takes about 1 hour, depending on traffic and time of day. Your transfer will lead you through the first small local villages, past Mount Meru - the second highest mountain in Tanzania - to the lively city of Arusha.
Here you check into your accommodation and can recover from the journey.
Do you have any questions about the tour? Then discuss this with your guide before he says goodbye to you for the rest of the day.
Note:
If you arrive early in the morning, we would be happy to organize a guided tour of Arusha for you.
The Clock Tower, the Tanzanite Museum and the Maasai Souvenir Market are particularly worth seeing :-)
February - November
Herds of elephants and baobab trees in Tarangire National Park
Your guide will pick you up from the hotel after breakfast around 8:30 a.m. Check out of the accommodation and stow your luggage in our comfortable Toyota Landcruiser, in which you will be traveling with the guide for the next days.
The safari adventure can begin!
You can already observe the typical Tanzanian landscape on the way to Tarangire National Park. Wide savannahs, acacia trees and grasslands line the path. The vegetation is broken up by the red robes of the Maasai who herd their calves, goats and cattle here. Children who watch with big eyes the Mzungus (Swahili: the traveler / the white person) on the way to the national parks and sometimes run after the cars with big laughs and a lot of waves.
After about 2 hours you will reach the entrance gate of the Tarangire National Parks. While your guide takes care of the entry formalities, you can freshen up and visit an information trail about the park. First impressions of the dryness and heat will accompany you.
The journey continues straight into the National Park. First animals crossing your path.
The park is known for its large herds of elephants, zebras and wildebeest, but also for the baobab trees that shape the landscape. In between there are also a few lions and a variety of bird species. Especially on the Tarangire River - the main source of water in the park - you can watch the animals looking for water.
After the first impressions we take a break at the Tarangire Safari Lodge for lunch. A good mix of Tanzanian and continental food is offered here and the view from the terrace with a cup of coffee or tea is unforgettable. Many times the elephants pass under the hill and all you have to do is keep your eyes open and watch.
After your meal, continue your game drives with your guide. There is so much to discover and your guide will take you to beautiful spots in the park so that you can fully enjoy the tour - rest assured - the guide has eyes like an eagle and also spots small animals out of the corner of his eye!
The day is coming to an end and you continue to your accommodation. Here you check into your room and review the impressions of the first day of the safari.
November - February
A great variety of birds and lions climbing the trees - Lake Manyara National Park
After the huge herds of elephants, you continue to Lake Manyara National Park.
A special highlight for bird lovers. In the winter months, the migratory birds come from the north and populate the lake - huddling close together. In addition to the storks, there are also vultures, pelicans and of course the pink flamingos!
In addition to these many species of birds, you can also watch the hippos snorting in the lake and, with a little luck, lions climbing the trees to protect themselves from annoying flies and the heat on the ground. They just hang around here and have a good time in the shade.
If time permits, drive to the hot springs - which occur here due to the activities underground - and walk a little way into the lake via a jetty.
ALTERNATIV
Mto wa Mbu - the mosquito village on the edge of Lake Manyara National Park
The name Mto wa Mbu translated from the Swahili means mosquito village - but these little flies are found there only conditionally during the day. We take you on a journey through a typical Tanzanian village today. Take a guided tour and take a look behind the scenes of local artisans and sample the local banana beer. Your guide will tell you some stories about the Tanzanian way of life and the local village culture. For lunch, we invite you to take a seat under banana leaves and taste typical Tanzanian dishes. After refreshment we continue up to the crater highlands to the next accommodation. The journey takes about 45 minutes - 1 hour. Pack a sweater - especially at night it can get a bit chilly.
Note:
As an alternative to the guided tour of the village, we also organize a guided bike tour along Lake Manyara, or a tuk tuk tour followed by lunch.
From the crater highlands to the world-famous Serengeti
The next highlight of Tanzania is on your itinerary today.
The Serengeti National Park!
The name "Serengeti" alone evokes images of vast plains with individual acacia trees, lions roaming the savannah and breathtaking sunsets!
And this is exactly where today's tour will take you. You leave the crater highlands, drive one last time along the crater rim before descending into the plain of this unique national park.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area merges seamlessly with the Serengeti Park. If you want, you can stop at a Maasai Boma and get a glimpse into the life of this people.
Just before the entrance to the Serengeti is the "Olduvai Gorge" - the "Cradle of Human Kind"! In a small museum and some information boards you can find information about the discovery of the first person to walk upright (plaster casts of the footprints are on display in the museum).
Take a break at Naabi Hill Gate, which you will reach after a 4-hour drive. There is some seating here to enjoy the lunch box you brought with you.
Right next to it, a path leads to a rock that gives you an unobstructed view of the vastness of the Serengeti from above. The climb up there is definitely worth it - use the opportunity to stretch your legs and take a first look at the Serengeti adventure!
After refreshment, your guide will take the path to the center of the national park. On the way he will stop for the first animal observations. Be it giraffes standing in the wide plain, or a hyena that runs off laughing when you get closer, or vultures circling over a prey in the distance.
Let your gaze wander and not miss a single detail.
Further animal observations will follow on the way to the accommodation.
Here it is now time to check in and enjoy the voices of the wilderness around you and switch off!
Wide plains in the Serengeti National Park
On this day you have ample opportunity to explore the flora and fauna of the Serengeti.
Talk to your guide the evening before about how you would like to organize the day.
We have the following options for you:
1) Go on game drives very early and experience the awakening of the wilderness. Take advantage of the hot lunchtime at the property to rest before going on another game drive in the afternoon. The animals are particularly active in the morning and late afternoon.
2) You choose a full day game drive and don't miss anything. After breakfast, pack your lunch box and explore the Serengeti.
With a bit of luck you will come across a pride of lions on the hunt, a herd of wildebeest in search of water, followed by zebras and hyenas.
Be amazed at what this day has in store for you today - and don't forget your camera to capture the moment!
End the evening comfortably in the accommodation.
Goodbye Serengeti - return to Karatu
Today you will take one last morning game drive in the Serengeti National Park and then head back to Karatu. Please note, today you have a long drive!
Ngorongoro Crater Tour - UNESCO World Heritage Site and a special highlight
One of THE highlights in Tanzania awaits you on this day! The Ngorongoro Crater!
Today you have to get up early, strengthen yourself with breakfast and get ready for an unforgettable day.
You start from the accommodation with the safari car and your guide and first drive to the Ngorongoro Gate. Take advantage of the opportunity to find out more about this unique landscape in the visitor center.
The Ngorongoro Crater was formed from a volcano that has collapsed - forming a so-called caldera. In the whole world there are only a few formations like this that can also be accessed by car. First you drive along the edge of the crater. Get a first glimpse of the interior of the crater and Lake Magadi.
Once you get to the road for the descent into the crater, it's 600 m down to the crater floor. The safari car winds its way very slowly along the crater wall until it reaches the ground and then as if by itself plunges into this landscape. If you get there early, you will see Maasai who cross the road with their herds of cattle and lead them to the watering holes on the edge of the crater and lick special salt stones. The Maasai are the only people who are allowed to settle in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and thus shape the landscape with its typical bomas (villages).
No settlement is allowed within the crater itself, so you can observe animals such as zebras, wildebeest, buffalo, warthogs and lions in their natural habitat. Due to the limitation of the slopes of the crater, you will find an incomparable biodiversity in a small space.
A special inhabitant of the crater is the rhinoceros, which with a little luck you will see in the plain.
For lunch you stop at the picnic area - a little tip: take your meal in the car and then stretch your legs - the giant birds in the trees are just waiting to steal the bread from your fingers.
After the break you explore the rest of the crater and then make the steep ascent with the safari car back up to the crater rim - this takes a while and is mostly "pole pole" - "slowly slowly".
The driveway is done and you return to your accommodation for your overnight stay.
What a day - with lots of great experiences!
Departure
Today your journey comes to an end. 3 hours before your flight departure you will be picked from the hotel and transferred to the airport.
We hope you have packed a bag full of memories.
We are waving good bye and wishing you a safe flight back home!
Kwa heri na karibu tena!
Bye bye and welcome again!
The Kati Kati Tented Camps are scattered across the central Serengeti with ten tents each (there are about 10 camps in total). They offer a quite rustic ambience, but have a wonderful "out of Africa" - charme. The tents are furnished functionally with shower and toilet in each tent.
The Ngorongoro Farmhouse Lodge is located near the majestic volcano Oldeani and has an advantageous connection to the pristine wildlife of the nature reserve Ngorongoro and to the simple joy of a hike through the 500 hectare farmland. Ngorongoro Farm House was opened on 20. February 2003 and offers 52 cottages, 49 standard rooms and 3 suites, all with plenty of room. It was built in style of an old colonial farm and is country style furnished.
Karama Lodge & Spa is an eco-friendly lodge in Arusha, Tanzania. It's the perfect base for a Tanzania safari or a restful night before climbing Mt. Kilimandscharo. The bar is open all day for a cool beer, a glass of wine, liquor or a healthy juice. You can sit on the spacious deck and have a drink, while enjoying the breathtaking view over Mt. Kilimandscharo, Mt. Meru and the wooded valleys. The lodge is located on the top of Suye Hill. It's an exceptional lodge with rustic, nevertheless comfortable ambience, which creates a very relaxed atmosphere.
The hotel is only ten minutes away from Tarangire National Park. The Lake Burunge Tented Camp has 30 rooms, thereof 20 tents and 10 bungalows, located in shadowy bush. All of them have a spectacular view over Lake Burunge. Every room has it's own bathroom.
The Tarangire National Park is one of 11 national parks in Tanzania. It is situated southwest of Arusha near Lake Manyara and is divided by Tarangire river, which is the only water source during dry season. Therefore the park is home to many animals. Its landscape is mostly made of savannah and stretches over 2600 km² at a height of about 900 m. The many baobab trees, elephants and various bird species have made the park famous.
The Lake Manyara National Park features a groundwater forest very rare to East Africa, transitioning into grass plains with acacia trees and open grasslands. At the banks of Lake Manyara, you can discover swamplands. The park is home to about 20 to 30 lions which enjoy resting on the trees, as well as some leopards and many monkeys of different species. Common animals of the park are giraffes, impalas, gnus, zebras, hippos and large buffalo herds.
The Ngorongoro preservation area is situated between the Serengeti and Lake Manyara National Park. Within the preservation area, the Ngorongoro Crater is located, which is the largest caldera in the world. The crater is 600 m deep and 260 km² large, and represents the variety of east African landscape and wildlife in a secluded area.
The Serengeti is a relatively treeless savannah, stretching from the north of Tanzania, east of Lake Victoria, to southern Kenya and covering an area of 30,000 km². More than 1.6 million herbivores and thousands of carnivores live here. Common animals in this region are gnus, gazelles, zebras and buffaloes. A unique experience is the migration of large animal herds. The word “serengeti” originates in the Massai language and means “vast area/wide plain”.
Large and plain grasslands in the south are contrasted by slightly hilly, forested plains in the north. The central savannah is almost treeless, and in the southeast you can find the Ngorongoro preservation area, which is characterised by volcanism and classified as world natural heritage since 1979. The highest mountains are about 1850 m above sea level, lower parts of the savannah go down to 950 m. The Serengeti area includes the Serengeti National Park which covers 14,763 km² and belongs to the largest and surely the most famous national parks in the world. Since 1981, it is also part of the UNESCO world natural heritage. The documentary “Serengeti shall not die” by Bernhard Grzimek was awarded with an Oscar in 1960.
Meals and accommodation as described in the program
All entry fees
4x4 safari car - no other guests in the car
English speaking guide
1.5 liters of water per day per person
Airport transfers
Flying Doctors Insurance *
* In the event of an accident or sudden illness, you will be picked up by the Flying Doctors at the nearest landing site and flown to a hospital in Nairobi. From then on, your international health insurance should cover payment for the treatment.
Any airport charges
Things of personal use
Tips: Recommendation per guide on safari: 15-20USD per day
Tanzania visa (50USD per person)
beverages
International travel health insurance
Travel cancellation insurance
National and international flights
