Day 1 (Saturday): Karama Lodge & Spa, Arusha

Agenda:

Fly from Switzerland to Tanzania. Arrive at Kilimanjaro airport, go through customs, and obtain your visa. Your driver and guide will welcome you at the airport. You will then be driven to your hotel in Arusha for the night.

Lodging:

Karama Lodge & Spa is an Eco-friendly lodge located in Arusha, Tanzania. Guests can sit on the spacious open deck and enjoy a cool beer, a glass of wine, spirits or a fresh fruit juice while taking in the breathtaking views of Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru and the wooded valleys below. Karama Lodge is situated at the top of the lush and serene Suye Hill. It is a unique lodge with a rustic, yet comfortable ambiance providing a relaxed atmosphere.

What to Expect:

Resting at the foot of Mount Meru, the sprawling city of Arusha is known as the safari capital of northern Tanzania. It serves as an excellent base from which to explore the remarkably scenic surrounding area which includes majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as the Manyara, Tarangire and Ngorongoro National Parks. Arusha is a good spot to take a day or two off from the safari circuit as it features a temperate climate and lush surroundings. Visitors can look forward to exploring the wildlife-abundant Serengeti National Park; the magnificent Arusha National Park; and taking on the challenge of climbing Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain.

Day 2-3 (Sunday & Monday): Lake Burunge Tented Camp, Tarangire National Park

Agenda:

After breakfast, your safari starts. You will drive through the city of Arusha, heading to Tarangire National Park, where you’ll spend the day looking for the Big 5: lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. Enjoy dinner and a good night’s sleep at a lovely tented camp close to Lake Burunge, where you will be staying 2 nights. In the early hours of your first morning at Lake Burunge, you will go for a walking safari by the lake, and then spend the day in Tarangire.

Lodging:

Located only 10 minutes from Tarangire National Park, Lake Burunge Tented Camp consists of 30 permanent luxury tents with en suite facilities. Among them are 6 family tents, which consist of two interconnected rooms.

What to Expect:

Located just a few hours’ drive from the town of Arusha, Tarangire is a popular stop for safaris travelling through the northern circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. The park extends into two game-controlled areas and the wildlife are allowed to move freely throughout. After the Serengeti, Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania, and in the dry season, the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Large herds of elephants and migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland gather and not surprisingly the predators follow. This is also the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as oryx and gerenuk are regularly spotted. Tarangire is also known for its spectacular baobab trees, and its breathtaking views of the Masaai Steppe and the mountains to the south.

Day 4 (Tuesday):Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge, Lake Eyasi

Agenda:

This day will be dedicated to your safari in Lake Manyara National park. Lake Manyara National Park offers breathtaking views of surprising biodiversity and features a magnificent landscape of acacia woodlands, water forests, baobab strewn cliffs, algae-streaked hot springs, swamps and the lake itself. This small park is home to 400 species of birds, and the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world. Other species include giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impala, waterbuck, warthog, the Cape clawless otter, and Egyptian mongoose. Don’t miss the opportunity to see thousands of flamingos on the lake, the renowned tree-climbing lions, and large families of elephants strolling through the forest.

Mid-afternoon, accompanied by a guide from the Tourism Office, you will visit the village of Mto wa Mbu, and see the life of a local by visiting rice fields, banana plantations, and even a school. Then you will head towards Lake Eyasi, your home for the next two nights.

Lodging:

Located on a gentle slope overlooking the lake, Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge offers stunning views over the seasonal lake and up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. All 14 spacious rooms scattered across the vast property are tastefully furnished with great attention to detail. The décor blends elements from the surrounding landscape with modern comfort, and each room includes a private veranda overlooking the lake.

What to Expect:

Tucked between the Kidero Mountains in the south and the Eyasi Escarpment in the north, Lake Eyasi is set in a remote, dry, arid landscape just south of Tanzania’s renowned Serengeti National Park. This seasonal lake features dry salt beds; a variety of birdlife such as flamingos and pelicans; and is surrounded by woodlands, forests and ancient baobabs. Popular activities include bird watching, hiking, walking safaris and soaking up the spectacular views.

Day 5 (Wednesday): Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge, Lake Eyasi

Agenda:

this adventurous day is dedicated to discovering two ancient tribes of Tanzania. In the early hours of the morning after an early breakfast, you will go hunting with the people from the Hazabe tribe. Be ready! These hunter-gatherers are agile, fast and will surprise you on many accounts. This will be a unique and memorable moment facilitated by the support of a capable translator. Then, you will visit the people from the Datoga tribe. Skilled craftsmen, the Datoga people have mastered the art of making arrowheads and jewelry. We will visit with people from this pastoral tribe and learn about their ancient way of life, which centers around farming.

What to Expect:

The Hadza tribe are the last survivors of a civilisation that knows nothing of agriculture, livestock, pottery, or metals. They live by hunting with bows and arrows and gathering wild berries and fruits. They are the direct ancestors of the very first human beings, who took their first steps right here along the Rift Valley about two hundred thousand years ago. Their way of life has remained unchanged over the millennia and they live in small wandering groups of about twenty individuals. They are the first known inhabitants of Tanzania. Their presence on the shores of Lake Eyasi dates back almost 40,000 years. While their population amounts to about 1000, approximately 300 individuals live exactly like their ancestors, before the invention of agriculture. The Haza live without rules or schedules, without crops, livestock, or permanent shelter. The women collect the fruits, berries and roots that form the bulk of their diet, and the men supplement this fare by collecting honey and hunting with bows and arrows.

The Datoga are an ancient nomadic tribe that relies on milk and milk products as their most important source of food. In addition to their prized cattle, they also look after their goats, donkeys, and chickens. Their culture resembles that of the Maasai’s: the meat, fat, blood, milk, skin, horn, tendons and excrement of each animal has its practical or ritual utility. Nowadays, most Datoga farm a plot of maize and sometimes beans and millet. However, they are still nomads, driving their livestock where their nutritional needs take them.

Day 6 (Thursday): Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater

Agenda:

After breakfast, you’ll leave the region of lake Eyasi to head back on safari at the crater of Ngorongoro, a World Heritage Site often called Africa’s “8th wonder of the world.” You’ll have dinner and spend the night at a lodge on the crater rim.

Lodging:

Perched alone on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, the magnificent Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge has its own private road to the crater floor. Its location offers awe-inspiring views over the crater and some of the most breathtaking sunsets to be seen in Tanzania. Each suite has a private lounge with mini-bar, en-suite bathroom, central heating and a private solarium. The Lodge has telephone facilities, satellite TV, a conference room, and a swimming pool situated on the very edge of the rim.

What to Expect:

Formed 2.5 million years ago when an extinct volcano collapsed on itself, Ngorongoro is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to over 25,000 large animals, including the highest density of lions in the world as well as many critically endangered black rhinos. You can look forward to spotting the world-renowned Big Five and a host of other wildlife species including large herds of zebra and wildebeest. Ngorongoro is one of the best tourist attractions in Africa.

Day 7 (Friday): The Whisper, Serengeti National Park

Agenda:

Wake up early to make the most of the breathtaking sunrise over the Ngorongoro crater as we prepare to make the most of another adventurous day. After a good breakfast, we will spend most of the day in an authentic Maasai village inside the Ngorongoro conservation area. There, they will prepare a goat BBQ for you, which you will share with them the Maasai way. You will undoubtedly enjoy the true Maasai atmosphere in a village that only receives our visitors. Then, mid-afternoon, you will head to the incredible Serengeti National Park.

Lodging:

The Whisper offers an intimate camp with 6 large Guests tents, equipped with wooden floors, en suite bathroom with shower, vanity desk and flush toilets. You can choose between King-size beds or Twin beds. Up to two children may share their parents’ tent. A dining and lounge tent is provided for travelers to socialize or enjoy a drink while admiring the surrounding wildlife. Meals are prepared fresh daily by on-site chefs (included). At night, enjoy the unique experience of admiring the astonishing Tanzanian skies by the light of a campfire.

Day 8 (Saturday): The Whisper, Serengeti National Park

Agenda:

wake up early to take the best possible shots of the surrounding animals at sunrise. Then back to The Whisper for breakfast and rest. Your safari resumes along with the activity of the animals: from mid-afternoon until sunset.

What to Expect:

Serengeti national park (along with Kenya’s contiguous Masai Mara Game Park) is Africa’s most famous wildlife park. The sweeping vistas of acacia trees on an endless grass plain epitomises Africa for many. The annual wildebeest migration through the Serengeti and the Masai Mara is the largest mass movement of land mammals on the planet. But that is not where the game viewing ends; you may have the opportunity to photograph large prides of lions, elephants and giraffes in grasslands, gazelles and eland, among other magnificient creatures.

Day 9 (Sunday): The Whisper, Serengeti National Park

Agenda:

Early in the morning, national park ranger will meet us at our camp and lead us on a walking safari through the Serengeti: a breathtaking and moving experience. We will spend the rest of the day on safari, coming back to The Whisper for bush fire and dinner.

Day 10 (Monday): Natron River Camp, Lake Natron

Agenda:

We will spend another full day on safari, this time heading north towards Lake Natron and seeing the stunning Engare Sero waterfalls.

Lodging:

Natron River Camp is a guest accommodation of permanent, powered tents situated just south of Natron village. It is a very intimate property with only 8 luxury tents, each with its own bathroom and a garden view. Some of them also have a tree-shaded terrace. This is the perfect place to stay on the border of Natron Lake. It also has one mess tent facing Lengaï and Natron Lake.

What to Expect:

Lake Natron, fed by mineral-rich hot springs, is less than three meters deep. High levels of evaporation leave loads of salt and minerals behind; the volcanic carbonate colours the water a striking red. The temperature can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius. All of this makes it a perfect breeding ground for the endangered Lesser Flamingo. However, it is known as the deadliest lake in the country, as the high sodium carbonate level in the water is known to calcify and petrify wildlife who get too close.

Day 11 (Tuesday): Natron River Camp, Lake Natron

Agenda:

In the morning, you will take a walk by Lake Natron, where you will be able to admire a great number of pink flamingoes. Then, you will hike alongside the river that runs from Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano through beautiful terrain including rugged mountains, grassy plains, and stunning gorges, until you reach an impressive waterfall, where you will enjoy the warm and crystalline waters.

Day 12 (Wednesay): End of Itinerary

Agenda:

Leaving the plains of Lake Natron behind, you will be driven back to Arusha, either for your flight to Zanzibar or to catch your return flight to Europe.

Please note: This itinerary is subject to change depending on weather conditions, light quality and unexpected delays. For example if there is a great location with great light, we stay longer. We ask that you put your faith in the experience of our guides and tutors, who occasionally choose to slightly alter the program to ensure you have the best possible experience.