Cultural and Wildlife Itinerary Safari
Day 1: Arrival and Meeting with Our Team
We will wait for you in the Kilimanjaro International airport and transfer you to the city of Arusha to stay the first night at a nice hotel. You will be able to get around the city, have some time getting used to Tanzania, change some money in local currency, rest from the flight, and prepare for the ultimate experience that starts the following day early morning.
Day 2: Among the African Elephant herds in Tarangire
After a complete Breakfast you will have brief talk with our safari expert before departure for the first game drive. We leave Arusha heading towards Tarangire, the journey is approximately two and half hours. Along these days you can be certain you will have a chance to see Africa Elephants huge herds at Tarangire National park, moreover, the big five live in the area and we hope you can see them in their habitat. Later we drive to Mto wa mbu for overnight either at the lodge or camp, depending on the previous arrangement.
Day 3: Lake Manyara
Incredible day for great experiences, after breakfast we head to the lake Manyara. Lake Manyara National Park offers a wilderness experience in diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. Apart from a spectacular setting, the park is famous for the “tree-climbing lions”; they usually spend the days on the branches of the trees, while they descend on the ground at sunset. In lake Manyara is also famous for the variety of primates and water birds, the scene of thousands of birds get off the ground at the same time. We will be back at Mto wa mbu to spend the night.
Day 4: Cultural experience and lake Eyasi.
After couple of days enjoying the wildlife and wonders of nature, it is time to start the cultural activities. The cultural visit around the area to observe the peoples, traditional villages and the banana fields. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a ride in bike around and get a different view of Africa. After a nice hot lunch in the lodge, we will drive to the lake Eyasi, along which you will see the escarpments of the Great Rift Valley where you can enjoy impressive views and get stunning pictures.
Day 5: Cultural visits to the Handzabe and Datoga tribes.
During the second day of the cultural tour you will have the opportunity to enjoy a unique experience visiting the Handzabe tribe and the Datoga tribe. In the Datoga tribe you can participate in the traditional work of a blacksmith and produce arrows that the Datoga sell to other tribes. For instance, the handzabe are hunters and agro pastoralists keeping cows and goats, following the ancestral ways of living. They are nomads and move around a great area. We have ties with their local community and we will be accompanied with a guide form their tribe so we can communicate with them because they have their own language. If you feel adventurous you will have the chance to go with them hunting and see how they track animals. With us, you will have the unique opportunity of trying their arrows and bowls. You will be taught their old hunting techniques in a complete and secure environment.
Be certain you will enjoy these intercultural exchange to see the cultural values and the old ways, and perhaps (depending on the day) we can enjoy the ritual ancestral dances. After the visits to real Africa we will drive to Karatu, where you will stay at a lodge or camp (depending on arrangement).
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater and Rainforest.
This will be an amazing day. After a succulent breakfast we will drive from Karatu to Ngorongoro, register at the gate and start driving through the Ngorongoro rain forest towards the Ngorongoro crater. The Ngorongoro crater is one of the wonders of nature, there is a large amount animals and rich vegetation. We will spend the whole day around the crater observing a large number of different species. You will likely have one of the last opportunities to see black Rhinos alive in their habitat. We know perfectly their habits and how to track them, Loserian was the ranger in charge of protect them from poaching years ago. The Ngorongoro Crater is an experience you won’t forget. Later in the evening we will get back to the Rhino lodge.
Day 7: Serengeti, Massai Village, and Olduvai Gorge.
After breakfast we will head towards the Olduvai Gorge, a great opportunity to enjoy amazing views and follow the steps of the first homo sapiens. The Olduvai Gorge is one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world, it holds the earliest evidence of the existence of human ancestors. You will also see the spectacular, yet mysterious, ash dunes of Shifting Sands. Formed from volcanic ash, these crescent-shaped dunes are a rare phenomenon. Later on the day we will drive towards the Maasai village and stop there to enjoy the Maasai people friendliness and smiles, you will talk and participate in their activities. After having a great time in the village we will drive towards the Serengeti National Park and stay the night.
Day 8: Central Serengeti and the Big 5.
This will be a dream day. We will get energy with a great breakfast and pack our lunches for the intense day. We will track the big five (African lion, African elephant, Cape Buffalo, african leopard and rhinos) and observe them closely. For instance the Serengeti is the best place to get close to the big felines, chances are very high you will take pictures of several leopards, cheetahs and lions. After the great day we get back to the lodge or camp.
Day 9: Second day in Serengeti and Lobo Valley.
Second day in Serengeti. You will continue with the tracking of the big cats like leopards, cheetah and lions. Hope we are lucky and we see wildlife in action. After lunch we will drive towards the spectacular Lobo Valley, which offers the best big cat viewing opportunities in the North Serengeti. Lions, leopards and cheetahs abound. Lobo, a pristine valley scattered with woodlands, open plains, ranges of hills and studded with spectacular granite kopjes, is a remarkable place of great beauty and solitude. Some the world’s most ancient rock formations estimated at 2-3 million years old can be seen here.
Day 10:Mara River
After breakfast, early game drive to later head towards the magnificent and famous Mara River. Together with the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania it forms Africa’s most diverse, incredible and most spectacular eco-systems and possibly the world’s top safari big game viewing eco-system. We will take you to the best places to spot the famous river crossing of the big herds (specially if its great migration season). Therefore, the classic big crocodiles waiting for their prey will be observed as well.
Day 11:Lake Natron
We start the day with a short early game drive on our way to Lake Natron. Along the way we will have the chance to stop in a small town in Loliond called Waso and visit the town for some time before heading to lake Natron. Lake Natron in Tanzania is one of the most serene lakes in Africa, but it’s also the source of some of the most incredible photographs ever captured. Your first activities in the lake will be to visit the waterfalls after short hike. Overnight at the lodge or camp in Natron area.
Day 12:Lake Natron and Return to Arusha.
Last day in lake Natron area, you can repeat some of the activities you did the previous day or game drive in some other great wildlife spots. Later in the day, drive back to Arusha, once in the city, depending on your arrangements, we can transfer you to the airport or hotel. In case you want to add the extra days in the paradise of Zanzibar you will stay at the airport and fly there the following day.
Kilimanjaro Map Route
NOTE: This itinerary can be camping or lodging but the sample price is for Basic camping if you would like to do lodging you may ask for the price with specification of lodges you may prefer but you have to know that in some areas we do not have low price lodge a good example is lobo we have only one lodge which is not of a lower price it will vary to $400 a night.