12-DAY COMFORT SAFARI & AUTHENTIC CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

On arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) which caters for domestic flights, you will be met by African Big Cats Safaris representative who will drive you to your accommodation in Arusha. Overnight will be at your accommodation awaiting for your safari on the following day.

Accommodation

Mtoni River Lodge
Meal Plan

Bed & Breakfast

After breakfast drive to Arusha National Park for game viewing drives and an escorted game walks accompanied by an armed game ranger. A green jewel and home to the fourth highest mountain in Africa – Mount Meru (4,566 m). Anyone visiting this park will be thrilled by the breath-taking landscapes ranging from the Meru Crater in the west, the Ngurdoto Crater in the south-east to the grasslands, and of course the alkaline Momella Lakes in the north-east. Buffalos, Zebras, Elephants can be spotted. Arusha Park is an excellent all-year-round bird viewing hotspot though, mainly from November to April when the long-distance migratory birds are in the area. Some of these birds will fly from as far as North Africa and Europe to breed in this enchanting land. The Ngurdoto Crater and also called “Little Ngorongoro” with its rich, swampy caldera and its steep crater walls. A packed lunch will served at a picnic site, there after drive back to Arusha for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation

Arusha Planet Lodge
Meal Plan

All meals included

Early morning after breakfast, we depart for Tarangire National Park. The Park is named after the Tarangire River which runs through it. This ‘river of warthogs’ is the only source of water for wildlife in the region during the dry season. In places, the vegetation is quite dense, including elephant grass, acacia woodlands. The Park is well known for its elephant families, which can often be seen congregating by the river. You may also see giraffe, bushbuck, and hartebeest. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators, including lions and leopards. There are more breeding species of birds found in Tarangire National Park than anywhere else on the planet!

After Lunch and an extensive game drive, we head for our Tented partner lodges for dinner and overnight at Lake Burunge Tented Lodge.

You will spend 2 full days inside Tarangire National Park.

Accommodation

Lake Burunge Tented Lodge
Meal Plan

All meals included

After drive to the small village of Mto wa Mbu located beneath the Great Rift Valley escarpment for a guided cultural tour of the village visiting the Banana farms and the rice irrigation farms. Visitors may see Chagga people from the slopes of the Kilimanjaro brew their famous banana beer, mbege, and learn why out of more than 30 varieties of bananas cultivated here only two species are suitable for producing the drink; a farmer from Kigoma extract palm oil from palm trees that he brought from the shores of Lake Tanganyika; appreciate the Sandawe with their fascinating click language, similar to the Khoisan of the Kalahari Desert, making bows & arrows for hunting; interact with the Rangi from Kondoa using the papyrus from the lakes and rivers for weaving beautiful mats and baskets. After lunch drive to Lake Eyasi for dinner and overnight at Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge.

Accommodation

Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge
Meal Plan

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Early morning depart on a guided cultural tour of the Hadzabe tribe’s location at Lake Eyasi and get knowledge and experience their way of life. You may want to join hadzabe bushmen on a hunting demonstration by these proud people who mostly live on hunting and gathering wild fruits and roots. Amongst the world’s last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes inhabiting the scrubby bushland, Hadzabe men search for food alone and return home with golden honey, sweet fruit, or hearty wild game when, and if available. Their language is similar to Southern Africa’s Bushmen who speak the Click language and their language is believed to still have the clicks and pops like no other “ click language” up to the now. You will also have the opportunity to visit a blacksmith tribe of the datoga whereby different ornaments are made. Return to your lodge for a brunch. Afternoon visit Lake Eyasi. Dinner and overnight at Lake Eyasi Lodge.

Accommodation

Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge
Meal Plan

All meals included

Early in the morning after breakfast, we depart for Karatu whereby you will get a chance to do the walking activity. You will start this two-hour walking safari through the forested slopes of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Visit the waterfalls and the incredible elephant caves, created by elephants digging through dense rock with their tusks to ingest the vitamin-rich soil. During your hike, you will be guided by an armed ranger accompanied by your guide through a dense forest and spot different animal tracks like the elephant. You will also visit the Endoro falls whereby the scenery is truly breathtaking. You will choose to have a picnic lunch or drive straight to your accommodation for a hot lunch where you will relax at the lodge and later on prepare for an evening coffee walk. After having the activity done you will depart to your accommodation for a dinner and overnight stay at Marera Valley Lodge.

Accommodation

Marera Valley Lodge
Meal Plan

All meals included

Early morning after breakfast drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and on to Serengeti National Park with game viewing drive en-route. A UNESCO’s World Heritage site and a biosphere reserve since 1981, Serengeti is one of the oldest and the largest best National Park in Africa. Serengeti is one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world with the greatest concentration of wild animals on the planet! This world-renowned Park is a sanctuary for the last remaining annual mammal migration in the world. Serengeti National Park is Africa’s most famous park due to the largest concentration of game on the continent and the migration of millions of wildebeest. Serengeti’ comes from the Maasai language meaning ‘endless plains’ and this rightly describes it. With almost 15.000 km2 (6,000 sq. miles), Serengeti National Park is the second-largest park in Tanzania. Meals and overnight at Embalakai Camp.

Accommodation

Embalakai Camp
Meal Plan

All meals included

After an early breakfast drive out of the Serengeti with game viewing drive en-route with an option to visit the Olduvai Gorge where it is believed the remains of early man was discovered by the Leakey’s. Olduvai Gorge is arguably the most important fossil sites in the world. Over thirty miles long and about three-hundred feet deep, the gorge is part of a World Heritage Site called the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. During the months of December to March, one can have good views of the annual wildebeest migration who gather in the short plains of the Ndutu area for grazing. February to mid-march is the calving season. After a packed lunch continue drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area for dinner and overnight at Rhino Lodge.

Accommodation

Rhino Lodge
Meal Plan

All meals included

After an early breakfast, you will descend the crater which is almost 600m deep. The Crater was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself two to three million years ago. It is famous for both its geological delights and for being a natural reserve which is home to some of the densest large mammal populations in the whole of the African continent. The drive down into the Crater is an adventure in itself and when you reach the Crater floor, you quickly find yourself amongst large numbers of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and more than 500 bird species. The Crater provides you with the best chance for spotting the endangered black rhino and prides of lions, which can sometimes be spotted in the open grasslands. After Lunch and an extensive game drive inside the crater, we head for our comfort partner lodges in Karatu for dinner and overnight at Marera Valley Lodge.

Accommodation

Marera Valley Lodge
Meal Plan

All meals included

Early morning after breakfast, we depart for Arusha whereby you will get a chance to visit one of the Maasai villages located at Ngare Nanyuki Arusha. At this lodge, you will experience the life of the Maasai people and the activities they do.

The activities include a spear-throwing competition against the Maasai, a Nature walk with the Maasai, visiting a women’s workshop, and a Donkey ride with the Maasai. Lunch will be offered as a hot lunch and a choice of local food so that you experience the taste of Local African food. After spending a day in the community, you will head to your room for dinner and an overnight stay at Africa Amini Lodge.

Accommodation

Original Maasai Lodge
Meal Plan

All meals included

You will be served with breakfast and lunch before you depart to the airport where you will catch your flight back home or a flight to Zanzibar according to your flight departure time.