Experience authentic Tanzania: game drives & tribal visits

Arusha

Tag 1: Welcome to Tanzania!

After landing at Kilimanjaro Airport near Arusha, a Tansafari Tours representative will greet you at the airport and drop you off at your hotel.

Depending on your time of arrival in Tanzania, you can decide for yourself on the spot if you would like to receive a short safari briefing with your guide on the same day or the next morning.

The rest of the day is free for you to spend at your leisure. Enjoy the hotel and relax. Tomorrow you will embarkon an array of of exciting activities.

Arusha National Park

Tag 2: Set off on a Game Drive in Arusha National Park

This morning, set out on a game drive in Arusha National Park, a wildlife oasis situated between two of the highest mountains in Africa, Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro.

Venture deep into the jungle, where you will discover lush vegetation and diverse fauna. While giraffes stretch their necks through the trees, baboons, buffaloes or elephants may saunter by.

We will drive through the impressive Fig Tree Arch, a huge hole in a tree trunk, and set off on an exploration of the Momella Lakes region. Here, you will encounter a rich population of bird species, including pelicans, herons, and flamingos.

Equipped with boxed lunches, you will spend the whole day exploring this wildlife paradise. In the afternoon, you will return to your lodge.

Tarangire National Park

Tag 3: Journey to the Land of Giraffes, Zebras, and Lions

Today's adventure takes you to Tarangire National Park, which lies a 2.5-hour drive west of Arusha.

En route, you will get a sense of the impressive vastness of Tanzania. In addition, you will pass through several small villages where locals sell their goods in small markets or by the roadside. If you wish, the trip can be interrupted at any time for a short stop at a stall or tour of a market.

In the afternoon, you will drive into the Tarangire National Park, which has the highest concentration of wildlife after the Serengeti. During the dry season, the Tarangire River is a magnet for thirsty wildlife. Wildebeests, zebras, lions, elephants, impalas, buffaloes, giraffes and gazelles all make their home here, as do myriad bird species.

This national park is also known for its spectacular baobab trees and breathtaking views of the Maasai steppe.

In the evening, return to your lodge.

Lake Eyasi

Tag 4: Meet Tanzania's Indigenous Populations

One of the most impressive experiences of our cultural program awaits today. You will meet members of the Hadzabe people, an indigenous group in Tanzania, who live near the shores of Lake Eyasi and in the southern Serengeti.

Although hunting is forbidden in the Serengeti, the government makes an exception for the approximately 300-400 Hadzabe, as they are one of the last tribes in Africa who maintain their ancient traditions.

Get a glimpse into the lifestyle of Tanzania's indigenous people and learn how they use stone tools to hunt and collect berries, fruits, leaves, roots, and honey. Hear the sound of their unique language and visit their huts made of branches, leaves, and clay.

After lunch at a nearby lodge, you will have the opportunity to get to know another group of indigenous people, the semi-nomadic Datoga tribe.

Later, enjoy leisure time back at your lodge.

Serengeti National Park

Tag 5: Visit a Maasai Village En Route to the Serengeti

Today you will visit a Maasai village, where you will learn about the culture of this indigenous population. The Maasai are a semi-nomadic, cattle-rearing people. You will be greeted in the village with a ceremony, in which the young men dance and try to jump as high as possible on the spot to prove their strength.

Later, you can look around the village, see their clay huts, and admire the jewellery handmade by the Maasai. Some villages have a Maasai school that you can visit.

Continuing on towards the Serengeti, take in the vastness of the landscape. Today's drive is long, and you have the option to include elements from our extensive cultural programme in this full-day tour.

Take a break at Naabi Hill Gate, the entry point to the Serengeti. Climb the lookout point and take in the sweeping views before continuing on to your lodge.

Keep an eye out for wildlife as you make your way there.

Serengeti National Park

Tag 6: Marvel at the Wildlife on a Serengeti Safari

Embark on a safari today in the most famous wildlife reserve in the world – the Serengeti. In the Maasai language, "Sirengeti" means "endless plain". In addition to the vast grasslands, from which granite rocks known as "Kopjes" rise, incredible natural spectacles await in the oldest national park in Tanzania.

More than 1.5 million wildebeest, hundreds of thousands of Thompson gazelles, 200,000 zebras, elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, and many other species live there.

Depending on the season, your guide will choose the area where you are most likely to observe the migratory herds. During the annual migration, about 2 million wildebeests and zebras move along the best grazing grounds in a cycle which is always the same. And of course, the big cats follow them.

Enjoy a full-day safari with boxed lunch. In the late afternoon return to your lodge.

Serengeti National Park

Tag 7: Continue Your Discovery of this Magnificent Preserve

Continue your exploration of the Serengeti this morning. With his trained eye, your safari guide will show you things that you might not notice on your own. Of course the elephant, lion, cheetah, and the shy leopard will be the focus of the search. But the pretty impala, the funny warthogs with their tails standing straight upright, hyenas, zebra, buffalo, and proud giraffes create beautiful photo opportunities, too.

On the riverbanks, you will find crocodiles and hippos. And if the time is right, you may witness the great migration of massive herds of wildebeest and zebra as they try to cross the Grumeti and Mara rivers. These are magical moments, when columns of animals pass by and you feel the earth vibrating below their hooves.

Equipped with boxed lunches, you will spend the whole day game driving. In the afternoon, you will return to your lodge.

Ngorongoro Crater

Tag 8: Discover a Wildlife Wonderland in Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, journey to the Ngorongoro Crater, which you passed on your way to the Serengeti. After spending time among wide grassy plains, the hills and mountains of the Ngorongoro area are all the more impressive.

A full-day safari in the largest volcanic crater in the world promises unique experiences! The Ngorongoro caldera, with a diameter measuring up to 21 km, is not only populated by more than 360 bird species, but also up to 25,000 large mammals, including the "Big Five."

The crater also has the highest predator density in Africa. Elephants hide in the thickets of the jungle on the crater walls, which can reach up to 600 m in height, while zebras, wildebeests, antelopes, and buffalo frolic in the unique landscape on the crater floor.

The grasslands are criss-crossed by lakes, swamps, rivers, forests, and mountains in this wildlife paradise.

Arusha

Tag 9: Farewell, Tanzania!

Say goodbye to the Serengeti as you head back to Arusha today. The drive takes about 3 hours. Once again, you can enjoy the impressive expanse of the landscape or the hustle and bustle on the roadside in the small villages during the journey.

At the appropriate time, you will be driven to Arusha Airport where you will start your journey home. We wish you safe travels and hope you come back again some day!