12 Day Tanzania Cultural Encounters and Wilderness Adventures

From

$6,513 per person

Tour Overview

This 12 Days Tanzania safari combines unspoiled nature with fabulous wildlife. Here, both animals and people are the focus. This safari is mainly suitable for those who want to experience a variety of activities and also learn more about the people and culture in Tanzania – from hunting with the Hadzabe to the blacksmithing of the Datoga.

Guided private safari for 2 or more people
Visit to the Ngorongoro Crater
Get to know the Hadzabe and go on a safari with them.
The Datoga blacksmiths present their blacksmithing skills.
Traditional Tanzanian food at “Mamas”
Visit the cradle of humanity, Olduvai Gorge.
Relaxation at Lake Eyasi
large herds of elephants in Tarangire National Park
Diverse wildlife and enchanting landscapes in the Serengeti
Unlimited game drives
Private safari guide / driver

10-Day Tanzania Cultural & Wildlife Safari

Your Itinerary In Details

Day 1 Arrival in Arusha

Welcome to Tanzania! As you step off the plane at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), you will be greeted by the warm, distinctive air of East Africa. Your personal driver guide will be waiting for you at the airport and will give you a warm welcome. He will be holding a sign with your name so you can easily identify him. Afterwards, he will take you to your accommodation in Arusha. Take some time to recover from your flight and acclimatize to the African climate.

Accommodation: Olerai Lodge

Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast

Day 2: Arusha – Tarangire (travel time approx. 3.5 hours)

Your guide shall pick you up from your Arusha accommodation in the morning. You will slowly drive southwest until you reach the gate of Tarangire National Park in the late morning. Even the journey to your lodge transforms into an exciting first game drive. After lunch, you will enjoy your first extended game drive in this game park. Tarangire is famous for having the largest elephant herds in Tanzania. These herds usually populate the Tarangire River in search of groundwater, while wildebeest, zebras, buffalo, impalas, gazelles, and hartebeest congregate at the lagoons.

Accommodation: Tarangire Ndovu Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Tarangire National Park

Enjoy another exciting day in Tarangire. In the early morning hours, have an extended game drive, as this is when the wildlife is most active. Tarangire National Park’s unique character is defined by the giant baobab trees that dominate the landscape. Besides elephants, the park is also home to large herds of buffalo and prides of lions, often seen dozing in the tall savanna grass. Enjoy the complete tranquility far removed from everyday life and listen to the mysterious calls of the nocturnal wilderness during your evening dinner.

Accommodation: Tarangire Ndovu Tented Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Tarangire – Mto Wa Mbu - Lake Manyara (travel time approx. 2 hours)

Today, you will enjoy a final game drive in Tarangire before continuing your journey to the lively Mto Wa Mbu Village. A special lunch awaits you here. You will be introduced to a variety of African dishes. The meal at “MAMAS” is a truly unique experience, traditionally prepared in clay pots. The cook herself will be present and will share plenty of information about the food and its ingredients. All ingredients are sourced from the surrounding area.

Several activities are available on this day, for example, you can take a bike tour to Lake Manyara National Park. Hop on your bike and discover Africa’s landscape on two wheels! You can also observe wildlife such as hippos, zebras, and giraffes up close. Look forward to unforgettable encounters at eye level. (Duration approx. 2-5 hours) Or discover the green oasis of Mto wa Mbu on a farm tour! Accompany the locals through their fields and have their irrigation system explained to you. It’s fascinating to see how these cultivation methods transform the landscape into a paradise for local crops. The absolute highlight: An incredible 32 different varieties of bananas thrive here! (Duration approx. 1-4 hours)

Ready for a truly unique experience? Go for a “Maasai Boma Tour.” Visit a traditional Maasai village and immerse yourself in tribal life. Besides a tour of the village and fascinating conversations with the locals, you can try out authentic traditions firsthand: get a traditional tattoo as a souvenir and help milk the cows. An unforgettable experience! (Duration approx. 3-4 hours) In the late afternoon, you will depart for your accommodation.

In the evening, gather around the campfire to reminisce about the day’s adventures and marvel at the seemingly endless African starry sky.

Accommodation: Mawe Mawe Manyara Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Lake Manyara - Olduvai Gorge - central Serengeti

After breakfast, travel to the world-famous Serengeti National Park. You will drive past the Ngorongoro Crater, where you will have your first stunning glimpse into its crater floor. Along the way, you will visit Olduvai Gorge and its small museum, where you will learn about the archaeological excavations. From the viewing platform, you can enjoy panoramic views of the gorge. The Olduvai Gorge Museum displays numerous fossils, stone tools of our hominid ancestors, and skeletons of many extinct animals unearthed in the gorge. Lunch will be a picnic lunch. If you are interested in hiking, you can explore one of the nearby craters, Olmoti or Embakai Crater. A ranger guide will accompany you to protect you from wildlife. In the afternoon, you will continue your journey to the Serengeti National Park. Upon arrival at the Serengeti gate, your guide will take care of the formalities. If you wish, you can hike up the nature trail (approximately a 10-minute walk). At the top, you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the vast Serengeti. A game drive will then take you to the camp.

Accommodation: Embalakai Camp – Serengeti

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6 – 7: Central Serengeti

Enjoy two exciting days in the central region of Serengeti National Park. Game drives at your leisure. Serengeti is among the most unique regions on Earth, boasting breathtaking landscapes of immense natural beauty and high scientific value. The national park is home to the world’s highest concentration of savanna animals, from a wide variety of antelope species to giraffes, buffalo, and elephants, as well as large populations of big cats.

One of the most fascinating natural spectacles is the almost impossibly large herds of wildebeest, zebras, and Thomson’s gazelles, which, in the perpetual cycle of the year, follow the fresh green vegetation throughout the Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem, crossing rivers, defending themselves against crocodiles, and raising their young on the vast savannah.

Accommodation: Embalakai Camp – Serengeti

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Central Serengeti - Ngorongoro Crater

In the morning, enjoy one last glimpse of the Serengeti National Park’s fascinating wildlife. In the late morning, you will leave the endless plains and head into the cooler, green highlands. You will stop for lunch en route. On your journey to your new accommodation, you will make frequent stops at viewpoints along the crater rim, offering breathtaking views into the crater. In the late afternoon, you will arrive at your lodge in Karatu, where you can relax and enjoy the evening.

Accommodation: Marera Valley Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Ngorongoro Crater – crater tour

Today go for a game drive down into the Ngorongoro Crater, 600 meters below the caldera floor. Ngorongoro boasts an unparalleled density of wildlife. And with a diameter of 20 kilometers, is one of the largest calderas on Earth. It is also known as one of the last refuges for the black rhinos. Here you will find elephants, lions, buffalo, rhinos, and all the grazers of the plains. The birdlife is also fascinating, especially around Lake Magadi at the crater floor. Lunch will be a picnic, allowing you to maximize your time during the crater drive. In the evening, you’ll leave the crater and return to your accommodation. Enjoy dinner and relax as the day draws to a close.

Accommodation: Marera Valley Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Ngorongoro Crater - Lake Eyasi

After a leisurely breakfast travel to Lake Eyasi – formerly also known as Hohenlohesee. The drive through challenging terrain leads to an oasis on the shores of Lake Eyasi, with lush vegetation and a beautiful enclave nestled between the rocks and the lake. After lunch, you can relax and enjoy a walk along the lake or unwind by the camp’s swimming pool.

Accommodation: Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11: Lake Eyasi - Visit to the Hadzabe and the Datoga

Early this morning, you will visit the Hadzabe people – Bushmen, hunters and gatherers. They hunt, gather roots and tubers, and evoke memories of times long past. Here you can experience this unique culture firsthand. Afterward, you will visit the so-called “Blacksmiths.” Here you will learn about the art of blacksmithing from ancient times. Using primitive tools, they forge knives, arrowheads, and much more, which they then trade with the Hadzabe. You will have lunch at the camp before exploring the shores of the lake in the afternoon. Lake Eyasi is little known to tourists and offers an almost untouched landscape.

Accommodation: Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 12: Lake Eyasi - Arusha

In the morning, enjoy a delicious breakfast before returning to Arusha in the late morning. In Arusha, you will stop at the Cultural Heritage Center for lunch. Afterward, you are welcome to visit the gallery or pick up some last-minute souvenirs, if you wish. Your driver will then take you to the airport for your flight back to home.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Inclusions

All park entrance fees
All drives/game drives in a 4x4 vehicle with exclusive use
English-speaking driver/guide
Unlimited game drives according to the itinerary (excluding Ngorongoro Crater)
Game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater
1 night room with breakfast at Olerai Lodge
2 nights full board at Tarangire Ndovu Tented Lodge
1 night full board at Mawe Mawe Lake Manyara Lodge
3 nights full board at Embalakai Camp
2 nights full board at the Marera Valley Lodge
2 nights full board at Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge
1 Visit to Olduvai Gorge and the Museum
1 Traditional African food at Mto Wa Mbu at "MAMAs"
1 activity in Mto Wa Mbu
Visit to the Hadzabe
Visit to the "Blacksmith" (blacksmith shop)
2x airport transfer in Arusha
Drinking water during game drives

exclusions

International flights to Tanzania
Visa (USD 50/-)
Beach stay
Drinks
Tips
Personal expenses
Excursions not mentioned in the program
Travel and cancellation insurance

12 Day Tanzania Cultural Encounters and Wilderness Adventures