Overview
Highlights
- You will visit 3 most iconic National Parks of Tanzania i.e Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Serengeti
- For their unparalleled beauty Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park are recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Itinerary
Our Driver Guide will pick you at the airport for transfer to your accommodation facility in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, you can decide to refresh and take your time by the pool after the long journey before meeting our guide for briefing this evening.Overnight: Standard hotel in Arusha (bed and breakfast)
Today we leave Arusha at 7:00 Am to Tarangire National Park. One of the most striking features of the park is the majestic old baobab trees with massive silvery trunks and gourd-like fruit that dominate the skyline. Tarangire has the greatest concentration of wildlife outside of the Serengeti ecosystem and is part of a larger ecosystem that extends further south into the Maasai steppes. The permanent water sources in the park result in Tarangire being home to the largest elephant populations in Tanzania, where during the dry season over 300 elephants can be seen digging for water in the riverbeds. The park is also home to the shy fringed eared Oryx and the gerenuk antelope that are not seen in other parks.Overnight: Standard Hotel in Karatu (Full board meals-breakfast, lunch and dinner)
This morning we will have a very early start to make our way to the crater where we will descend from the upper rim, driving down a steep track that drops a staggering 600m to the grassy plain, lake and marshes of the basin floor below. The crater provides a unique wildlife spotting experience and is home to the Big Five. Among the animals to watch out for are elephant, lion, cheetah, buffalo and rhino. The perennial marshes teem with birdlife.
The crater itself, technically classed as a caldera, owes its existence to the violent fracturing of the Rift Valley over a period of some 15 million years. At one time a volcano occupied this spot that then became extinct and collapsed into the empty magma chamber beneath it leaving only the gigantic natural basin which is now considered a veritable 'Garden of Eden'. By lunch time you will arrive at the lake side, where you will be offered lunchboxes, after which the safari will continue, ending in a few hours with a transfer to Serengeti National Park. Overnight: Standard Hotel in Ngorongoro hills (Full board meals-breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Today we embark on an exciting part of an adventure in the endless plains of Serengeti. Famed for its spectacular annual migration, this is the best place for game viewing in Africa. As we travel through the various habitats from dry, dusty savannahs to long grasses and mud pools, pray and predators can be found in the park with easy. From the Leopards, Lions, Cheetahs, Elephants, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, a thousands of wildebeest and more than 500 species of birds. This day we focus our game drive safari in the eastern and southern parts of the park. Keep your cameras and binocular within reach. We will have our packed lunch on one of the picnic areas in the afternoon. In the evening we will return to our accommodation and enjoy the sunset on bonfire before dinner. Overnight: Luxury tented camp in Serengeti (Full board meals-breakfast, lunch and dinner)
After breakfast you will start the safari by being transferred to the central part of the Serengeti (also called Seronera). Here your driver will try to find the animals you're the most interested in. Closer to lunch time you will visit the Serengeti Visitor Centre, where you will be offered a lunchbox and provided with lots of interesting information not only about the animals’ populations, but also about the history of the National Park. Also, in this area you will be able to see hyraxes, which are the elephant's closest relatives. It is difficult to describe in detail all the animals of the Serengeti valley, for they number in the thousands: elephants, buffalo, ostriches, giraffes, jackals, hyenas, lions, antelopes, leopards and cheetahs—just keep your eyes peeled and enjoy nature around you. Overnight: Standard hotel in Arusha (Full board meals-breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Rest in the Hotel and transfer to the Airport Note Hotel check out at 11:00 Am. In case you need late check out, you have an option to extend your stay up to 6:00 Pm at an extra fee
The Trip Cost Includes
- Transfer to and from the airport
- Accommodation before and after safari
- Land Cruiser 4x4 with pop-up roof during safari
- Experienced English-speaking safari guide service
- All park conservation fees;
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- Bottled mineral water in your safari vehicle
- Government taxes and levies
- Medical kit;
- Binocular (1 per SUV);
The Trip Cost Excludes
- Air tickets;
- Visa fee;
- Travel and health Insurance
- Tips to your safari guide, porter, hotel staff e.t.c
- Items of personal nature
There are some factors that make safari in Tanzania exceptional: First, hunting is strictly prohibited in all the National Parks, which makes for one of the highest densities of wildlife on the continent; Second, high Park fees keep the number of visitors relatively low, making for a more exclusive experience. Moreover, unlike other countries, where one often finds small family cars on the road, all Safaris in Tanzania are conducted no off-road driving in the park, which enhances the sense of being in the wild.
We recommend comfortable light clothing for the day and something warmer for the evenings, which can be chilly in the northern highlands. Comfortable walking shoes are a must for those planning on walking in the parks (must be booked in advance). You will further need a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
Generally, the climate in Tanzania is warm with maximum temperatures 32 degree centigrade. Early morning and evenings can be slightly cold with minimum temperatures reaching 12 degrees centigrade. Winter is from May to September, summer from October to April. Rainfall is seasonal with short rains in November and December.
Citizens of the EU and USA can acquire entry visas at international airports in Tanzania as well as other border crossings. Visa costs: generally USD 50 (USD 100 for the citizens of USA). For detailed information red: https://eservices.immigration.go.tz/visa/guidelines
Citizens of the following countries should receive a so-called referred visa in the nearest Tanzanian diplomatic institution before coming to Tanzania:
• Afghanistan • Azerbaijan • Banglades • Chad • Djibouti • Ethiopia • Eritrea • Equatorial Guinea • Nigeria • Pakistan • Kazakhstan Republic • Kyigten Republic • Lebanon • Malin
• Mauritania • Niger • Palestine • Senegal Iraq • Iran • Somalia • Sri Lanka • Somali land • Sierra Leone • Tajikistan • Turkmenistan • Uzbekistan and • Syria • Yemen • Stateless persons or persons with refugee status.
There are 3 International Airports in Tanzania: Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro. Your Tour Manager will recommend the most convenient of these depending on your itinerary.
One of our drivers will meet you with a sign bearing your/your group’s name at your airport of arrival regardless of the time of day.
The official currency of Tanzania is the Tanzanian Shilling. There are several banks across the country that offers money change services. You can also make cash payments in US$. Just keep in mind that notes issued before 2003 may not be accepted or accepted at a lower rate of exchange. You may also change Euros and some other major currencies, though preference is given to US$ and the rate of exchange for other currencies may not be favorable.
In short- Tanzania is absolutely safe for tourists. Tourism provides a large part of the country’s foreign income and the local authorities take matters of security very seriously. Moreover, Tanzania is one of the most politically stable countries in the region and Tanzanians are very friendly as a people.
This said, some criminality does exist, just as it does everywhere else. We, therefore, recommend that you exercise common sense and follow the rules below:
Avoid the dangerous parts of any town- these are usually mentioned in most books and your guide will be happy to point them out.
• Do not leave your belongings unattended.
• When planning to take photos in towns, it is best to bring along a guide. This is not so much in the interests of safety, but, rather, in order to facilitate communication with the locals, who are – for cultural reasons – not always happy about being photographed and often do not speak English.
• After dark it is best to avoid walking and use taxis for all your travel within town. These are best organized by your tour operator or hotel reception.
