Private vehicle safari in Tanzania
| country: | Tanzania |
| location: | Serengeti National Park |
| departures: | This trip can be arranged at any time to suit you, and adapted to your requirements. Minimum 2 pax, prices based on 4 pax. |
| price: | From £1355 (8 days) - £1950 (14 days) including domestic flights only, as per itinerary. We can arrange flights from the UK |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
Arusha is not only the traditional base from which to embark on a wildlife safari to the famous Tanzanian game parks such as the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. It is also a perfect location from which to explore some of Tanzania's most fascinating tribes, such as the Maasai and Iraqw.
This trip includes a visit to the Longido cultural tourism programme where you will meet and spend time with a Maasai family at their invitation. You will have a tour of Arusha where you can learn about the local history and daily life of the town (including some of it's lively restaurants and bars). Then spend time on safari exploring the Tarangire National Park, the famous Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater.
You can hope to see all the 'big 5' alongside large herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope. The safari days are broken up with a visit to the Iraqw cultural centre, where you will meet a resident Iraqw family who will introduce you to their traditions and lifestyle. If you are doing the longer itinerary you will also visit a farming community in Mto wa Mbu that will include the Chagga banana beer farm. This trip can be done in 14 days (as below) or as a shorter version of 8 days. Either trip can be combined with a few tailor-made days at the coast - such as Zanzibar or Mafia Island. Please contact Baobab Travel for further details
This trip includes a visit to the Longido cultural tourism programme where you will meet and spend time with a Maasai family at their invitation. You will have a tour of Arusha where you can learn about the local history and daily life of the town (including some of it's lively restaurants and bars). Then spend time on safari exploring the Tarangire National Park, the famous Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater.
You can hope to see all the 'big 5' alongside large herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope. The safari days are broken up with a visit to the Iraqw cultural centre, where you will meet a resident Iraqw family who will introduce you to their traditions and lifestyle. If you are doing the longer itinerary you will also visit a farming community in Mto wa Mbu that will include the Chagga banana beer farm. This trip can be done in 14 days (as below) or as a shorter version of 8 days. Either trip can be combined with a few tailor-made days at the coast - such as Zanzibar or Mafia Island. Please contact Baobab Travel for further details
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrival in Arusha and checking into the Outpost, a small family run hotel with self-contained cosy garden bungalows and famous for their evening buffet. |
| Day 2: | Cultural tourism programme in Longido, approx. 80 km north of Arusha. You will meet a Maasai family, living in small traditional bomas, and roam the Longido plains with a Maasai warrior and their cattle looking for pasture and water. |
| Day 3: | Discover the local history and daily life of Arusha and visit the restored German Boma, famous Clock Tower, mosques and some of Arusha’s lively bars and restaurants. |
| Day 4-5: | Transfer to Tarangire National Park, known for its vast number of baobab trees and permanent waters of Tarangire River. The latter ensures its high biodiversity all year round, e.g. huge herds of wildebeest, zebras, and elephants. Overnight stay in tented accommodation at the Kigongoni Campsite. |
| Day 6: | Transfer to Karatu, Sandemu Iraqw cultural centre, where you will meet a resident Iraqw family, who will introduce you to their traditions, houses with ethnic furniture and three-stones kitchen, and their tools & weapons. You will also be introduced to their classic baskets, mats, clay pots and food. Overnight stay in tented accommodation at Marera Campsite. |
| Day 7-9: | Transfer by 4x4 vehicle to the famous Serengeti National Park. Serengeti in Maasai language means ‘endless plain’, which is probably the best description for this flat plateau covered in extensive grasslands, interspersed with rocky outcrops called ‘kopjes’. The Serengeti is best known for wildebeest migration, however large herds of elephants, zebras, giraffes, buffalos, impalas and antelopes can be seen all year round. It is also celebrated for its lions, cheetahs, hippos, crocodiles, large birds (e.g. ostrich) and little birds (e.g. superb starling). Overnight stay in tented accommodation at Seronera Campsite with opportunities for early morning and evening game drives. |
| Day 10-11: | Transfer by 4x4 vehicle to the Ngorongoro Crater, with along the way a last goodbye to the Serengeti. The Ngorongoro Crater is a spectacular caldera (inward collapsed volcano) with a diameter of 19 km and a depth of 600 m. It houses a great number of species, including wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, buffalos, elephants, lions, hippos, a large flock of lesser flamingos and last but not least black rhinos. Overnight stay in tented accommodation at a campsite on the Crater rim on day 10 and at the Outpost on day 11. |
| Day 12-14: | Free day in Arusha, followed by the cultural tourism programme in Mto wa Mbu. This farming tour will take you to Chagga banana beer farm, fruit and vegetables farms and explain the irrigation system. Overnight stay in the Outpost and then return flight to Dar. |
travellers' tales
The balloon safari was wonderful even though my photos are blurry from my shaky hands-seeing cheetahs from above & a huge hippo out of water was spectacular. The setting for our breakfast & champagne after the flight was beautiful - a table under a tree in the Serengeti. (more)
don't leave it too late!
Please note that due to the nature of tailor-made trips to Sub-Saharan Africa we need at least 14 days between time of booking and departure. This time is essential for you to sort out passport, visa and health requirements and for us to make all the necessary holiday arrangements.A shortened version of this itinerary is also available – which is the ideal length to combine with a visit to one of Tanzania’s superb coastal locations (e.g. Zanzibar, Mafia Island). The 8 Day itinerary has a shorter time on safari, and does not have the free time in Arusha or visit to the Mto wa Mbu cultural tourism programme.
how this holiday makes a difference
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The safari company (Shidolya) is owned and run, for over 12 years, by a Tanzanian couple only employing Tanzanian guides, drivers & cooks. All food is bought locally. For the non-safari days, we have made a Tanzanian tour guide available.
Tanzania's cultural tourism programme is entirely run by local people with all proceeds going to the local communities, either through wages or as community project fees. For example, Longido's first project, building a cattle dip, is now completed and their current project involves building a boarding school. The profits from the Sandemu Iraqw cultural programme all go towards the preservation and promotion of the rapidly fading Iraqw culture. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |