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Overview

Luxury privately guided safari in Tanzania

Experience an authentic Africa with this unique tour which begins in a remote and private reserve located in the Western-Kilimanjaro area to the big plains of Serengeti!
You will enjoy a real African experience when walking with your park ranger through the plains to visit nearby herds of elephants and zebras; partake in an evening walking safari to view nocturnal animals; or simply share genuine moments with the Massai community, far away the most visited touristic spots. We have chosen beautiful, charming accommodations for this most off-the-beaten path itinerary. All combined form a unique travel experience between luxury and surreal landscapes for a complete change of scenery. Enjoy the getaway of a lifetime in timeless Africa, and dive into its wild spirit!

Don't hesitate to contact our Tanzania expert at Uniktour to get more information about this luxury privately guided safari!

Itinerary

Day 1| International flight

Day 2| Kilimanjaro - Ndarakwai
Upon arrival at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, meet and greet with our local representative who will transfer you to the Ndarakwai private reserve for the night.
Dinner and evening at Ndarakwai Ranch.
http://www.ndarakwai.com/camp.html

Days 3-4| Ndarakwai Private Reserve
2 full days of leisure activities at the Ndarakwai Ranch : walking safaris, game drives with 4x4 vehicle, visit with the local Massaïs, bird watching – the possibilities are endless! This privately owned ranch is an experiment in self-sustaining conservation preserving a variety of habitats that are home to over 65 mammal species, and over 350 bird species (at last count).

Ndarakwai is part of the Amboseli / Ngasurai Basin eco-system and helps to preserve important seasonal elephant routes. Many species are permanent residents, while others use Ndarakwai seasonally. With views of both Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, the camp is nestled in a lush forest of towering fig, and yellow-barked Acacias that line the seasonal Ngare Nairobi River (North).

Facilities include 12 spacious tents with thatched roofs, en suite bathrooms with safari-style showers, and a large separate dining area.

Ndarakwai Camp offers an intimate atmosphere where your every need is catered to. Mealtimes are flexible and can be arranged with your guide and the camp manager. Picnic lunches, bush breakfasts, and a bush campfire & bar are easily arranged. In the evening, guests can gather around either of the 2 indoor fireplaces, or an outdoor campfire for snacks and sundowners.
Welcome the African night, replete with elephants that ghost through the camp and the haunting cries of bush babies in the trees.

Guests will have a variety of wildlife and cultural activities. Guided full or half day walks (where the emphasis can either be on game or bird watching), game drives, and night game drives. You can also choose to visit local Maasai villages where you learn about their culture. Photography, and the purchase of authentic beaded jewellery and local handicrafts is possible.

Chuo cha Farasi, a Horse-back riding Safari Company now based at Ndarakwai, can provide you with a full or half-day horse ride from Ndarakwai Camp (extra $). Multiple day rides is also possible when arranged in advance. During your visit, whatever activities you choose, you will likely visit the ‘tree house’ where you can watch game at the waterhole.

Day 5| Arusha - Manyara
After an early morning departure, we make our way towards Manyara Park, where you will lunch at Losirwa Lodge and then embark on an afternoon game drive. Manyara National Park, is the smallest of the 4 National Parks located in Tanzania’s Northern region, and it is a absolutely breathtaking, offering immense natural richness: home to over 380 birds species, including thousands of flamingos that tint the soda waters of the Lake in Pink, and the famous tree climbing lions, which for reasons un-known to man sleep in the branches of Acacia trees.
Dinner and evening at Plantation Lodge/ Full Board

Day 6| Kataru - Ngorongoro – Karatu
Drive to Ngorongoro Crater with a picnic lunch.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers 8300 sq km, of which the renowned Ngorongoro Crater only makes up about 3% - equal to approximately 260 sq km. The conservation area also encompasses the volcanic area around the Ngorongoro Crater including the still active volcano of Oldonyo Langai and the famous Olduvai Gorge. Its centerpiece, the Ngorongoro Crater, often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world is the largest unbroken caldera in the world, and the first sight of it is truly breathtaking. The floor of the crater is home to a year round population of varied wildlife, including the almost extinct black rhino. Animal densities are high, and game viewing is excellent, often, offering visitors the possibility of getting close to the wild animals. The crater supports up to 25,000 large mammals. Grazers dominate: zebra, wildebeest – accounting for almost half the animals – gazelle, buffalo, eland, hartebeest and wart hog.
An odd feature of the crater is the elephants that inhabit it; they are almost exclusively bulls. Breeding herds – comprising large numbers of females and young with a few attendant older males – are probably unable to find sufficient quality food in the crater. Ngorongoro has carnivores in quantity, drawn by the large herds of prey animals. It has the most dense population of large predators, mainly lion – about 100 – and more than 400 spotted hyena, living in eight clans of up to eighty individuals.
Both lions and hyenas will scavenge from each other, depending on strength in numbers and of course, hunger. Depart early afternoon in direction of your lodge in the Serengeti.
Dinner and evening at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge / Full Board

Day 7| Ngorongoro - Serengeti
Depart for the Serengeti with picnic lunch along the way. The entire day is for game viewing.
Dinner and evening at Mbalageti Tented Camp / Full Board

Day 8| Full day in the Serengeti
Serengeti is one of the most spectacular game parks in East Africa. From its short and long grass plains in the south, which give way to Acacia savannah in the central area, to the hilly more densely wooded areas of the north, and the extensive woodland in the western corridor, the Serengeti offers great variations both geographically as well as with the millions of animals, birds and plants that make up this complex ecosystem.
The name comes from the Maasai siringet, “endless plains”. Twice a year, triggered by the rains, 1.3 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle gather to undertake the long trek to new grazing lands. The migration of the herbivores roughly defines the boundaries of Serengeti National Park which is the central zone of the Serengeti ecosystem, an area that also takes in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Maswa Game Reserve in the west. Within its 25,900 square kms of varied landscape live thirty-five species of plains game and 500 bird species.
Dinner and evening at Mbalageti Camp in Tented Chalet / Full Board

Day 9| Serengeti – Arusha - Kilimanjaro
Depart your camp and transfer to a nearby airstrip for your flight into Arusha.
Experience the beauty of Northern parks from a bird’s eye view! Remember to have your cameras readily available – this is one experience you will want to capture!
Upon arrival in Arusha, depart for the Moivaro Coffee Lodge where you will enjoy lunch and leisure time by the pool.
Evening transfer to Kilimanjaro airport for your international flight back home.

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Lodging

Overview

With such a perfect Location, perched on the edge of the African continent, and facing the Indian Ocean, Tanzania's weather and climate leaves nothing to be desired. Warm and sunny days are followed by cool and balmy nights, and whether you're on safari on the Serengeti plains or enjoying the tropical beaches of Zanzibar, the temperatures are always welcoming and gentle. Consult Weather and Climate to find out when the best times to visit are, and learn more about the monsoon winds and seasonal rains.

But sun-filled and beautiful days are not all that Tanzania has to offer. On the contrary, the country's borders hold a vast number of people and tribes whose varied cultures and traditions make up the rich tapestry that is Tanzanian culture. Read on to learn more about the Masaai culture and the customs of the Swahili Coast.

Although Tanzania is a country rich in culture and traditions, it's history is also one of treasured heritage and pride. From the early days of mankind's history, man has called the land of Tanzania home - its verdant mountains, its scrubland plains. Find out more about our country's rich history, from the arrival of merchants and traders on the Swahili Coast to the peaceful political climate that exists today.

Tanzanians enjoy a climate of freedom and peace in our daily lives, and value community and togetherness very highly. Religion is an expression of community and culture, and one that binds us all as citizens to our country and to the people around us. Tanzanians practice Christianity, Islam, and traditional African religions in tolerance and understanding.

Religion defines our community and our sense of identity, but culturally, we are all Tanzanians. Our culture and our traditions can be seen in the everything we surround ourselves with and the handicrafts that are the specialties of our country. Visitors to Tanzania will find the section on Shopping immensely useful in helping them decide what to bring back for their friends and loved ones from our amazing country.

Geography

Tanzania is located in East Africa between longitude, 29 degrees and 41 degrees east and latitude 1 degree and 12 degrees south. Tanzania borders Kenya to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique to the south, and is the largest country in East Africa (943,000 sq km), comprising both the mainland and the Zanzibar Archipelago.

A large central plateau makes up most of the mainland (at between 900m and 1800m) and the mountain ranges of the Eastern Arc and the Southern and Northern Highlands cut across the country to form part of the Great Rift Valley.

A land of geographical extremes, Tanzania has the highest peak - Mount Kilimanjaro, the lowest point - the lakebed of Lake Tanganyika, and the largest lake - Lake Victoria, on the continent.

Culture

Tanzania is home to some of the most incredible tribal diversity in Africa. The country includes all of the major ethnic and linguistic groups on the continent – an amazingly varied population to inhabit a single country. Home to approximately 120 tribal groups, most of these comprise small communities that are gradually being assimilated into the larger population due to changes in land use and the economic draw of city life. Tribal diversity is prized and far from being a source of division, Tanzanians place a high value on their country's multicultural heritage. Over the past few years, cultural tourism has become an increasing attraction for visitors from around the world and visits to tribal villages are often a highlight of safari itineraries.

The Masaai are perhaps the most well known of Tanzania's tribes and inhabit the northern regions of the country. Pastoralists who fiercely guard their culture and traditions, Masaai tribal life revolves around protecting and caring for their herds of cattle and finding ample grazing land in their region. The tribes live in circular enclosures called manyatas, where small mud huts surround a secure open circle where their cattle and other herd animals sleep protected during the night. Woven thorn bushes form a thick fence around the enclosure to protect the herds from attacks by lions and other predators. Because good grazing land fluctuates according to the seasons and yearly rains, Masaai settlements are temporary and easily relocated to where grazing and water access is best. Tribal tradition separates men and women into different age groups: the youngest herd sheep and goats while the young male warriors, or moran's, job is to protect and care for their family's cattle. Male elders hold a position of respect in Masaai society and once a warrior becomes an elder, he may marry to begin a family of his own.

The ‘Spice Islands' of the Zanzibar Archipelago, Pemba, Mafia, and the entire Tanzanian coast is home to the Swahili people, a vibrant mix of Arab, Indian and Bantu origins who historically based their livelihoods around Indian Ocean trade. The Swahili Coast, as the region is called, is a predominantly Islamic region with old mosques and coral palaces found throughout the area. Swahili culture centres around the dhow, a wooden sailing boat powered by the seasonal wind. Historically, the boats connected the Swahili Coast with Arabia and India and allowed trade between the regions to flourish. Fishing remains a mainstay of coastal income in small villages throughout the area, and coconut and spice plantations continue to form an important source of export. These days, life on the Swahili coast is tranquil and even-paced. Women cloaked in long robes called bui bui walk through meandering streets to the local market, stopping to chat outside tall houses hewn from coral and limestone rock. In the villages, the call to prayer rings out clearly over the palm trees and once they have finished their religious duties, the men gather in the square to drink spiced coffee from brass braziers. From the warrior moran of the fierce Masaai to the tranquil rhythms of Swahili town, Tanzania offers a unique glimpse into African life as it has remained for centuries.

Climate

Because Tanzania lies below the equator, the coolest months occur during the northern hemisphere's summer, and all-year round the weather remains pleasant and comfortable. Between June to October, temperatures range from around 10°C in the northern highlands to about 23°C on the coast. On the plains and the lower-altitude game reserves, the temperatures from June to October are warm and mild. On the coast, these months are some of the most pleasant to visit, with balmy, sunny weather much of the day and cooling ocean breezes at night.

From December to March, the days are hot and sunny with often not a cloud in the sky. Temperatures range from the mid-twenties to the low thirties throughout the country while visitors flock to the parks and beaches to escape the dreariness of late winter in colder climes. Clear sunny days are the norm in the northern highlands and the heat of mid-day is tempered by the golden light in late afternoon and the especially striking sunsets. In the game parks and central plains, the beautiful weather provides perfect opportunities for unhampered game viewing, and clear night skies offer perfect opportunities for star-gazing and romantic evenings in the bush. On the shores of the Swahili Coast, the Indian Ocean reaches its highest temperatures and is ideal for swimming at any time of day or night.

Tanzania's equatorial climate brings two seasons of rain each year: the masika, or long rains that fall from mid-March to the end of May, and the mvuli, or short rains, that come intermittently throughout November and parts of December, and sometimes stretch into early January. During the long rains, heavy showers fall in the early mornings but usually clear up by mid-day, with the weather often remaining clear and sunny until late afternoon. By evening, impressive cloud formations build, breaking sometime after dark and the rain often continues throughout the night. During the short rains, light showers in the mornings and late afternoons are punctuated by stretches of clear weather and beautiful rays of sunlight. The beginning of both rainy seasons is marked by a change in the winds which historically, marked the time for trading boats to set off on expeditions across the Indian Ocean or return to their native lands.