Wildlife Safaris

Safari means ‘journey’ in swahili, the language of Tanzania. We are happy to make your safari YOUR safari with a special touch of Tanzanian local life. We do everything to measure and everything you want can be fitted and for the number of days you want. You can choose to do a safari only in the national parks or just climb the Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru or even visit one of the beautiful beaches of the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia or on the Tanzanian mainland. But to get the best of Tanzania, it’s best to combine everything in a total trip through Tanzania. We will choose our favorite accommodation for you, based on our own experience or the experience of our guests. But we are always open to your own ideas. Accommodation is normally full board and drinking water is included. Please don’t be afraid to overload us with your wishes and questions; we are here to make your safari a lifetime experience. Here we have described some travel examples to inspire you from the Highlights of the North  to the Highlights of the South. Or go for more uniqueness in our special in West Kilimanjaro and ‘The Great Migration’. Besides wildlife, you can choose to climb the Kilimanjaro and visit the beaches of Zanzibar. Nothing is impossible under the Tanzanian sun (as Ben always says).

1) Highlights of the North

Serengeti NP is one if you travel to Tanzania. See ’the Great Migration’ of the wildebeest, enjoy the most beautiful sunsets, drive for hours in search of the big five and enjoy fantastic food of a high culinary standard in the ‘middle of nowhere’. You can easily spend three to four days in this wilderness among the wild animals. Before entering the endless plains of the Serengeti, start your safari in the less visited but very beautiful Tarangire NP and come in contact with huge herds of elephants and witness the majestic baobabs. On the way to the Serengeti you will pass many Maasai villages. You can ask the guide to visit one of the less visited bomas. End your trip in the unique Ngorongoro Crater where you will find most of the African game in a small area.

Example itinerary

Day 1: Drive to Tarangire from Arusha or Moshi through the characteristic African landscape –Game drive in the park with a picnic lunch watching a group of monkeys play around you –Stay at Maramboi Tented Lodge after enjoying a beautiful sunset from the pool terrace.

Day 2: Drive to the Serengeti with game drive en-route to get a first glimpse of the migration – Overnight in Serengeti Acacia Camp under the most amazing starry sky ever

Day 3: Full day game drive in Serengeti to see the ‘Big five’ – Overnight in Serengeti Acacia Camp after enjoying drinks by the campfire hear the lion roar in the night

Day 4: Morning game drive in Serengeti to see the Circle-of-life sunrise – Transfer to Karatu with game drive en-route – Overnight at Karatu Simba Lodge after a cup of coffee from the ngorongoro highlands

Day 5: Game drive in Ngorongoro Crater in search of a rhinoceros in case you missed it in the Serengeti – Transfer back to Arusha or Moshi enjoying African life along the way

Extend this trip with Arusha NP, Manyara NP, cultural tours, Zanzibar or other tours.

2) Our special: nature & culture of West Kilimanjaro

Get off the beaten track and watch a herd of elephants as 100 meters away a Maasai shepherd in his orderly robes grazes his livestock. West Kilimanjaro, more specifically, the Enduimet Wildlife Management area is the place. This area is protected, but it is not a national park, so people are allowed to live here too. Here the Maasai and wild animals live in peace with each other. It is truly a hidden gem because it is still little discovered, you can leave the road here by car and the traditional Maasai life makes this area the real Africa. Elephants are often seen here as Enduimet is a natural corridor between Amboseli NP in Kenya and Arusha NP in Tanzania. You will also find giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, kudus and gerenuks (giraffe gazelles). Stay in beautiful Maasai-style lodges and enjoy their delicious food, read about long-gone endless explorers (ev: mzungu; pl: wazungu) who came to discover Africa or sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful views of the Maasai steppes.

Example itinerary

Day 1: Drive to Enduimet over the lower green slopes of Kilimanjaro – Game drive in the area with picnic lunch at a nice spot – Overnight at Shumata Camp on a hill overlooking the plains

Day 2: Drive to the Kenyan border as you encounter groups of elephants – Lunch at camp – Hike to a Maasai village in the area – Overnight at Shumata Camp after a beautiful sunset

Day 3: Drive slowly towards Mount Meru as you go off road to get a closer look at the animals – Enjoy the infinity pool at the Maasai Lodge – Take part in a spear competition, Maasai sunset dance and BBQ – Overnight in your luxury Maasai Hut

Day 4: Wake up to the best sunrise ever from your bed with Mount Kilimanjaro in the foreground – game drive in Arusha National Park with Mount Meru in the background – overnight at Maasai Lodge after a delicious dinner

Day 5: Enjoy a nature walk in the morning with your Maasai guide – Shop for souvenirs at the Maasai souvenir shop – drive to your next destination after lunch

Easy to combine with Highlights of the North

3) The Great Migration

You will find wildebeest all over East and South Africa, but there is no place where you will see them by the millions and even crossing rivers where crocodiles are ready to kill them. Every year, the great wildebeest migration circles through the Serengeti ecosystem which consists of Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Maasai Mara in Kenya. From November to June, the wildebeest reside in the south and center of the Serengeti. From July they migrate to Maasai Mara and around October/November they return to Tanzania. Nothing is guaranteed of course, because the entire migration depends on the weather. But during their migration they have to cross rivers. A real spectacle to see, especially in the months of July, August and September, in the north of the Serengeti, where they have to cross the famous Mara River. National Geographic is nothing if you have seen this crossing in real life.

Example itinerary

Day 1: Drive or fly to the so-called Mara region in the north of the Serengeti – Get in a car and your guide will take you to one of the ‘crossovers’ – You may have to wait for hours, but once they cross wildebeest and zebras , you will see some wildebeest drown or get caught by crocodiles, but the majority reach the other side – overnight under the African starry sky in Chaka Camp while hyenas laughed from a distance

Day 2-3: Look for more crossings and look for other animals in the area – rhinoceroses are not rare here – spend the night in Chaka Camp after enjoying a delicious dinner in the beautifully decorated dinner tent

Day 4: Drive or fly to your next destination

Great to do as a stand-alone safari or in combination with one of the other trips

4) Highlights of the South

South Tanzania has a number of less visited destinations with great sights. Discover the Selous Game Reserve where the Great Rufiji River meanders through the African landscape. The sound of hippos is everywhere. Another beautiful park is Mikumi which is also called the savannah of the golden light. The animals are additionally illuminated by a strong gold colored light. Not far from there you will find a completely different experience, namely the Udzungwa Mountains. Waterfalls interspersed with green forests are the perfect destination for a trekking of a few hours to several days. Finally, Tanzania’s largest national park, Ruaha NP, is very remote, but also a fantastic destination.

Example itinerary (from Dar es Salaam)

Day 1: Drive to Mikumi National Park – Game drive on the Savannah of Light – Overnight at Mikumi Wildlife Camp after dinner with the elephants

Day 2: Drive to Udzungwa – Climb to the top of Sanje falls for breathtaking views of Kilombero – Drive back to Mikumi Wildlife Camp and enjoy the night

Day 3: Drive through the Tanzanian countryside to Ruaha – Overnight at the beautiful Mdonya Old River Camp

Day 4-5: Full day game drive in Ruaha where you can find a wide variety of game and birds around the Great Ruaha River – Overnight at Mdonya Old River Camp

Day 6: Fly to Mtemere Airstrip in Selous in a small plane with fantastic views of the African landscape – take a boat up the Rufiji River for a sunset cruise and watch the sunset from a sandbank in the middle of the river – sleep in a mud banda in Selous River Camp

Day 7: Full day game drive in Selous where you can see a wide variety of game and birds with especially many greater kudus – overnight at Selous River Camp after a delicious dinner by the river

Day 8: Do a boat safari on the Rufiji River in the park and to the lakes – picnic lunch along the shore of one of the lakes – Overnight at Selous River Camp

Good for the traveler who has already seen other parts of Tanzania such as the highlights of the north and easy to combine with the beaches.