Experience the best Tanzania

Arusha | Lake Manyara | Tarangire

DAY 1-  ARUSHA - LAKE MANYARA OR TARANGIRE NP                 Tarangire NP (June to October)  After breakfast we will continue to Tarangire National Park. The Park is an endless pageant of wildlife with undoubtedly the richest Elephant population in Africa with surprisingly large herds. It has an extensive collection of exotic birds, antelopes, lions, leopards, giraffes, buffaloes and the supposedly tree climbing pythons which can be seen around the swamps. But the most important feature of this Park, the game in the necklace, is the Tarangire River. This is a well established view point, where game can be viewed ambling to and from the River throughout the day. Thousands of animals migrate from Maasai steppe to the Tarangire River, looking for water. Baobab trees, also called  'upside down trees', are among the World's biggest trees and can be seen thriving all along the river-banks and all over the park too. This African National Park is also home to three rare species of animals, the Greater Kudu, the Fringe-eared Oryx as well as a few Ashy Starlings. Dinner & overnight Hotel/Lodge according to the type of accommodation options requested.               Lake Manyara NP (December-March)  Depart from Arusha at 9 am. We will drive for about two hours, passing through the agricultural and fresh product market town of Mto Wa Mbu, which is situated next to the entrance of the Lake Manyara National Park. The town is a souvenir hunters’ paradise. We will enter Lake Manyara National Park.Expect to see unspoiled paradise with ground water forest, laced with underground springs and teeming with wildlife such as elephants, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, the largest baboon troops in Africa and some of the antelopes. It is full of outstanding birding places with more than 400 species on display and butterflies. This park is famous for the tree climbing lions, luckily seen resting on acacia trees. From your vehicle, you will have a marvellous view of the Rift Valley escarpment, sparkling in the sun. Lake Manyara is a salt lake with thousands of flamingos. You can also see pelicans, storks, kingfishers and many other birds.  It is also a famous jungle, where early Tanzanian movies were filmed Dinner & overnight on the top of the Great Rift Valley offering an eagle eye view on the whole of Lake Manyara, according to the type of accommodation options requested.                 

Arusha

DAY 3 – KILIMANJARO CLIMBING: MARANGU GATE – MANDARA HUT   You will start your journey after breakfast. Our driver will wait for you in Arusha to transport you to the village of Marangu. Choosing this rout your journey will start at the Machame gate (1,980 m), where you should sign in at the Park Office. Porters will load all the necessary packs with water, food, cooking gas and most of the other equipment, but you should carry some drinking water, lunch pack and extra clothing for the day with you, because the porters are hiking very quick.  Your journey will start in the scenic landscape of the montane forest. On your path you will pass a little stream and a couple of beautiful waterfalls. You will walk about an hour and a half to reach the Kisamboni picnic area, where lunch will be served. You will need about another hour and a half to reach Mandara hut (2,700 m). The vegetation at this campsite changes to the low alpine zone with heathers and moorland. In this vegetation zone you will see the first heathers as well as lichen on all trees and shrubs. Mandara hut, where you will stay for the overnight, lies in a forest clearing and consists of a group of wooden A-framed huts. This camp has a total capacity of 60 sleeping bunks and each of the huts has 6 – 8 of this sleeping bunks. This campsite has drinking water from a spring above it and flush toilets. If you still have enough time and energy, you can even take a little walk (about 15 minutes) to the Maundi Crater where you will in good weather conditions have the possibility to see Mawenzi. At Maundi Crater you might also spot blue monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys. Before going to bed, the porters and cooks will prepare something for dinner. Walking distance: approximately 12 km Duration: 5 hours Altitudes: Marangu gate (1,980 m) – Mandara hut (2,700 m) Vegetation zone: Montane forest, low alpine zone (heath and moorland)  

DAY 5 – HOROMBO HUT ACCLIMATISATION DAY You will spend your third day at the Horombo hut for proper acclimatisation. This acclimatisation day is optional but please keep in mind that the Marangu route has the lowest success rate. So you should add this optional one day stay at the Horombo hut, exploring the surrounding, to increase your chances to reach Uhuru peak. On clear days you might even see Moshi way below the mountain and the Pare mountain range. On your acclimatisation day you shouldn't spend the whole day in the camp, the best thing we can advise to do is to hike to a higher altitude and then returning to the campsite to avoid altitude sickness. We recommend a hike towards Mawenzi hut (4,500 m). On this journey, which will take about 3 hours up and about an hour and a half down, you will pass the Zebra Rocks.    

DAY 7 – SUMMIT ATTEMPT: KIVO HUT TO UHURU PEAK TO HOROMBO HUT   You will make the final part of your journey in the night, so make sure to prepare all the necessary equipment before going to bed, this should be around 19 o'clock. Among the things which you should prepare before attempting to reach the summit are: ski-stick, thermal clothing, hand warmers, thermal flask for your water and replacing your headlamp and batteries. You will wake up at about 23:00 and 23:30. You will have some tea and biscuits.  The first part of the climb is very tough consisting of a rocky path. You will pass Williams Point (5,000 m), Hans Meyer Cave (5,150 m) and Gillman's point (5,681 m) located on the crater's rim. From Kibo hut you will need about two and a half hours to reach Hans Meyer Cave. Gilman's point is not so far away from Hans Meyer Cave, it takes only about an hour to get there. From Gilman's point you will need about an hour and a half to reach the summit. The rest of the climb is usually snow covered all the way up to Uhuru Peak and you will be walking along the crater's rim. You will also pass Stella point (5,752 m), this is the point where the other routes reach the rim. Now you are not far away from the summit but it can be very challenging. At Uhuru peak you will take some photographs and you shouldn't expect to remain at this altitude for longer than a few minutes.  You will now start your journey back down towards Kibo hut (4,700 m) where lunch will be served. From here you will need about three hours to get back to Horombo hut (3,720 m) where dinner will be served. You will stay at the Horombo hut for the overnight in luxurious beds. Walking distance: approximately 6 km ascent and 21 km descent Duration: 8 hours to Uhuru and 6 hours to Horombo hut Altitudes: Kibo hut (4,700 m) – Uhuru peak (5,895 m) – Horombo hut (3,720 m) Vegetation zones: rocky, ice-capped summit  

Arusha | Kilimanjaro

DAY 9 –  FLIGHT TO ZANZIBAR AND TRANSPORT TO HOTEL IN NUNGWI BEACH   DAY  10, 11–  RELAXING ON THE BEACH You might check out day trips  and  tours on Zanizbar: Safari Blue by boat, Spice Tour, prison island tour,  Dolphin tour, Snorkling in Chumbe island...           DAY  12 –  TRANSFER TO STONE TOWN for a last night on the legendary spice island of Zanzibar.Half day Stone Town tour.     DAY  13 –  RETURN TO ARUSHA OR DAR ES SALAAM FOR CONNECTING FLIGHT HOME                    Included in the price:   2 days game safari to Tanzania's northern circuit as per sample itinerary 2 nights in Arusha 6 days Kilimanjaro -Marangu Route climbing 3 nights -Zanzibar-Nungwi beach 1 night -Zanzibar Stone Town Hotel/lodge/camp accommodation for the duration of the  safari Animal tours according to your itinerary preferences Private 4 wheel drive vehicle with a roof hatch Professional English speaking safari and tour guide / driver All  Park entrance fees All meals on the safari camping equipment if applicable (tents, mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows, table and chairs), All game viewing activities specified Price quoted per person sharing in US dollars Flying Doctors rescue insurance for the time of the tour with Shadows of Africa Excluded International flights Airport taxes Entry visas Travel insurance Tips and gratuities to safari crew - recommended: 15-20 USD per day to safari driver, 10 – 15 USD per day to safari cook if camping Tips and gratuities to Kilimanjaro climbing crew - recommended: 15 USD per day to guide 10 USD per day to assistant guide, 10 USD per day to cook, 7 USD per day to porters. Laundry Gratuities and all items of a personal nature, medical and personal insurance, accommodation and meals before/after the tour, tips for the crew. Sightseeing, excursions and optional activities other than those specified     Please note: All prices are subject to change if Tanzanian National Park Entry fees change!   US Dollar notes from the years before the year 2006 are not accepted in Tanzania