Tanzania

Tanzania Differently: Lake Natron, the Maasai and the Great Parks

Four parks, a cooking class in a family home and a walk beside Lake Natron

Tanzania

Tanzania Differently: Lake Natron, the Maasai and the Great Parks

The four northern parks, Manyara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Tarangire, with a detour few tours make: two nights at Lake Natron, in arid landscapes at the foot of the mountains, for a walk with a Maasai guide. On the way, in Mto wa Mbu, you go by tuk-tuk to shop at the market, then cook and have lunch with a family. Nights in the Serengeti are in a tented camp, in the heart of the savannah. 3* accommodation (local rating), full board, seven travellers at most per 4x4. Possible extension: three nights in Zanzibar (14 days, from €4,740 per person).

When

June to Oct

Price

From 3 747€ excl. flights

(based on 2 people sharing)

How long

8 nights

Ideal length

Arusha, Manyara and Mto wa Mbu

Days 1-4

A first safari at Lake Manyara, then a morning of market and cooking in the village of Mto wa Mbu.

Day 1

Flight to Tanzania

Board a scheduled flight to Tanzania. Dinner and night on board.

Day 2

Arrival in Arusha

Arrive at Kilimanjaro international airport and transfer to your lodge in Arusha. Check in and overnight. If your flight lands the night before, an extra night in Arusha can be added as an option.

Day 3

Lake Manyara National Park

Leave for Lake Manyara and a safari in the park, between savannah, forest and lake: a paradise for birdwatchers, with more than 400 species, and home to zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, baboons, giraffe and hippos. Picnic and check-in at the lodge.

Day 4

Mto wa Mbu by tuk-tuk and cooking with a family – Lake Natron

Drive to Mto wa Mbu. Set off by tuk-tuk for the market, where you buy the ingredients for lunch, then a local cooking class and a meal with your host family; the guide translates. In the afternoon, continue to Lake Natron.

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Lake Natron

Day 5

In the north, near the Kenyan border, a lake with marshy shores, arid landscapes and Maasai country.

Day 5

A guided walk beside Lake Natron

An excursion on the eastern shore of the lake: arid landscapes, then mountains from which rivers flow into the lake. Pelicans, marabou storks and flamingos gather on the marshy shores, along with zebra, giraffe and wildebeest. A walk with a Maasai guide, who explains the wildlife, the plants and the customs of his people. You can bathe in natural spring-water pools.

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The Serengeti and Ngorongoro

Days 6-8

Two nights under canvas in the middle of the plains, then the Ngorongoro crater on the way back.

Day 6

From Lake Natron to the Serengeti

Leave for Serengeti National Park, with a picnic on the way. A first safari across the plains, then settle into a tented camp in the heart of the savannah.

Day 7

A day in the Serengeti

A safari in the Serengeti: wide plains, termite mounds and rocks where predators laze. It is the park in Tanzania where cheetahs and leopards are most easily seen. Picnic, an afternoon game drive and a sundowner in the bush.

Day 8

The Ngorongoro crater – Karatu

A last safari on the Serengeti plains and a picnic. Then a safari in the Ngorongoro crater, a World Heritage site, home to most species of African wildlife. Drive to Karatu.

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Tarangire

Days 9-11

The trip ends among the baobabs and tall acacias of Tarangire.

Day 9

Tarangire National Park

A day's safari in Tarangire, a wooded savannah that is home to impala, giraffe, hartebeest, eland, zebra and wildebeest. Picnic, an afternoon game drive and check-in at the lodge.

Day 10

Tarangire – Arusha – flight home

Drive to Arusha, lunch in a restaurant, then transfer to the airport and check-in for the flight home. Dinner and night on board.