Tanzania Trails

Day 1: Nairobi

Today is an arrival day, so you may arrive at any time. A pre-departure meeting takes place at 6pm at the hotel. You may choose to eat at the hotel restaurant this evening or venture out to one of the many fine restaurants that Nairobi has to offer (own expense).

Day 2: Arusha

(Driving time: approx 8 hours) We depart from Nairobi at around 9 am. We cross the border at Namanga and enter Tanzania, before travelling on to Arusha. Arusha, also known as the Safari Capital of Tanzania, throbs with activity and you can expect to see several safaris heading off – or returning after a week in the bush. Here, we set up for our first night of camping in Tanzania.

Day 3: School of St Jude - Mto Wa Mbu

(Driving time: approx 2 hours) This morning we visit a very special school in Arusha. The School of St Jude was founded in 2002 by Gemma, a young Australian woman, for orphans and very poor children of Arusha. The school was founded on Gemma's belief that not only was a good and accessible education a right for all children in the world but without it, Africa's rate of development would continue to lag behind the rest of the world. Under the banner of 'Fighting Poverty through Education' the school provides a totally free education to over 90% of the pupils, including supplying transport, uniform, stationery, snacks, water and a hot meal. The opportunity for sponsorship at St Jude is given to the brighest and most ambitious children of extremely poor families, after a series of tests designed to measure potential and poverty levels. Whilst on a guided tour of the school we are given more information on how it operates and the success that it has achieved. We have time to visit children in class, before joining them for morning tea. We may hear some singing and see some of the children displaying special skills. This is a morning that is certain to touch our souls and fill us full of optimism. Leaving Arusha we will travel on to Meserani where will stop for lunch. There is the opportunity to explore a snake park or visit an excellent Masai museum, as well as purchase crafts from the local Masai women (time permitting). We will then continue on to our campsite at Mto Wa Mbu.

Day 4-5: Serengeti National Park

(Driving time: approx 8 hours; game drives: variable) Continuing toward Ngorongoro, we stop on the top of the Rift Valley escarpment for an incredible view out over Lake Manyara before continuing to the Serengeti Plains. These massive grasslands seem to stretch as far as the eye can see, and even beyond! Over a million wildebeest roam through the park, along with a multitude of antelope species and a significant populations of lion and cheetah. We spend two days exploring the plains on game drives as well as checking out the rocky outcrops, or ‘kopjes’, which are a favourite resting spot for the predators. We spend two nights camping inside the park - perfectly situated for the opportunity to hear the night time serenade of the African savannah. Please note that the campsites in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater are national park campsites are very basic. There are no fences surrounding the campsites and wildlife is free to roam at leisure. The toilets are pit toliets and there is limited water for showers or for washing up. As a result the water tank on the vehicle will be required for cooking. You will need to purchase bottled water at your own expense for this part of the tour. However the opportunity to camp in the middle of the Serengeti Plains and on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater are real highlights and incredible experiences that you are unlikely to forget.

Day 6: Serengeti National Park - Ngorongoro Conservation Area

(Driving time: approx 8 hours (incl. game drive)) We enjoy a final early morning game drive, before heading back to break down camp. We then traverse the southern part of Serengeti National Park and then cross over into the adjacent Ngorongoro Conservation Area. On the way to our campsite there is the option of visiting the small museum at Olduvai Gorge (time permitting), which documents the discovery of 1.8 million year old human-like fossils. We arrive at our campsite on the rim of the crater in the early evening – be warned that it gets very cold up here! This campsite is another government campsite and has equally primitive facilities, but is often frequented by buffalo, elephant and zebra.

Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater - Arusha

(Driving time: approx 8 hours) At the heart of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the crater, which is a volcanic caldera some 20 kilometres wide that contains an abundance of wildlife and bird life. Ngorongoro is often referred to as a microcosm of Africa, with forest and grasslands, as well as freshwater and soda lakes. We transfer into Land Rovers and head down to the crater floor, where we spend the morning exploring this outstanding wildlife sanctuary. The crater is home to several black rhinos and, with luck, we may have the opportunity to seeing some of these highly endangered animal. (National park regulations stipulate that vehicles are only allowed a maximum of six hours in Ngorongoro Crater.) After an exciting morning in the crater we head through Karatu to Mto Wa Mbu and return to our campground in Arusha. where a hot shower and cold drink awaits!

Day 8: Arusha - Nairobi

(Driving time: approx 8 hours to Nairobi) This morning our tour officially ends in Arusha. You may choose to take a free transfer with the safari vehicle, as it continues back to our Nairobi hotel. Alternately you may join our Mount Kilimanjaro trek in Marangu today. If climbing a mountain is not the challenge you are after, then you may choose to join our 'Zanzibar Revealed' tour which begins in Zanzibar today. These additional tours should be pre-booked with us to ensure availability. Linking flights and transfers to join these tours can also be pre-booked and arranged through us. If you are travelling with the vehicle back to Nairobi you will arrive in there in the late afternoon, where you will be dropped off at the downtown hotel. Flights out of Nairobi tonight should not be booked before 9.00pm. Transfers to Nairobi Airport are at an additional cost.

Tour Grade: Wildlife