Classic Safari – Northern Circuit
The Price
- From $4875.00 per person 2017
- From $5125.00 per person 2018
A Holiday surcharge may be added for trips over a holiday period (Christmas & New Year)
Additional Fees
- Single supplement: $850.00
Number of Days and Group Size—9 days and groups of 4-12
Level of Activity—Not strenuous, suitable for active people in good health
Lodging
Safari camps and lodges
Day 1—After arriving at Kilimanjaro Airport that evening, you will be taken by group transfer from the airport to Arusha which is provided in your trip. You will stay in a lovely lodge checking into your room for a much-needed rest. No meal is provided.
Day 2—In the morning you meet your wonderful, bi-lingual guides and your fellow travelers for an orientation of your safari. After breakfast you head to the out-of-the-way and less-visited Tarangire Park with its famous elephant herds and unique baobab and palm groves—a perfect introduction to your African adventure. Your lodge overlooks a huge plain carved by the Tarangire River and teeming with wildlife. After an afternoon game drive you can relax back at your lodge and reflect on your first day in Africa. All your meals are included.
Day 3—Today marks your first full day of wildlife observation. Tarangire, in the dry season, has the second largest concentration of wildlife. This includes elephants, oryx, buffalo, wildebeests and the famous tree-climbing lions. After breakfast at the lodge, a picnic lunch will be provided during the day and you will return to the lodge for dinner. All of your meals are included.
Day 4—After breakfast, you will be leaving in the morning for an impressive tent camp which is located on the edge of the Great Rift Valley with panoramic views of Lake Manyara, Mt. Losimingori and the Rift floor. Arriving in time for lunch, you will then visit the small, somewhat tropical Lake Manyara Park at the base of the Great Rift in the late afternoon to take advantage of the most active period for wildlife before dusk. Here you will see such animals as zebra, giraffe and buffalo as well as a huge bird population of over 350 species. The heaviest flying bird, the Kori bustard, is just one you may spot. All of your meals are included.
Day 5—Depending on your interests, you may start your day with a hike or cycling through the surrounding countryside. You may also visit the local village of Mto Wa Mbu which offers extensive crafts for sale. After your lunch at the lodge you will be driven to the Ngorongoro Crater where you will stay for the next two nights in a wonderful lodge with lush gardens in a coffee farm with views of the lovely, green hills that surround you. This is a perfect place to relax and enjoy your included meals.
Day 6—Today you will explore the “footprint of God” which is what the local Maasai call the Ngorongoro Crater and where they have watered their cattle for millennia. When you view the crater from its rim you will be gazing upon the amazing sight of over three hundred square miles which is the permanent home of over 20,000 mammals spread out two thousand feet below you. Here you will see hippos, elephants, giraffe, cheetah, prides of lions and, if you are lucky, the rare black rhino. In the middle of this crater’s 10-mile wide grassland plain is a soda lake where huge numbers of water birds, including flamingos, gather. This is a beautiful, enchanting and historical setting which you will spend the day exploring. You will return to the lodge in the late afternoon where you can either relax or visit a local Maasai village. All of your meals are included.
Day 7—Your next two evenings will be spent in the most famous of Tanzania’s parks, the Serengeti. This region is called by the Maasai, “the place where the land moves on forever,’ or Siringitu. This is because of the huge numbers of animals in constant movement across the vast savannahs of the Serengeti which is one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The massive grasslands are punctuated by kopjes which are rocky outcroppings that support their own wildlife communities. This will be a highlight of your trip offering many photographic opportunities. Your lodging will be in an elegant tent camp where all meals are included.
Day 8—Today you have a full day to explore the splendor which is the Serengeti with its phenomenal amount of wildlife including hartebeest, wildebeest, eland, warthogs, topi, hyena, zebra, giraffe and a variety of predators. Depending on the time of your visit, it may be the season when you can witness the largest migration of animals on the planet. When you return to your camp you can relax in your private veranda taking in the 360 degree view and basking in the sounds that is unique to the African night. Now you can contemplate the extraordinary experience that East Africa has offered you in these fascinating wildlife parks of Tanzania for there you have witnessed scenes experienced by primordial humans and so, almost like a memory stored in your DNA. You have returned “home” and the rest of your life will be richer for it.
Day 9—You will be served breakfast and then transferred to an airstrip for your flight back to Arusha. You will arrive in time for lunch at your day lodge. A day room is provided and you are free to spend the day as you please. In the evening you will be transferred by group to the Kilimanjaro airport for your flight home. Breakfast and lunch are included.
If you like we offer an optional tour to Rafiki village (an Orphans Foundation Fund project) as part of our Giving Back program. If you would like to participate in this option please advise your guide at the beginning of your trip. This option does not provide a day room since you will depart from the Arusha airfield and travel directly to the village. From the village you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro airport for your flight home.
Note About Itinerary—Although every effort is made to adhere to the itinerary as listed, for numerous reasons beyond our control, the schedule is subject to change.
Included in Price—All lodging and meals as noted in daily itinerary; knowledgeable bi-lingual guides driving private safari vehicles with guaranteed window seats; transfers to and from airport when traveling with the group.
Not Included in Price—Your round-trip international airfare; departure tax; travel insurance; personal items; optional tips for drivers/guides (highly recommended if satisfactory)
For Single Travelers—if you wish to travel alone and have single accommodations, you must pay the full single supplement noted in the “Additional Fees” section. You can avoid this if you agree to share accommodations with a roommate who will be assigned to you if available. If, however, no roommate is available, you must pay a reduced single supplement which is half the full amount. Be aware that there are a limited amount of single accommodations available.
The Weather—You will be traveling during the dry seasons of East Africa when temperatures are in the 70s-80s during the day and 50s-60s at night. If you are traveling December through February, daytime temperatures are typically 10 degrees higher. Since the Ngorongoro Crater is over 7,000 feet high you can expect cooler mornings and evenings regardless of the season.
Are You Qualified?—This is not a strenuous safari trip but it is in remote locations with rough terrain. If you are an active person with good health and an adventurous spirit you are certainly qualified to participate in the experience of a lifetime.
Some General Information– All trips are subject to a minimum number of participants. Once you register we will provide you with a package of pre-travel information which includes all relevant trip information and recommendations. Additionally we HIGHLY RECOMMEND you purchase Travel Insurance.