Tanzania wildlife, people and beach holiday
| country: | Tanzania, Zanzibar |
| location: | Zanzibar, Serengeti National Park |
| departures: | This trip can be arranged at any time to suit you, and adapted to your requirements as necessary. |
| price: | From £2075 - £2370 (11 days) excluding flights, depending on season and based on 2 people sharing. (Using a different lodge on Zanzibar, the cost of this trip would drop by about £200 – please ask for details.) We can arrange flights from the UK |
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the amazing things you'll be doing
From the open savannah of the Serengeti, to the volcanic enclosure of the Ngorongoro Crater, the huge views over Lake Manyara, and the wilderness around the beautiful Lake Eyasi, this trip will bring you the best in wildlife viewing in northern Tanzania, as well as introducing you to the local people whose lives are inextricably bound to this land. After your safaris, you can relax on the stunning, award-winning island of Chumbe, off Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean. This exciting trip begins with some stunning game viewing in Lake Manyara (known for its birdlife, elephants and tree-climbing lions) and the Serengeti (with its huge herds of wildebeest, antelope and zebra, and the attendant big cats), and the Ngorongoro Crater, an immense volcanic crater with prolific wildlife within its walls.
On this trip we also take you to remote Lake Eyasi. This is a salt lake in the Rift escarpment and it is home to the Hadzabe people, believed to be descendants of one of Tanzania's original ethnic groups that have lived here for 10,000 years. We have a special day in the company of a Maasai guide and ranger, as we enjoy an adventure walk in this picturesque region.
After your safari you can relax and let the Indian Ocean wash away the dust of the African savannah. Chumbe is the perfect place to do this. It is a small island off Zanzibar, which was Zanzibar's first marine sanctuary and is the world's first 'Coral Park'. There are usually dolphins, turtles and over 50 species of birds here. The accommodation is the height of environmental responsibility - as well as being very comfortable and attractive. You will stay in wonderfully built Eco-Bungalows (most people find them romantic, honeymooners love them) which give you both privacy and the feeling of living in the open. All bungalows overlook the sea and it's just a 30 second walk to the beach and reef. They are all equipped with double or twin beds in the sleeping area under the palm-thatched roof, self-contained bathrooms with hot & cold shower, large living rooms, equipped with handmade furniture and are decorated with African art and colourful fabrics, and very comfortable hammocks. Since there are only seven bungalows it will never get crowded, even if they are fully booked.
On this trip we also take you to remote Lake Eyasi. This is a salt lake in the Rift escarpment and it is home to the Hadzabe people, believed to be descendants of one of Tanzania's original ethnic groups that have lived here for 10,000 years. We have a special day in the company of a Maasai guide and ranger, as we enjoy an adventure walk in this picturesque region.
After your safari you can relax and let the Indian Ocean wash away the dust of the African savannah. Chumbe is the perfect place to do this. It is a small island off Zanzibar, which was Zanzibar's first marine sanctuary and is the world's first 'Coral Park'. There are usually dolphins, turtles and over 50 species of birds here. The accommodation is the height of environmental responsibility - as well as being very comfortable and attractive. You will stay in wonderfully built Eco-Bungalows (most people find them romantic, honeymooners love them) which give you both privacy and the feeling of living in the open. All bungalows overlook the sea and it's just a 30 second walk to the beach and reef. They are all equipped with double or twin beds in the sleeping area under the palm-thatched roof, self-contained bathrooms with hot & cold shower, large living rooms, equipped with handmade furniture and are decorated with African art and colourful fabrics, and very comfortable hammocks. Since there are only seven bungalows it will never get crowded, even if they are fully booked. day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Kilimanjaro airport. Your private driver/guide will collect you and drive you to Lake Manyara. Late afternoon ethnobotanical walk with a Maasai. Tented lodge.(D) |
| Day 2: | A day’s game viewing in Lake Manyara National Park. Overnight at Kirurumu Tented Lodge (FB) |
| Day 3: | Drive to Lake Eyasi, a huge soda lake, with picnic lunch. Either relax, or take walks near the lake. Overnight Kisima Lodge on the edge of the lake. (FB) |
| Day 4: | Hike into the Ngogongoro Conservation area, passing Hadzabe and Datoga dwellings. Then up the Eyasi Rift towards the highlands. Some parts are steep, but give great views of Eyasi. At the top, near Mt Makarot, you are transferred by jeep to your private adventure camp. An optional Maasai boma visit is possible. (FB) |
| Day 5: | Drive to Olduvai Gorge to see the museum, then on to the Serengeti for game viewing. Private adventure camp. (FB) |
| Day 6: | Day’s gamedrives in the Serengeti. Adventure camp. (FB) |
| Day 7: | Drive to the Ngorongoro Crater. Afternoon game drive. Serena Lodge. (FB) |
| Day 8: | Drive to Arusha in time for flight to Zanzibar. Short transfer and boat ride to Chumbe Island. (B,D) |
| Day 9-10: | At Chumbe. (FB) |
| Day 11: | Transfer to Zanzibar to connect with flight on to Dar es Salaam. (B) |
travellers' tales
It was our first visit to Africa. I can now understand why so many people have a love affair with Africa! It is impossible vast and breathtaking. The people were friendly and welcoming. It's a surprising land of contrasts. (more)
tailor made holidays
This trip can be tailormade to create a unique holiday for your individual requirements by travel experts with intimate knowledge of the destination. It is a more luxurious trip that will suit those who enjoy immersing themselves in new cultures and environments before relaxing in comfort. As this trip can be tailormade it would be helpful if you could you provide the following information: rough budget per person (with or without flights), your address and postcode, contact phone number, preferred date of travel, length of trip, number of passengers, preferred countries and areas within those countries, specific interests & type of accommodation.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
KIRURUMU TENTED LODGE is run on strict environmental principles. The lodge is also at the forefront of an initiative to set up the Kirurumu Gorge Conservation area, to help stop the degradation of the gorge, and help local villagers with an income and sustainable wood source.
NGORONGORO HIGHLAND TREKS: This is organised in cooperation with the members of a local Maasai village at the foot of Mount Makarot. This community benefits from each visitor as they provide guiding services, plus donkeys for carrying equipment where necessary. Specific boma visits are arranged at extra cost.
CHUMBE ISLAND: The island is run as a non-profit organisation, where all revenue generated is ploughed back into the project to fund the running costs of the Marine Protected Area, various research projects, conservation and education programmes. Revenue generated by the ecotourism on the island has provided important community benefits and social services to the population of Zanzibar, particularly fishermen, schoolchildren and the population in general.
We were voted most responsible tour operator by UK NGO Tourism Concern. On average 75% of the cost of your trip - excluding flights - remains in the destination.
Flights are automatically carbon offset through The Travel Forest, which plants 10 indigenous trees on your behalf (currently in northern Tanzania). Whilst the primary motivation for planting the trees is to offset carbon emissions, the project also works as a poverty alleviation and environmental improvement scheme.
NGORONGORO HIGHLAND TREKS: This is organised in cooperation with the members of a local Maasai village at the foot of Mount Makarot. This community benefits from each visitor as they provide guiding services, plus donkeys for carrying equipment where necessary. Specific boma visits are arranged at extra cost.
CHUMBE ISLAND: The island is run as a non-profit organisation, where all revenue generated is ploughed back into the project to fund the running costs of the Marine Protected Area, various research projects, conservation and education programmes. Revenue generated by the ecotourism on the island has provided important community benefits and social services to the population of Zanzibar, particularly fishermen, schoolchildren and the population in general.
We were voted most responsible tour operator by UK NGO Tourism Concern. On average 75% of the cost of your trip - excluding flights - remains in the destination.
Flights are automatically carbon offset through The Travel Forest, which plants 10 indigenous trees on your behalf (currently in northern Tanzania). Whilst the primary motivation for planting the trees is to offset carbon emissions, the project also works as a poverty alleviation and environmental improvement scheme.