Overview
Tanzania is known for its wild animals – elephants, big cats, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and so many more. Join Wilderness Inquiry to experience some of the last remaining true wilderness in the world. Our local safari guides are a fount of knowledge about local wildlife, culture and conservation issues. By the end of your trip, you’ll know many of the elephants by name. Travel by four-wheel drive in Toyota Land Cruisers to places like Tarangire National Park, Lake Eyasi, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Empakai Crater, and Serengeti National Park. Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater, the eighth wonder of the world. Visit Olduvai Gorge to see the bones and footprints of our ancestors who inhabited the area two million years ago. Experience a day of traditional hunting and gathering with the Hadzabe Bushmen, a nomadic tribe. You will enjoy trying to learn the names of plants and animals in their click language. Meet extraordinary people and see ‘the Big Five’ on this exciting African adventure.
Itinerary
Expand All FieldsDay 1: Welcome to Tanzania! Meet your group and settle into your accommodations.
Our guides will meet you at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), and bring you to your hotel in Arusha for a night of rest.
Day 2: Search for elephants, birds, and more in Tangiere National Park.
After breakfast, drive to Tarangire National Park. View the incredible landscapes, animals, especially elephants, as well as spectacular birds, and giant baobab trees. Tarangire is a true wilderness containing the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem. You will see hundreds of elephants here--up close!
Day 3: Travel to the village of Karatu and learn about Tanzania's culture and unique tribal system.
Travel to Karatu, gateway to Ngorongoro Crater. In Karatu, visit Kilimatembo school where you’ll have a chance to learn about Tanzania's education system and interact with the students. Karatu also provides the opportunity to visit a traditional Iraqw underground home and learn about the tribe's unique culture from one of their elders.
Day 4: Enjoy a beautiful hike in the Ngorongoro Northern Highland Forest Reserve.
Hike to a waterfall in the Ngorongoro Northern Highland Forest Reserve. Along the way, check out cave-like structures created by elephants digging up the earth to ingest the mineral-rich soil. Elephants migrate to this place from up to 500 miles away. Stay at beautiful Eileen’s Trees Inn.
Day 5: Explore Lake Eyasi at the floor of the Great Rift Valley.
Visit Tatoga Blacksmiths and a Tatoga village in the afternoon on the way to Lake Eyasi on the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Visit the Hadzabe (Bushmen). This nomadic tribe still lives through hunting and gathering and reside without permanent shelter. Follow the Hadzabe on their morning hunt and experience a way of life that has barely changed in 10,000 years.
Day 6: Experience the culture of the Tatoga village before an evening game drive.
Learn about the culture and hunting practices of the Tatoga village, then return to camp for brunch. In the afternoon, take an easy walk to the shores of Lake Eyasi. Stay at beautiful and spacious Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge. Watch the sun set during happy hour from a beautiful deck looking over Lake Eyasi. You are in Africa!
Day 7: Spot the rare black rhino and explore the wonder of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Drive to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and descend into the eighth wonder of the world, Ngorongoro Crater, for a full day of game viewing. This unique 'fish bowl' of nature is home to four resident prides of lions and your best chance of seeing rare black rhino in the wild.
Day 8: Enjoy a hike on the north rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.
On the second day in Ngorongoro you may choose to hike down into Empakai Crater or hike along the North Rim of Ngorongoro Crater. Stay at Rhino Lodge on the rim of Ngorongoro crater.
Day 9: Search for lions, leopards, elephants and more in Serengeti National Park.
Travel down the flank of Ngororgoro Crater, pass through the scenic Maasai village of Endulen and proceed to Serengeti National Park, world famous for its endless plains and abundant wildlife. Spend two days on the Serengeti Plains, searching out big prides of lions, leopards, migrating wildebeest herds, giant elephants, and antelope. Stay at lodges or safari camps in the park.
Day 10: Enjoy another day of game drives as you search for some of the world's most fascinating creatures.
Enjoy a second day of game drives in the world-famous Serengeti National Park. Take in spectacular views as you travel through the park in comfortable open-air safari jeeps. If you are in to photography you will take hundres of photos on this day alone.
Day 11: Experience one final game drive before returning to Karatu via the Oldavai Gorge.
Take in an early morning game drive and then leave the Seregenti for the return to Karatu via Oldavai Gorge, where Mary and Louis Leakey discovered Australopithecus boisei and early hominin footprints that have been fossilized in volcanic ash. Most consider this the birthplace of humanity. If excavation is in progress, we’ll visit the Zinj site, followed by Shifting Sands. Our final night is at Eileen's Trees Inn in Karatu.
Day 12: Visit a local market band and say your final farewells.
Relax at Eileen's Trees Inn in the morning, have lunch, and then drive back to Arusha for your flight home. On the way back, the group will stop at a local market including Shanga, an Arusha based non-profit that employs people with disabilities to create unique, high-quality, handicrafts.
Dates & Fees
| 2020 Dates | Fee | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Dates | Fee | Registration |
What to Expect
TERRAIN/ROUTE: Tanzania has an incredible variety of ecosystems, ranging from desert plain to fertile rain forest to snow capped mountains. Land outside major cities is largely undeveloped and thus we’ll travel on some bumpy roads, and hike on some uneven terrain that will involve moderate elevation changes.
Read more »Frequently Asked Questions:
Where do we meet?
Standard Meeting Places and Times
Start: Kilimanjaro International Airport at 8:00 PM (local time)
End: Kilimanjaro International Airport at 7:00 PM (local time)
Transportation
This trip begins at Kilimanjaro International Airport, where Wilderness Inquiry will meet you around 8 PM, or whenever your flight arrives. You will be driven around in a WI van/jeep throughout the trip and then returned to the Kilimanjaro International Airport in the early evening on the last day. At the Kilimanjaro International Airport, there are daily flights from various European cities, South Africa, and sometimes New York. The most popular flights arrive in the evening. We plan to meet outside baggage claim and leave once everyone has made it through. This is usually around 8 PM but rest assured we won't leave without you even if you have a later arrival. Custom pickups outside this meeting time can also be arranged for a small fee. To make your travel arrangements for this trip we recommend that you consult with our travel agency, Travel One, at (800) 247-1311. They are very familiar with our trips and can help you make the best flight connections at the best prices. Detailed meeting place instructions will be sent to you when you are confirmed for the trip.
Are your safari trips accessible for a person who uses a manual wheelchair?
We have had participants who use manual wheelchairs successfully join us on safari in Kenya and Tanzania. The basic activity of riding in a vehicle for game drives is very accessible, but persons using wheelchairs will most likely need assistance transferring in and out of the vehicles. Also, most of East Africa was not designed for people who use wheelchairs. We have a variety of ways to make each trip more accessible, like using our "Rick-shaw" device to help on hiking trails, but the reality is it will be more difficult than getting around in the States. For this reason, we may ask you to bring a "Trip Assistant" to help with transfers and some physical issues, and we will ask for your patience as there may be situations that are just not practical for persons who use wheelchairs to participate in -- like a steep climb to a waterfall. Flexibility is key! Please call us to discuss.
Which immunizations do you recommend when traveling to an international destination?
Prior to departure, we recommend that you check with your doctor as early as possible to ensure you are up to date on your standard immunizations. Your doctor is in the best position to recommend specific vaccinations to specific destinations.
Will I have access to electricity in Tanzania?
Yes! All lodges on our Tanzania safari have access to electricity.
What is your cancellation/refund policy?
We require a nonrefundable deposit of 10% of the trip fee or $100, whichever is smaller. So, for example, if the trip fee is $250, the deposit would be $25. If the trip fee is $3995, the deposit would be $100.
If you choose to cancel your trip:
For trips in the continental United States:
• 6 weeks prior to start date — we will refund fees paid minus deposit.
• Less than 6 weeks — we will refund 50% of the total trip fee, or 100% of fees paid can be transferred to a future trip.
• Less than 1 week— no refunds will be issued.
For trips outside the continental United States:
• 12 weeks prior to start date— we will refund fees paid minus deposit.
• Less than 12 weeks — we will refund 50% of the total trip fee, or 100% of fees paid can be transferred to a future trip.
• Less than 2 weeks — no refunds will be issued.
In the rare event that WI cancels a trip, or we are unable to serve you, all fees are immediately refunded, including the deposit. Unfortunately, we cannot be responsible for personal expenses such as airline tickets. To protect your investment in your travel plans we recommend purchasing travel insurance. Information on travel insurance is included in your trip confirmation packet. If after registering you wish to switch trips, you may do so subject to availability. Fees may apply.
Under certain circumstances, such as death of a family member, change in health status, loss of employment, etc., we may make exceptions to our refund policies. Please let us know immediately if your plans change!
Do you have a single supplement for Tanzania Safari Adventure?
You can elect to guarantee a single room for the duration of the trip for $795 during the registration process.