9 Days Tanzania Escape

DAY 01: Arusha

Welcome to Tanzania! Your adventure begins in Arusha, your gateway to the incredible national parks of Tanzania. Our representative will be at the airport to meet you and take you on to hotel. There will be a welcome meeting at 6pm this evening to give you an overview of the trip.

DAY 02: Serengeti National Park

Bring that rapid tempo of your heart a notch down or two as you negotiate an approximate 7 hours journey to get to your lodge at the Serengeti National Park, one of the most easily recognizable names bandied about in conversations of wildlife photography, sweeping landscapes, and the thrill of observing some of the worlds most untamed beasts at close quarters. Get a taste of this in the late afternoon as you embark on a game drive.

DAY 03: Serengeti National Park

Shake yourself up into the morning by sweeping your way through the wild plains of the Serengeti and watch the sun comb the grasslands, giving shape to the landscape and bringing out its wild residents from their hidden quarters. Watch the buffaloes snort into the wind or a gazelle lift its head at a real or imagined danger lurking in the reeds. Wait with hushed breath to catch sight of a big cat casting a disdainful eye over its kingdom or flicking its tail in the early light. Return to your lodge after the morning’s event and pick the threads of its narrative in the afternoon as you climb on board your vehicles for yet another game drive. For an alternative experience, head up for the skies at early light on board a hot air balloon and get an eagle-eyed view of the Serengeti, watching the wildlife disperse or turn a quizzical eye at your approach.

DAY 04: Karatu

Leaving your camp and make your way to the Ngorongoro Conservation Centre marked by its famous caldera that’s akin to a gigantic velodrome touched with lush green boundaries and a lake that shimmers with the changing hours of day. Descend upon the flamingos and several water birds that the skirt the waters edge here, flecking the land with vivid colours. Wildebeest, zebras, Thompson’s gazelles crop placidly at the grass while far out in the grassy skyline, lions and cheetahs mimic their turn of heads, marking a prospective meal and an opportunity that might present itself. Spend your time here peeking into a slice of life of the animals and then head for your overnight destination of Karatu. Rest and relax when you get to Karatu but if you’re not one for sitting still, amble through this small town with its local market, vegetable stalls and colourful kiosks that sell tingatinga paintings and wooden souvenirs.

DAY 05: Ngorongoro Crater

Get up to some physical exertions after breakfast this morning as you settle yourself on a bicycle saddle and peddle across rice fields and banana plantations to Mto wa mbu village to get an insight into the lives of the people that inhabit it. Home to more than 18000 people, the village itself is a synthesis of dialects, social norms, customs and an intermingling of 120 tribal cultures that molds the place together. Learn about the daily lives, the joys and the struggles of the people who reside here and share a traditional lunch with them as you go about exploring the village.

DAY 06: Stone Town

Take a flight out of Arusha to Zanzibar this morning to bridge the distance between the wild and a dreamy urban space. Once you’ve settled at the hotel and lunch is dispensed with, take a walk through the labyrinth that is the streets of Stone Town where the distinctly Arab, Persian, Portuguese and Indian influences mark their subtle passage upon the areas history. Visit some of the most famous landmarks of the town breezing through the winding alleys, where ornate carvings on doors thrusts itself out onto the streets, where temples share space with mosques and cathedrals and where silver jewellery shops squeezes itself between those that sell rugs, antiques, wall hangings and a myriad of other objects. Head back to the hotel once the tour is over but you may choose to linger around town for a bit and spend your time in some of the chaotic markets absorbing the proceedings while processing all the methods to the madness.

DAY 07: Zanzibar Northern Beaches

Set off on a locally constructed Dhow this morning, chopping your way through the languid blue expanse of the Indian Ocean. Drop anchor at one of the many secluded islands that’s strewn along your path and then slip right into the waters with your snorkeling gear, swiveling through the marine life that lurks among the waterbed. Take a break from the fun and games and lug it across to the sandbanks to sink your teeth into a traditional lunch of barbecued fish, rice and lentils. Count the seconds and the minutes after lunch before you weigh your options of how best to spend the afternoon – floating across the waters on an outrigger canoe, going out for a swim or just kicking your feet up and turning a blind eye to the world.

DAY 08: Zanzibar Northern Beaches

With several cultures knocking at the doorsteps of Zanzibar, vestiges of their influence are writ large on the region; none more so than the cuisine embellished by spices brought by traders from foreign lands. Wade in among a spice plantation at Kizimbani to get acquainted with the colour, texture and smell of these oils and spices this morning and maybe even go bust your wallet with some purchases here.

DAY 09: Zanzibar Northern Beaches

It’s time now to bid farewell to your tour leader and new friends but not without a backpack full of memories. Departure transfers are included on the day. Please consult with your tour leader or the hotel desk to confirm the check-out time.