This trip takes you to the most scenic parts of Tanzania: Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the island of Zanzibar. You will enjoy the hospitality of the Maasai, get extremely close to the wildlife, find your ultimate Africa moments around the campfire and on a white sand beach.
Day 0. Welcome to Africa.
Arrival to Nairobi, where the crew of Empakaai Cultural Safari will greet you and transfer you to the hotel (Kenya Comfort Hotel).
Day 1. From Nairobi to Arusha
After breakfast at the hotel we are taking a comfortable shuttle bus to Arusha. We expect to be at the border of Kenya and Tanzania within a couple of hours. After passing the formalities, we continue driving towards Arusha National Park. We will be enjoying beautiful mountain scenery along our way. On a clear day we might see the highest mountain of Africa, Kilimanjaro. We arrive to Arusha early afternoon and enjoy a nice picnic lunch. This afternoon we have some free time to look around the town of Arusha. We end the day with a dinner at our hotel.
Day 2. From Arusha to Serengeti NP
This morning we start our drive towards the spectacular Serengeti. Our first long stop will be at the beautiful viewpoint of Lake Manyara, one of the Great Rift Valley lakes. We might spot an elephant, a giraffe or a buffalo here. Our goal for today is the Ngorongoro Crater Gate of the Serengeti National Park. We are now in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. First of all, we are going to visit an ecological site and a museum, where we will discover more about the surroundings. From here it will take us just half an hour to reach the top of the crater rim, where the view is truly breathtaking. We take our time to admire the view. Then our game drive continues towards the Seronera area, we are going to camp there tonight. This is a perfect area for wildlife viewing, as the endless Serengeti plain extends beyond the horizon. The crew would have arrived to the camp earlier than us and prepared for our arrival, put up our tents, cooked the dinner and lit up the campfire.
Day 3. From Serengeti NP to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Today we have a morning game drive planned, which means that the day starts with an early breakfast. Chances are high that we will see at least four of the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo – game driving in Serengeti is an experience you will never forget! We come back to the camp for a brunch, and start driving to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. As our route takes us through some majestic scenery today, we will be making photo stops along the way and will stop for a longer time at the Serengeti – Ngorongoro Gate.
This afternoon we are going to visit a cultural village of the Maasai. We are going to meet the people of the Maa tribe. They will tell us about their cherished traditions and customs. We will see how they live nowadays and talk about preserving an authentic culture in the modern world.
Our destination for tonight is the Simba campsite at the rim of the Ngorongoro crater.
We have a dinner, carefully prepared by our crew, around the campfire. While you will certainly enjoy the fresh air at this amazing place, be prepared for a chilly night. Put on your warm clothes and enjoy!
Day 4. From Ngorongoro to Karatu
We depart early after a picnic breakfast, and soon our road starts descending towards the bottom of the Ngorongoro Crater. We open the roof of our vehicle for the best game driving view. We stop to have a lunch at a small lake, where we are going to watch hippo’s in the water from our picnic site. After lunch we start driving up to the edge of the Crater. Later this afternoon we are going to say goodbye to the gorgeous Ngorongoro crater and drive towards a small town of Karatu. We are having our dinner and spending the night at the Kudu Lodge.
Day 5. From Karatu to Arusha
In the morning we continue our journey back to Arusha. First of all we will make a stop to look around at a local market. Today we have a choice of optional activities, such as a guided tour at the Snake Park, a cycling tour to a village, a visit to a banana plantation or a rice plantation, or a visit to souvenir craftsmen.
We come to Arusha late in the afternoon to enjoy a long evening and an early night.
Day 6. From Arusha to Zanzibar
Next morning we take a local flight from the Arusha International Airport to the Zanzibar International Airport. In about 2 hours we land on the island of Zanzibar. Depending on your preference, we arrive to our accommodation for the next 2 nights, either in the charming Stone Town or at the marvellous northern beaches of Zanzibar. But first of all, we will anyway do a Spice Tour in the Stone Town to get familiar with the history and traditions of Zanzibar, and start immersing ourselves into the unique diverse atmosphere of the famous spice island.
Day 7 and Day 8. Zanzibar
You can either relax or plan your day full with activities: there is a lot to experience in Zanzibar. Zanzibar has a number of world famous snorkeling and diving locations with stunning coral reefs and active underwater world. Beach people will find their favorite spots on the premium white sand beaches and cool lounges. You can also see animals unique to Zanzibar, such as Red Colubus monkeys. A choice of evening entertainment possibilities on Zanzibar is endless: sunset cruises, night food market, many good restaurants and bars. Make these last days of your Africa journey really special!
Late in the afternoon on the second day the crew will transfer you to the departure point of your return flight: either to the Zanzibar International airport, where you can take your flight either to Nairobi or to the Dar Es Salaam International Airport. If you are flying back from Dar Es Salaam, an alternative is to transfer with a speed ferry across to Dar Es Salaam and will then take you to the Dar Es Salaam International Airport.
Return with an evening flight.
Contact us on info@empakaaiculturalsafari.com. We are happy to answer all your questions, discuss your preferences and help you to book your trip.
