Details 15 days Camping Safari Tanzania Off the Beaten Track

Day 1: Arrival Kilimanjaro Airport – Arusha lodge

Your guide will be waiting for you at Kilimanjaro Airport and brings you in about 45-60 minutes to your lodge in Arusha.
Dinner and accommodation: Ilboru Safari Lodge or similar

Day 2: Arusha – Arusha National Park

Distance: 50 km
Time/road condition: about 1,5 hour over partly paved roads.
In the morning your guide will collect you in Arusha for departure to the campsite in Arusha National Park. After a hot lunch, we go for a game drive, spotting wildlife while enjoying the spectacular views of Mount Meru and the Kilimanjaro, waterfalls, lakes, swamps and steep cliffs. Driving around the Momella Lakes in the South Eastern part of the Park, surrounded by beautiful woodlands. The park is home to many varieties of smaller game as well as giraffe, elephant, Black and White Colobus monkey, water buffalo, bushbuck, and over 400 species of birdlife. At night, sitting in front of your own tent, you will enjoy the fresh mountain air and the bright, impressive African skies.
Dinner and overnight: Momella Public Campsite

Day 3: Arusha National Park – full day

A wonderful start of the day: a beautiful nature walk in Arusha National Park with an armed ranger (because of the animals). You can enjoy the impressive flora and fauna of this area, with waterfalls and huge fig trees. And suddenly you come almost face-to-face with a Maasai giraffe. A species known for their unusually dark patterned colouring and white ‘socks’. And as your eyes get accustomed to the shade and trees; you realise you are surrounded by a whole group who are just standing to stare, intrigued by “the tourists”. Depending on your condition and wishes the walk takes about 2-4 hours. Walking safaris can be as short or as long as desired.

After lunch, we go for a game drive in another area of the park. You can also experience one of the optional activities: excursion to Mount Meru’s summit or a canoe safari.
Dinner and overnight: Momella Public Campsite

Day 4: Arusha National Park – Lake Manyara

Distance: 150 km
Time/road condition: about 3,5 hours on mostly paved roads.
After breakfast, you begin your drive to Mto Wa Mbu, where you will spend an hour or two wandering around this busy town. You’ll learn more about the life of the Masaai and the 100 or so other cultural groups living in this area (some in traditional huts). We visit plantations, local craftsmen, taste banana beer in an authentic bar and amble past the many market stalls with local produce. Lunch is served by a cheerful Tanzanian “mamma” who will delight you with tasty local dishes. Then it’s on safari in Lake Manyara National Park, where we will set up camp in a beautiful restful site in the heart of the park.
Dinner and overnight: Endabash Public Campsite

Day 5: Lake Manyara National Park (full day)

Before breakfast, we plan a game drive in the calm early morning park and with a little bit of luck, you will experience a beautiful sunrise over the lake with an abundance of flamingoes and hopefully spot lions close-bye. Then it’s time to relax after breakfast. After the midday heat, we take another game drive on a different route. Most animals are making their way down to the river for a much-needed drink … and at this time of day, the famous Manyara lions could be spotted in the trees! Optional: night game drive, guided walks, Tree-Top walkway.
Dinner and overnight: Endabash Public Campsite

Day 6: Lake Manyara – Lake Natron

Distance: 80 km
Time/road condition: 2 hours, mostly sandy, bumpy roads.
An adventurous route to a very special area: magic Lake Natron. Off the beaten track and away from the masses. The route takes you through the cultural home of the Maasai. On the way, you pass Engaruka, an archaeological site of a Stone-age settlement, as well as majestic Ondonyo Lengai, the only active volcano in the Great Rift Valley. Lake Natron will fascinate you with its colours varying from pink, lime green and red, this due to the concentration of minerals … and possibly the flamingoes! It is an almost surreal and breathtaking landscape which will leave you in awe!

After lunch, a Maasai guide will lead you along the ridges of the lake to the source of the Engaresero River. If rain has fallen up in the Rift Valley, water streams over the escarpment, forming waterfalls and streams of sparkling clear water which one can swim in. After this refreshing swim, we walk back to the Tented Camp from which you can see the Ol Doinyo Lengai. Late in the afternoon, we drive to the Lake once again, this time a Maasai guide will take you for a short walk along the shores of the lake to good spots for beautiful pictures of the panoramic views at sunset.
Dinner and overnight: Lake View Public Campsite

Day 7: Lake Natron – Serengeti North East

Distance:  220 km
Time/road condition: 7 hours, mostly on gravel and bumpy roads. A long day but beautiful trip.
Before breakfast, we drive to the lake for one more time for a short walk with a Maasai guide will take you for a walk along the shores of the lake to see the lake and Flamingos at sunrise. After breakfast, we leave with filled lunchboxes and head for North-East Serengeti. Leaving the cliff ridges behind we drive through a majestic landscape, regularly meeting local residents and their beautiful cattle on our way. The moment you enter the Serengeti at Klein’s Gate, the landscape changes dramatically into endless savannah with huge herds of grazing animals… and the large carnivores which follow them!
Dinner and overnight: Lobo Public Campsite

Day 8: Serengeti North East – full day

Our route follows the migration of the animals on the plains along the shores of the Mara River. Crocodiles are waiting for wildebeest who risk the crossing. With good planning and a bit of luck, you will be witnessing a spectacle that is hard to put into words. Watching a crossing and hear all the noises is a very impressive experience that you’ll never forget! This is also the area where you can be quite sure to see a hunter like a hyena, cheetah, lion or leopard. If you’re lucky you might even spot a leopard climbing in a yellow acacia tree! This part of the Serengeti has beautiful sceneries and you can drive here for hours without seeing another car.
Dinner and overnight: Lobo Public Campsite

Day 9: Serengeti North East – Serengeti Central

Distance: 140 km
Time/road condition: approximately 4 hours but combined with a game drive it can take 7-8 hours. It also depends on the condition of the roads many of which are gravel and corrugated.
After an early breakfast and with packed lunch, we depart for Central Serengeti. This is actually a full day game drive as we spend a large part of the day on safari in the Lobo reserve. This is a remote area of Serengeti, somewhat off the beaten track. A less visited area but you will experience the real wilderness with rocky outcrops. After brunch we head for Central Serengeti – a beautiful drive through a magnificent changing landscape.
Dinner and overnight: Seronera Public Campsite

Day 10: Serengeti Central – full day

A full safari day in Serengeti! Driving along the shores of the Seronera River and Mara River, trying to find unforgettable moments and a glimpse of the way wild animals live and survive. Wildebeest crossing the river,  a hunting cheetah, lion or any other predator or the magnificent view of the silhouette of a giraffe at the horizon. You will have a chance to see Nile Crocodiles (sometimes more than 6 meters long!) waiting for animals to come drinking or crossing and ambush them. You will enjoy areas that are not known to the greater public and are therefore perfect for an experience off the beaten path. Today, our route follows the presence and migration of the animals on the plains.
Dinner and overnight: Seronera Public Campsite

Day 11: Serengeti Central – Ngorongoro

Distance: 160 km (without game drive in Ngorongoro Crater)
Time/road condition: 3 hours, sandy and bumpy.
After breakfast depart for a game drive in the famous Ngorongoro Crater. We wind our way down into the caldera, with the most breathtaking views along the way. Armed with your guide’s years of experience and his ‘eagle-eyes’, we might even encounter rhino. The chance of seeing an active pride of lions at close quarters is high on the list of possibilities. During the picnic lunch at the Hippo Pool, you will enjoy all the sights and sounds of the ‘laughing’ hippos enjoying a wallow in the cool water and a mud-bath. After lunch, we continue our safari and drive to the campsite near the Crater.
Dinner and overnight: Simba Public Campsite

Day 12:  Ngorongoro – Lake Eyasi

Distance: 90 km
Time/road condition: about 2 hours, sandy and bumpy roads.
After breakfast, we drive to Lake Eyasi. where we will arrive at lunchtime. This pristine saline lake, surrounded by Rift Valley walls in the west and the high ground to the north, offers magnificent views. After a hot lunch, it’s time to explore the surrounding area by taking a short walk to the lake. We could visit the Datoga clan who are famous for their metal work. Or you might choose to just relax in the campsite in this truly unusual and peaceful place. In the late afternoon, you can enjoy a short walk to experience a magnificent sunset over the lake.
Dinner and overnight: Lake Eyasi Public Campsite

Day 13: Lake Eyasi – Tarangire

Leaving before sunrise, a guide will accompany us to find a place where a group of Hadzabe have gathered. The Hadzabe community has lived here for thousands of years according to their age-old traditions. You can join a hunting group, try your hand at using traditional bow and arrows or remain with the group and participate in daily activities. You get a unique glimpse of how their authentic way of life and culture has survived for more than 10,000 years in an ever-evolving world. After a hot lunch at the campsite, we make our way to the to Tarangire National Park.
Dinner and overnight: Tarangire Public Campsite

Day 14: Tarangire – full day

Driving in the park, observing elephants, sometimes very close to the campsite near the (dry bedding of the) river. Drive to Larmaku Swamp, a large swamp where you can find elephants and other animals, cooling down in the water and sheltering for the sun in the shadow of the acacia trees. Regarding encountering wildlife we can not guarantee anything, but the chance that you will see large herds of elephants in this park is 99,9%.
Dinner and overnight: Tarangire Public Campsite

Day 15: Tarangire – Arusha of Kilimanjaro Airport

Distance: 120 km
Time/road condition: Approximately 3 hours to a lodge or the airport in Arusha, about 4 hours (160 km) to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Depending on your itinerary, we will drive you to a lodge in Arusha, the Arusha Airport (for domestic flights e.g. to Zanzibar) or to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your return flight home. 

Rates 15 days Camping Safari Tanzania Off the Beaten Track:

2 pax: $ 4.275 per person sharing

3 pax: $ 3.725 per person sharing

4 pax: $ 3.595 per person sharing

5 pax: $ 3.680 per person sharing

6 pax: $ 3.450 per person sharing

Child discount (2-16 years): on request (depending on age and sharing rooms).

Information and book

Included:

• Breakfast 14x (day 2-15), lunch 14x (day 1-14), dinner 14x (day 1-14)
• Admissions, game drives and activities according to program
• Transport in 4×4 safari car with a roof hatch
• Transfer from and to the airport
• Professional, English speaking guide and safari-cook
• All* basic camping gear: stand-high canvas tent with mosquito netting, pillows, stretcher-bed and matrass, chairs, plates, mugs and cutlery
• Bottled water in the car

*Excluding sleeping bag for hygienic reasons. If you prefer more comfort just let us know.

Not included: sleeping bag, international flights, optional activities, visa, cancellation and travel insurance, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and tips.