8-Day Safari & Ngorongoro Trekking

Day 1: Airport / Moshi /Arusha to Tarangire National Park

Today our company representative will pick you up from airport or your accommodation in Moshi/Arusha and we will head to Tarangire National Park, which is known for its huge baobab trees and large herds of elephants. Its sparse vegetation makes it a beautiful and special location, where up to 300 elephants can be found, looking for underground streams in the dry riverbeds in dry seasons. Migratory wildebeest, zebra and buffalo can also be seen crowding the shrinking lagoons. Here you will enjoy an afternoon game drive with a picnic lunch before heading off to Lake Eyasi Village for an overnight.

Overnight: Lake Eyasi Campsite (Tindiga Campsite).

Best time to visit during the dry season from July to October.

Day 2: Lake Eyasi to Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast, you’ll get the chance to visit the Bushmen tribe of Datoga and Hadzabe and learn about their culture and way of life. A tour will give you the opportunity to go along on a hunt and experience their great hunting skills with arrows and bows, as well as enjoy some singing and dancing ceremonies. After lunch, drive to Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa’s seven natural wonders. Before dinner is served, enjoy awesome views of the crater below.

Overnight: on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater (Simba Campsite).

Day3: Half Day game drive Ngorongoro Crater

After breakfast we descend over 600 meters into the crater to view wildlife. Supported by a year round water supply and fodder, the Ngorongoro conservation Area supports a vast variety of animals, which lions, zebras, flocks of flamingos, elephants, giraffes just to mention a few. Ngorongoro is often referred as the eighth natural wonder, it has been listed as a UNESCO site which is considered the most beautiful and unique place in Africa where man and wildlife stays together in one area, We will visit Lake Magadi, a large but shallow alkaline lake in the southwestern corner, which is one of the main features of the crater. A large number of flamingos, hippos and other water birds can usually be seen here. After game drive in the late afternoon when we have already had our picnic lunch we head to Empakai campsite for your overnight stay.

MEALS: Lunch, dinner, bed and breakfast (FB)

ACCOMMODATION: Camping at Empakai campsite in Ngorongoro.

Day4: Trek from Empakai Crater to Acacia

After breakfast, we walk a short way around the Empakai crater to stretch our legs and get some good panoramic photos of the caldera. The first half of the trek is to Nayobi village where you will stop for lunch. From Nayobi we head down to Acacia Campsite. You will head out on a late afternoon walk to view the surrounding area and to take photos of the majestic Mt. Ol Doinyo Lengai, which is a Maasai name for “Mountain of God”. This mountain is unique amongst geologists because it is the only active volcano on Earth that erupts with a carbonates, a type of igneous rock rich in carbonates such as calcite and dolomite.

Total Walking Distance: 19km

Accommodation: Acacia Campsite

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included

Day 5: Trek from Acacia to the base of Mt. Ol Doinyo Lengai (Lake Natron)

We finish off our last day of trekking with a very early start from Acacia. The terrain is very dry and recently covered by ash from the 2008 Oldonyo Lengai eruption. We maximize our trek in the early hours of the day to avoid the late morning sun intensity and heat. We descend the Rift Valley Escarpment, via Pembe ya Swala to the base of Ol Doinyo Lengai. At the base we are picked up by our vehicles and transferred to our camp in Lake Natron for Lunch. Late afternoon excursion to Lake Natron shores to view the Lesser Flamingos in their breeding habitat or for the fitter ones a hike up to the Engare Sero waterfalls. You can Opt to climb Oldonyo Lengai Mountain where after dinner we depart from the campsite and get dropped off by our safari vehicle at the starting point at around 2300hrs is when we start our climb for almost 5hrs then descend back where we arrive at the campsite at around 900hrs.

Total Walking Distance: 15km

Accommodation: Maasai Giraffe Campsite

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included

Day6: Lake Natron to Mto wa mbu Village Via Maasai villages

After breakfast we depart off our campsite in the late morning heading to Mto wa Mbu village, Enjoy game viewing on the way to Mto wa Mbu village, animals like Wildebeests, Maasai giraffes, gazelles a good number of birds including ostriches are common to be sighted on the way. We arrive in the afternoon where we will have our hot lunch at the Campsite and have restful day at the campsite.

Overnight at Fanaka Campsite

Meals: All meals included

Day 7: Full day game drive in Lake Manyara national park

After an early breakfast, you will depart from the campsite for a full day game drive in Manyara national park “a park is well known for its spectacular tree climbing lions which spend most of their time spread out on the tree branches of acacias six to seven meters from the ground but also the park is well known for its tree climbing pythons. Alongside this park lies the Mto wa mbu “The river of mosquitoes” a small village which hosts almost all the tribes found in Tanzania believed to be more than 120 tribes dwelling in this small town conducting different activities including woodcarving, painting and farming. After game drive in the late afternoon/ evening we head back to the Campsite for an overnight stay.

MEALS: Lunch, dinner, bed and breakfast (FB)

ACCOMMODATION: Camping at Fanaka campsite in Mto wa Mbu.

Day8: Half day Cultural activities in Mto wa mbu ­–Departure day

The bustling farming community of Mto wa Mbu, located between Manyara and Ngorongoro, is home to around 18,000 people. Spend few hours here with a knowledgeable local guide and you’ll discover a side of Tanzania that many visitors miss. After breakfast at the campsite Local guides will pick you ready for a village walking / Biking tour, your guide is very likely to be from the village itself so you will have a unique opportunity to see the community through his eyes. Tours last around 2–3 hours, but are very flexible; Enjoy hot delicious local lunch prepared by local Mamas at their natural settings then you will head back to the campsite for shower and pack ready for transfer to Arusha – Airport.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Up on request