9-Days Northern Tanzania intensive:
culture & safari
Materuni / Chagga culture - Meru & Matunda - Tarangire National Park - Lake Manyara National Park - Ngorongoro Crater - Serengeti National Park - Karatu - Maasai culture / Monduli Juu
Highlights
This special trip combines encounters with locals from different ethnic groups and game drives through the magnificent national parks of northern Tanzania. Learn more about the culture of the hill tribes at the foot of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, hike through the mountain rainforest and enjoy the hospitality of the Chagga over a cup of highland coffee. During the game drives, immerse yourself in the world of big cats and herds. In the Monduli Mountains, you will visit typical Masai bomas and learn more about the culture of the pastoral people.
In the morning you start with an excursion to the mountain slopes of Kilimanjaro. 4×4 Landcruiser take you up to the dense mountain rainforest at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain. An approximately 1.5-hour hike takes you through the lush green rainforest to the impressive Materuni waterfall, which plunges over 70 meters amidst lush vegetation and provides a remarkable backdrop. The hike is very interesting and you will see several smaller waterfalls and waterways along the way, which are part of the irrigation system of the local farmers who grow coffee, bananas and many other fruits and vegetables. The trail leads through villages and along banana and coffee plantations cultivated by the Chagga people. At the waterfall, you can refresh yourself in the cool, crystal-clear water – don’t forget your swimsuit! On our return, we visit the typical Chagga village of Materuni. We are guests of a Chagga family and taste the highland coffee grown here. You will learn more about the culture of this mountain people and their customs and traditions.
Overnight stay: Moshi
Today you go on a full-day tour to the Mount Meru region and drive to the village of Matunda. In the morning, you will visit coffee and banana plantations cultivated by the locals. You will visit families who produce home-brewed millet and banana beer. Afterwards, you will go on a one-hour hike to Lodemi Waterfall, probably the most beautiful waterfall on the slopes of Mount Meru. You walk through wonderfully green rainforest and can marvel at the rich flora and fauna. After the hike, you will be served a delicious home-cooked traditional lunch at the Matunda Cultural Center. You can also sample a freshly made coffee. The coffee is grown here in the community and processed before your eyes; from the freshly picked bean to the coffee cup, you can follow the entire process here. You can also buy freshly ground coffee – a lovely gift for friends back home.
After lunch, you can choose to go on a mountain bike tour (1) or another hike (2).
(1) For the fit and adventurous, a mountain biking tour through the African countryside is a truly exhilarating experience. You will ride through the forests of Meru, over mountain hills, through valleys and pass many small villages and lively market towns along the way.
(2) If you choose to hike, the trail leads to the Temi Pottery Project in the village of Snig’isi. The aim of the project is to keep the tradition of Tanzanian pottery alive. Here, clay products are made in the traditional way and the knowledge is passed on to the young people in the pottery school. Ceramic products such as candle holders, flower pots and tableware are produced and can also be purchased.
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner
Today we enter the realm of wild animals. Our destination is the indescribably beautiful landscapes of Tarangire National Park. There are over 100 species of mammals in Tarangire, such as giraffe, impala, lion, Cape buffalo, zebra, hartebeest, eland, dik-dik and kudu, as well as over 500 species of bird. The Tarangire is particularly famous for its large elephant population and herds of up to one hundred animals can be observed. The national park owes its name to the Tarangire River, which meanders through the entire park and carries water all year round. Animals therefore regularly come to the river to quench their thirst – it is definitely worth the wait! The vegetation is dominated by the impressive baobab trees, acacia forests and endless rolling plains. An unadulterated bush feeling awaits you!
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner
The park is one of the smallest, but also one of the most beautiful in the country. The main attractions here are the many different water birds, Manyara elephants and hippos, which can be observed at close range. At certain times of the year, the surface of the lake glistens pink due to thousands and thousands of flamingos.
Lake Manyara is a soda lake and on its shores there are very densely wooded areas where large families of baboons, guenons, antelopes and gazelles live. The national park is best known for its climbing lions, which can be observed in the trees if you are lucky.
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner
Today we explore the Ngorongoro Crater – the jewel of Africa! Nowhere else in the world is the animal population as dense as in this crater. Around 30.000 animals roam on the crater floor. Almost nowhere else in Africa can you observe the Big Five in such a confined space. A unique experience! This is one of the few places in Tanzania where black rhinos can still be seen. While the crater rim is on average 2.300 meters high, the crater floor is about 600 meters lower. On our 6-hour crater tour, you will experience an indescribable animal world for which Prof. Grzimek once had no words. With its abundance of animals and its remoteness, the crater resembles a Garden of Eden. After enjoying the fantastic panorama from the crater rim, we continue our safari towards the Serengeti. Already on the way you can observe many wild animals in the wide plains and at the kopjes. Depending on the season, your tented camp is located either in the southern Serengeti in the Ndutu area (Dec-Mar) or in the central Serengeti at the Moru Kopjes (Jun-Oct). The advantage of seasonal camp is that it “moves” with the seasons and the location of the herds, so you can be sure that you are at the best starting point for great game viewing. Pure safari feeling awaits you here – just as it should be: Authentic and close to nature!
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner
Today you will go on a full-day game drive in the Serengeti National Park. A safari in the Serengeti is one of the most untamed wilderness experiences in Africa. The Serengeti is undoubtedly the most famous wildlife sanctuary in the world and its natural beauty and astounding variety of wildlife is unrivaled. The Serengeti is known around the world for the great wildebeest migration – the greatest animal show on earth! The Serengeti has the largest concentration of plains game in Africa such as wildebeest, antelope, buffalo and zebra, which are regularly spotted in the vast plains of the Serengeti. Lions, cheetahs, leopards and hyenas are also ever present and regularly patrol the open savannah. The central Serengeti is the Seronera area and this is a fantastic place to see the predators, especially the large prides of lion. The great wildebeest migration is estimated to include more than a million wildebeest and zebra and witnessing this magical event is one of the unforgettable moments of a trip through Africa! These large herds are on a never-ending journey through the diverse landscapes. The animals’ instincts are so strong that the herds defy even proud lions and do not shy away from the crocodile-infested Mara River. It is an incredible natural wonder! But as certain as this natural spectacle takes place every year, the exact timing and spatial course is uncertain.
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner
We have another day of exciting game viewing ahead of us. We spend the whole day on a game drive. The Serengeti covers a huge area and is considered the largest animal reserve on earth. The endless expanse of the steppe, hidden lakes, fantastic rock formations and the gallery forests along the many small rivers – all of this is the unique Serengeti! A ubiquitous experience in Tanzania’s largest national park is the fight to the death between predator and prey. Golden-maned lion prides make rich prey thanks to the abundance of grass-eaters. Solitary leopards haunt the acacia tree-lined Seronera River, while many cheetahs roam the southeastern plains. There is hardly any other place in Africa where all three African jackal species occur together as they do here. And then there are the spotted hyena and a host of shy smaller predators, from the insect-eating aardwolf to the beautiful serval.
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner
Set out again early in the morning to observe the wildlife at dawn, when it is most active. After breakfast at camp we leave the Serengeti and drive to the Ngorongoro Highlands to Karatu.
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch, 1x dinner
In the morning we travel back towards Arusha. Today we dedicate the culture of the Maasai. At the foot of the Monduli Mountains there is a small plateau called Monduli Juu, on which some Maasai villages are located. Monduli Juu is located west of Arusha. The name comes from a wealthy Maasai ancestor (“Monduli”) who lived in this area during the German colonial period. Monduli Juu consists of a group of four different Maasai bomas: Emairete, Enguiki, Eluwai and Mfereji. We drive to Emairete and admire the beautiful crater, where in earlier times only the cattle of a medicine man were allowed to graze. You go on a hike in this impressive area. From the dam the path leads to the Maasai Church, the primary school and the kindergarten project up to Naramatu. Here you can taste specially made herbal tea and visit a small “workshop” where women make traditional Maasai jewelry by hand. Continuing uphill, after some time we reach the former eye clinic in Enguiki and from here you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view over Monduli Juu. You will have lunch in a Maasai Boma (meals are prepared in clean, hygienic conditions by local families; traditional African dishes are served). After refreshment, you continue the hike and the path leads past the forest to the Enguiki elementary school. The driver is already waiting for you here. You visit a traditional medicine man and have the opportunity to feel and smell the various medicinal herbs.
In the afternoon we will drive you to Arusha, Moshi or Kilimanjaro Airport, depending on your wishes. Our program ends upon arrival.
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch
Optional: Balloon Safari can be arranged on extra cost at Day 6 or 7
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Tanzania tour & safari according to the program
- Transport in a special 4×4 safari Landcruiser with an opening roof
- Experienced English speaking safari guide (German-speaking guide available for an additional charge), local guides
- Excursions, activities and sightseeing as per itinerary
- All entrance fees to the national parks
- Game drives in all national parks
NOT INCLUDED
- International flights
- Meals and drinks not mentioned
- Tanzania visa
- Optional excursions and activities
- Personal expenses, tips
- Travel insurance