TRIBES & WILDLIFE PHOTO SAFARI

21st to 30th May 2022

Starting and ending at Kilimanjaro International Airport

Day 1: Arusha, the adventure starts

Welcome to Tanzania! Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), we will be welcomed and transferred to our accommodation in Arusha where we will meet our guides and have a pre-safari briefing. Depending on the arrival time of the flight we will have time to explore Arusha -the capital of the safari-, visit the market and other attractions and have a first contact with Africa. In the evening a delicious dinner at the lodge on our first exciting night in Tanzania.

* Accomodation: Arusha Planet Lodge. Full board.

Day 2: Lake Manyara National Park & Lake Eyasi

After a delicious breakfast, our guide and vehicle will meet us at the lodge and transfer us in the direction of the Great Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park, a park that offers stunning views and different habitats that support a great variety of fauna. This small park is home to amazing biodiversity and boasts a magnificent landscape of acacia forests, baobabs, hot springs, swamps and the soda ash lake itself. The park is home to more than 400 species of birds and the largest concentration of baboons worldwide. Famous for its tree-climbing lions, flamingos and large families of elephants strolling through the forest, other species to observe include giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, impalas, antelopes, wild boars, otters and mongooses. Our lunch will be a classic safari picnic inside the park while we enjoy the views.

At the end of the afternoon, we move to Lake Eyasi to relax, dine and spend the night. The Lake Eyasi basin is remote; a dry area of desolate beauty, offering a great experience of contact with nature. This seasonal lake features dry salt beds and is home to a wide variety of birds such as flamingos and pelicans. In the Lake Eyasi area we will have the opportunity to learn about local cultures by visiting the nomadic tribe of hunter-gatherers Hadzabe.

*Accomodation: Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge. Full board.

Days 3, 4 & 5: The Hadzabe tribe, Central Serengeti and the Great Migration

Early in the morning, a local guide will lead us to the ridges of the surrounding hills in search of a settlement of the Hadzabe tribe; we will arrive at the place of their last camp and proceed after them on foot. We will meet the members of the camp and visit their small huts, following the women in their work of gathering berries and Baobab fruits and other tasks. We can also follow the men on a hunt through the forest, rich in wildlife, among imposing baobabs and acacias. The men are armed with bows and arrows with poison tip, which we can see being made in the village. If they are successful in hunting, or in the search for a bee hive, we will be offered to share their food, luck will dictate the day. Our guide will interpret the conversations and we will be able to interact with the members of the tribe. Get ready for an extraordinary intercultural experience as you join these nomadic Bushmen in their daily lifes.

After lunch, our private pguide will meet us at the accommodation and take us on an exciting road transfer to the Serengeti National Park through the beautiful farmlands of Karatu and the walls of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area through the Oldupai Gorge. Leaving the highlands behind, we enter the heart of wild Africa!

The Serengeti Park is a refuge full of abundant wildlife and a landscape that stretches in the distance as far as the eye can see. Located in the heart of the park, the Central Serengeti area encompasses the world-famous Seronera Valley, which is known for its impressive opportunities for wildlife sightings. This perfect landscape is characterized by endless stretches of open plains covered with savannah, interspersed by rocky granite outcrops and dotted with acacia forests and covered by a network of rivers and streams. The Central Serengeti is part of the great migration of wildebeest and zebra and provides an ideal habitat for a variety of wildlife such as giraffes, impalas, different antelopes, hippos, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, hyenas, jackals, servals and much more!

We will appreciate the immensity of this true desert with a first safari while we drive to our camp, Pamoja Serengeti Luxury Camp, where we will stay for three nights. And on our first night under the African starry sky, we will hear the stories of our guides around the fire as we have a drink and listen to the sounds of the savannah.

The next two days we will enjoy full day safaris in this amazing secluded area of the park, observing African wildlife during the day and enjoying the sounds of the savannah and animals at night from the comforts of our beautiful campground.

The endless plains of the Serengeti are home to millions of Africa's large mammals, making it one of the most famous wildlife destinations in the world. Lions mating or hunting, cheetahs running among hundreds of impalas, herds of elephants cooling off in ponds, giraffes walking majestically with the sunset as a backdrop,... the safari experience is authentic and with all the comfort that our jeep provides us.

*Accomodation: Pamoja Serengeti Luxury Camp (3 nights) Full board.

Days 6 & 7: Ngorongoro Crater

We will enjoy our last morning in the heart of the Serengeti, keeping track of the pride of lions that perhaps we have seen in previous days or just letting ourselves be surprised by nature and animals, every day is different on safari! We will continue our journey out of the park through an area of great beauty and enjoy our picnic lunch. The Ngorongoro region is a natural paradise. It covers the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the spectacular Ngorongoro crater and the active Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano. A unique landscape in the world with abundant fauna and inhabited by the Maasai people. During the journey we will have the opportunity to see the beautiful landscapes of the area,  members of the Maasai  tribe in their daily activities and diverse fauna. In the afternoon we will arrive at our accommodation, the Pamoja Olea Farm Lodge to relax and where we will spend two nights.

Next day, after an early breakfast, we will descend with our guide to the caldera of the Ngorongoro crater, where we will find a spectacular landscape, described by UNESCO as the eighth wonder of the world and abundant in fauna, making it one of the most famous safari destinations.

The Ngorongoro is a collapsed volcano, an incredible natural amphitheater, 25 km in diameter, and teeming with more than 30,000 protected animals, including all members of The Big Five. Arriving early will give us the best chances to witness predators returning from their night hunts. We will leave the lodge with a picnic to maximize our time in the crater. At the end of the afternoon, we will return to the  lodge where we will share all the emotions of the day while enjoying a delicious dinner.

*Acccomodation: Pamoja Olea Farm Lodge (2 nights). Full board.

Days 8 & 9: Maasailand

After a relaxed breakfast, our guide will transfer us to the village of Mto wa Mbu, where we will explore an authentic village, see some of the localhouses, its market, the school,  and get to know the exquisite handicrafts of the many tribes of Mto wa Mbu. We will have the opportunity to meet the locals and learn about how they make banana beer (local beer), create Makonde wood carvings and use various tribal painting techniques. This village tour offers a great introduction to everyday life in Africa.

From there, we will go to the heart of the Maasai land to get to know their culture and live with them. We will visit an authentic Maasai village where we will have the opportunity to interact with one of Africa's legendary tribes and learn more about their lifestyle, culture and customs. Here, we will meet the people who started the local Nashipay school, a community project to provide schooling to the Maasai community of this very low-income area.

This trip offers us the unique opportunity to live a very different experience. We will live with them their day to day staying in the school area and participating in their routine and that of the school.

At the end of the afternoon, we will spend the night in the village with the local Maasai people while we watch as the African sky works its magic at sunset and they prepare us a delicious dinner with locally sourced ingredients (farm-to-table dining experience). After dinner we will be invited to share the campfire with the local Maasai elders and tell stories under a blanket of stars.

On our last day we will have the opportunity to really experience what it is like to live in the heart of the Maasai land and see first-hand its day to day. After enjoying breakfast, we will explore beyond the school complex and take walks with the locals, take the cattle to drink and graze and milk the cows and goats. We will also have the opportunity to visit the surrounding villages, work in the garden and help with the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. We will be able to visit the women who are dedicated to making traditional Maasai jewelry and they will teach us their techniques. A full day of coexistence getting to know this mythical tribe. At the end of the afternoon, we will enjoy dancing and singing with the Maasai and telling stories by the campfire. And a little secret... the 29th is Sergio's birthday, our photography guide, so we will celebrate it according to the Maasai tradition. Surprises are coming! A unique celebration to end an unforgettable trip.

Day 10: Our safari ends

We will enjoy our breakfast after departure from the Maasai cabin. Our driver will transfer us to Kilimanjaro airport. Depending on the schedule of our flights we can visit Maji Moto Hot  Spring on the route, swimming in these natural hot springs before heading to the airport.

Thank you for choosing  Wito Africa & Explore On Safari  for this photo safari experience in Tanzania! It's always sad to say goodbye, but we know you've made new friends and some very special memories in this beautiful country. We hope to see you again one day! Karibu Sana!