13 DAYS NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN HIGHLAND EXTRAVAGANZA

Tour highlights:

This exciting tour combines two of our main offerings, cultural and wildlife experiences. It will involve three tribes, Chagga, Pare, and Maasai which are both rich in culture but yet so different in their applications. This tour takes you through Tanzania’s famous northern circuit. From the base of the world’s highest free-standing mountain, Kilimanjaro, through the Tarangire National Park, to the wildlife-rich Ngorongoro Crater, the tour will expose you to the truly fantastic landscape of Tanzania that will live in your memory for years afterward. Also, in this tour, you will get to visit the lesser known and toured Mkomazi National Park

Basic info:

Where: Moshi | Marangu waterfalls | Mkomazi National Park | Coffee Tour Uru Village & West Kilimanjaro | Arusha National Park| Tarangire National Park | Serengeti National Park | Ngorongoro Crater |

Included:

  • All national park fees.

  • Drinking water for the duration of the trip.

  • Accommodation and food

  • All government tax is 18%.

  • Private transport 4*4 safari jeep

  • Both Swahili and English-speaking driver guide

Not included:

  • Alcoholic and other beverages

  • Optional activities are not outlined in the itinerary.

  • Items of a personal nature e.g. laundry, tips and etc.,

  • International flight & local flight

  • Tips and gratuities, we recommend $15 to $20 per person per day

  • Medical Insurance

  • Visa

Itinerary

Day 1:  Pick up, JRO Airport                

Following your arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by a Tanzanian Velo Adventures representative who will transfer you to Chanya lodge https://chanyalodge.co.tz/ where you will be staying overnight.

ACCOMMODATION: Chanya Lodge, HB https://chanyalodge.co.tz/

 

Day 2: Briefing and Moshi town tour

The following morning, after breakfast, you will have a short briefing from your guide about your itinerary. Thereafter, you will be invited if you fancy a town tour around Moshi. If tired you are more than welcome to take a rest and enjoy a nice swim at the lodge.

ACCOMMODATION: Chanya Lodge, HB https://chanyalodge.co.tz/

Day 3: Marangu waterfalls & transfer to Nzoroko Hotel

After breakfast and a short briefing from your guide, you will jump into your jeep and drive up to Marangu which is approximately 1600M above sea level. Upon arrival, we will take a 20 minutes hike to Ndoro waterfall passing through plenty of banana and coffee plantations which gives this walk a flowery smell.

The waterfall provides a great opportunity to swim and cool off. Be warned though, the water is VERY cold!

Thereafter we will jump into the jeep and go for the starting point of Mount Kilimanjaro through Marangu Route. In the afternoon you will be transferred to Nzoroko Hotel which is a 10-minute drive to Mkomazi National Park

ACCOMMODATION: Nzoroko Hotel, FB

Day 4: Mkomazi National Park            

Today you will have a full-day game drive at Mkomazi National Park.

Set below the verdant slopes of the spectacular Usambara and Pare Eastern Arc Mountain ranges and overseen by the iconic snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro, Mkomazi is a virgin breathtaking beauty exhibiting unique natural treasures and an immense sense of space. Mkomazi is vital refuge for two highly endangered species, the charismatic black rhino and the sociable African wild dog, both of which were successfully reintroduced in the 1990s. Nomadic by nature, wild dogs might be seen almost anywhere in the park, but black rhinos are restricted to a fenced sanctuary, ensuring their safe keeping for future generations’ enjoyment and prosperity.

Mkomazi supports several dry–country specialists’ species that are rare elsewhere in Tanzania; these include the spectacular fringe-eared Oryx, with its long back–sweeping horns, and the handsome spiral-horned lesser kudu. Oddest of all is the gerenuk, a gazelle distinguished by its slender neck, bizarre alien-like head, and habit of standing tall on its hind legs stretching for acacia leaves that other browsers cannot reach. In the evening you will be driven out of the park for dinner and accommodation

ACCOMMODATION: Mkomazi Bandaz, FB

Day 5: Mkomazi National Park, half day

After breakfast, we continue with a morning game drive through Mkomazi National Park, then have a picnic lunch at the park. Thereafter you will be transferred to Moshi for dinner and overnight stay.

ACCOMMODATION: Chanya Lodge, HB https://chanyalodge.co.tz/

Day 6: Coffee Tour Uru Village & West Kilimanjaro

After breakfast and a short briefing from your guide, you will jump onto your jeep and drive up to Uru which is approximately 1600M above sea level for our Coffee tour and a dip at Materuni waterfall. A hike down to the waterfall takes about 45 minutes through a scenic rainforest path with plenty of local fruits, such as avocados, mangos, lemons, and bananas, providing a fruity scent in the background. Also, watch out for the flower of love and forgiveness in case you need it!

The waterfall provides a great opportunity for a swim and a cool off

Kilimanjaro is known as one of the leading coffee growers in Tanzania and the best in East Africa. This wonderful trip is designed in such a way that you will get to know the whole coffee growing process and history of the local coffee growers. The most interesting part, just like locals, you will get a chance to pick, roast, and grind coffee beans, culminating with making your own cup of coffee

After the coffee tour, we will join our local family friend for lunch, Chagga’s favourite dish, and a little chat. Our friend may tell you a little about the history of the Chagga people and you may share your own stories and experiences.

After lunch, we head to West Kilimanjaro for Maasai evening activities. Living in the vast plains of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, the Maasai are probably the best-known ethnic group in East Africa and are known for their distinctive customs and dress. During our adventure to West Kilimanjaro, we will stop to meet the Maasai, get to know them, and even have the chance to try on their striking clothes. And in the evening, we will listen to stories from our hosts and share the dancefloor with them as they show us some traditional dances.

 ACCOMMODATION: Osiligilai Maasai Lodge, FB  

Day7: Arusha National Park          

After breakfast, you will be driven to Arusha National Park for a game drive. With a bit of luck, we’ll spot herds of elephants as we drive through the Ngasurai open plain, which is a migratory path for them to and from the Amboseli National Park in Kenya, and we’ll get to see the fantastic view of Mount Meru looming in the distance before reaching the bustling city of Arusha. Animals such as zebras, waterbuck, giraffes, antelopes and monkeys can be spotted in this park. You will also do canoeing at Lake Momella

ACCOMMODATION: Meru View Lodge, FB

Day 8: Tarangire National Park          

Early in the morning after breakfast, you will be driven from Arusha to Tarangire National Park for a game drive. The Tarangire national park is spectacular in any season and many of the migratory wildlife species can be found in the permanent waters of the Tarangire River. Huge herds of wildebeest, zebras, elephants, elands and giraffes gather until the onset of the rain when they migrate again to good grazing areas. In the evening before dark, you will be driven to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

 ACCOMMODATION: Eileen’s Tree Inn Lodge, FB

Day 9: Eileen’s to Serengeti National Park 

After breakfast, we will drive you to Serengeti National Park vie, Olduvai George, which takes between 3 and 4 hours. On our way to Serengeti, we will take stop for a picnic lunch in the park. After lunch and little rest, you will enjoy an evening game drive in the Serengeti, Again this is a great time to view game-particularly the carnivores as this is their favourite time to hunt. Before dark, you’ll head to your lodge for dinner and a restful night’s sleep.

ACCOMMODATION: Serengeti Heritage Tented Lodge, FB

Day 10: Full-day game drive at Serengeti Nation Park

Today, you’ll spend a full day exploring this diverse and expansive landscape, with opportunities to spot all of the “Big Five”, as well as many other wildlife species like zebra, antelopes, wilder beasts, and the natural wonder of the world, the great migration. Before dark, you’ll head to your lodge for dinner and a restful night’s sleep.

ACCOMMODATION: Serengeti Heritage Tented Lodge, FB

Day 11: Serengeti N.P to Ngorongoro crater

Today after early morning breakfast you will have a half day exploring this diverse and expansive landscape and then later head to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area floor. In the crater, you are also likely to see lions, rhinos, hippos, elephants, hyenas and many members of the antelope family, and small mammals of all sorts. You will have a full-day game drive in the park with a picnic lunch. After a long day in the crater, you will be driven back to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

 ACCOMMODATION: Rhino lodge, FB

Day 12: Ngorongoro Crater to Karatu  

Early in the morning after breakfast, you will head to the Ngorongoro crater floor. In the crater, you are also likely to see lions, rhinos, hippos, elephants, hyenas and many members of the antelope family, and small mammals of all sorts. You will have a half-day game drive in the park with a picnic lunch. After a long day in the crater, you will be driven to Karatu.

ACCOMMODATION: Eileen’s Tree Inn Lodge, FB

Day 13: Rest day and transfer to Airport  

After breakfast, it’s your time and you can spend it however you like while waiting to be transferred to the airport i.e. Kilimanjaro Airport or Arusha Airport depending on your flight. On the way, you will have a chance to do some shopping if that’s what you’d like!