Day 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania DEMOCRATIC … 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania ... extensions into...

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Day 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania Our first day’s journey takes us south from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, across Maasai lands heading for Arusha, Tanzania. The Maasai still shun much of Western culture and continue living as semi nomadic pastoralists throughout the region. On our travels Maasai herdsmen can be seen tending goats and cattle. The distinctive acacia ‘whistling thorn’ can be seen across the Althi Plains and you might also have your first sighting of Africa’s wildlife particularly giraffe on this drive. At the busy Namanga border visas are organised and you can buy beaded Maasai jewellery and wooden carvings if you wish. On a lucky day on our approach into Arusha, snow-clad Kilimanjaro might come into view. Arriving at camp we have the Departure Meeting to go through the details of life on the truck, organise the rosters and finalise arrangements for the next few days of optional safari arrangements. Distance: 278 km Est. Drive Time: 6 – 7 hours including border crossing Meals: X1 Dinner Days 2 to 4: Set aside for optional safaris in the northern circuit game parks Arusha to Serengeti National Park, day 2 This morning most depart early for the two night/three day optional safari in the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater with a local guide. During the three days we have an immense opportunity to see a broad cross section of Africa’s incomparable wildlife. Travelling by customised landcruisers we enter on to the Serengeti plains ahead of arriving at Naabi Gate by early afternoon. Naabi Gate is the official entry for the park. The grasslands of the Serengeti are part of the stage for the annual migration of large herds of wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle that move between the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara in Kenya. The herds are also always closely followed by the ever watchful predators, particularly the ‘big cats’ – lion, leopard and cheetah. We game drive through the afternoon and camp tonight in the park. Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, day 3 There is so much wildlife in this vast park. This is not just home for the famous migratory herds and different predators. Numerous scavengers to watch for are jackal, hyena and vultures. Elegant giraffes cross the plains. Hippo wallow in pools and there are large herds of elephant. Bird life is in abundance from ostrich, to secretary birds, kestrels and bustards, to superb starlings, sunbirds and roller birds. There are numerous waterbirds. So we are up early again this morning to make the most of every moment in this world famous game park. We leave the park at lunch time to enter back into the Conservation Area and start our ascent to the Crater rim. Traditional Maasai bomas (villages) can be seen across the region and we visit a traditional Boma this afternoon. A visit to the Olduvai Gorge Museum, on our way to our camp can also be arranged. Our camp is at altitude this evening, so everyone needs to wrap up warm. Those on the Ngorongoro Crater safari usually join tonight as well. Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area to Arusha, day 4 It is another early rise for more game drives for everyone that has elected for game drives in Ngorongoro Crater. The world’s largest extinct volcano, Ngorongoro is 18 kilometres across and 2,000 feet deep and dates back 2.5 million years. Elephant, rhino, antelope, lion and hyena roam the Crater floor. Hippo wallow in the pools and flamingo can be seen feeding on blue-green algae in Lake Magadi creating an edge of pink on the Lake. We enjoy a picnic lunch before our journey back to Arusha. On the way we can stop over at Mto Wa Mbu, ‘Mossie Creek’, to try our hand at bartering for carvings, spears, jewellery and other souvenirs. Other options available over this period: Balloon safari, Olduvai Gorge Museum for those visiting the Serengeti, extensions into Manyara and Tarangire, camel safari, Maasai village and Museum visit. Distance over 3 days: 0 Est. Drive Times: 0 Meals: X1 Breakfast, day 2. X1 Dinner, day 4 page 1 Equator MOZAMBIQUE ZIMBABWE ZAMBIA TANZANIA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO UGANDA KENYA Johannesburg Livingstone, Victoria Falls Harare Serengeti Ngorongoro Crater Dar Es Salaam Nairobi Mikumi Matopos Lake Victoria Lake Tanganika Lake Malawi The Virungas Mt Kenya Kande Beach MALAWI Zanzibar Island ferry South Luangwa Lilongwe Lusaka Lake Kariba Matusadona Masai Mara Lake Naivasha Game Ranch Bulawayo Diani Beach Mombasa Kilimanjaro Arusha Chobe Okavango Delta Nata finishing in Maun flight required Maun Hwange Makgadikgadi Pans Key THE ROUTE GAME PARK FERRY BOLT ON Masai Mara Safari BOLT ON Chobe National Park BOLT ON Okavango Delta Blantyre

Transcript of Day 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania DEMOCRATIC … 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania ... extensions into...

Page 1: Day 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania DEMOCRATIC … 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania ... extensions into Manyara and Tarangire, camel safari, Maasai ... and motorised tender

Day 1: Nairobi to Arusha, Tanzania Our first day’s journey takes us south from Kenya’s capital,Nairobi, across Maasai lands heading for Arusha, Tanzania.

The Maasai still shun much of Western culture and continueliving as semi nomadic pastoralists throughout the region. Onour travels Maasai herdsmen can be seen tending goats andcattle. The distinctive acacia ‘whistling thorn’ can be seenacross the Althi Plains and you might also have your firstsighting of Africa’s wildlife particularly giraffe on this drive. At the busy Namanga border visas are organised and you canbuy beaded Maasai jewellery and wooden carvings if you wish.On a lucky day on our approach into Arusha, snow-cladKilimanjaro might come into view.

Arriving at camp we have the Departure Meeting to go throughthe details of life on the truck, organise the rosters andfinalise arrangements for the next few days of optional safariarrangements.

Distance: 278 kmEst. Drive Time: 6 – 7 hours including border crossingMeals: X1 Dinner

Days 2 to 4: Set aside for optional safaris in the northern circuitgame parks

Arusha to Serengeti National Park, day 2This morning most depart early for the two night/three dayoptional safari in the Serengeti National Park and NgorongoroCrater with a local guide. During the three days we have animmense opportunity to see a broad cross section of Africa’sincomparable wildlife.

Travelling by customised landcruisers we enter on to theSerengeti plains ahead of arriving at Naabi Gate by earlyafternoon. Naabi Gate is the official entry for the park. Thegrasslands of the Serengeti are part of the stage for theannual migration of large herds of wildebeest, zebra andThomson’s gazelle that move between the Serengeti and theMaasai Mara in Kenya. The herds are also always closelyfollowed by the ever watchful predators, particularly the ‘bigcats’ – lion, leopard and cheetah. We game drive through theafternoon and camp tonight in the park.

Serengeti National Park to Ngorongoro ConservationArea, day 3 There is so much wildlife in this vast park. This is not justhome for the famous migratory herds and different predators.Numerous scavengers to watch for are jackal, hyena andvultures. Elegant giraffes cross the plains. Hippo wallow inpools and there are large herds of elephant. Bird life is inabundance from ostrich, to secretary birds, kestrels andbustards, to superb starlings, sunbirds and roller birds. Thereare numerous waterbirds.

So we are up early again this morning to make the most ofevery moment in this world famous game park.

We leave the park at lunch time to enter back into theConservation Area and start our ascent to the Crater rim. Traditional Maasai bomas (villages) can be seen across theregion and we visit a traditional Boma this afternoon. A visit tothe Olduvai Gorge Museum, on our way to our camp can alsobe arranged.

Our camp is at altitude this evening, so everyone needs towrap up warm. Those on the Ngorongoro Crater safari usuallyjoin tonight as well.

Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area to Arusha, day 4It is another early rise for more game drives for everyone thathas elected for game drives in Ngorongoro Crater. The world’slargest extinct volcano, Ngorongoro is 18 kilometres acrossand 2,000 feet deep and dates back 2.5 million years.Elephant, rhino, antelope, lion and hyena roam the Craterfloor. Hippo wallow in the pools and flamingo can be seenfeeding on blue-green algae in Lake Magadi creating an edgeof pink on the Lake.

We enjoy a picnic lunch before our journey back to Arusha. Onthe way we can stop over at Mto Wa Mbu, ‘Mossie Creek’, totry our hand at bartering for carvings, spears, jewellery andother souvenirs.

Other options available over this period: Balloon safari,Olduvai Gorge Museum for those visiting the Serengeti,extensions into Manyara and Tarangire, camel safari, Maasaivillage and Museum visit.

Distance over 3 days: 0 Est. Drive Times: 0 Meals: X1 Breakfast, day 2. X1 Dinner, day 4

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Equator

MOZAMBIQUE

ZIMBABWE

ZAMBIA

TANZANIA

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO UGANDA KENYA

Johannesburg

Livingstone, Victoria Falls Harare

Serengeti Ngorongoro Crater

Dar Es Salaam

Nairobi

Mikumi

Matopos

Lake Victoria

Lake Tanganika

Lake Malawi

The VirungasMt Kenya

Kande BeachMALAWI

Zanzibar Islandferry

South Luangwa

LilongweLusakaLake Kariba Matusadona

Masai Mara

LakeNaivasha

GameRanch

Bulawayo

Diani BeachMombasa

KilimanjaroArusha

ChobeOkavango Delta Nata

finishing in Maun � flight required

MaunHwange

Makgadikgadi Pans

KeyTHE ROUTEGAME PARKFERRYBOLT ON Masai Mara SafariBOLT ON Chobe National ParkBOLT ON Okavango Delta

Blantyre

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Days 5 – 6: Arusha to Dar es Salaam We travel south to Dar es Salaam on the Indian Ocean coastover two days. We relax tonight and discuss arrangements forZanzibar as well as enjoying a seafood BBQ.

Distance over 2 days: 665 km Est Drive Time, Day 5: 7 hoursEst Drive Time, Day 6: 6.5 hoursMeals: X2 Breakfast, X2 Dinner

Days 7 – 10: Set aside for the optional beach break on ZanzibarIsland

Leaving the truck on Day 7 for four days we now have theoption to take the ferry to the exotic ‘Spice Island’ ofZanzibar.

Zanzibar is an island of alluring enchanting images, based inancient Swahili Arabic coastal traditions - the vibrant bazaarsof bustling Stone Town, the labyrinth of winding alleys andextravagant ancient architecture particularly evident in thebrass studded ornately carved doors of historic mansions,verdant spice plantations, and warm tropical azure waterslapping at endless palm fringed white beaches.

We take a spice tour today to sample the smells and tastes of traditional spices, as well as to find out a little of the richhistory of the island, including the spice and tragic slavetrade. This evening sip fruit cocktails on the verandah of AfricaHouse as traditional dhows, the majestic Arabic sailing ships,enter the harbour at sunset.

On Day 8 we leave Stone Town and head north to stay inbeach bungalows. On the way you can visit Jozani Forest tosee the indigenous red colobus monkey if you want. Here wecan swim, snorkel and relax while enjoying the fresh seafoodand local dishes cooked in island grown spices available onthis magical island.

Further details as to arrangements for your optional time onZanzibar Island: We make core arrangements well ahead oftime so we are assured our groups are comfortable in popularbeach cottages to the north of the island and for a night inthe capital. Excursions available include snorkeling, excursionsto Prison Island famous for its giant tortoise, as well asMnemba Atoll, dolphin boat trips, a trek in Jozani forest to seethe red colobus monkeys and fishing. Scuba diving can bearranged from the Dive Centre near our beach cottages.

Distance: 0 km Est. Drive Time: 0Meals: X1 Breakfast, day 7

Day 11: Zanzibar Island to Dar es SalaamWe return to the mainland during the afternoon to camp forour final night by the Indian Ocean.

Distance: 0 Est. Drive Time: 0 Meals: Dinner

Day 12: Dar es Salaam to IringaLeaving Dar es Salaam we resume our journey passingthrough Mikumi National Park where roadside sightings ofelephant, giraffe and antelope are common. This park isparticularly famous for dwarf elephant. Tonight we camp inIringa.

Distance: 0 Est. Drive Time: 0 Meals: X1 Dinner

Day 13: Iringa to Chitimba, Lake Malawi, MalawiWe enter Malawi, known as ‘Africa’s warm heart’. Our time inMalawi allows us to visit small fishing villages on our journeydown the Lake so we can experience a little of the friendlyrelaxed local village life en route. A game of football can bearranged with the locals and we also usually enjoy a beachbarbecue during our stay.

Malawi is a country of varied and beautiful scenery, and ourfirst night finds us usually camped on the golden sands atChitimba Beach, amongst lush banana palms and papayatrees.

Distance: 498 kmEst. Drive Time, +/8 hours including border crossing Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Days 14 – 16: Lake Malawi We are usually on our way south again today for two to threenights at Kande or one of the other campsites further south.We visit one of the extensive carving markets en route. Avillage tour, with a visit to a local school, is arranged duringthis time, and we are regularly entertained by traditionaldancers.

There are a lot of water sports available including snorkellingand scuba diving and pedaloes and canoes can be taken outon the lake. Horse riding in the local hills can be arranged, aswell as bareback riding in the Lake.

Distance, Day 14: 236 km Est. Drive Time, Day 14: +/- 5 hours Meals: X3 Breakfast, X3 Dinner

Optional excursions: Water sports, including snorkelling, windsurfing and scuba diving, horse riding, village visits includingtraditional meal and dancing, Livingstonia hike.

Days 17 – 18: Lake Malawi to Lusaka, ZambiaLeaving the Lake behind, we pass through Lilongwe, thecapital city of Malawi and then head to the capital of Zambia,Lusaka via the Luangwa River Bridge. Here we catch up oncommunications and re-connect with the rest of the world, aswell as stock up with supplies at the modern Manda HillShopping Centre.

Distance over 2 days: 993 km Est. Drive Time: Day 17, 7 hours including border crossing. Est. Drive Time, Day 18, 8 - 9 hours Meals: X2 Breakfast, X2 Dinner

Optional excursion: Lilongwe Wildlife Center.

Days 19 – 22: Lusaka to Lake Kariba, ZimbabweArriving at Lake Kariba we charter a houseboat for two nightsto relax and have a luxury break from camping and truck life,the boats having beds and an on board chef to cook for us.They also have a jacuzzi/spa pool, and motorised tenderboats for game cruises by the waters edge and for fishing, theLake being famous for tiger fish and bream.

On a cruise on the Lake we might spot elephant, buffalo,kudu, waterbuck and, if we are lucky, lion as they come downto drink by the water’s edge. As the day ends sunsets overthe Lake are magic. This is a wonderful, relaxed and differentway to view Africa’s wildlife and the beauty of the Africanbush.

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Distance, Day 19: 208 km Est. Drive Time, Day 19, 5 hours including border crossing Meals: X3 Breakfast, X3 Dinner

Optional excursion: Houseboat cruise on Lake Kariba.

Day 23: Lake Kariba to GweruWe drive today via Chinhoyi to camp at Antelope Park inGweru, a wildlife reserve in the Zimbabwean midlands.

Distance, Day 23: 504km Est. Drive Time, Day 23: 8 hours Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 Dinner

Days 24 – 25 GweruThe camp at Antelope Park is always popular perhaps partlybecause of its tranquil lake setting and also because of theclose proximity you will have here with some of the residentwildlife particularly lion and elephant. You can play with lioncubs, head out on elephant rides and canoe on the lake. Lion walking is particularly popular.

Distance: 0 km Est. Drive Time: 0 hours Meals: X2 Breakfast, X2 Dinner

Optional excursions: Lion walks, elephant rides, elephantriding, cub viewing, cub feeding, night encounter, canoeing,carriage rides, guided bird walks and horse riding.

Days 26: Gweru to BulawayoDay 26 We are up early this morning heading to the city ofBulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city. On reaching campwe meet up with a professional guide to arrange our safariinto Matopos National Park. Here we trek rhino on foot, and ifyou want you can extend this safari further, our skilled localguide providing further indepth insights.

Among the wildlife found in Matopos are black and whiterhino, elephant, wildebeest, zebra, warthog and ostrich as wellas little dassie and the agile klipspringer that dwell amongsttowering balancing granite boulders. The rare black eaglenests in the rock's more inaccessible heights.

Distance: 168 km Est. Drive Time: 2 hours Meals: X1 Breakfast, X1 DinnerIncluded wildlife activities: Game drive and rhino trek,Matopos National Park

Optional excursions: Extra game drives in Matopos NationalPark.

Day 27: Bulawayo to Victoria FallsWe travel to Victoria Falls for our last drive. Known locally as‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’, ‘the smoke that thunders’ the roar of thewaters can be heard some significant distance from the Falls,as the waters of the Zambezi plummet 100 metres over theGorge.

Distance: 438 km Est. Drive Time: 6 hours Meals: X1 Breakfast

Days 28 – 30: Victoria FallsOur final few days are spent camped by the Zambezi River.

Victoria Falls offers an immense amount to do.

From adventure sports to ‘up close’ wildlife activities, to funbars, busy markets, cruises and eating houses. Whitewaterrafting on grade 5 rapids, bungee jumping, gorge swinging andabseiling, as well as flights over the Falls in an ultralight ormicrolight, are some of the many adrenalin pumping activitieson offer. Horse and elephant rides are available, as well asthe popular ‘lion walks’ which allow you to get up close to the‘big cats’. You can enjoy wandering the national park besidethe Falls which has a lush tropical rainforest, and get with thebeats on an interactive drumming session. To finish the daytake a sunset cruise to glide along the Zambezi’s placidwaters on a quiet section of the River.

The Zambezi provides an extraordinarily beautiful and excitingsetting to finish your safari.

Distance: 0 km Est. Drive Time: 0 hours Meals: 0

Optional excursions: Whitewater rafting, riverboard, jet boat,bungee jump, gorge swing and rap jump, ‘Flight of the Angels’,canoe trip, lion walks, elephant ride, horse riding, interactivedrumming, a sundowner cruise.

Note this safari can finish in Victoria Falls on either side ofthe Zambezi River in Livingstone, Zambia or Victoria Falls,Zimbabwe. Do note extra visa and transfer costs apply if youneed to cross the river to fly out.

Please note safari itineraries are given as a guide only. A safari is a journey and true journeys in Africa unfold and areof an adventurous nature. The unexpected can arise, so doallow for this. Feel free to give us a call about your safariplans. We look forward to your further enquiries.

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