Tanzania Northern Circuit combined with Lake Tanganyika & Chimpanzees
The Wildlife safari experience that unfolds before you is as attractive to the first time safari seeker or a seasoned return Africa traveler. Experience the abundance of our great northern safari circuit with short driving times between Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks. Get a deeper understanding of our Maasai neighbors whilst enjoying the comforts of Isoitok Camp Manyara set in the heart of Maasai lands of Esilalei. Serengeti is your next stop for 3 days of exploration of this endless ecosystem. Spend a night in the forest of Ngorongoro conservation area before taking in the famous crater as a new day is born on the crater floor. If this isn’t enough we then fly you off to the Western extremities of the country to slow things down a little with Lake Tanganyika as your next destination. Soak in the endless lake views before the adventure of trekking for chimpanzees in the enchanted forests of Mahale National Park. Enjoy the experience of the first explorers with multiply days/nights under canvas with our fly camping experience. The forest will perform daily and nightly orchestras that will leave you in a motionless silence as you try to take it all in. The forest simply never sleeps.
Itinerary
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Below, we go through the adventure day-by-day, giving you a better feel of the adventure.
Day 1: Arrival
On arrival at Kilimanjaro airport, you will be picked up by your B2B driver guide and transfer toAhadi Lodge for dinner and overnight.
O/n Ahadi Lodge (D)
Day 2: Arusha to Tarangire National Park
Depart from Arusha in the morning and begin the drive through a changing landscape to Tarangire National Park for game drives of the ‘Elephant Playground. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the park followed by game drives till late afternoon – then leave the park and make your way to Isoitok Camp Manyara located in the middle of the maasai community of Esilalei.
O/n Isoitok Camp Manyara (B, L, D)
Day 3: Maasai Boma & Lake Manyara
After breakfast meet with your local Maasai guide who will introduce you to his village. Continue down to a Boma (mud dwelling) for an introduction into the Maasai way of life, beliefs and rituals.
Afterwards head to Lake Manyara National Park for game drives of this very diverse park. If you are lucky you may see the famous tree climbing lions. Picnic lunch in the bush followed by game drives until late afternoon when you return to Isoitok Camp Manyara.
O/n Isoitok Camp Manyara (B, L, D)
Day 4: Serengeti National Park
Morning wake-up call with bird chorus. After breakfast you head via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to the endless plains of Serengeti. Game drive en-route to central Serengeti – explore the many different areas of the park and your driver guide will best advice you on the best places to visit.
O/n Serengeti Angata Camp (B, L, D)
Day 5: Serengeti National Park
Full day game drives in Serengeti National Park. Head over to the Rock Kopjes where you have good chances of seeing some of the cat families. Cheetah and lion use this giant rock out crops as observation posts.
O/n Serengeti Angata Camp (B, L, D)
Day 6: Serengeti to Ngorongoro
After breakfast game drive en-route out of the Serengeti, heading back through the Ngorongoro conservation area towards the Ngorongoro crater. Late afternoon arrival at Ngorongoro Angata Camp where you enjoy dinner and overnight.
O/n Ngorongoro Angata Camp (B, L, D)
Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater
Early morning descend into the crater for game drives. There are 25,000 large mammals residing in the park. The elephants are mainly bulls, females stay out of the park due to it boasting the largest predator population in Africa. Black Rhino also make their home on the grassy plains, their numbers make up for almost half of what can still be found in East Africa; about 20 in total. Leave the crater late afternoon and transfer back to the camp.
O/n Ngorongoro Angata Camp (B, L, D)
Day 8: Ngorongoro to Arusha to Dar es Salaam
Morning departure from the crater and transfer to Arusha Airport for your flight to Dar es Salaam. You will be picked up upon arrival to transfer to your accommodation.
O/n Serena Dar Hotel (B, L)
Day 9: Dar es Salaam to Lake Tanganyika
Early morning transfer to Dar es Salaam airport for your 07:00 am flight to Mbeya. You will be collected on arrival at 08h25 am and transfer to Lake Shore Lodge. This is an 8 hour drive stopping for a picnic lunch enroute. You travel through the Lwafe Game and Forest Reserve, down the escarpment to Lake Tanganyika where you arrive late afternoon and spend a night in one of the Beach Chalets.
O/n Lake Shore Lodge Lawn Bandas (B, L, D)
Day 10: Lake Tanganyika
Today you set off early (around 06h30) in a local dhow, the Lake Wanderer. Stop enroute to have a packed breakfast and a picnic lunch – enjoy some snorkeling. That night we set up a fly camp in one of the pristine bays along the Lake and have dinner around the fire at the water's edge. There will be a boat driver and a chef on board.
O/n Lake Tanganyika Fly Camping (B, L, D)
Day 11: Mahale National Park
Continue up Lake Tanganyika to Mahale National Park where we set up our fly camp and enjoy dinner under the stars. You will receive a briefing about tomorrow’s chimpanzee trekking activity before retiring for the day.
O/n Tanapa Bandas (B, L, D)
Day 12: Chimp Trekking
Start with an early morning chimp trek and return to the bandas after seeing the chimps.
O/n Tanapa Bandas (B, L, D)
Day 13: Chimp Trekking
Start with an early morning chimp trek and return to the bandas after seeing the chimps.
O/n Tanapa Bandas (B, L, D)
Day 14: Lake Tanganyika
Continue southwards down Lake Tanganyika, snorkeling and enjoying the beautiful shoreline and the clear waters. Another fly camp will be set up in another beautiful bay.
O/n Lake Tanganyika Fly Camping (B, L, D)
Day 15: Lake Tanganyika
Today you set off for Lake Shore and arrive in the afternoon – enjoy the comforts of the lodge followed by dinner and overnight.
O/n Lake Shore Lodge Beach Chalet (B, L, D)
Day 16: Lake Tanganyika to Dar es Salaam
Morning departure at 07h00 and drive back to Mbeya where you connect with your return flight back to Dar es Salaam. The flight leaves Mbeya at 17h40 and arrives in Dar at 19h05. Here you can connect with your international flight back home. (B, L)
Note: O/N = Overnight, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
| Amount of persons: | Price p.p. (usd): |
| 2 people sharing | 8855.- |
| 4 people sharing | 7450.- |
| 6 people sharing | 7050.- |
| Note: prices are based on two adults and indicative. Single supplement is $ 1345 | |
- Included:
- Meals as stipulated |B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner
- Complimentary mineral water x1.5 liters per person in the safari vehicle
- 4x4 game viewing vehicles plus driver guide (window seat guaranteed)
- Unlimited game drives
- Emergency Evacuation Cover
- All transfers and activities as mentioned above
- Park fee, Conservation fees and Community Development Fees
- Accommodation as stipulated
- Domestic flight(s) as stipulated
- Excluded:
- Tips suggested: Driver guide $8-$10 per person sharing the vehicle per day
- Drinks apart from 1,5 liter mineral water during the safari
- Visa and airport departure tax
- Items of personal nature and not mentioned in the above itinerary
Way off the beaten track
We thoroughly enjoyed lake shore lodge and Mahale National Park. It was as promised, amazing and way off the beaten path.
We found the chimps during our 25k hike up 1600m spanning 10 hours, what an adventure! Lake Shore was great and we even arose at 3am one morning to return a day early and were rewarded with kayaking, fishing, snorkeling and a sundowner cruise.
Thank you so much, the trip you put together for us, it will be a fond memory for the rest of our lives and we are all better human beings for having experienced it
Through our Community Development foundation, the African Roots Foundation, Bush2Beach Safaris actively supports rural communities in Tanzania's Bush and Beach.