Abstract
An indescribable variety and quantity of animals populate the vast national parks of Tanzania, a country south of the equator, which is more than three times the size of Italy. This classic itinerary follows the Northern circuit, visiting the most famous and significant parks: Lake Manyara with its abundance of flamingos and tree-climbing lions; Serengeti, the mother of all savannahs, the stage for the largest and most spectacular migration on the planet; the gigantic Ngorongoro crater with every African animal species; and finally Tarangire, rich in elephants and baobab trees.
***THE GREAT MIGRATION***
It is the rain that dictates the schedule of the herds' movements in search of fresh pastures and water. The rainy season usually lasts from October to May: it starts with short torrential showers at the end of sunny days and culminates in April, a month to be avoided as the plains turn into swamps and most fields close. In May, when the rains subside, the wildebeests move north from the Serengeti to the Masai Mara in Kenya, where they stay from July to October before returning to Tanzania. The southern Serengeti, between January and March, is the scene of weaning for the young ones. This is the usual pattern, but the lack of rain can radically change the schedule, even advancing the movements in search of water by up to two months.,
Characteristics
- Private tour with daily departures upon request. Driver/guide in English (bilingual Italian if available). Departures are guaranteed (min 2 participants) from 45 days before the beginning of the tour. Subject to availability
- small groups (max. 6 participants)
- 4x4 off-road transportation (except for daily excursions that may be done in a minivan).. Starting from 45 days before departure, availability is on request
- visit 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites,
Itinerary
Day 1 — Arusha
I arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and, after completing customs formalities, I will be transferred to a hotel in the city with an English driver. Dinner is free and overnight stay., accommodation Quality Inn Airport - Cruise Port,
Day 2 — Arusha → Lake Manyara National Park
Breakfast, departure to Lake Manyara National Park, accommodation at the lodge, lunch, Lake Manyara is one of the three great lakes that occupy the bottom of the Great Rift Valley, which cuts through Tanzania from north to south: a huge fissure (crack in the Earth's crust) formed about 30 million years ago, starting from the mouth of the Zambezi in Mozambique and ending 6,600 km later in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. The lake is at the base of the most spectacular stretch of the escarpment, covered with large mahogany and fig trees; the park is among the smallest in Tanzania, but the terrain is so varied - lake, forest, swamps, grasslands - that the list of animals living there is one of the most impressive in Tanzania: monkeys, mongooses, hyenas, zebras, hippos, buffalos, giraffes and impalas, elephants, tree-climbing lions; the large flocks of flamingos are spectacular., afternoon game drive in the park, return to the lodge, dinner, accommodation zzz Trasferimento Mykonos - Aeroporto / htl Agios Ioannis o vv.,
Day 3 — Lake Manyara National Park → Serengeti National Park
Breakfast, departure to Serengeti National Park, arrival at the tented camp in time for lunch, afternoon game drive in the park, return to the lodge, dinner, accommodation Antay Hotel & Spa,
Day 4 — Serengeti National Park
Breakfast, morning and afternoon game drive in the park, Serengeti, in the Maasai language "endless plain", is one of the largest wildlife reserves in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located between Kenya and Lake Victoria, it is at the center of the annual Great Migration, when millions of hooves tread its arid and vast plains, with tens of thousands of zebras and gazelles joining the wildebeests in search of new pastures. But even during non-peak periods, the visit never disappoints., lunch and dinner at the camp, accommodation,
Day 5 — Serengeti National Park → Karatu
Breakfast, continue to, descent into the crater for a full day of photosafari, with packed lunch, NgoroNgoro is the enormous crater of an extinct volcano (it could contain Milan twice), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, incomparable for its magnificent natural spectacle and abundance of animals, a fascinating microcosm of East African fauna: lions, elephants, hyenas, wildebeests, gazelles, zebras, leopards, and flamingos; even the rare black rhinoceros. The abundance of wildlife and predators attracts patrols of visitors, but it is a fair price to pay for certain and spectacular sightings. NgoroNgoro is located in Masai territory., Arrival at the lodge in the late afternoon, dinner, accommodation NAVW Delta & Chobe Trail South Accomodated,
Day 6 — Karatu → Tarangire National Park
Breakfast, departure to, lunch on arrival, afternoon game drive in the park, Tarangire gathers an exceptional amount of elephants and birds, as well as wildebeests, zebras, buffaloes, gazelles, antelopes, elands, the majestic oryx gazelle, and the curious gerenuk with its long neck. During the dry season, it is the best place for elephant sightings., Hidden among ancient baobab trees and kopjes, the characteristic round rock formations of this park, Tarangire Sopa Lodge is open and airy and offers good comfort after a day of safari. The furnishings of the common areas are standard, with a vaguely African style, and a bit dated, but the recently renovated rooms are cozy and comfortable and open onto a small private balcony; the shower is spacious. There is a pool with a bar, a restaurant., dinner, accommodation Village & Life De Waterkant House,
Day 7 — Tarangire National Park
Breakfast, return to, The guided tour ends at the airport.,
Notes
- TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: before the start of the tour, all the participants must make sure they possess the required documents to enter the destination countries, and that such documents are comprehensive and valid.
- MINIMUM AGE: not specified, but not recommended for children under 10 years old.
- SMOKING: smoking is not allowed on means of transportation, in tents, in rooms, and according to the guide's instructions.
- HOTEL / ITINERARIO, MODIFICHE: La societĂ organizzatrice si riserva il diritto di modificare l'itinerario e/o le sistemazioni previste, se richiesto da circostanze impreviste e se necessario per la sicurezza e il normale proseguimento del viaggio
- INTOLERANCES AND SPECIAL DIETARY REGIMES: food intolerances (allergies, celiac disease, etc.) and special dietary regimes (vegan, etc.) must be communicated at the time of booking. Special menus or treatments are not provided or guaranteed, but we will do our best to accommodate the needs of participants. Notifications made after arrival will not be taken into consideration.
- TIPS: not included, but practically mandatory, unless there are serious shortcomings. We recommend a tip of $5/7 per person per day for the driver/guide.
- MEALS: not included when not specified
- REFUNDS: If the tour or any part thereof cannot be conducted due to Force Majeure or Vis Majeure, the Company shall not be responsible to give any refund; also, no refund will be given for any portions of the tour unused by the traveler
- HEALTH / VACCINATIONS: Participants must be aware of the itinerary and their own physical ability to handle it; it is recommended to always check the Viaggiare Sicuri website for the latest updates on necessary and recommended vaccinations and prophylaxis.
Starts from
7 days / 5 nights – from Arusha to Tarangire National Park,
Meals
Key: B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner,
Price includes
Driver/guide in English (bilingual Italian if available), standard room accommodation at the scheduled hotels, lodges and camps (or similar), meals: breakfasts, lunches, dinners, entrance to the parks and reserves visited, visits, excursions and photo safaris as per the program, transfers with a local guide who speaks Italian in a 4x4 vehicle or minivan (depending on the number of participants), mineral water on board during safaris, airport/hotel transfer upon arrival, hotel/airport transfer upon departure,
Price does not include
Administration fees and “no-risk” coverage, trip cancellation, medical expense & baggage coverage, meals that have not been specified; beverage; any extra, tips, entry visa in Tanzania US$ 50 to be paid at the border, air travel and taxes, everything not expressly mentioned in "The fee includes",
Important notes
Upon confirmation, you will be asked to pay a mandatory deposit of €300 per person., SEEN: US$50 to be paid at the border. The passport must have two blank pages and a validity of six months from the end of the tour date., PRE-NIGHT: included in Arusha (mandatory) with overnight stay and breakfast., START/END OF TOUR: Pickup/dropoff at the main hotels in downtown Arusha; in case of hotels located outside the city center or at the airport, transfer only with an additional fee., IMPORTANT - PLASTIC OBJECTS PROHIBITION
Starting from June 1st, 2019, anyone arriving in Tanzania will not be allowed to bring plastic bags with them. Passengers and visitors intending to arrive at any airport and border in Tanzania, including Zanzibar, are advised to avoid packing plastic bags in their carry-on or checked luggage as they may face penalties upon arrival. Items purchased at an airport before boarding the plane must be removed from plastic bags. The only exceptions are plastic packaging for medical and sanitary products and plastic bags for toiletries., VACCINATIONS: There is no obligation for vaccinations if you are coming from Europe without layovers, but antimalarial prophylaxis is strongly recommended. The yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for those coming from Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, even in the case of airport transit exceeding 12 hours. Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory if you continue your journey to Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, and Seychelles., PARK ENTRANCE: the fee ***includes*** park entrance, which amounts to an average of €90/120 per person per night. Please note that park entrance is a government fee that may increase without notice, therefore subject to confirmation before departure., ROADS: generally unpaved, not always in good condition - with potholes, dust or mud; travel times can be considerable, even when distances are not particularly long.,
Cancellation policies
Up to 60 prior to departure to 45 25% fee, 44-14 days 50%, 14-0 days 100%,
