The Chagga are a Bantu-speaking indigenous people traditionally living on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and Eastern Mount Meru. Their relative economic wealth comes from favorable fertile soil and successful agricultural methods, which include extensive irrigation systems, terracing, and continuous organic fertilization. After breakfast we drive to Materuni, a Chagga Village at the edge of Kilimanjaro National Park.  A short guided walk takes us to a scenic waterfall and on the way we learn more about the Chagga way of life. After returning to the village we are treated to a traditional Chagga lunch.  In the afternoon we are shown how coffee is grown and processed.  Chagga woman entertain us with traditional songs and dance. In the late afternoon we drive to Arusha for dinner and overnight at the Kibo Palace Hotel.

Accommodation: Kibo Palace Hotel

Driving: 120 km

Activities: Waterfall hike, Chagga cultural experience

Meal Plan: B L D

Today we take a break from the culture and drive with packed lunch to Manyara National Park.  This National Park is on the shores of a beautiful lake, referred to also as “Old Hunter’s Paradise". It’s a home to the legendary tree climbing lions. On the lakeshore we find herds of hippos next to thousands of flamingoes and other water birds. After a picnic lunch in the park at the hot springs we drive to the Photographic Lodge for dinner and overnight. The lodge is set high, on a bush-cloaked ridge, with magnificent views over Lake Manyara – a place to enjoy the sunset and rewind.

Accommodation: Rift Valley Photographic Lodge

Driving: 230 km

Activities: Game drives

Meal Plan: B L D

Mto Wa Mbu is a small town with a huge cultural diversity. Over 120 ethnic groups of Tanzania are found here.  A guided 3 to 4-hour village walk gives us a good insight of the everyday life.  We meet different local people and learn about banana beer, different painting techniques and wood carvings, besides different fruits and vegetables grown and available in the small market stalls. The tour ends with a delicious home cooked meal in a local mama’s home. Over lunch, a guide provides a history of the region and the many local tribes.   After lunch we drive up the Rift valley escarpment and descend to Lake Eyasi for dinner and overnight at the Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge.  In the late afternoon as the sun sets we take a stroll at the seasonal shallow Salt Lake which is also habitat of large populations of flamingos and pelicans in the breeding season.

Accommodation: Lake Eyasi Safari Lodge

Driving: 100 km

Activities: Village walk

Meal Plan: B L D

Today is dedicate to cultural encounters. In the morning we drive to a homestead of a Hadzabi Community. They have maintained the same hunter-gatherer lifestyle that has sustained them for generations.  There Klick Klack language is related to the language of the Bushman in South Africa.  We witness a thrilling sunrise hunt to see just how these hardy people have survived in the sometimes harsh Tanzanian wilderness for thousands of years. After lunch we visit a pastoralist ethnic group- the Datoga.  They claim to be after the Hadzabi, the oldest group who have settled in the area origination from Ethiopia.  In the afternoon we drive to Karatu, a tourist and agricultural hub on the slopes of Ngorongoro.  Dinner and overnight will be at the Endoro Lodge

Accommodation: Endoro Lodge

Driving: 80 km

Activities: Hadzabi Hunting, Datoga Village

Meal Plan: B L D

Today is again dedicated to wildlife. After breakfast we drive to the Parkgate, to gain entry to the world’s largest intact caldera with a 20 km diameter. This caldera has been often referred to as the “Garden of Eden” or one of the natural “Wonders of the World.” and is home to elephants, elands, hartebeests, and the endangered rhinos besides zebras and wildebeests in the crater that do not take part in the annual migration. Hippos are found in the permanent fresh water pools and the swamps in the crater. Other non-migratory herbivorous mammals that are found in the Conservation Area include buffalos, waterbucks, warthogs, and kudus and other species of antelope. After extensive game drives we climb up again the steep crater walls and return to our Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Endoro Lodge

Driving: 120km

Activities: game drives

Meal Plan: B L D

Today we drive along the slopes of Ngorongoro, past the strato volcano of Kerimasi (extinct) and Oldonyo Lengai (active) to lake Natron.  Oldonyo Lengai is also the holy mountain of the Maasai inhabiting this semi - arid and hostile area in the Rift Valley. Lake Natron is a mineral-rich soda lake in northern Tanzania, at the border with Kenya. It's a breeding ground for hundreds of thousands of lesser flamingos, despite the highly alkaline state of the striking red waters.  We arrive at the Natron River Camp for lunch and explore the area with amazing landscapes in the afternoon.   In the late afternoon we embark on a lake shore walk in search of flamingoes and Pelicans.   Dinner and overnight will be at Natron River Camp.

Accommodation: Natron River Camp

Driving: 160km

Activities: game drives

Meal Plan: B L D

We have an early breakfast and drive through the semi- arid savannah dotted with Maasai homesteads, past Mt. Gelai to Longido.  Here we stop for lunch and proceed in the afternoon along the busy Nairobi – Arusha highway to Oldonyo Sambu.  The last 60km to our destination between Mt. Meru and Kilimanjaro are a bit dusty marram road.  The original Maasai Lodge is also regarded as a place of power to re-energize and relax in a unique tranquil natural landscape with views of Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro.

Accommodation: Original Maasai Lodge

Driving: 160km

Activities: game drives

Meal Plan: B L D

Built and run by the Maasai people, the Original Maasai Lodge offers nature, culture and relaxation with views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Get to know the Maasai through stories around the campfire, spear throwing or traditional dances. Relaxation is provided by the pool, massage rooms, sauna and rest areas.  We can take up additional activities such as a guided nature walk, visiting a Maasai homestead, visiting some of the development projects or simply relax and charge our batteries.

Accommodation: Original Maasai Lodge

Driving:

Activities: Maasai Activities

Meal Plan: B L D

Depending on our international flight timing we transfer to Kilimanjaro airport for our flight back home.