Itinerary

1. Arrive Arusha, Tanzania
Tour departs: Kilimanjaro International Airport. A transfer from the airport to Arumeru River Lodge is included upon your arrival. The perfect introduction to the spectacular beauty of Tanzania, your African lodge is located on the grounds of an old coffee farm and is convenient to Arusha and Kilimanjaro national parks.

2. Hike up Kilimanjaro or Explore Arusha National Park
Mount Kilimanjaro is not only one of the world’s highest mountains, it is also one of its highest volcanos! Generations of modern-day explorers have dreamed of climbing the storied slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro – and while we won’t be climbing all the way to the top, you can join us for an exciting walk up Kilimanjaro’s Merengu trail, followed by a visit to the home of a Chagga tribe member. Or, if you just can’t wait another minute to experience a game drive, then climb aboard our open-top safari vehicle as we look for giraffes, baboons, flamingoes, buffalo and more in Arusha National Park. Everyone meets back at the lodge tonight for a welcome dinner. Meals BLD

3. Discover the Place Where Life Began
Head for your inviting tented camp in Tarangire National Park today, a place where you will see both the Maasai people and the second largest concentration of big game in the world. According to Maasai legend, Tarangire is the place where life began. It’s also the place where Hollywood filmed lots of African movies! You’ll understand why when we take you on a game drive in the African savannah to see elephants cooling off in a watering hole and big cats lounging in the shade under baobab trees. You’ll meet members of the local Maasai tribe this evening, who invite you to join them in a tribal dance and have dinner in a traditional boma. Meals BLD

4. Beadwork, Elephant Dung Paper & Game Drives
If you’ve ever seen photographs of the Maasai people, then their colorful beadwork may have caught your eye! Their jewelry is not just for looks; it’s also an important part of their cultural identity – the detail and colors used in the beads typically follow the rules of the tribe. Learn what it takes to make these works of art with a member of a local tribe and try your hand at elephant dung paper-making, sure to be a highlight of your visit. Afternoon and nighttime game drives add to the day’s excitement and give you even more opportunities to see who else lives out here in the African bush. Meals BLD

5. Life in a Maasai Boma and on a Ngorongoro farm
Having to share your room with your brother or sister takes on new meaning when you go inside a Maasai boma today. These traditional African homes provide shelter and protection for entire families who often sleep together on wooden beds reinforced with piles of cowhides, sharing their circular homes with their livestock to keep them safe from big game and predators. You’ll get to see what a local school looks like before hopping aboard our open-top safari vehicles for a game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. A paradise for bird lovers, this area teems with pink flamingoes and great birds of prey. Like the nomadic tribes of Tanzania, we’ll be moving on to a different home tonight when we spend the next two nights on a 500-acre coffee farm near Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Meals BLD

6. Discover the Secrets of coffee farming
Coffee farming probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of life in Africa, but it is an important part of the economy in this region. You’ll see how coffee is picked and processed today, quite a time-consuming job for a “cup of joe.” The rest of the day is free for you to explore the grounds of the plantation and take a refreshing dip in the outdoor swimming pool. Meals BLD

7. Ngorongoro, Africa’s “Garden of Eden”
Images of the “Garden of Eden” come alive today on a game drive and picnic in ancient Ngorongoro Crater. Two-million-year-old Ngorongoro Crater is home to almost every animal species in Africa, except the giraffe who can’t quite negotiate the steep slope down. It is one of the best places to spot the “Big Five” – buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and the rare black rhinoceros. While the crater has been cradling Africa’s wildlife for thousands of years, the earliest known humans are thought to have lived in nearby Olduvai Gorge. See where Louis and Mary Leakey found the fossilized remains of one of the first humans to walk upright, and then make tracks for Tauck’s exclusive tented camp. Learn a few words of Swahili around the campfire tonight and impress your friends when you return home! Meals BLD

8. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride at Dawn
Rise early for a hot air balloon ride at dawn over the amazing Serengeti as the animals wake up to a new day. This is a great way to enjoy panoramic views of the grasslands, watching the circle of life take place before your eyes, undetected by the wildlife below. Spy zebras, hyenas, leopards, elephants, and jackals on an afternoon game drive with a local guide who knows the best places to find the animals who make their homes here. Dine under the stars and share stories around the campfire, before it’s time to douse your softly glowing lanterns and go to sleep to the nighttime sounds of the African bush. Meals BLD

9. Africa Untamed in the Western Serengeti
Pack up camp and journey across the wilderness to the western Serengeti. You will be staying in a tented chalet at a riverfront lodge for the next two nights with wildlife sightings right outside your door. Morning and afternoon game drives will showcase Africa untamed, offering you and your family a front-row seat for viewing and a good chance to see wildebeest, prides of lions, fleet-footed cheetahs and herds of giraffes and zebras. Everyone will enjoy the “watering holes” here at the lodge, from the hilltop swimming pool made out of local rock to the comfortable lounge overlooking the Serengeti. Meals BLD

10. A Magical Ending to your Safari Experience
Spend your last day on safari enjoying the breathtaking landscapes and abundant wildlife of the Serengeti plains. Sunsets are an amazing part of your African safari experience – to make your last night even more magical, we invite you to enjoy a traditional “sundowner” and dinner as you watch the sun drop below the horizon. Meals BLD

11. Journey Home
Tour ends: Kilimanjaro International Airport. Fly to Arusha, where a day room has been reserved for you at Arumeru River Lodge. A transfer is included from Arumeru Lodge to Kilimanjaro International Airport this evening. Meals BLD

Dates & Prices

11 Days from $5,815* plus airfare
(10 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches & 10 Dinners)

Land Price Per Person
*Land Price + On-Tour Air (1 flight) = Total per person
Double $5995 + $255 = $6250
Single $6475 + $255 = $6730
Triple $5815 + $255 = $6070

Holiday Departures – December 21, 23
*Land Price + On-Tour Air (1 flight) = Total per person
Double $6315 + $255 = $6570
Single $6795 + $255 = $7050
Triple $6135 + $255 = $6390

Group size limited to 24! All departures are limited to 24 guests to ensure a more intimate safari experience!

International Airfare is additional. Call Tauck for special rates on international air, in coach or business, for travel originating in the U.S. (subject to availability).

Children 11 and under Discount $500

All gratuities are included.

Your family's comfort is important to us. Ask us about booking an additional hotel night before your journey begins and be sure to consider our Guest Protection Plan offering important travel advantages and a money-back refund if your travel plans change.

Recommended age: 8+

Note: Children under 18 must be booked in a room with at least one adult. Triples are usually a two-bedded room plus one rollaway cot, when available. Quadruple accommodations are not available on this tour.
 

Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park ~ Serengeti National Park ~ Tarangire National Park ~ Daily Game Drives ~ Lake Manyara National Park ~ Ngorongoro Crater ~ Maasai Tribal Village ~ Olduvai Gorge

Keep your eyes peeled for the “Big Five” on game drives through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, and Serengeti national parks in private open-top safari vehicles – where everyone has a window seat. Soar high above the grasslands on a hot air balloon ride inside Serengeti National Park. Join in a Maasai tribal dance and have dinner in a traditional boma for an authentic look at daily life. Explore ancient Ngorongoro Crater, seeing elephants, wildebeest, zebras and just about everything in between, and discover the secrets of farming in Africa.