Birding Safaris Africa

Best of Tanzania

Arusha is a city of northern Tanzania surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks. Beautifully situated below Mount Meru on the eastern edge of the eastern branch of the Great Rift Valley, it has a pleasant climate and is close to Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, Olduvai Gorge, Tarangire National Park, and Mount Kilimanjaro, as well as having its own Arusha National Park on Mount Meru.

Lake Manyara-Located beneath the cliffs of the Manyara Escarpment, on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied ecosystems, incredible bird life, and breathtaking views. Located on the way to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, its ground water forests, bush plains, baobab strewn cliffs, and algae-streaked hot springs offer incredible ecological variety in a small area, rich in wildlife and incredible numbers of birds.

Serengeti means endless plains in the Maasai language and over 1 million wildebeest congregate to feed and breed on the lush grasslands before moving on to better feeding grounds in Maasai Mara in a spectacular migration termed as Africas biggest wildlife spectacle. The birdlife is also amazing; over 300 species have been listed here.

The Ngorongoro Crater is often called „Africas Eden, within the crater rim, large herds of zebra and wildebeest graze nearby while sleeping lions laze in the sun. At dawn, the endangered black rhino returns to the thick cover of the crater forests after grazing on dew-laden grass in the morning mist.

Lake Eyasi is a seasonal shallow endorheic soda lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley at the base of the Serengeti Plateau, just south of the Serengeti National Park and immediately southwest of the Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater Highlands of Tanzania.

The Tarangire National Park is famous for its huge number of elephants, baobab trees and tree climbing African pythons. Big game and birds are abundant. Some of the bird species are Ashy Starling, Barn Owl, Bateleur, Blacknecked Weaver, Black-shouldered Kite, Grey Kestrel, Grey Woodpecker, Ground Hornbill, Red-billed Buffalo- Weaver, Red-necked Francolin, Verreaux's Eagle-Owl, Wattled Starling, Woodland Kingfisher, Yellow-collared Lovebird, and among other species.
Type of Vehicle– Landcruiser
4Min-12Max persons

Expedition Cost $3645

per person sharing Gratuities for the expedition staff are not included.

Birding Safaris Africa

Best of Tanzania

Day 1: KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Arrive at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (evening flight), meet and greeted by our representative, transfer to your hotel, where you will briefed on the next day activities, and an overnight at the KIA Lodge

KIA Lodge

The lodge is situated on a secluded hill in the heart of beautiful savannah scenery that is so typical for East Africa . Guests can admire the vast views of the African plains and of course the grand Kilimanjaro Mountain which shows her snowy top mostly early in the morning and at sundown.
Meals: B, D Breakfast-Dinner

Day 2/3: ARUSHA-LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

Morning breakfast, departure to Lake Manyara, lunch at Migunga Tented Camp, later an early evening game viewing in Lake Manyara National Park, next day activities would be a walking safari or a visit to Mto wa Mbu Cultural center.
Lake Manyaras famous tree-climbing lions are another reason to pay this park a visit. In addition to the lions, the national park is also home to the largest concentration of baboons anywhere in the world -- a fact that makes for interesting game viewing of large families of the primates. The combination of fresh and alkaline water bodies, lush evergreen forest, acacia woodland and patches of grassland has given rise to more than 400 different species being recorded in this park

Migunga Tented Camp

Migunga is nestled away in a quiet corner of 35 acres of acacia forest and consists of 19 semi-luxury permanent tents on raised platforms with attached bathrooms and private veranda. Nestled in a quiet corner on the northwest of the lake, Migunga Tented Camp is only 5 minutes from the entrance of Lake Manyara National Park, which spreads out across the Great East African Rift Valley, dominating a vast landscape.
Meals: B, L, D Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

DAY 4/5/6: LAKE MANYARA-SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Early morning breakfast, proceed to Serengeti National Reserve, lunch will be at the Ikoma Tented Lodge, and later an early evening game viewing in Serengeti, having 3 nights in, you will explore the vast plains of the Reserve.

Serengeti is easily Tanzanias most famous national reserve, and its also the largest, at 14,763 square kilometres of protected area that borders Kenyas Masai Mara Game Reserve. Its far-reaching plains of endless grass, tinged with the twisted shadows of acacia trees, have made it the quintessential image of a wild and untarnished Africa. Large prides of lions laze easily in the long grasses, plentiful families of elephants feed on acacia bark and trump to each other across the plains, and giraffes, gazelles, monkeys, eland, and the whole range of African wildlife is in awe-inspiring numbers.

Other place of interest to visit while in Serengeti is the Olduvai Gorge; this is a site of archeological findings, where traces of pre-historic man dating back to 3.5 million years ago have been discovered. The famous Ngorongoro Crater is a World Heritage Site situated at the eastern edge of the Serengeti in northern Tanzania.

Ikoma Tented Camp

Ideally situated along the path of the migrating wildebeest between Kenya and Tanzania, the camp is situated at the border of the world-renowned Serengeti National Park. There you will find yourself on probably one of the best game drives in the area - along the western corridor of the park, taking in Kirawira and the Grumeti river - home to the infamous wildebeest-eating giant crocodiles. There is no better place to take in one of the world's greatest wildlife spectacles.
Meals: B, L, D

Day 7: SERENGETI-NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA

Morning breakfast, departure to Ngorongoro, birding enroute, Lunch will be at the Rhino Lodge. The unique eco-system supports the delicate balance of predator and prey in the endless quest for survival. Picnic lunch boxes will be served by the hippo pool, thereafter game viewing as we depart and continue to ascend to the exterior of the crater reaching its rim and here your first glimpse of what has often been referred to as the “Eighth wonder of the World.”
The following are some of the species to be spotted in and around the Crater, African Hoopoe, African Marsh Harrier, Anteater Chat, Avocet, Blue-eared Starling, Crested Guinea fowl, Fan-tailed Widow-bird, Superb Starling, Tawny Eagle, Three-Banded Plover, White-browed Coucal, White-naped Raven, Yellow-billed Egret and among other species.

Rhino Lodge

The Rhino Lodge is located in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and a few hundred meters from the crater rim, the Rhino Lodge offers quality and affordable accommodation in a spectacular setting.
Meals: B, L, D Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

Day 8/9: NGORONGORO-LAKE EYASI

From Ngorongoro, load up onto our vehicle head towards Lake Eyasi, a stop at the Olduvai Gorge, lunch will be at Tindiga Tented Camp and much later Nature Walk along the banks of Lake Eyasi, dinner and overnight.
Next day you have optional activities, a visit to the Hadzabe and Datooga community. The Hadza people, or Hadzabe', are an ethnic group in central Tanzania. The Hadza are not closely related to any other people. While traditionally considered an East African branch of the Khoisan peoples, primarily because their language has clicks, modern genetic research suggests that they may be more closely related to the Pygmies. The Datooga, known as the Mang'ati in Swahili, are a pastoralist Nilotic people of northcentral Tanzania south of Ngorongoro Crater.

Tindiga Tented Camp

Overlooking the scrubland of the Eyasi Ecosystem, one can see the distant hills of Ngorongoro; this view gives the ultimate “African experience”. The camp has 10 classical cream coloured canvas tents which are very spacious and ensuite with showers and flush toilets. Due to the nature of the camp, personalized service and quality is our aim. The camp blends in beautifully with the natural environment and we try our best to run the camp with an eco-friendly approach; protecting and preserving the natural resources.
Meals: B, L, D Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

Day 10/11: LAKE EYASI-TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK

Morning breakfast, depart to Tarangire; lunch will be at the Roika Tarangire Safari Camp. Evening game viewing and overnight.
Tarangire offers unparalleled game viewing, and during the dry season elephants abound. Families of the pachyderms play around the ancient trunks of baobab trees and strip acacia bark from the thorn trees for their afternoon meal. Breathtaking views of the Maasai Steppe and the mountains to the south make a stop at Tarangire a memorable experience.

Roika Tarangire Tented Lodge

At Roika Tarangire Tented Lodge, has 21 luxury en-suite tents. Two of these tents are specially constructed with inter-connecting doors and a common verandah to cater for a family unit of up to 08 pax. At Roika Tarangire Tented Lodge, guests enjoy both a la carte & buffet dining with a huge variety of international and local dishes; professionally prepared to undoubtedly tickle your taste buds.
Meals: B, L, D Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner

Day 12: TARANGIRE-ARUSHA

Carry packed morning breakfast, game viewing/bird drive, departure from Tarangire, lunch will be Arusha.

Arusha Safari Lodge

Arusha Safari Lodge is a small secluded luxury haven equipped to cater for discerning travellers and consists of 7 luxurious and spacious guest cottages and is tucked away on volcanic hills with spectacular views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru. Located only four kilometres outside of Arusha
Meals: B, D

Day 13: ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK

Morning breakfast, spend the better part of the day birding in Arusha National Park, carry packed lunch box Day room for use at the KIA Lodge

Transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport for onward travel home
Meals: B, L

REGARDING RATES

Rate per person Double Accommodati on $ 3642