Tanzania Serengeti Intense Safari with Gnu River Crossing
and extension option with Kilimanjaro Hike (not ascent!)
15 or 19 Day Safari Small Group Tour
October 1 - October 15 or 19, 2023 – booked up
(can also be booked as a private trip on request)
You can expect unique nature experiences in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ten full safari days, 6 of them in the Serengeti, 3 in Tarangire and a little more than 1 safari day in the fantastically beautiful, but still largely unknown MKOMAZI Park as well as a spectacular subsequent program with a day trip up the west flank of Kilimanjaro and to Lake Chala with a hike and kayak tour. .
If desired, one of the 3 safari days in Tarangire Park can be exchanged for a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater.
Itinerary :
We start with the Mkomazi National Park, the still very unknown, but beautiful and very animal-rich park east of Kilimanjaro. It merges into the Tsavo Parks in Kenya in the north. The reserve for black rhinos integrated in the park guarantees the sighting of these shy animals up close as part of a separate guided tour.
Afterwards we continue to Tarangire Park via a stop in Arusha, where 3 full safari days await us in a charming lodge. The Tarangire NP is beautiful and has an extremely high animal density due to the Tarangire River, which has water all year round. In October you can also visit the wetlands in the southern part of the park and see many animals but especially large herds of elephants.
Then it goes over the crater rim of the Ngorongoro in the central Serengeti.
As always on my northern Tanzania photo trips, there is an intense Serengeti portion with a total of 6 nights spread over the Mara region and the central Serengeti.
The migration of wildebeest and zebra will return from the Maasai Mara in October, so we are at the Mara River are likely to see some spectacular Mara River crossings in the Northern Serengeti and follow the herds south.
The safari ends in the central Serengeti with its wildlife diversity and guaranteed lion sightings.
From there it goes over the Ngorongoro crater rim back to Arusha.
Now it's either home or on to the Kilimanjaro adventure.
Optional extension program 14.10.-19.10.
From Arusha we drive to the foot of Kilimanjaro where a spectacular day trip up the western flank awaits us. This can be combined with an easy to moderate day hike on the Shira Plateau at 3600 - 3870m. Alternatively, a game reserve can be visited instead of the Kili Hike.
The northern bypass of the Kili massif follows - a breathtaking landscape to Lake Chala, where we will spend another 2 nights. An easy hike in a spectacular landscape and a kayak tour round off the trip.
Travel in a small group - with only 3 guests in a large safari jeep - one row of seats per person!
Geared towards nature and wildlife watchers and photographers, the exceptional route offers ample time for game drives and photos at the right times of day in the best light conditions.
Why this trip is so special:
Pure safari trip with significantly more days in national parks, especially in the Serengeti than with other group trips - we do a so-called unlimited safari. This means safari from dawn to early evening. Not just one game drive in the morning and one in the afternoon. We want to take our time to observe the animals and not rush through the park. However, this requires the willingness to complete strenuous days with flexibility and a willingness to compromise. To make it more comfortable we only travel with 3 people per jeep. Everyone has their own row of seats. In addition, there is a special route with selected national park pearls, which is not usually offered in this form as part of group tours. With a German photo guide and a private ranger as wildlife and bird guide per group.
I record my trips with Polarsteps. Check out the very similar trips from October 2021 and 2022 on Polarsteps:
Kind of trip
- First-class safari trip for nature lovers and photographers with many national park visits
- 10 pure safari days
- Small group trip accompanied by a German nature photographer with experience in Africa and a private ranger as a wildlife and bird guide
- Small group max. 8 people
- Limit of 3 travelers per jeep
- tried and tested, excellent team with drivers and guides
- full day game drives = maximum safari experience from dawn to dusk
- Accommodation in very good lodges - within the national parks in tented camps - house tents with real beds and private bathrooms
- balanced, varied program away from the mainstream
- Optional extension in around the Kili
Highlights
- Serengeti – 6 days safari on the Mara River and in the central Serengeti
- Wildebeest migration crosses the Mara River on the way south
- Cheetahs in the Namiri Plains
- Tarangire NP – 3 Safari Days –highest density of animals at this time of the year - large herds of elephants
- Mkomazi NP - 1 day safari in the undiscovered gem
- Experience black rhinos up close
- sensational photo motifs under optimal conditions
- Relaxed trip for nature lovers and photographers with many national park visits
- no limit to 15 kg luggage in soft bags - medium-sized suitcases up to 23 kg are also possible!
- scenic route
- extension program with Day trip to the highest point on Mount Kiliman that can be reached by jeepi.echaro with optional hike
- Lake Chala with spectacular scenery
The tour price includes
• Tailor-made group tour by local provider
• Transport in a robust safari jeep
• Airport transfer in Tanzania
• 3 guests per jeep, group 6-9 pers.
• Game drives
• all advertised activities
• Entrance fees national parks
• Tanzania Tourist Tax
• Overnight stays in the Serengeti in tented camps*
• otherwise lodge in a double or single room with ensuite bathroom
• Meals: full board
• Bottled water in the safari vehicle
• English speaking driver guide per jeep
• German-speaking photo guide and private ranger
* spacious house tent with private bathroom
Not included:
• international flight to Kilimanjaro Airport
• Insurance
• personal expenses
• Visa Fees
• Tips (driver guide, lodges)
• Vaccination Costs - Covid Test
Tour price for the 15 day trip
• $5,450 m double room with full board
• SR supplement 560$
shared doubles upon request subject to availability
Extension 4 nights around Kilimanjaro
• 1.$450 m double room with full board
• SR supplement $100
* based on 3 people per vehicle and a group size of 6 -9 Participants – subject to fee adjustments in the national parks and the Accommodation availability
Why is this trip so expensive?
Is that really her?
I did 2017 on my first Serengeti trip per day $500 (€427) paid without single supplement.
The trip offered here is attached $340 per day without sacrificing quality. This prize is possible thanks to the close contacts and friendships that have developed on site in the meantime. The trip is operated by a local provider.
What makes such a trip so expensive ?
There are the really high onesNational Park Fees , which benefit the protection of animals and the preservation of the parks.
In addition comes the tourism tax of 18% in Tanzania and the price of accommodations, which are very expensive in or near the national parks.
As a rule, trips with only 2 nights in the central Serengeti are offered by European providers. This is associated with a lot of driving and few animal experiences. In general, mainstream group trips are offered with significantly fewer safari days than this trip. Significantly lower national park fees + fewer nights in expensive lodges then also add up! Filled with a Zanzibar bathing extension, you then achieve an attractively priced trip, but at the expense of the safari quality. The safari part of such a trip then consists of a similar number of kilometers to be driven on the strenuous African roads, which can be managed in about half the time that is available to us.
private jeeps with trained rangers as drivers are another high cost factor. On a photo trip, it is imperative that you have enough freedom of movement in the vehicle and that the vehicle is occupied by as few people as possible (danger of blurring due to movement!). We therefore travel with 2-3 people per jeep, which offers 7-9 seats, a lifting roof and bean bags to support the cameras.
Other group tours do not offer this. The vehicles are occupied by 5-6 or even more people. Even pure photo trips are advertised with 4 people per jeep.
We have space and freedom of movement and can therefore also enjoy intensive, long safari days, so-called unlimited safaris , afford from dawn to sunset. Two game drives a day are common, one in the morning and one in the evening.
Also on this trip there is no luggage limit of 15 kg in soft travel bags, as is usual. We can store our normal luggage in the trunk (not on the roof!).