Safari Adventure Discover Tanzania Wildlife In 15 Days

Duration: 15 Days | 14 Nights

Highlights:
• 3 Nights Rufiji River Camp — Nyerere National Park (Selous)
• 3 Nights Mufindi Highlands Lodge — The Southern Highlands
• 4 Nights Ruaha River Lodge — Ruaha National Park
• 4 Nights Lazy Lagoon Island — The Swahili Coast

High Season:
1st July - 31 October
24th December - 31st December
1st January 2023 - 4th January

Low Season:
1st June - 30th June
1st November - 23rd December
5th January - 31st May

Day 1: Arrival
When you arrive at Dar es Salaam Airport, you will be met by a friendly member representative staff holding a name board. They will escort you to terminal 1, for your afternoon flight to Nyerere National Park (Selous). Depending on international flight times, a night in Dar may be required.

A guide from Rufiji River Camp will be at the airstrip waiting to greet you and take you on a game drive through the park before helping you check into your room.

In the afternoon you will go out and begin to explore Nyerere National Park (formerly known as Selous) with a game drive, before returning to camp at dusk - just in time to freshen up before drinks around the camp fire.

This huge conservation area is a World Heritage Site and named after Frederick Courteney Selous who died in the reserve. The area north of the sprawling Rufiji River is reserved for photographic safaris. The river is a myriad of wide open water, lakes and channels and Selous is the only reserve that offers boating safaris in addition to the more classic vehicle and walking safaris. Recently this photographic region of Selous Game Reserve has been converted to a National Park called Nyerere, named after Tanzania’s first elected president, Julius Nyerere. Tanzania’s now second-largest national park is home to the countries largest river, The Rufiji River, allowing us to offer the only boat safaris in Tanzania.

Nyerere National Park has the highest concentration of elephant of any one park in Tanzania and is estimated to have one third of all Tanzania’s African Hunting Dog. The landscape is predominantly flat and covered with miombo trees. Lions and leopards join the Hunting dogs as prevalent predators in the
reserve and there is a good variety of prey animals from wildebeest and buffalo to smaller animals like warthog and impala. The river supports a rich and varied bird life, the banks providing a nesting bank for the bee eaters and fishing grounds for Kingfishers.

Day 2 & 3: NYERERE NATIONAL PARK (SELOUS)
The night before, the manager will have discussed the options for today's safaris. Here's what you would be able to choose from and turn your bucket list into a reality:

Early Morning Nature Walk
Departing at 06:30, returning for a late breakfast at 09:30.

Early Bird Game Drive
Departing 06:30 with a packed breakfast, returning at 11:30.

Morning Game Drive
Departing after breakfast at 08:30, returning in time for lunch.

Morning Boat Safari
Departing after breakfast at 08:30, returning in time for lunch.

Full-Day Game Drive
Departing after breakfast at 08:30 with a picnic lunch, retuning at
16:00 for afternoon tea.

Afternoon Game Drive
Departing at 16:00 and returning at dusk, in time for sundowners.

Afternoon Boat Safari
Departing at 16:00 and returning at dusk , in time for sundowners.

Day 4: THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
An early walk or game drive brings you back in time for breakfast and the departure back to the airstrip for the onward flight to The Southern Highlands.

One of Mufindi Highlands Lodges hosts will greet you at the airstrip and take you on a journey through tea fields and local villages to Mufindi Highlands Lodge for check-in and a lovely lunch.

Arriving at the airstrip at the Southern Highlands you will notice the change in temperature as soon as you step out of the plane. At this higher altitude of 2000m the air is cool and refreshing after the dusty and more humid low lands. From the airstrip there is a drive of around 1 hour to the Highland Lodge, this takes you through planted pine forests to the village of Sawala the highest point in the Southern Highlands at 7000ft.

From here, you wind up and down through tea fields and natural montane forest which create patchwork effects of light and dark green. The tea is still plucked manually in most areas as the slopes are very steep.

Mufindi is a place to relax, enjoy your surroundings or take some high altitude exercise. Walks are varied, or try horse riding, fishing, golf or tennis; (also croquet, badminton, boules, snooker, canoeing). A highlight for many is a trip around Igoda village, which is cultural experience unlike any other. There is
no other tourism in this area, and the development of many community projects in these villages has created a strong relationship between the Foxes and the villagers.

The Igoda Children’s Village is a very happy place to visit where children orphaned by HIV/AIDS are cared for; the primary school are always very welcoming to visitors and the children enjoy nothing more than challenging guests to a game of the ubiquitous footie! Being a largely subsistence economy, many traditional methods are still practiced – pit sawing, brick making, basket weaving. The witch doctor is also still an influential member of the community using plants and herbs from the forest for many treatments.

Day 5 & 6: THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS
During your stay at Mufindi Highlands Lodge, spend your time exploring the beautiful landscape, hiking through the rainforests and tea fields in the cool climate. In the afternoon perhaps choose one of the many activities on offer:

• Horse riding
• Fly Fishing
• Canoeing
• Swimming
• Visiting the Farm Animals
• Lawn Sports (Tennis, Badminton, Bowels, Croquet)

Spend a day on a tour around the local village, meeting the local communities and learning about what positive action has been done to help the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Day 7: RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast you will have the chance to enjoy one last activity before making your way to the airstrip for your flight to Ruaha National Park.

A guide from Ruaha River Lodge will be at the airstrip waiting to greet you, and take you on a beautiful game drive towards Ruaha River Lodge for check in.

After getting settled in your room, you can head out on an afternoon game drive, departing at 16:00, arriving back at dusk, in time for your sundowners.

Day 8-10: | RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
During your time staying at Ruaha River Lodge choose between half-day shared game drives or full-day with picnic lunch promising an action-packed day out in the unscripted Tanzanian bush.

Early Morning Game Drives
Departing at 06:30 with a picnic breakfast, returning at 11:30

Morning Game Drives
Departing after breakfast at 08:30, returning in time for lunch.

Afternoon Game Drives
Departing at 16:00 and returning at dusk, in time for sundowners.

Full-Day Game Drives
Departing after breakfast at 08:30 with a picnic lunch, retuning at 16:00 for afternoon tea.

Ruaha National Park is now Tanzania's second-largest Park and boasts a well-developed road network with plenty of different routes to explore. This magical place lies in the centre of the country in a convergence zone where northern and southern hemisphere birds and mammal species overlap, resulting in an overwhelming number of birds (530 recorded) plants (1400) and a large number of mammal species. The Great Ruaha River is the lifeline of the park as it is its only permanent water source.

A full day game drive along the river takes you over rocky kopjes, home to the Greater kudu, Roan antelope and elephant, and winds down along the river bank through open plains, perfect for cheetah, herds of buffalo, warthogs, jackals, bateared Foxes – the list is endless. The lion population here is now so large that they have gained film rights for their prowess at hunting Giraffe - which is not their traditional fare. The river banks are rich with birdlife, hippos and crocs. For the more adventurous, above the escarpment lives the more elusive Sable Antelope.

Day 11: LAZY LAGOON ISLAND
After breakfast you will have one last chance to enjoy the Tanzanian wildlife at Ruaha, as you slowly wind your way to the airstrip for your flight to Dar es Salaam.

On arrival to the beach, a boat will be waiting to ferry you across to the secluded Lazy Lagoon Island Lodge for check-in, just in time for cocktails and dinner.

Day 12-14: LAZY LAGOON ISLAND
During your time staying at Lazy Lagoon Island Lodge you can do as little or as much as you like. Here are some activities to look forward to with some best suited for the adventurous souls amongst us:

• Snorkelling
• Swimming
• Kayaking
• Paddle Boarding
• Sailing
• Beach Walks

Tanzania is blessed with miles of coastline bathed by the Indian Ocean. Lazy Lagoon Island is a perfect place to relax and soak up the sun, sea and sand. Being a private island 2km out to sea, you are not affected by the long low tide periods that touch the mainland coastline.

Day 15: LAZY LAGOON (CONTINUED)
The island is 9km long and the lodge is the only habitation on the island. We do share the island with some wildlife, notably suni antelope, bush bigs, monkeys and bush babies. At low tide there is a wonderful display of brightly coloured star fish on the exposed rocks in vivid red, orange and green. Being offshore the low tide does not leave you miles from the water’s edge, and sea swimming is possible at all tides from the inward side of the island. There is also a small swimming pool.

For the more active you can explore the island on foot (we are still waiting for someone to get to the other end and back so will you accept the challenge?) or try your hand at kayaking around the Mangroves.

Bagamoyo town on the mainland opposite the island was the original port for Tanzania and saw all the Explorers off on their expeditions and the Slave caravans return from the interior. The history of the town is similar to Stone Town on Zanzibar, with a slave market, Arabic style buildings, and the oldest Catholic mission on mainland Tanzania. Guided tours are available around the town and surroundings.

Day 15: Departure
Depending on the departure time of your international flight, a boat and car will be ready for your transfer from the Island to Dar es Salaam.

Tour Price
• Price shown is for a person based on twin share accommodation.
• All prices displayed are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice.
• Prices are guaranteed once booking is confirmed by us and paid in full by the due date.
• Depending on your needs and group size (individual, couple, family, group, etc.) we will provide the final pricing for your tour.