Family Relax Safari
Destination
Tanzania: Mto wa Mbu,Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti
Duration
8 Days | 7 Nights
Door-to-door
Price
Starting from
$4,699
Safari Overview
- Adventure is calling from the wild African savanna! Head out on safari in Tanzania’s world-renowned national parks to see huge herds of wildebeests and zebras; playful elephants; and cunning hunters such as lions, cheetahs, and Nile crocodiles. From Arusha to Mto wa Mbu, taste bananas and coffee beans fresh from the farm, learn about traditional crafts, and hear how locals are working to protect the cultures and creatures of their remarkable homeland.boma house.
Safari Highlights:
- Lions, leopards, and buffalo—oh my! Spot amazing wildlife on safari in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park.
- Unearth the history of human evolution at Olduvai Gorge, where National Geographic archaeologists Mary and Louis Leakey made world-famous discoveries.
- Paint traditional crafts alongside artisans at their workshops in Mto wa Mbu, and learn about village life while exploring lush banana plantations and rice paddies.
- Meet Maasai herders and help local engineers put together a new stove in a traditional Maasai boma house.
Itinerary
Day 1 | Arusha
Arrive in time to meet your fellow travelers for a welcome gathering this evening. Your arrival transfer is included.
Accommodations:Ilboru Safari Lodge
Day 2 | Arusha/Mto wa Mbu
Duck under the giant leaves of banana trees as you explore the lush farmlands surrounding the vibrant village of Mto wa Mbu. Take a guided walk through the village, learning about local history, industry, and cuisine from members of several Tanzanian tribes. Enjoy lunch with a local family, tasting different types of banana and rice dishes harvested from nearby farms; and visit the workshops of village artisans to try your hand at painting. Continue to the Rift Valley escarpment and settle into our lodge overlooking Lake Manyara.
Meals Included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations:Rift Valley Photographic Lodge
Day 3 | Mto wa Mbu/Serengeti National Park
Set out into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, centered around an enormous volcanic caldera where animals of all kinds gather to graze or hunt. Spot buffalo, wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles as they bound across the grass. Delve into the story of human origins at the Olduvai Gorge Museum and Visitor’s Center, located near the site where National Geographic archaeologists Louis and Mary Leakey discovered early hominid fossils and stone tools. After lunch, continue to the world-famous Serengeti National Park and go on a safari across the wild Serengeti Plain, keeping an eye out for galloping giraffes and lounging lions; then settle into our tented camp under the setting sun.
Meals Included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations:Serengeti Tortilis Camp
Day 4 | Serengeti National Park
Today, get to know the incredible creatures of the Serengeti. Choose to get a bird’s-eye view of the park as you float above it on an optional sunrise hot-air balloon safari. Or set out on morning and afternoon wildlife-viewing adventures. Ride in a 4×4 over golden plains, gazing out from the pop-up roof to glimpse wildlife through binoculars, or watch as animals walk right by us! Watering holes also draw all kinds of visitors, from towering giraffes to the tiny dik-diks, a miniature species of antelope. With luck, spot all of Africa’s “big five”—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo.
Meals Included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Optional Activities:Serengeti Balloon Safari
Accommodations:Serengeti Tortilis Camp
Day 5 | Serengeti National Park/Ngorongoro Crater/Karatu
On a morning safari, look out for cackling jackals, brave honey badgers, or long-necked ostriches strutting through the grass. Enjoy a picnic breakfast surrounded by the vast savanna, then head out of the Serengeti and stop for lunch on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Descend into the caldera for an afternoon safari drive, ready to be mesmerized by zebra stripes and the eland’s spiral horns. Settle into our safari lodge in Karatu this evening.
Meals Included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 | Karatu
Wake up and smell the coffee at a morning tour of a local farm, where we’ll learn about coffee cultivation and preparation. Return to the lodge for lunch and enjoy an afternoon to relax by the pool and soak up the views of the valley.
Meals Included:Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 | Karatu/Arusha
Enter the Great Rift Valley, a vast trench where the African tectonic plate splits in two. Visit a Maasai village to chat with locals and learn about the G Adventures–supported Clean Cookstoves project, which seeks to reduce household air pollution. Meet one of the project’s female engineers and lend a hand during the installation of a new stove in a village boma, or traditional home. Return to Arusha and spend the afternoon relaxing, or opt to explore the city’s cultural heritage center. In the evening, gather for a farewell dinner and share stories about our exciting adventures.
Meals Included:Breakfast, Dinner
Optional Activities:Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre, Biking at Usa River and Tengeru Villages
Accommodations:Ilboru Safari Lodge
Day 8 | Arusha
Depart at any time.
Meals Included:Breakfast
Inclusions:
- Accommodation: Safari lodge (5 nts), comfortable tented camp (2 nts)
- Meals: 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 6 dinners
- Transport: 7-seat 4×4 safari vehicle
- Your G for Good Moment: Mto wa Mbu Village Visit and Lunch, Mto wa Mbu
- Your G for Good Moment: Clean Cookstove Project Visit, Mto wa Mbu
- Your Family Journeys Moment: Mto wa Mbu Painting and Crafts, Mto wa Mbu
- Your Family Journeys Moment: Coffee Farm Visit and Tour, Karatu
- Arrival transfer
- Wildlife safari drives in Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park
- Entrance to Olduvai Gorge Museum and Visitors Centre
- Coffee plantation tour
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Exclusions:
- Airfare to and from destination
- Minimum medical and emergency evacuation insurance
- Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
- Visas
- Any activity not described in What’s Included
- Meals on your own
- Gratuities