Itinerary
- Day 1
Kilimanjaro Airport to Olpopongi
You'll arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and start a 74-kilometre drive through West Kilimanjaro's outback to reach Olpopongi Maasai Village. On clear days, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru come into view along the route. Keep an eye out for zebras and elephants that sometimes roam the landscape depending on the season. The Village Chief greets you with refreshments when you get there.
- Start point
- Moshi, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (Kilimanjaro International Airport, 00:00 - 00:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive through West Kilimanjaro outback
- Welcome refreshments at Olpopongi Maasai Village
Optional Activities
- Wildlife viewing (zebras, elephants) - depending on season
Landmarks Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Meru - Day 2
Olpopongi
Begin with a walking safari led by Maasai guides who'll talk about their history and how they live today. You'll learn about Maasai food traditions and get to try traditional chai brewed over a wood fire. Lunch brings local food highlights to your table. After that, Maasai warriors take you along their paths and show you medicinal plants, tree identification, animal tracks, traditional tools, hunting methods and fire-making. As the sun sets, gather for traditional Maasai singing and dancing, then enjoy a BBQ-buffet dinner under the stars.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Variety of local food highlights), Dinner (BBQ-Buffet at campfire under the starry sky)
Included Activities
- Walking safari with Maasai guide
- Traditional Maasai culinary culture experience
- Traditional chai tasting prepared on wood fire
- Lunch with local food highlights
- Guided bush excursion with Maasai warriors
- Learning about medicinal plants and local wildlife tracks
- Traditional Maasai song and dance performances
- BBQ-Buffet dinner at campfire
- Day 3
Olpopongi to Arusha
Head out to Tengeru for a day focused on learning about local culture. You'll visit two schools, one that serves children with disabilities and another teaching practice school, spending time with the kids and understanding their daily lives. From there, check out an old stone quarry that operated after WWII, where over 100 Polish refugees came to work in Arusha; many died from malaria and influenza and were buried at that site. Evening brings a drive back to Arusha where you'll stay at Mount Meru Hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cultural tour of Tengeru village
- Visit to primary school for children with disabilities
- Visit to teaching practice primary school
- Interaction with local children
- Visit to WWII-era stone quarry and Polish refugee memorial site
Landmarks Mount Meru - Day 4
Arusha to Monduli
Leave Arusha with packed lunch boxes and travel to Monduli. You'll do a guided forest walk with an armed ranger through an area where buffalos, elephants and other wildlife live. After lunch, head toward Monduli Mountain's summit for views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. The night is spent in Enguik Village.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch), Dinner
Included Activities
- Forest walk with armed ranger
- Wildlife viewing (buffalos, elephants)
- Hike to Monduli Mountain summit
- Mountain viewpoint experience
Landmarks Monduli Mountain Mount Kilimanjaro Mount Meru - Day 5
Monduli to Lake Eyasi
Travel on rough roads to Lake Eyasi, a soda lake in the Rift Valley, getting there by afternoon. A Tatoga tribe guide meets you for cultural interaction. Explore the dry, rugged landscape on foot and meet the Hadzabe bushmen who still live traditionally, hunting with bows and arrows and gathering roots, tubers and wild fruits like humans did 10,000 years ago. You'll also learn about the Datoga tribe, who historically competed with the Maasai for grazing areas.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive to Lake Eyasi soda lake
- Cultural interaction with Tatoga tribe
- Guided tour with Tatoga guide
- Exploration of bushmen territory
- Meeting and learning from Hadzabe (Watindiga) bushmen
- Learning about Datoga tribe history and lifestyle
Landmarks Lake Eyasi - Day 6
Lake Eyasi to Ngorongoro
Start early for a hunting tour with the bushmen, then return to the lodge for breakfast. Later, head toward Ngorongoro Crater and watch for wildlife along the way. Stop briefly at a crater rim viewpoint to take in the views. You'll overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hunting tour with bushmen
- Drive to Ngorongoro Crater with wildlife viewing
- Crater rim viewpoint visit
Landmarks Ngorongoro Crater - Day 7
Ngorongoro
Drive to a Masai village with the option to stop at Olduvai Gorge, a historically significant site. A resident anthropologist gives a lecture covering human evolution and what life was like in this area 20 million years ago. Accommodation is again at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge on the crater rim.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Drive to Masai village
Optional Activities
- Visit to Olduvai Gorge
- Lecture by resident anthropologist on human evolution and ancient life
Landmarks Olduvai Gorge Ngorongoro Crater - Day 8
Ngorongoro to Arusha
Travel to Mto wa Mbu for a cultural experience. The village runs active cultural programs showing traditional ways of life through various community projects and activities. You'll check out top spots around the area, taste Tanzanian foods and have real cultural interaction. Walking, hiking and biking tours are available, ranging from a couple hours to a full day. In the afternoon, drive back to Arusha.
- End point
- Arusha, Tanzania (Kilimanjaro International Airport , 00:00 - 00:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Cultural tour of Mto wa Mbu village
- Taste Tanzanian foods
- Visit to community projects and cultural sites
Optional Activities
- Walking tours in Mto wa Mbu
- Hiking tours in Mto wa Mbu
- Biking tours in Mto wa Mbu - ranging from couple of hours to full day
Landmarks Mto wa Mbu
