Day 01
24th Jan 2020- Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport- West Kilimanjaro (D)
Upon arriving at the Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative, and you will be transferred to the Amini Maasai Lodge. This will be your base for the next few days, offering you not only an exotic ambience but also a perfect opportunity to learn about the Maasai and their lifestyle.
In the afternoon, you will compete against the Maasai in a spear-throwing competition. Try to beat your rivals while learning the tricks and technique by the experienced Maasai. It looks easy to throw a spear towards an imaginary lion. However, in real life, it takes a great deal of skill to hit one.
Later, an herbalist will accompany you on a serene stroll through the surrounding hills and will introduce you to the Maasai's medicinal plants. Tribal communities still rely on nature for their healing, and this walk will offer you many insights and valuable information.
Enjoy the sunset on the veranda of the health spa or one of the surrounding hills and prepare to stand in awe when the flaming star sets behind Kilimanjaro, recalling the ambience Hemingway described not so long ago.
The day will end with an exclusive dinner in the lodge’s restaurant.
Accommodation:Amini Maasai Lodge (traditional room, full-board basis) or similar.
Recommended arrival: latest by 4 pm.
Note: 2 group transfers are arranged. Timings will be advised in due course. Additional can be arranged at extra cost.
Day 02
25th Jan 2020- Interacting with the Maasai / Hike to Ol Doinyo Landaree (B,L, D)
After breakfast, you will visit the Maasai Vision English Primary School. There, you will have the unique opportunity to get in touch with the local children and their teachers and learn in detail how the young Maasai live, their education, hobbies, priorities, and life aspirations.
After a comfortable picnic, prepare to climb thepyramid-shaped Ol Doinyo Landaree (the Mountain of Goats) in Mukuru (a moderate-level hike, around 3 to 4 hours).The mountain is sacred in Maasai mythology.
In the evening, you will return to the lodge just in time for another spectacular African sunset over the snow-covered peak of Kilimanjaro.
Accommodation: Amini Maasai Lodge (traditional room, full-board basis) or similar.
Day 03
26th Jan 2020- West Kilimanjaro – Arusha National Park – Arusha City (B, L, D)
After breakfast, you will head to Arusha National Park for a full-day game drive safari. Arusha National Park – the closest to Arusha town, the safari capital of northern Tanzania – is a multi faceted jewel, often overlooked by safari-enthusiasts, even though it offers the opportunity to explore a beguiling diversity of habitats within a few hours.
Situated at the foot of Mount Meru, this park includes the alkaline Momella Lakes, the Ngurdoto Craters and spectacular waterfalls. It is relatively small, but it offers stunning views of Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, plus opportunities to enjoy a walking safari as well. Covering an area of about 137 square kilometers, Arusha National Park is home to over 400 species of birds, both resident and migrant, and an incredible array of wildlife that includes the black and white colobus monkeys, the blue monkeys, numerous olive baboons as well as a wide range of antelopes, giraffes, elephants, zebras, hyenas and leopards. Actually, Arusha National Park is said to have the largest concentration of giraffes in the world.
Late in the afternoon, you will head to Arusha.
Accommodation: Legendary Coffee Lodge (All Inclusive) or similar.
Day 04
27th Jan 2020- Arusha city- Tarangire National Park- Karatu (B, L, D)
Today is dedicated to a full-day game drive safari in Tarangire National Park. Imagine hundreds of zebra stripes reflecting in still waters, the looming silhouettes of the elephants etched against the crimson sunset, and huge baobab trees scattered across the shimmering grasslands. This is just a taste of what Tarangire is all about!
The most spectacular feature of Tarangire is that it serves as a refuge for the largest elephant population in northern Tanzania. Elephant viewing in Tarangire is outstanding, as most probably you will see hundreds of them in a sing leday.I t will undoubtedly prove to be one of the biggest highlights of your safari in his park.
Accommodation: Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge or similar.
Day 05
28th Jan 2020- Ngorongoro Crater- Karatu (B, L, D)
After a very early breakfast, you will head towards the Ngorongoro crater, a large, unbroken, unfolded volcanic caldera formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago. It is 610m (2,000 ft)deep, and its floor covers 260 km² (100 sq. mi). The crater floor is mostly open grassland with two small wooded areas dominated by Acacia xanthophloea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the crater is home to more than 30,000 different animals and is often referred to as "Africa’s Garden of Eden" and the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
Game drives through the Ngorongoro Crater begin early in the morning in closed safari vehicles with pop-up roofs, accompanied by expert driver guides. The descent into the crater is one of scenic beauty, as you make your way through lush forests, home to numerous elephants and buffaloes. Inside of the Ngorongoro Crater, your guide will take you through the grassy crater floor, the stunning fever tree forest, the banks of Lake Magadi and the surrounding marshes.
Lunch is served picnic style, surrounded by incredible nature and exceptional wildlife that roams freely.
In the afternoon, you will enjoy an additional game drive with several photography opportunities, before ascending and exiting the park.
Accommodation: Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge or similar.
Day 06
29th January 2020- Karatu - Arusha City/Kilimanjaro International Airport (B)
After breakfast and depending on your departure details, you will be transferred to Kilimanjaro Airport for your flight back home.
Note: 2 group transfers are arranged. Timings will be advised in due course. Additional can be arranged at extra cost.
Recommended departure flight: after 2 pm.