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Kenya & Tanzania Adventure (KTA13)

Why choose this particular trip? An insight to African history, Big 5 Game parks, wildebeest migration, wild geological sites and tropical beaches.  What more can you ask for?

Day 1-2 – Masai Mara, Kenya

 

The Masai Mara is Kenya’s finest and most visited National park hosting not only the ‘Big 5’ but an array of mammals, birds and reptiles. The Masai Mara consists of open savannah, rolling grasslands and hills surrounding by a conservation area of traditional Masai warriors working their villages. Around the months of July to September sees the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle coming from the plains of the Serengeti. Driven by dry conditions in the Serengeti and led by the lightning storms in the north, huge herds of mammals cross the Tanzanian border and rivers to reach the Mara’s grasslands. Here we stay for 2 nights in a camp outside of the Mara gates where we will embark on a 2 day, fun filled game viewing  expedition and an opportunity to interact with one of the working Masai Villages in the areas.

Day 3  – 4 – Masai Mara – Nairobi, Kenya – Arusha, Tanzania

Leaving the Mara we drive back to Nairobi to overnight stopping at the view point overlooking the Great Rift Valley and Mt Longonot a stratovolcano rising 2780m above sea level. Nairobi is a bustling city with lots of things to see and do. Why not try one of Africa’s finest game restaurants ‘Carnivores’ – a true African experience!

The following day we cross the border to Tanzania and Arusha – the half way point from Cape Town to Cairo. We camp at Meserani Snake Park situated 20km from the city. The owners BJ and Ma have built this amazing camp, clinic, school, Masai culture centre, snake enclosure and Reptile Park from scratch. Truly inspiring to not only the people that visit, but the local community!

Day 5 – 6 – Arusha – Serengeti National Park – Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

Waking early, we swap our amazing overland truck for 4 x4 land cruisers and head to the Serengeti/Ngorongoro Crater for our two day expedition. The Serengeti is Africa’s most famous park. Renowned for the two million strong wildebeest ‘Great Migration’, the Serengeti is a park that guarantees the best safaris. The vast endless grass plains (Serengeti in the Maasai language) are the richest grazing grounds on the continent; home to the largest herds on the planet, and the highest concentrations of predators in Africa.

The following day we game drive though the Serengeti to the Oldupai Gorge which is located at the border of the Ngorongoro conservation area and the Serengeti National Park. Oldupai has yielded numerous fossil remains (from about five million to 10.000 years ago), including the skull of the primitive hominid australopithecus boisei or nutcracker man, a species that became extinct about one million years ago. We sit for an informative lecture on the remains of the fossils found before moving to our stunning camp on the ridge of the Ngorongoro crater.

Day 7 – 8 – Ngorongoro Crater – Arusha – Usambara Mountain region

Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest unbroken caldera. The crater, which formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself some approx two million years ago, is 610 m deep and its floor, covers 260 km2. Having steep sides to the crater has made an inner eco system, which now hosts 30,000 land mammals and birds (Including the flamingo’s that migrate annually and the introduced rhino). This morning we meander down the sheer slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater for a fun filled game drive in hope to see the abundance of wildlife living in this pristine environment and a true wonder of its own

Leaving the Ngorongoro crater we head back to ‘The Snake Park’, Arusha where we will overnight. Here you will have the opportunity exploring the surrounding campsite activities from camel rides, Masaai culture interaction and museum, local school and clinic education, snake and reptile feeding and enjoying the coolest overland bar for a great end of day drink, darts or simply checking out the Overland memorabilia that has been collected for many years. The following mid morning we will leave for our next camp at Pangani River (hoping to also take a glimpse of Kilimanjaro on route) and close to the Usambara mountain range where we will relax and unwind before our drive to Dar-es Salaam.

Day 9 – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Dar es Salaam the largest city, but not the capital is a hustling, bustling seaport city on the coast of Tanzania accessing one of the most important sea routes on earth (with an interesting history too). To a majority of travellers, the city is just a convenient port of call on the way to the more exotic Zanzibar and the remaining of the Archipelago Islands. We camp at a palm fringed beach resort out of the city for our first taste of a tropical paradise before leaving for our ferry to Zanzibar.

Day 10, 11, 12 – Stone Town – Northern Beaches, Tanzania

Leaving the main port of Dar es Salaam, we take the fast ferry to Zanzibar (Stone Town). Zanzibar is an Archipelago (a cluster of Islands that are formed tectonically) with two main Islands of Zanzibar. Unguja (Zanzibar) and Pemba also known as ‘Al Jazeera Al Khadra’ (the green island, in Arabic) Zanzibar is the Largest of the two and is named the ‘Spice Island’.

 

Stone town is a bustling old Arabic town with an amazing flair of History and restaurants to taste any ones flavor including the Forodhani night markets at the Jamituri Gardens. Here you can mingle with the locals and sample the local cuisine – prawn kebabs, lobster, octopus, pizza’s and local sugar cane drinks. Visit the slave markets, museums and Sultan palaces or simply meander the maze alley streets in search for old maritime trinkets, cloths, Masai wood carvings and jewelry. It is also the gate way to the Northern beaches, spice tours, dhow (local boat) cruises and the surrounding Islands.

We spend 1 night in stone Town before leaving north to Kendwa beach for a 2 night stay. Kendwa has a beautiful long stretch beach – Much quieter than the Northern section of Nungwi with its massive hotels and small coves. This is somewhat the apple of Zanzibar and very relaxing watching the ocean in a hammock sipping cocktails. Certainly a dream area and great for the relaxed minds and the beach lovers.  Try out snorkeling or a taster course in diving. Truly worth doing!

Day 13 – Kendwa Beach – Stone Town – Dar es Salaam

This morning we say our good bye’s to Zanzibar and head back to the mainland where our tour ends.

Written by: Michelle Lewis