10 DayWalk on the Wildside Safari

Combine traditional game drives with guided walks in the Serengeti, Tarangire and Lake Victoria and get the most from your safari in Tanzania.

Discover Tanzania’s great parks with this combination of safari game drives and walking safaris. Traverse the great plains on foot and reveal the hidden wonders of the bush. View wild animals up close, in safety with experienced guides and trackers. The pace is easy and the memories will last a lifetime.

Highlights:

  • Leave the vehicle behind and enjoy guided bush walks in three different game reserves
  • View chimpanzees in their natural habitat
  • Experience pristine beaches and memorable island excursions on Lake Victoria
  • Search for the shy Sitatunga antelope, wild orchids and rare birds
  • Track lions, leopard and cheetah in the Serengeti, on foot
  • Discover the magic of the bush on night game drives

What to Expect on your Tanzania Safari Tour

This adventurous tour allows you to take a walk on the wild side in search of the impressive animal, bird and plant species that exist in the diverse regions of Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Victoria and the Serengeti. Accommodated in stylish comfortable suites in remote areas, you will be able to experience the raw wilderness without compromising any of your creature comforts. Friendly staff and professional guides will assist you throughout the tour and the various dining options will leave you hungry for a greater taste of Tanzania.

Leave the vehicle behind, encounter wildlife in its most natural form as the free-roaming animals cross your path, whilst you are on foot. Admire the nature surrounding you as you witness the unique and changing landscapes of the various regions.

The Tarangire National Park with its baobab forests, is home to all the big cat species as well as a long list of bird species, making it a nature lover's paradise. Your stay in Lake Victoria is an opportune time to go on tracking excursions through the jungle alongside a knowledgeable guide. In addition to the game drives, you can experience boat safaris, go kayaking and set out on foot to get a closer look at and feel of the wilderness. Walk through the jungle on Rubondo Island as you and witness the antics the chimpanzees that have made this island home.

Explore the rolling grassy great plains of the Serengeti, marvel at the cheetahs stealth and speed and the apparent laziness of the lions. Get your walking boots dusty as you make new discoveries about the African bush. Each location on this Walk on the Wildside Safari has beautiful and varied landscapes and of course, diverse wildlife.

Day 1 - 3: Traverse the Tarangire National Park

From Arusha Airport, board a light aircraft bound for Tarangire. Here a camp representative will meet you and transfer you by road to the camp. The camp, situated in the southern part of Tarangire, is close to the Silale swamps and overlooks the floodplains of the Minyonyo Pools a year round haven for large concentrations of game. The camp is small and intimate with only ten tents, which are the epitome of bush elegance and comfort. Watch the wild animals wander by your tent, as you relax on your private veranda.

Spend your days here exploring the region on game drives and on walking safaris, where you can penetrate the more remote areas of Tarangire. Walking safaris, with trained and armed guides, allow you to get closer to the fauna and flora of Africa. The morning walk lasts around 3-4 hours (temperature dependant), offering you a chance to walk and safely track and observe wildlife giants like elephants, giraffes and buffalo. Stop off under the shade of a lofty baobab for a picnic and contemplate the surrounding wildlife’s majestic countenance, before setting off back to the camp for a well deserved siesta. In the evening, partake in a night game drive, searching for those elusive nocturnal creatures hidden during the day.

Day 4 - 6: Explore Lake Victoria

Spend the early morning on a game drive or short walk before heading out after an early lunch to the airstrip, where a light aircraft will transfer you to Rubondo Island on Lake Victoria. Rubondo Island is the largest Island National Park in the world. This island is fantastic for the adventurous and active, where you can fill your days exploring the pristine forest and lake. On land, the camp offers guided forest walks, bird viewing and game drives. On the water, you can join a boat based safari searching for the sitatunga, crocodiles and hippos. Fishing from a kayak, catch and release, is a great way to enjoy the natural surroundings and relax.

Day 7 - 9: Track wildlife on the Serengeti Plains

Early in the morning, it’s time to leave the island life behind as you head for the Serengeti. Spend the next three nights of your Tanzania safari in the remote eastern corner of the Serengeti. This area, closed for 20 years to foster an area for cheetah to breed, reopened in 2014. The open plains in this area are a safe haven for the cheetah to roam and hunt undisturbed. Leopard and lion also frequent the area and can often be seen languishing on the rocky kopjes. Due to the Ngare Nanyuki, an underground river, the area supports a large amount of resident plains game.

From October to May, the newly germinating grass offers an irresistible allure to the great migrating herds. During the rains, March to May, you can see high concentrations of hyena, with clans of up to 30 members, pursuing and then devouring their prey. Eland, wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle migrate to this region of the Serengeti, with large herds being the norm.

The camp consists of eight individually crafted cottages nestled amongst the trees with lakeside views. White beaches and the gentle lapping of the lake, elephants and dwarf giraffe make this a magical place to have an adventure.

You have the option to assist in the wild chimpanzee habituation experience, by joining trackers during the day following the signs of the chimps, endeavouring to locate the troop (as they are not yet habituated there is no guarantee that you will find them). Then at night, sleep under the stars in dome tents with a bush bathroom and dinner cooked over an open fire. A great adventure where you can sit and share your experiences with the local guides and trackers. The following day, if unable to locate the chimps, continue with the search. If chimps were located, make your way back to the main camp by either walking, by vehicle or by boat. The terrain has limited paths and the ground is uneven, guests need to be sure footed and comfortable to walk 1 – 4 hours a day at a moderate pace.

Your stay at Rubondo Island allows for an active adventure or gentle strolls and relaxation by the poolside.
On arrival at the camp, settle in and enjoy the comfort of your spacious traditional safari tent as you watch the game passing in and around the camp. In the afternoon, after a sumptuous buffet lunch, go on a game drive, stopping at an elevated viewpoint for refreshing sundowners, taking in the enormous sky and vast plains of the Serengeti.

Over the next two days, depart camp early on guided walks and explore the area on foot. The pace is easy allowing your senses to reawaken as you walk through the bush and relish the sights, sounds and smells of Africa. Meander through the bush, following and identifying tracks alongside a trained guide, stopping under the shade of a tree with a packed lunch, taking some time to just sit and observe the wonders of nature that are all around you. Alternatively, you can return to camp for a delicious hot lunch. Laze in the afternoons with a good book and a siesta before heading out again on another walk or game drive. In the evenings dine under the stars and listen to the harmonious sounds of the African bush

Day 10: All good things must come to an end

Bid farewell to Tanzania as you leave for Kilimanjaro Airport where your onwards travel arrangements will be met.

Included

  • Flights from Arusha Airport to Tarangire, Rubondo Island, Serengeti and Kilimanjaro
  • Shared road transfers to and from airports
  • 6 nights tented accommodation in luxury safari camps
  • 3 nights accommodation in a waterfront cottage on Rubondo Island
  • All meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner as per itinerary
  • Local drinks including teas/coffees, soft drinks, local brand beers, local spirits and house wines whilst staying at the safari camps
  • Scheduled shared open vehicle game drives, guided walking safaris and night game drives in Tarangire
  • Scheduled shared open vehicle game drives and guided walking safaris in the Serengeti
  • Guided bush walks, boating safaris, swamp excursions, nature walks, chimpanzee experience, fishing and fishing permits, and kayaks on Rubondo Island.
  • Laundry
  • All meet and greet services
  • Entrance and conservation fees for all reserves as per itinerary

Not Included

  • Champagne, cellar wines and premium brand spirits
  • Optional activities, spa treatments and all other extras to be settled direct
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