There’s always a first in everything and this was one of the best for me and my husband – our first-time safari in Tanzania.
From what I noticed, and from my personal experience, people who haven’t been to any country in this continent (Egypt and other Northern countries not counted) seem to be clueless about what to expect. The same is true for Tanzania to be specific. Tourists come to this country for the safari and I bet the images on their head are screenshots and videos from Discovery Channel and Nat Geo. Well, that’s not all incorrect. But really, what goes on a safari? What’s a day like?
Having a clearer picture will help you prepare hence, I made this article to give you a full picture on what happened in our safari in Tanzania.
We booked with Gosheni Safaris, a client and a good friend of mine. They’re a local safari operator that I trust in so many ways and highly recommend their services. This safari was partly sponsored without obligations to make reviews. I have made this article as objectively as I can.
Our package is called 9 Days Explore Tanzania Safari.
DAY 1: Arrival and Drive to Arusha
DAY 2: Base of Mt. Kilimanjaro
DAY 3: Sunrise and View of Kibo and Mawenzi Peak
DAY 4: Arusha- Tarangire National Park
DAY 5: Maasai Tribe and Serengeti National Park
DAY 6: Another Game Drive at Serengeti National Park
DAY 7: Last Game Drive at Serengeti National Park
DAY 8: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
DAY 9: Lake Manyara
Here’s a tip: The safari package names are just for marketing purposes. When choosing your own, look at the destinations and accommodation for each day. Check on Google Maps your day by day itinerary to get a good picture of your voyage, how long you will sit in the car to get from point A to point B, etc…
DAY 1: Arrival and Drive to Arusha
We arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport around noon time where a driver from Gosheni was waiting and holding up signage with our names. From there, it was about a 45-minute drive to Arusha city proper where we were then taken to our hotel at Arusha SG Resort. It was a nice hotel but too fancy for our needs especially because we arrived at night and leaving early the next day so we didn’t even get to enjoy it!
DAY 2: Base of Mt. Kilimanjaro
After a buffet breakfast, we drove straight to the starting point of all Kilimanjaro climbs at the Marangu gate. This is where Kilimanjaro climbs end as well so we saw other climbers too. You can hear others breathing out a sigh of relief for a great accomplishment they just achieved, relaxing as they wait for the crew to prepare their well-earned lunch buffet.
Others like me and my husband are also having our brunch box before we start our climb. The registration took a while but we didn’t have to do anything, our guide did everything and we just sat there waiting for about 30 minutes or more. We also had to rent some raincoats, sleeping bags, and a water bottle because plastic bottles are not allowed. I wish I had known this so we could have brought our own and avoid the extra charges.
Bring your raincoats, sleeping bags, and water bottle because plastic bottles are not allowed.
So we walked through the rain forest and we were thankful it didn’t rain. It was me, martin and our guide. The porters bringing all the stuff for food went ahead and they took a different route. I’m not sure how to explain the vegetation as I’m not a climber myself but it’s a relaxing walk and a fairly easy one. There were trees everywhere so we weren’t suffering from the heat either. For a while, the path follows a little stream and it passes a couple of picturesque little waterfalls. We stopped by a couple of nice views and picnic areas along the way.
The entire walk was about 4 hrs or so and found ourselves in Mandara Huts just before it got dark. The vegetation and climate should have changed here- something alpine heath and moorland but whatever looks the same to me. It was refreshing though with some great views in certain spots. We had our own room/ hut with mattress and we were pretty near the toilet so we can’t complain.
DAY 3: Sunrise and View of Kibo and Mawenzi Peak
So it might be worth mentioning that we weren’t climbing Kilimanjaro- this is our final destination, the 1st base 🙂 So we woke up around 4 am guided by flashlights and walked for about 20 minutes through moorland up until a certain spot where we waited for sunrise and had a good view of Kibo and Mawenzi peak.
It’s a nice experience and I had a time to cherish that moment where, once again, I’m in Africa this time with my husband, breathing fresh air together with the cool breeze against our skin. But is it worth it going all the way just up to the base? For me, no. For example, we had to pay registration fee that we weren’t able to maximize
But my husband was happy and he would want to come back to do the actual 7 days climb to the top. So we took some nice photos and it was bright enough when we went back to the hut for breakfast. We watched other climbers pack and continue their climb while we lingered a bit more, read a book, and enjoyed the sunrise before we ascended backtracing the exact steps we took coming here.
Our vehicle was waiting at the gate, looked at some souvenirs and finally headed back to Arusha for overnight at SG Hotel.
DAY 4: Arusha- Tarangire National Park
After breakfast, we had a nearly 3hr drive to Tarangire National Park. This is the sixth-largest national park and one of the most popular parks in the northern-central circuit of Tanzania located in the Manyara Region. At the entrance of the park were other safari vehicles waiting as well where the travelers are out to take some photos around or use the toilet as they wait for their guides to process what it is they need to do so we can get in. After 20 minutes or so, everything’s in order and we are ready with our first game-drive.
We saw a lot of animals on our first day and it was a thrilling experience to be in the vehicle as the animals roam free in their homes. It was different from a zoo, which is what I was used to seeing growing up. By the way, I stopped going to zoos after my first visit to Africa way back in 2015. If one wants to see these creatures, they should come to Africa and visit and not take the animals away from their homes and lock them up in a facility for the benefit of tourists.
Anyway, what I was most excited about was seeing how Martin was so excited, like a kid, with this whole experience unfolding and where both of us get to enjoy it together. I could imagine how this can be a perfect family experience for everyone to enjoy (not just the kids) while it is an educational one as well- appreciating and gaining another level of respect for wildlife.
We stopped for lunch in a picnic area. We had our lunchbox with some fruit, fried stuff, and something else. It wasn’t the best but it’s the same with all other companies. There’s no restaurant in their area to enjoy a proper hot food and food options are limited because it’s packed in the morning and had to last the whole day without spoiling. On most days, I was just eating the fruit and boiled egg and was skipping the fried stuff. If you are particular with food, make sure to communicate this and ask exactly what they will pack for you.
At around 4 pm, we were headed to our lodge for the night at Maramboi Lodge. I believe it’s a luxury lodge with a pool and complimentary snacks throughout apart from the buffet dinner and buffet breakfast the next morning. It’s a great accommodation and we very much enjoyed our stay.
DAY 5: Maasai Tribe and Serengeti National Park
En route, we visited a Maasai Tribe to see how they live. I did a similar visit to Maasai Mara, Kenya so I know what to expect. They did the usual welcome routine dance and it was nice, except you can tell the whole thing is a show for the tourists. Anyway, it was still interesting to see how they live, how they make fire, and just simply make contact with the locals. The money they get from the entrance fee is a big help for them so I would suggest not to miss it.
The only really disappointing thing is how obviously they try to rip us off with the souvenirs they’re trying to sell.
I asked the price of a tinker I liked and was given a ridiculous price so we kindly thanked them and refused. They went on asking how much we will pay for it but we were already turned off with the whole charade and decided not to buy anything but one of the locals got angry and gave us the attitude, which was uncomfortable. This is not uncommon and couldn’t blame how the sale meant a lot to them but there is no excuse for being rude.
If we were treated better, we would have bought for sure. But I have the impression they just see two foreigners with a lot of money to give away. You would think that your guide can help you get local prices but I doubt this too and we didn’t want to put our guide in a difficult situation. Note that you will find the same souvenirs in other places and you can get them much cheaper.
We continued to Serengeti National Park after that. Serengeti is the most popular park in Tanzania, a staggering 14,750 km² and home to the Great wildebeest migration. If you’re doing a safari in the North, you should not miss this park whether it’s migration season or not. Here we saw a range of different habitats that include swamps, woodland, soda lakes, and the world-famous Serengeti short grass plains. We saw great herds of wildebeest and zebra and drove across postcard-perfect sceneries. It was February and we were there in time for the calving season.
It was another full day of an exciting game drive, seeing fellow travelers here and there as the guide’s radio each other when they see a kill, pride of lions, any other animals. Late afternoon, we headed to our lodge at Serengeti Acacia Camps- a luxury tented camp at the heart of Serengeti. This is also owned by Gosheni Safaris.
DAY 6: Another Game Drive at Serengeti National Park
Today was another game drive at Serengeti National Park. Again, note that Serengeti is HUGE!
I would recommend at least 3 days to go around the park and at least 7 days if you’re coming to see the wildebeest migration.
It is bordered to the north by the Kenyan border, where it is continuous with the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Southeast of the park is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, to the southwest is Maswa Game Reserve, to the west are the Ikorongo and Grumeti Game Reserves, and to the northeast and east lies the Loliondo Game Control Area. All these areas form the larger Serengeti ecosystem.
DAY 7: Last Game Drive at Serengeti National Park
Our last game-drive at Serengeti area and we are still as excited. There’s just something new every day and the profile of sceneries is also different. We never get tired of seeing animals and the most exciting is when a predator prepares for a kill or a lion with a poor prey dangling in his teeth. Note these can be depressing too, at least for me.
Our guide was emphatic and I can understand why. But I remember how my heart sank seeing how a cheetah chased a baby Gazelle as the mother looks out helplessly. You just want to get out of that vehicle and do something! But you got to understand that this here is a different world and you simply have to respect the natural order of things around.
DAY 8: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Today, we headed to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This is a UNESCO site and named after the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest volcanic caldera. The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is 610 metres deep and its floor covers 260 square kilometres. We drove to a steep descent to the crater floor for game viewing. It’s huge, broad, and open much like the Serengeti and, amazingly, you’re actually inside a caldera. There are a good number of animals and from afar, we saw a Rhino thereby completing the Big 5!
The Big 5 game animals are the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and buffalo. You are supposed to aim to see them in the course of your safari trip.
We had a picnic lunch still inside the Ngorongoro Crater next to a lake with a beautiful view. Overall, it was a great drive and not to be missed. There were fewer animals but the experience in itself is worth having. You can also visit the Olduvai Gorge in the area but we didn’t because we didn’t think about it. But I heard it’s supposed to be nice being one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world.
For tonight, we stayed at Ngorongoro Farm House- a cozy resort with a pool and awesome ambience. I still like the tented camp though over an actual concrete property but I’m not sure if they have one of those in the area.
DAY 9: Lake Manyara
Today marks our last day of safari. We drove to Lake Manyara, called to be the “loveliest lake in Africa” according to Ernest Hemingway. It’s home to a diverse set of landscapes and wildlife with baboons aplenty. There are tree-climbing lions here too but we didn’t see those.
I didn’t find it as interesting as Serengeti or Ngorongoro and after several days of game-drive, my expectations were rising so… But Lake Manyara is supposed to have a rich birdlife, one I’m not very much into so it was a bit more difficult to appreciate 🙂 More than 400 species have been recorded here. overall, it was great to see and seemed like a perfect way to end our safari. We drove back to Arusha in the afternoon passing by some souvenir shops along the way
Travel Take-Away:
Will I recommend this safari? Definitely. I think 9 days is enough time to enjoy the experience at a relaxing pace. I will probably skip Kilimanjaro and I would rather go to Zanzibar after our safari. Of course, that’s also more expensive because we need to fly there.
Cost of this safari per person: Around 2,000 USD per person all-inclusive
Can it be done cheaper: Yes. We have stayed in mid-range to luxury accommodation so just ask for budget properties. Refrain from booking with a supplier that offers questionably cheap safari. You can save on accommodation but never compromise the quality of your guide/ vehicle as that will make or break your holiday!
What to take in mind when booking a safari: Book directly with a local operator ’cause it’s much cheaper. Read their reviews and ask for guides’ qualifications. This is extremely important if you want to appreciate everything around you. Read my article on How to choose a safari operator for more information.
Lastly, please enjoy the experience with your own eyes! I’ve seen others see the whole thing through their camera lens and it’s just a waste! You might as well Google for it. Of course, you want photos, lots of them, but don’t forget to be in the moment because that’s what you paid for 🙂
For your additional information, included in our package are:
• Airport transfers as specified in the itinerary
• Transportation in a 4WD brand new safari vehicle with a pop-up roof as specified in the itinerary
• Park fees as specified in the itinerary
• Crater service fee in Ngorongoro Crater as specified in the itinerary
• 7 nights’ Accommodation and Meals at the lodge as specified in the Itinerary
• Unlimited bottled Mineral water during safari per day
• Unlimited Soft drinks, tea, and coffee during the game drive
• Safari Guide Services
• Government tax
• Private professional English speaking guide
• Safari books maps and binoculars
• Mount Kilimanjaro Hiking
• Unlimited game mileage
Not included in the rates:
• International / Local Air Transportation
• Any other items of a personal nature, i.e. Telephone, Laundry, beverages, etc
• Tips for the driver guide highly recommended $20 per person per day
• Any Insurance package
• Visas
• Masai village
• Olduvai Gorge
