Classic Safari

Classic Safari Itinerary:

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• Day 1 Welcome to Arusha, Tanzania. Take a well-earned rest and get excited for the wildlife viewing experience of your life!

  Your trip begins today in Arusha, Tanzania. Please schedule your flight for an evening arrival into Kilimanjaro International Airport. We provide one group transfer from the airport to Arusha where our lovely lodge set in spacious gardens awaits. Check into your room and enjoy a well-earned rest. No meals included.

• Day 2 Head south to Tarangire National Park, famous for its legendary elephant herds, baobab groves, and tree climbing lions.

  This morning you meet your guides and fellow travelers for a brief orientation of the upcoming safari. Following breakfast at the lodge we head south to Tarangire Park. This less-visited park is a great introduction to Africa. It is off-the-beaten-path and famous for its legendary elephant herds and unusual palm and baobab groves. Our tented lodge sits high on a ridge facing east overlooking a vast plain cut by the Tarangire River and typically teeming with wildlife. Following an afternoon game run, take a dip in the pool, sip a glass of wine and sit back on the veranda to enjoy your first African gloaming. All meals included.

• Day 3 Explore Tarangire and witness the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem.

  A full day of wildlife viewing is on today's agenda. In the dry season, Tarangire is second only to Ngorongoro Crater in concentrations of wildlife. There is no doubt you will see elephants and many other large mammals such as wildebeests, buffalo, and oryx, but also keep your eyes open for the famed tree-climbing lions. Enjoy a picnic lunch mid-day, and return to our lodge in time for a shower and dinner. All meals included.

• Day 4 The Rift Valley provides a stunning backdrop Lake Manyara National Park, home to a variety of migratory birds and larger mammals. 

  We head west to the Lake Manyara area, arriving in time for lunch at our lodging. Our comfortable tented camp is set high on the edge of the Great Rift Valley and provides panoramic views eastward over Lake Manyara, the Rift floor and Mt. Losimingori. We visit Lake Manyara Park, a small and verdant park located at the base of the Great Rift, to view the wildlife in their more active period before dusk. The park is somewhat tropical, and it supports a huge birdlife population as well as larger animals such as giraffe, zebra and buffalo. Look for the tall, gray Kori Bustard, thought to be the heaviest bird capable of flight. Back at our lodging for the evening, be on the look-out for birdlife as over 350 species have been recorded here. All meals included.

  Drive to Lake Manyara: ~ 1.5 hours.

• Day 5 Enjoy a hike near Lake Manyara or visit the extensive crafts market in the village of Mto Wa Mbu.

  Visit a local store near Mto Wa Mbu village for shopping. We drive to our lodging, located on the outskirts of the Ngorongoro Crater. Our home for the next two nights is an intimate lodge neatly tucked away on a coffee farm with lush gardens and views of the surrounding green hills. The afternoon is free is rest, swim in the pool and soak up the ambiance. All meals included.

  Drive to Ngorongoro: ~2.5 hours.

• Day 6 Explore the depths of the Ngorongoro Crater, with 25, 000 animals it is host to almost every species of wildlife in East Africa.

  The Maasai refer to Ngorongoro Crater as the "footprint of God." Your first glimpse into the crater from its rim is breathtaking – a wildlife sanctuary over three hundred square miles in size spread out some two thousand feet below you. We spend the day exploring the diversity and richness of this gorgeous park. Over 20,000 mammals call this crater their permanent home, including prides of lions, cheetah, giraffe, elephant, hippos and the rare black rhino. At the heart of the crater's 10-mile wide grassland plain lies a soda lake that attracts vast numbers of flamingo and other water birds. The Maasai have watered their cattle in the crater seemingly forever. This is truly a magical setting teeming with wildlife and with a human history as rich as the crater is beautiful. Return to the lodge in the late afternoon to relax. All meals included.

• Day 7 Travel from Ngorongoro Crater to the famed Serengeti National Park, one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in the world.

  Perhaps the most famous of the Tanzanian parks is the Serengeti, our destination for the next two evenings. The Maasai called this region the "Siringitu" meaning "the place where the land moves on forever." This is most certainly a reference to the constant movement of the huge numbers of animals that live in the vast savannahs of the Serengeti. This is one of the largest and last remaining wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The extensive grasslands are dotted with "kopjes" or rocky outcroppings that, like islands in the plains, form their own wildlife communities. Have your cameras and binoculars ready, but take time to soak up the smells, sounds and sights with all your senses unencumbered. We overnight at a luxury tented camp. All meals included.

  Drive to Serengeti: ~ 8 hours.

• Day 8 Witness the drama of predator versus prey played out on the vast savannahs of the Serengeti.

  We have a full day to enjoy the splendor of the Serengeti. Depending upon the season and your luck, you might have the opportunity to witness the largest migration of mammals on earth. Regardless, you most certainly will see hundreds of animals including zebra, wildebeest, hartebeest, topi, hyena, eland, warthogs, giraffe and various predators. In the late afternoon we return to our camp for one final night under a star-studded Africa sky, listening to the myriad sounds that define the ancient wildness of this spectacular place. All meals included.

• Day 9 We bid farewell to the magnificent wildlife and varied landscapes and return to Arusha.

  Following a hearty breakfast we transfer to an airstrip for a flight to Arusha. A day room at our first night's lodging is available for your use. Upon arrival into Arusha we enjoy lunch together; the afternoon is then free to enjoy on your own until our final group dinner at our lodging's restaurant. One group transfer from our lodging to the Kilimanjaro International Airport is provided, based on the flight booked by the majority of departing guests. Breakfast and lunch included.

Although we do our very best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.

All accommodations and meals as noted on the daily itinerary; internal airfare between Serengeti and Arusha; park fees; bi-lingual guides; private safari vehicles with guaranteed window seat; airport transfers when arriving and departing with group.

Round-trip international airfare; entry visa fee; departure tax; airport transfers when arriving/departing outside of group transfer times; meals on Day 1; travel insurance; excess baggage charges; alcoholic beverages; items of a personal nature; optional gratuities to safari guides.

Please check with us before purchasing your airline tickets to ensure your trip has the necessary minimum number of participants required to operate.

If you are traveling alone and specifically request single accommodations, you will be asked to pay the full single supplement noted on the trip itinerary.  If you wish to share accommodations, we will assign you a roommate if one is available.  If a roommate cannot be found, you will be asked to pay a reduced single fee, which is half of the full single supplement.  Please be advised that there are a limited number of single accommodations available.

Our departure dates coincide with the dry seasons of East Africa. Temperatures are typically in the 70s - 80s during the day, cooling off to the 50s - 60s in the evening. Departures from December through February can expect daytime temperatures to be about 10 degrees higher on average. The Ngorongoro Crater is over 7,000' high, so you can count on cool mornings and evenings regardless of the season.

This safari trip is rated Relaxed [1]. Safaris are not physically demanding but they are in remote locations over rough terrain. This trip is perfect for active people in good health and with the spirit of adventure.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and pre-departure information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased at the time of your initial reservation, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

The key to staying comfortable on safari is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation. This gear list is provided to help you in choosing your equipment and clothing for this trip. Try to bring only what is necessary.

Gear Checklist

Things to Consider

• Always pack essential items such as your passport, money, eyewear, a change of clothing and medications in your carry-on baggage in case your luggage is delayed.
• The checked luggage allowance on the internal flight from the Serengeti to Arusha is 33 pounds. Please pack accordingly. Overweight luggage incurs an additional fee charged per kilogram. Travelers flying home on Day 9 can store extra luggage in Arusha while on safari.
• Casual attire is acceptable for Africa. Neutral, light colored clothing is best for the safari, to blend into the landscape and not alarm the wildlife. Khaki is always a good color while on safari.
• Be prepared to hand wash your clothes (quick drying materials are best). Travel packets of detergent and a travel laundry line may be helpful. Laundry service is available at lodges for an additional cost; turnaround time is generally 2-3 hours.
• Stuff sacks are great for sorting your gear. Plastic bags are also helpful to separate clean and dirty clothing.
• If you normally wear contacts, bring a pair of glasses in case of irritation from dust in your eyes.
• Many of the roads in Africa are deeply rutted and dusty. It is a good idea to pack camera equipment and binoculars in plastic bags to protect them from the dust. This is in addition to their normal cases. Also bring lens cleaning materials.
• Batteries are not readily available outside of Arusha. Bring a large supply of AA and/or AAA batteries as required for your headlamp/flashlight and electronic equipment.