Cultural Experience

A Cultural Safari is designed to give you the opportunity to explore the most well preserved societies in the Northern circuit of Tanzania. This safari enables our guests to observe and experience the fascinating traditional cultures of the Hadzabe, Datoga, Sonjo and the famous Maasai tribes. The Cultural Safari is a blend of wildlife game viewing along with some of the most fascinating sites in the world such as the amazing Serengeti Plains and one of the seven natural wonders if the world, Ngorongoro Crater.

Cultural Safari Sample Itinerary

Day 1

When you arrive at Kilimanjaro International airport (JRO), you will be greeted by the Tanzania Roadside Expeditions representative who will brief and transfer you to the hotel for dinner and overnight in Arusha.

You will be accommodated at:

• Budget: Meru View Lodge
• Classic: Moivaro Lodge
• Luxury: Arusha coffee lodge

Day 2

After breakfast, we depart for or 2 hour drive to Lake Manyara for game viewing and watch flamingos around the lake. Manyara National Park is well known for its tree climbing lions, herds of Cape buffalos and elephants, hippos wallowing along the lake’s shoreline and millions of birds of diverse varieties flying overhead. In late afternoon, we drive to Karatu for dinner and overnight.

You will be accommodated in one of the lodges:

• Budget: Kudu Lodge
• Classic: Lake Manyara Hotel/Ngorongoro Farm house
• Luxury: Gibbs farm

Day 3

After breakfast, we will depart to Lake Eyasi for cultural visits. When you arrive, you will meet your Tanzania Roadside Expeditions cultural tour guides who are members of the tribes that inhabit the area around Lake Eyasi, which include the Hadzabe bushmen and Datoga pastoralists. These tribes have different cultures so different kinds of cultural activities will take place when visiting these tribes. These cultural visits will allow you the opportunity to examine and participate in their diverse lifestyles.

You will visit the Hadzabe bushmen who do bush trekking in search of animals, engage in /observe their cultural dances and chants, visit their blacksmith craftsmen, observe their ancient handcrafts being made, visit their huts, and participate in / observe their daily activities such as honey harvesting by the men and various home activities done by women and the children. During your visit to the Lake Eyasi area you will see tilapia fish habitats, as well as different species of birds and trees.

After a day of cultural activities, you will stay at one of the nearby lodges:

• Budget: Tindiga Tented camp
• Classic:Tindigi Tented Camp
• Luxury: Kisimangeda Luxury Tented Lodge

Day 4

After breakfast you will be met by your Tanzania Roadside Expeditions cultural guide who will be with you while visiting the Datoga tribe to explore their way of life and cultural activities. You will observe how pastoralist herding takes place and the division of labor between men, women and children. You can also participate in/ observe these cultural activities. In the late afternoon, you will depart for a lake tour and visit the blacksmiths and handcraft workers.

After a day of cultural activities you will be accommodated in one of the lodges:

• Budget: Tindiga Tented Camp
• Classic: Tindiga Tented Camp
• Luxury: Kisimangeda Luxury Tented Lodge

Day 5

After breakfast, we will drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation area and descend into the crater for a full day of game viewing. Ngorongoro Crater is a 100 square mile collapsed volcano with an abundance of wildlife. It has the natural habitat of more than 20,000 large animals including the Big Five In the late evening, we return to the Hotel/lodge for dinner and overnight.

You will stay overnight at one of the following accommodations:

• Budget: Kudu Lodge
• Classic: Ngorongoro Farm House
• Luxury: Plantation/Gibbs Farm

Day 6

After breakfast, we will drive to the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Highlands. On our way to the Serengeti, we will have the opportunity to visit Maasai bomas (fenced in area that surrounds their mud dwellings), observe / participate in their traditional dances and chants and then drive to Olduvai Gorge, the site of Mary and Louis Leakey’s discovery of the remains of first upright human being. We will receive a lecture about the site, see its museum, and drive to Serengeti National Park.

After the day’s drive our accommodations will be:

• Budget: Moivaro Lodge
• Classic: Katikati/ Lobo Wildlife Lodge
• Luxury: Serena Lodges

Day 7

After breakfast, we depart for a full day of game viewing on the Serengeti Plains. The Serengeti is famous for its great wildebeest migration, and the habitat of lions and leopards and the other Big Five. The endless plains of the Serengeti make it natural world wonder.

After a long drive our accommodations will be:

• Budget: Moivaro Lodge
• Classic: Katikati/ Lobo Wildlife Lodge
• Luxury: Serena Lodges

Day 8

After breakfast, we depart for a full day of game viewing in the Serengeti Plains.

Our overnight accommodations will be:

• Budget: Moivaro Lodge
• Classic: Katikati/ Lobo Wildlife Lodge
• Luxury: Serena Lodges

Day 9

We depart for a full day drive to Lake Natron. Lake Natron is famous for the 3 main tour activities that include: A tour of the waterfalls deep within a canyon near the lake, tour of Lake Natron’s flamingo breeding sites, take a hiking tour of Oldonyo Lengai, the Maasai holy mountain.

Your accommodations will be at the following lodges:

• Budget: Natron River Lodge
• Classic: Natron Tented Lodge
• Luxury: Natron Tented Lodge

Day 10

After breakfast, you will meet your Tanzania Roadside Expeditions representative who will walk with you up to the Natron waterfalls. The water is safe for swimming if you would like to dive in. In the afternoon, we will return to the lodge for a hot lunch. After lunch, we will drive to Lake Natron for lake viewing while watching thousands of flamingos. Late afternoon or evening we will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

You will be accommodated at the following lodges:

• Budget: Natron River Lodge
• Classic: Natron Tented Lodge
• Luxury: Natron Tented Lodge

Day 11

Early breakfast and departure for our drive to Arusha for half day room and early dinner prior to your transfer to the airport ready to fly back home.

Day use room accommodation:

• Budget: Meru View Lodge
• Classic: Ngordoto Lodge
• Luxury: Arusha Coffee Lodge

Included

Full board bases accommodations at the lodges during your safari. Private transport (with no mile / kilometer restriction) in a 4×4 vehicle with roof hatches will be provided along with VHF radio, a GSM contact with our base in Arusha , an English speaking driver/guide, park entry fees, cultural activities fee at Lake Eyasi, activities at Lake Natron, crater fee, Maasai bomas fee, Olduvai Gorge fee and mineral water.

Note: We do not have control over government taxes (park fees and airport taxes). We will try our best to keep the accommodation as mentioned but in case of over booking, we will provide a different accommodation of the same quality.

Not included

Tips, drinks, personal expenses, travel insurance, airport taxes, visas and international airline ticket.

OFFER: All transfers are free