9-Day Tanzania Safari & Day Hike on Kilimanjaro’s Shira Plateau

9-Day Tanzania Safari & Day Hike on Kilimanjaro’s Shira Plateau

9-Day Tanzania Safari & Day Hike: This 9-day safari allows you to experience the highlights of the Northern Safari Circuit. On safari, you will experience a variety of wildlife and landscapes: prides of lions, elephants and the lost world of the Ngorongoro Crater. After the safari, you will visit West Kilimanjaro region. Kambi ya Tembo is a spectacular camp situated on the north face of Mt. Kilimanjaro, with fantastic views. The following day, you will explore Kilimanjaro’s Shira Plateau on a spectacular 1 day hike.

Day 1: Arrival in Arusha

You will be picked up from the airport by a Lion King representative and transported to your accommodation in Arusha. Depending on your arrival time, you may be able to explore Arusha a little. Mt Meru Hotel is set in large, luscious grounds and is an excellent place to relax and prepare for your safari adventure.

Location: Arusha (City)

Accommodation:

Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking-Water and Fruits throughout

Day 2: Tarangire National Park

After breakfast, you will be collected from your hotel by your private safari guide. The journey to Tarangire takes you through gently rolling Maasai plains with scattered acacia trees. You will pass many Maasai in their colorful dress walking on the roadside, riding bicycles, and herding animals.

The Park is named after the Tarangire River which runs through it. This ‘river of warthogs’ is the only source of water for wildlife in the region during the dry season. The Park is well known for its elephant families, which can often be seen congregating by the river. You may also see giraffe, bushbucks, and hartebeest. These animals are closely followed by a range of predators, including lions and leopards. There are more breeding species of birds found in Tarangire National Park than anywhere else on the planet! The huge and ancient baobab trees can be seen here. After your game drive, you will drive to one of our mid-range partner lodges for dinner, relaxation, and overnight.

9-Day Tanzania Safari & Day Hike

Location: Tarangire National Park

Accommodation:

Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Drinking-Water and Fruits throughout

Day 3: Serengeti National Park

After breakfast, you will continue towards the fertile Ngorongoro highlands where wheat and corn are grown by the Iraqw people. Along the way, you will pass through the mist-shrouded rain forests of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area where you might be lucky enough to see baboons or even leopards and elephants in the dense undergrowth.9-Day Tanzania Safari & Day Hike

Passing through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you will see the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater before traveling onward to the Serengeti National Park, which you will reach by midday. The Serengeti National Park is the largest in Tanzania with diverse landscapes and habitats, such as grassy plains, swamps, lakes, savannah, and mountains. After an extensive game drive, you will head toward the Seronera Valley for an evening meal and overnight stay at your accommodation for dinner and overnight.

Location: Serengeti National Park

Accommodation:

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast and lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 4: Game Drive in Serengeti

This day is set aside for game drives upon the Serengeti. The Serengeti is truly spectacular. It is famous for its vast open grasslands which allow for excellent sightings of wildlife. The Serengeti is Tanzania’s oldest National Park and it is also one of the oldest ecosystems on earth. Its climate and vegetation have remained largely untouched for millions of years.

Whilst the Serengeti boasts abundant wildlife, it is perhaps best known for the annual Great Migration. Vast numbers of wildebeest; accompanied by large numbers of zebra and antelope move in an annual pattern, constantly seeking fresh grazing. The precise location and timing of the Migration are entirely dependent upon the rainfall patterns each year. After your game drive, you will return to your accommodation for a hearty dinner and relaxation under the stars.

Location: Serengeti National Park

Accommodation:

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast and lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 5: Serengeti to Ngorongoro

After breakfast, you will embark upon a final game drive in the Serengeti before traveling to the Ngorongoro Crater. Arriving at the edge of the crater in the afternoon, you will have your first glimpse of what awaits you the following day – glistening streams, open grassland, and an infinite number of animals. You will spend the night at a luxury lodge on the crater rim, where the views of the crater are quite unforgettable.

Location: Ngorongoro Highlands

Accommodation:

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast and lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater to Arusha

When you first see Ngorongoro Crater, it looks like a forgotten world. Concealed by the steep volcanic walls is a pristine wilderness including sweeping savannah, pockets of acacia woodland, and glistening lakes and swamps. The crater was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself two to three million years ago. It is famous for both its geological delights and for being a natural reserve that is home to some of the densest large mammal populations in the whole of the African continent.

The drive down into the crater is an adventure in itself and when you reach the crater floor, you quickly find yourself amongst large numbers of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle, and more than 500 bird species. The crater provides you with the best chance of seeing the endangered black rhino, which can sometimes be spotted in the open grasslands. After the thrills and excitement of the day, you will return to Arusha, arriving in the evening.

Location: Ngorongoro Crater

Accommodation:

Meals & Drinks: Breakfast and lunch as well as Dinner

Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Day 7: West Kilimanjaro

With views of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the endless plains of the African savannah, Kambi ya Tembo is a spectacular tented camp situated on the north face of Kilimanjaro with great views of Amboseli National Park in Kenya.

The camp is located in Sinya, a 600 square kilometers wildlife area which offers magnificent views of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Meru, and Mt. Longido. It is one of the only places in Africa where you may see large bull elephants more than 50 years old, with enormous tusks. You may also have a chance to visit the Maasai settlements, known as “bomas”, which are scattered around Sinya. The Maasai in Sinya continues to live traditionally, dressed in their colorful blankets and performing many traditional ceremonies. In the evening, you will drive back to Kambi ya Tembo for dinner and an overnight stay.

Location: Foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro (Area)

Accommodation:

Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking-Water and Fruits throughout

Day 8: Kilimanjaro Shira Plateau Hike

After breakfast at the camp, you will meet your guide, drive to Kilimanjaro National Park Gate, register, and start your hike. You will enjoy a full day’s hiking, enjoying spectacular views along the way. The route passes through the Shira route at an altitude of approximately 3,000 meters. It’s necessary to wear warm clothing and footwear for hiking. After your hike, you will drive to Simba Farm Lodge in West Kilimanjaro for dinner and your overnight stay.

Location: Mount Kilimanjaro (Mountain)

Accommodation:

Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking-Water and Fruits throughout

Day 9: West Kilimanjaro to Airport

After breakfast, your guide will collect you from your accommodation and drive you to the airport which marks the end of your epic adventure.

Location: Kilimanjaro Airport (Airport/Airstrip)

Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Drinking-Water and Fruits throughout

Best of 9-Day Tanzania Safari & Day Hike on Kilimanjaro’s Shira Plateau

We believe in value for money. Every guest would like to have the most reliable and comfortable vehicles on safari. In response to the clients’ needs, we have a very strict vehicle replacement policy that ensures a young fleet at all times. We have a total fleet of 225 well-maintained motor vehicles, predominantly 4-wheel drives. This does away with the problem of sub-contracting vehicles and driver-guides, which may compromise the quality of services. Our safari vehicles are specifically converted for maximum space and comfort. All of them have hatched roof and sliding windows to facilitate good viewing and convenient photography during game drives and sight seeing.