12 Days Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari

Welcome to Tanzania, home of the classic African safari! When your plane arrives at the Kilimanjaro International Airport, a representative from Chalema Tanzania Safaris will be waiting to meet you. The little mountainside town of Arusha is just a stone’s throw from the airport, situated right on the slopes of the volcanic Mount Meru. It’s here that we’ll make the first stop on our Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari: the Arusha Mambo Hostel. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more welcoming bed and breakfast; the hotel’s colorful ambience, friendly staff, and delicious meals will make you feel right at home. You’ll spend the rest of today at your leisure, relaxing and preparing for your upcoming adventure.

After a hearty breakfast and all the locally produced Tanzanian coffee you can drink, we’ll pack our bags and venture east, traveling into the highlands of western Kilimanjaro. First, we’ll hike to the spectacular Materuni waterfalls, where a cascade of water plummets into lush forests right at the base of the mountain. After enjoying the scenery, we’ll drive into the Sinya region to pitch our tents in the heart of the East African wilderness. This is Maasai country, where warriors and herdsmen traverse the acacia savanna alongside wild animals like the giraffe, kudu, zebra, and baboon. The area used to be a hunting ground, but the local Maasai community put an end to the practice in favor of protecting the region’s wildlife and pursuing ecotourism opportunities. In good weather, we’ll enjoy striking views of Kilimanjaro from our campsite, and it’s here that we’ll spend the next two nights under canvas, sleeping beneath the glittering sprawl of the African night sky.

On the third day of our Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari, we’ll take the time to further explore the fascinating Sinya region of western Kilimanjaro. An important part of any expedition into this part of Tanzania is the opportunity to meet the people who live here, and we’ll visit traditional Maasai homesteads this morning to learn more about their culture and way of life. Of course, the volcanic highlands of Kilimanjaro are also home to a wide variety of iconic African wildlife species, and we’ll trek through the bush for several hours to enjoy a thrilling walking safari. With any luck, we’ll be able to spot elephants, giraffe, and even the uncommon lesser kudu. Later this afternoon, we’ll return to camp to swap stories around the fire and usher in the tranquility of nightfall in the bush.

We’ll travel west this morning, leaving Kilimanjaro in our rearview mirror and approaching the natural paradise of Lake Manyara. Along the way, we’ll stop at a banana plantation for lunch. You’ll get to see how this tropical fruit is grown here in Tanzania, and you’ll have the chance to sample some traditional foods. Matoke is a mouth-watering dish made from cooked green bananas, and ugali is a Tanzanian spin on an East African staple: maize meal cooked with milk and beans. You’ll get to try them both—as well as some banana beer! After lunch, we’ll continue onwards to the village of Mto wa Mbu. This is a uniquely Tanzanian town, with all of the country’s more than 100 ethnic groups represented in its vibrant culture and industry. We’ll tour the town to see its artisans, painters, produce vendors, and even its schools for ourselves. Later this afternoon, we’ll continue towards Lake Manyara to set up camp in the wild.

Today’s agenda on our Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari will bring us into the world-renowned Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This huge wilderness is home to Ngorongoro Crater itself: a two-million-year-old volcanic caldera that serves as a natural amphitheatre and wildlife reserve for some of Tanzania’s most iconic big game species. We’ll descend into the crater to enjoy a traditional game drive, searching for lions, hyenas, elephants, and even the occasional black rhinoceros. Our camp this evening will be near a local Maasai village, offering another opportunity to enrich the cultural value of your Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari.

We haven’t yet seen the full scope of the natural wonders of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This morning, we’ll visit another of the region’s most fascinating geological features: Olmoti Crater. Much smaller than Ngorongoro, this crater nevertheless offers a splendid opportunity to stretch our legs—after all, this is a trekking safari. We’ll explore the lush volcanic landscape on foot, keeping our eyes peeled for augur buzzards and sunbirds while savoring the splendid scenery. Moving on, we’ll trek to the nearby village of Bulati, striding across the sun-drenched savanna for about four hours to meet our vehicle. Our last destination today is Empakai Crater, where lush montane rainforest runs right up the shore of a sparkling alkaline lake. We’ll descend into the crater in the company of an armed park ranger, exploring the picturesque forest and lakeshore nestled within the crater’s 300-meter walls and keeping an eye out for resident buffalo, blue monkeys, and bushbuck. After a two-hour hike, we’ll set up camp tonight near the crater rim, where we’ll fall asleep to the gentle sounds of the African night.

You’ve already seen the massive volcanic cone of Ol Doinyo Lengai, but today we’ll get a closer look. This is an active volcano which reaches to more than 3,000 meters in elevation, and its name translates to the “Mountain of God.” On today’s portion of our Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari, we’ll draw closer to the mountain on our overland hike to the Maasai village of Naiyobi. This is an epic trek across the highlands of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which should take us approximately four or five hours to complete; we may be able to rely on donkeys to help us carry our bags. When we arrive at Naiyobi, you’ll learn how this village serves as a hub for local traders. After enjoying the sights of the village, we’ll follow cattle trails through the bush to arrive at tonight’s campsite. We’ll pitch our tents beneath the spreading boughs of distinctive yellow-barked acacias, surrounded by the beauty of the Tanzanian bush.

Towering over the surrounding plains of the Great Rift Valley, Ol Doinyo Lengai has been a consistent feature on the horizon of our treks during the past few days. Today, we’ll venture to the very foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai, where Lake Natron rests beneath the mountain’s watchful eye. Along the way, we’ll stop for lunch in the shade of a scenic canyon as the heat of the day builds over the plains. After reaching the base of the volcano—and taking plenty of photographs—we’ll catch a ride in our 4x4 back to the lake Natron, where we’ll set up our tents at a campsite owned by the Maasai Giraffe Eco Lodge. Enjoy a relaxing shower after our trek across the savanna. You can choose to spend the rest of the day at your leisure, relaxing and taking the time to fully appreciate the natural majesty of our incredible surroundings. If you’d rather get out and about, we can take a guided walk to the nearby Maasai village of Engaresero, where you’ll meet friendly locals and learn more about traditional life set against the awe-inspiring volcanic escarpment of the Great Rift Valley.

This morning, we’ll meet up with a local Maasai guide to enjoy a walk to the shores of Lake Natron. You’ll learn about the unique alkaline properties of the water and the lake’s status as an important breeding ground for lesser flamingoes—and with a little luck, we’ll spot some giraffe, wildebeest, and zebra along the way. Our Maasai guide will also teach us something about the native plants of the region, which are used for traditional medicinal purposes. The lake is also home to about 250 species of birds: in addition to flamingoes, we’ll spot kingfishers, bulbuls, and bee-eaters aplenty. After spending about two hours on our morning hike, we’ll return to camp for lunch. Later, we’ll visit the nearby Engaresero waterfalls—if you want to take a dip in the water, make sure to bring a bathing suit and appropriate footwear. This afternoon, we’ll return to our camp for a second night by the enchanting shores of Lake Natron.

On today’s portion of our Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari, we’ll give our legs a rest in favor of a traditional game drive in one of Africa’s finest game reserves. Tarangire National Park lies about four hours south of Lake Natron, and we’ll make the drive into this vast wilderness in our 4x4 vehicle. The park comprises nearly 3,000 square kilometres of dense bush, river valleys, rolling hills, and baobab woodlands. Elephants are especially abundant here, and we can also find lions, impala, wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, and—if we’re lucky—leopard and wild dog. We’ll stop for lunch at one of the park’s scenic picnic spots overlooking the Tarangire River, keeping one eye on the park’s cheeky vervet monkeys, which are always ready to steal any unattended food. Later this afternoon, we’ll set up our tents at a campsite in the park.

With another full day in Tarangire National Park, we’ll have plenty of time to explore the furthest reaches of this fantastic game reserve. Wildlife is prolific here in Tarangire at any time of year. During the dry season, the park experiences a massive influx of migrating ungulates, including thousands of zebra, buffalo, and wildebeest. During the green season, you’ll enjoy close encounters with waterbuck, eland, and giraffe moving against a verdant background of flourishing savanna. And no matter what time of year you visit, you’re all but guaranteed to discover herds upon herds of elephants ranging freely throughout the baobab-studded wilderness. Tarangire National Park may not be as well known as some of East Africa’s other nature reserves, but it has truly earned its place on our Tanzania Trekking and Wildlife Camping Safari—and it’s sure to be a highlight of your own adventure.

As we pack up our tents and depart from Tarangire National Park, we’ll feel the satisfaction that comes with completing an unforgettable trekking and camping safari in the heartlands of Tanzania. We hope you’ve enjoyed a sense of genuine adventure and experienced the camaraderie of our country’s friendliest residents during the course of your safari, and we thank you for choosing Chalema Tanzania Safaris to be your guide. We’ll return to the Kilimanjaro International Airport in time for your outgoing flight today. We can’t wait to welcome you back for another adventure!