Extension: Three Wildlife Safaris in Tanzania

Activity note: This program may be taken only as an extension of Program 23462, “Hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro: Camp and Climb to the Summit.” Please be aware that indicated times are approximate and that program activities and schedules could change due to local circumstances such as weather, traffic conditions, etc. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Driving approx. 100 miles to Tarangire; about 3 hours. Game drive is approx. 3 hours in an enclosed vehicle with pop-up roof.

Morning: We will be collected from the lodge by our Group Leader for the extension program, and we will ride in our enclosed, 4x4 safari vehicles to Tarangire National Park. We will have these same vehicles throughout our program, using them for activities and transfers.

Lunch: At the lodge, we will enjoy a 3-course buffet with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will have a chance to settle into our rooms before gathering with our Group Leader for a discussion on elephant behavior and social structure. Following our lecture, we will board our safari vehicles for a game drive in Tarangire National Park. Tarangire is one of the least-visited of northern Tanzania’s parks, yet provides one of the most prolific game-viewing areas. Recognizable by its vast number of baobab trees, the park draws dense herds of plains game, especially during the dry season, thanks to the permanent water source provided by the Tarangire River (note that seasonality plays a large part in the amount of animals in the area). Wildlife that migrates to the river’s banks include wildebeest, elephants, zebras, eland, hartebeest, buffalo and oryx. Other animals that are typically seen year-round include giraffe, waterbuck, impala, kudu and dik-dik, as well as hundreds of species of birds. At dusk, we will return to camp with time to freshen up before dinner.

Dinner: At the lodge, dinners will be a 4-course buffet with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Extended game drive lasts approximately 8 hours, conducted in an enclosed vehicle with pop-up roof.

Breakfast: At the camp, breakfast will be a buffet including hot egg dishes cooked to order, cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit, and breads, plus fruit juices, milk, coffee, tea, water.

Morning: We will set out from camp for an extended game drive in Tarangire National Park on a search for animals not seen yesterday, keeping an eye out for predators such as lions, cheetahs, and leopards.

Lunch: At a scenic location inside the park, we will enjoy a packed lunch including bottled water.

Afternoon: Our game drive in Tarangire will continue, driving through the park and along the river seeking out the myriad of birdlife resident in the area, along with the big game. We will return to camp mid-afternoon with time to rest, relax and enjoy the camp's amenities before dinner.

Dinner: Camp plated meal.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Driving approximately 120 miles total; about 5 hours. Dirt roads around the Crater can be bumpy.

Breakfast: Camp buffet.

Morning: We will transfer from Tarangire in our safari vehicles and drive to the Ngorongoro Crater, arriving in time for lunch. The drive will take us by several Maasai villages, where we will be able to view the local residents going about their daily lives.

Lunch: At the lodge, we will enjoy a 3-course buffet with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will have time to settle in and enjoy the scenery. The views from the camp are breathtaking as they look out over the wilderness towards Lake Eyasi on the horizon. Gathering around the campfire before dinner, our Group Leader will give an overview of Tanzania's political history, from colonialism to Marxism to democracy.

Dinner: At the lodge, dinners will be a 3-course buffet with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Driving approximately 3 hours roundtrip between camp and the crater floor. Extended game drive in the crater will last approximately 7-8 hours, including lunch stop.

Breakfast: At the lodge, breakfast will feature a small buffet featuring cold cereals, toast, and fresh fruit, with hot items cooked to order, plus coffee, tea, fruit juice, milk and water.

Morning: We will set out from the lodge in our safari vehicles, making our way back towards the Crater before descending the road that snakes down the crater's sides to the floor below. Once down at the bottom, we will embark on our extended game drive in the crater. The Ngorongoro Crater, one of the natural wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest intact caldera in the world. The crater’s floor is home to the largest permanent concentration of game in Africa, including elephant, black rhino, wildebeest, buffalo, gazelle, zebra, lion, leopard and hyena. Ecosystems found in the crater include open grasslands, forests, swamps, rivers and a large soda lake where flamingos and other water birds tend to congregate.

Lunch: At one of the picnic sites on the crater's floor, we will enjoy a picnic lunch with bottled water.

Afternoon: Our game drive in the crater will continue. Mid-afternoon, we will ascend the road back to the crater's rim and the lodge where we will have the rest of the afternoon to relax and enjoy the lodge’s amenities.

Dinner: Lodge plated meal.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Driving approximately 90 miles to the central Serengeti; about 5 hours; gravel roads can be bumpy.

Breakfast: Camp buffet.

Morning: We will board our safari vehicles for our drive to the central Serengeti. Along the way, we will stop at Olduvai Gorge and visit the museum at this important archaeological site. In the steep sides of the gorge, layer upon layer of exposed rock and volcanic ash have produced numerous artifacts and fossil remains of human ancestors. Louis and Mary Leakey pioneered the archaeological digs in this area back in the 1950s, and excavation work continues to be carried out to this day. Important finds in the area include the remains of hominids “Nutcracker Man” and “Toolmaking Man,” which have led to the gorge being referred to as the “Cradle of Mankind.” A local expert will give us a brief overview of human evolution, and how the findings at Olduvai Gorge have advanced the evolution theories. Following our stop at Olduvai, we will continue the drive to our camp, arriving in time for a late lunch.

Lunch: At the lodge, we will enjoy a 3-course buffet with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will have a chance to settle into our rooms and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Mid-afternoon, we will gather with our Group Leader for a discussion on how climate change is affecting the Great Migration. Afterwards, we will board our safari vehicles to explore the Central Serengeti ecosystem, seeking out the Big Five (lion, rhino, elephant, leopard, buffalo) as well as numerous species of antelope, including topi, reedbuck, eland and dik dik. We will return to camp at dusk with time to freshen up before dinner.

Dinner: At the lodge, we will have a 4-course buffet meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Game drive lasts between 6 to 7 hours; conducted in enclosed 4x4 safari vehicle with roof pop-up.

Breakfast: At the lodge, breakfast will be a small buffet of cold cereals, toast, fresh fruit, and hot items are cooked to order; coffee, tea, fruit juice, milk, water included.

Morning: On an extended game drive today, we will explore parts of the Serengeti we haven’t yet seen. Highlights we will search for include the Great Migration herds of wildebeest and zebra, and the predators that are never far behind.

Lunch: In the park, we will enjoy a picnic lunch with bottled water included.

Afternoon: We’ll continue our game drive in the park, then return to the camp in the mid-afternoon with time to relax before dinner.

Dinner: At the lodge, we’ll enjoy a delicious buffet farewell dinner. Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out, flight transfer, and departures tomorrow.

Activity note: Driving approximately 7 miles to Seronera airstrip; about 1/2 hour. Getting on/off plane; flight time is approximately 2 hours; there may be stops at other airstrips en-route to Arusha. Driving about 35 miles from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport; about 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: Lodge buffet.

Morning: We will have time to pack and enjoy the serenity of the Serengeti from our private decks. By mid-morning, we’ll check out of the lodge and drive in our safari vehicles to the Seronera Airstrip, where we will say goodbye to our Group Leader and board our scheduled flight to Arusha. Landing in Arusha, we will be met at the airport by a local coordinator and drive to our lunch venue.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will have a multi-course buffet with several meat and vegetable dishes, as well as dessert. Water and coffee will be included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Following lunch, we will be driven to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). This concludes our extension program.

Morning: Morning arrivals back in North America.