Luxury Safari Adventure in Tanzania

Aug 4 to Aug 9, 2024

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Luxury Safari Adventure in Tanzania
  • About
  • Gallery
  • Itinerary
  • Location
  • Things to keep in mind

August is a great time to come and enjoy pleasant weather, less bugs, and view the biggest variety of wildlife courtesy of the Great wildebeest migration from Serengeti plains in Tanzania to the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya.

July through November is traditionally considered the best time to view the Great Migration. Between July and August, the wildebeest move en masse into Kenya's Maasai Mara, crossing the Mara River in staggering numbers. For travelers, river crossings rank among the most sought-after moments of the Great Migration

The Great Migration is today one of the natural worlds most astonishing phenomena. Each year nearly two million wildebeest and accompanying large numbers of zebra, and smaller numbers of Grant's gazelle, Thompson's gazelle, eland and impala trek from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara and back again in search of fresh grazing. Viewing these vast herds on the move is always unforgettable sight. This experience is rated as one of the most spectacular natural events.

All activities and excursions are completely optional and you are free to participate in as little or as much as you would like since this is your vacation. 

Trip Style: Adventure. We will be traveling from place to place with multiple accommodations. While there is certainly some down time, this retreat is more on the active side with the schedule due to the shorter trip length and lots of animals to be seen! 

About

Any drinks of your choice (non-alcoholic and alcoholic).

All meals during the retreat (breakfast, lunch, & dinner).

Daily game drives.

Local guide for our group only.

All transportation during the retreat.

Gratuities for tour guides, restaurant staff, and drivers.

Visit to a local Maasai village.

Transfer by Nyikani to Kogatende Airstrip Coastal Schedule Flight Kogatende to Kilimanjaro ETD 0925/ ETA 1300.

International Airfare Kilimanjaro (JRO).

Souvenirs, drinks, snacks, additional excursions, or other personal items.

Gratuities of a personal nature (hotel staff, spa services, etc.).

Travel insurance and medical insurance (required).

Any travel-related fees (visas, passports, baggage, etc.).

Visa to enter Tanzania.

Hot air balloon ride & any excursions before or after the retreat.

Vaccines for Tanzania ( consult your local travel clinic).

Food

All meals during the retreat (breakfast, lunch, & dinner)


Accommodation

When we think of camping, we usually think of thin canvas tents, air mattresses, and sleeping bags. Not on this retreat! Enjoy 5-star safari camps in the beautiful African wilderness complete with thick canvas-walled tents, beautiful furnishings, comfortable beds and linens, fully stocked bathrooms, and more. Enjoy delicious meals cooked by an onsite chef while looking out on the African bush. You will hardly believe you're in a camp!

You will be staying in luxury accommodations throughout the duration of your time in Tanzania.

"This was my first trip with them and I plan for it to be the first of many. Every detail of this bucket list trip did not disappoint. Every question was answered quickly before leaving. A comprehensive itinerary was provided as well as a solid packing list and travel tips. Amy is a true gem to travel with and readily offers her knowledge of the location and culture. She is an expert in dinner conversations that are meaningful and thought-provoking. The scenery and culture of Africa are truly incredible and I highly encourage everyone."

- Laurel

"Trip of a lifetime! Amy chose fantastic accommodations with wonderful staff and food. Everything was high-end yet comfortable. Our safari guides were knowledgeable and friendly. Everything was well-organized. It was such a relief knowing that I didn't have to worry about the details; I could just show up and everything was taken care of. I was nervous about traveling with people I didn't know, but everyone was wonderful and we are already planning our next adventure together! Big thanks to the whole team for helping to make my African Safari dream trip a reality!"

- Meghan F 

Gallery
About The Host
Amy Walker

Amy Walker

Amy Walker, MSW, LCSW, CCM, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. When Amy is not leading international retreats, she works as an online mental health therapist. Amy is passionate about helping individuals and couples work through barriers and find new ways to communicate, connect, and thrive. In addition, Amy loves international travel, wine tasting, whale watching, and the outdoors. Amy works alongside her husband, Brian Walker, to run the wellness retreats.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival
Sun 4th - Tue 6th Aug of 2024

Arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport. You will be met by Amy Walker. We will travel to the Plantation Lodge, stopping for lunch.

Today we travel to Karatu. Karatu is an agricultural town set on the slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands. It is only a 30-minute drive, depending on which actual property you are staying in, from the Ngorongoro gate and also about the same distance away from Lake Manyara NP. Nestled right up in the Ngorongoro Highlands the town is usually pretty lush and green and at an altitude of over 5,000 feet it can get quite chilly in the evenings, so come prepared. 

Karatu is the bread basket of northern Tanzania with a multitude of crops and vegetables being grown here and a trip into the local market will be awash with color and variety. Karatu is also an important coffee growing area, with some of the original coffee farms in the country. Coffee was introduced into the Tanzanian region from modern day Ethiopia in the 16th century. In the past, the area around Karatu and Ol Deani was of great importance to the German colonial administration. The area's cool climate, verdant hills, and amazing views made it popular with settlers and farmers.

Plantation Lodge is owner-run, and a stay there really feels like you are a guest in someone's home. Only a 20-minute drive from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, it's a well-placed spot from which to see the Crater and surrounding Ngorongoro Highlands. 

The lodge has 15 standard rooms and seven Suites, all scattered through beautiful gardens. They take great pride in their gardens, with flowering beds and mango and avocado trees planted throughout. The gardens can also be the backdrop to lunch or afternoon tea and are a great place for bird watching: Fischer's Lovebirds and the Yellow-Bellied Sunbird are regular visitors. 

Food plays an important part in life here, with a vegetable, herb and fruit garden helping to supply the table. Meals are a relaxed affair in the main lodge, with the bar and upstairs veranda being a popular place to relax after a long day. Swim in the main pool, or relax with a treatment from their qualified masseuse. Alternatively you can visit a nearby coffee plantation to learn how coffee beans are treated and processed or take a walk into one of the farms adjacent, to see how people there live and work. 

Day 2

Ngorongoro Crater

Breakfast at the hotel at your leisure.

8:00 AM: Drive from Arusha To Ngorongoro. Today we will drive from your hotel to Ngorongoro Conservation area. On the way we will stop at Mto wa Mbu Village for a local lunch .

Dinner and overnight at Lions Paw Ngorongoro Camp.


Day 3

Ngorongoro Crater Safari

Tue 6th - Sat 10th Aug 2024: Nyikani Migration Camp - Kogatende / 4 NT Nyikani migration camps located in the Serengeti ecosystem, moves twice a year to ensure its guests are very well placed to witness the Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra. From May through to November, the Camp is located in Northern Serengeti. 

The camp is close to the Mara River, allowing easy access to several river crossing points in the area and the camp is only a 25 minute drive from the Kogatende airstrip. Each of the 12 tents can either be in a king, twin, triple and there is one family tent. All tents have an ensuite bathroom, flush toilet, double wash basins with running water, safari-style bucket shower. Morning coffee and tea butler service is served on your shaded verandah overlooking the Ndutu ecosystem. 

There is a Power point with universal adapter, writing desk & digital safe in each tent. There is also one tour leader tent. There is a separate dining and lounge / library areas and they cater to all types of diets including vegetarian and vegan.

Northern Serengeti

The northern Serengeti area of lush, rolling grassland and tree-lined watercourses is the most northerly point of the migration journey, together with Kenya's Masai Mara. During the dry season from July to October, the herds mass on both banks of the Mara River, frequently crossing - and braving the crocs - in response to local weather patterns that only they seem to understand. Unlike the southern plains of the Serengeti that dry out, forcing all but the hardiest of species to leave, this area remains lush and green. There's a collective sigh of relief from the resident game when the one and a half million migrating wildebeest - and the madness that follows them - leave town for a few months. And the resident game in the area is spectacular. Plains game in the form of zebra, topi, gazelles, impala, buffalo and giraffe all frequent the area throughout the year. Lion are rarely far away and leopard, ever present, but always elusive, stalk the rocky kopjes and river lines.


Day 4

Serengeti National Park

Breakfast at the camp.

Full day will be spent in Serengeti and enjoy game drives in the Serengeti which is internationally renowned as one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world and home to incredible herds of wildebeest and other grazing animals. Serengeti in Maasai language means endless plains". Located in Northwest of Tanzania, Serengeti is the ultimate wildlife show on earth and best known for its unequalled natural beauty and diverse wildlife. 

The Serengeti is one of the most famous wildlife areas in the world and home to the annual wildebeest migration. The Serengeti National Park itself covers 14,750 km2 of grassland plains, open savannah, riverine forests and woodlands. It lies in the north of Tanzania, bordered by Kenya and the Masai Mara National Reserve in the north, the Ngorongoro Crater Area to the southeast, the Maswa Game Reserve to the south west and the Loliondo Game Controlled Area area to the east. Together, all these areas form the larger Serengeti ecosystem which almost all see the wildebeest herds at some point during their annual circuit. 

Optional morning hot air balloon activity $575 per person

All meals and overnight at Acadia Bliss (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5

Exploring the Serengeti

Breakfast at the camp. Serengeti – Karatu 

This day starts with early breakfast at your hotel followed by a game drive. Today we will enjoy the beautiful scenery rolling into the distance as far as your eyes can see as we search for wildlife. 

Boxed lunch stop.

After lunch we will head to Karatu. On the way you will able to visit Masai village to learn about their way of life. 

Day 6

Karatu – Kilimanjaro

Breakfast at the hotel at your leisure. Today we drive from Karatu to Kilimanjaro Airport for your departure flight home.

Location
Things to keep in mind

Cancellation Policy

In the event of trip cancellation before the 90-day or 30-day payment deadline, the deposited amount is non-refundable. However, any payments made before these final payment deadlines are fully refundable minus the non-refundable deposit. Trip cancellations requested after the final payment deadlines listed above are non-refundable, and guests are encouraged to file a claim with their travel insurance for reimbursement.

In the unlikely event Activ Retreats cancels the retreat, guests will be provided a full 100% refund of their booking. Lastly, we partner with several third-party booking platforms with separate deposit and cancellation policies. Please refer to their specific cancellation policies if booking through a third-party partner.

Payment Policy

All Activ Retreats retreat require a deposit at the time of booking.

Helpful Tips

The roads are very bumpy and dusty in some places. Women may wish to wear a sports bra in the vehicle due to bumpy roads. USD is widely accepted but please make sure the bills are crisp, new and without any imperfections.

Everywhere we went to shop started off at a very high price. You can haggle down to about half price.  Please note, you must have a yellow fever vaccine with yellow booklet to enter Tanzania and you must have a visa to enter Tanzania. You must arrange for this in advance and it costs $100 USD. Please note the itinerary is subject to change due to weather.