Day 1 – Arrival
You will be picked up at the airport of your driver/guide. Together you will plan tomorrow, so that you are ready for tomorrow’s adventures. Tonight you will sleep in a hotel close to the airport en route to tomorrow’s destination.
Day 2 – Drive to Mikumi National Park
You will have an early morning departure from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi, a 4 – 5 hours drive on comfortable tarmac roads. On the way you will enjoy a nice lunch where you can choose between continental or local food. You may use this lunch to get to know more about the food culture of Tanzania.
On your way to Mikumi you pass “baboon valley” a place where you often see baboons close by or at the road while passing. If traffic treated you well, you will be in the park in good time to enjoy a nice afternoon game drive. While the sun sets, you can enjoy a cold drink with the perfect view of the waterhole where the buffaloes enjoy their mud baths and the elephants come to drink.
Day 3 – Mikumi National Park
Today you will be waking up early in the morning to go “hunting” for the predators before they go to sleep, working up an appetite for your solid breakfast. When you wake up, make sure to look out the big window to se what kind of animals are sleeping right outside your bungalow.
After breakfast we have before us a one and a halve hour drive to Udzungwa Mountain National Park. Then we have a 4-5 hours walk through beautiful forest, with Sanje Waterfalls as our goal. You will enjoy a delicious lunch at the top of the waterfall, and maybe a cool bath in the pool below the first waterfall. After the walk you will head back to Mikumi, before we drive to the Baobab-valley for overnight.
Day 4 – “On the road again …”
Today you have to be prepared for a long day’s drive towards southwest of the country. You will pas Iringa, “capital” in the Southern Highlands. Stop for a warm lunch in Makambako, then further on till we pass Mbeya, before turning to peace in the border town against Zambia, Tunduma.
Day 5 – “Into the wilderness …”
After an early breakfast, we continue to this safaris main goal, Katavi National Park. You will be arriving some time late in the afternoon and overnight either at the park entrance, or in a tent camp inside the park. Today’s drive has parts with rather bad road quality, often with a lot of road works, so where we will spend the night will be determined during the drive.
Day 6 – Katavi
Reaching Katavi National Park you will use the rest of the day for game drive in Tanzania’s third largest national park. Described by Lonely Planet as “a high-adventure, rugged safari experience”.
The park comes alive in the dry season (July to October) when the rivers and lakes dries up and large herds of buffalo, elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes and many other animals walk off to find the way to what may be contained from water holes and small rivers. Tonight you will be camping in the bush. Nice dinner will be cooked on the fire.
Day 7 – Katavi
After breakfast in our camp, we spend the full day among Katavi’s flourishing wildlife, exploring new areas of the park. In the middle of you exploration you will enjoy a tasty bush lunch.
Day 8 – Back to civilization
After an early breakfast we return to Mbeya, a long day’s drive. If you are ready for a different adventure you could explore Mbeya “by night”. Tonight you will sleep in a normal bed again at Mt. Livingstone Hotel.
Day 9 – Adventurous train journey through the wilderness
After a late breakfast, we stroll around the city while we wait for the train. Now the “adventure travel” with TAZARA – the railway between Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia and Dar es Salaam starts.
You will travel from Mbeya in the afternoon (maybe), and will “probably” arrive in Dar es Salaam noon the next day. This is a fantastic trip in first class compartment, with a view to the villages and with a great final “safari” through the Selous Game Reserve before arriving in Dar es Salaam. Transport from the railway station to The Lighthouse Beach Resort, 40 km south of Dar es Salaam.
Day 10 – Dar es Salaam – Beach paradise
If the train ride went as planned, you will be in Dar es Salaam in time for a good lunch before a short car trip to The Lighthouse Beach Resort. There will be time for some shopping on the way, and still we will arrive late afternoon at the resort, in time for sundowners’ at the roof veranda of the Lighthouse watching the sunset with the sounds of the waves hitting the beach in the background. Today you will be served a really good three course dinner.
Day 11 – Beach paradise
Early morning the sun will come lurking through your bedroom window some time after six o’clock, showing you the beautiful view of the ocean from your bed. After a quiet breakfast, while you watch the ducklings following their mothers habits swimming in the bird-pool, you go down to the 2,5 km long white sandy beach.
In the shadow of the roof made from the local palms you will find some relaxing chairs and sun beds. Enjoy a long walk on the beach to the lagoon, snorkelling over the corrals, sunbathing or exploring the ruins of the old lighthouse from the German colonists. If you are a real beach lover then lunch on the beach would suit you perfectly. The cook will prepare the food of your choice.
Day 12 – Beach paradise
Today we offer you a tour to explore new areas more south, bring a lunch box, or lunch basket with some good food and refreshing drinks, or just enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this wonderful paradise.
Day 13 – Guided tour in Dar es Salaam before departure
Leaving the relaxing beach life to the hectic city life your guided tour take you through town from the fish market, passing the state house and other gems of the city before reaching the textile market and the famous wood carvers market. During the transfer to the airport there is also a possibility to make some last minute shopping in the supermarket, or stopping at any restaurant for a nice dinner.