Best of Tanzania - Kilimanjaro, Safari and Zanzibar - 18 days

Our journey begins with the “Snows of Kilimanjaro.” At 19,340 feet (5,895 meters), Mt. Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest peak and the highest alone standing mountain in the world. We offer an intensely rewarding trip and a chance to climb one of the world’s “seven summits” via the less traveled Machame Route, one of the most beautiful trails to the top of the mountain. We will hike five days before rising early in the morning on the sixth day to reach the summit, just in time to see a beautiful sunrise. Our guides have summited many times so you will be in good hands as we climb the “roof of Africa.”

Our expedition then leads to the safari part of our tour, in the Ngorongoro Crater, called the “eighth wonder of the world.” This massive caldera is located right in the heart of the “Land of the Masai” in the Great Rift Valley. More than 5,000 feet (1,600 meters) below the crater rim, the bottom of the crater (265 square kilometers) is dotted with watering-holes with a rich birdlife. The crater floor shelters more than 20.000 animals in an area naturally enclosed by the high slopes of the volcano. We will see elephants, buffalos, cheetahs, lions, hyenas, hippos, wildebeest, Africas last remaining black rhino, and many more of Africa’s most spectacular game animals!

Our tour will then move on to the Serengeti National Park, ‘the place where the land moves on forever.’ The Serengeti is one of the world’s last great wildlife parks. Various types of vegetations, including grassy plains, acacia-dotted savannahs, wooded hills and mountains, are the backdrop for an extraordinary concentration of animals that reaches its peak during the annual wildebeest migration from Kenya, with almost 1.2 million wildebeest pass the park during the course of their circuitous 1,000-kilometer route in search of new pastures and watering holes.

After we visit the Serengeti, we will travel on to our last park, either Tarangire National Park or Lake Manyara National Park. En route, we will stop at the famous Olduvai Gorge where Dr. Leakey discovered the remains of Homo Habilis or “Handy Man.” Homo Habilis is regarded as one of mankind’s first steps on the ladder of human evolution.
Lake Manyara National Park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, as well as for its huge elephant population, hippos, giraffes, antilopes, birds and smaller animals.
Tarangire National Park is famous for its acacia trees and baobab forests, which serve as shelter for the game seeking refuge near the river. Wildlife includes wildebeest, giraffes, Impalas, Elands, lesser kudus, waterbucks, gazelles, zebras, elands, elephants, hartebeest, buffalos, gerenuk, fringe-eared oryx and flocks of birds of many different species and sometimes rhinos or leopards, which can be seen throughout the year.

We will conclude our grand Tanzanian tour with several days on the spice island of Zanzibar, famous for its history and the spices. Today, Zanzibar combines ancient ruins and noble Arabic houses with miles of white, palm-fringed beaches. The lush island landscapes open to reveal clear blue waters, idyllic off-shore islands, excellent snorkeling and diving reefs and fantastic deep sea fishing and other water sport venues. Of course, opportunities for enjoyment also await us in the delicious seafood and traditional spicy Zanzibarian dishes. And, a must if you visit Zanzibar, we’ll show you the spice plantations, where cloves, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom and others spices are produced.

Experience Required
No previous experience is required for this trip. Participants should have a reasonable level of fitness in order to attempt an ascent of one of the world’s highest peaks.