Sample Itinerary - Western Tanzania and Chimps

Day notes

• We will meet you at Dar es Salaam International Airport
• Transfer to your hotel
• Overnight at the Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel

Upon your arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport, you will be warmly greeted by our representative who will provide you with a refreshing cool towel. You will then be transferred to the Dar es Salaam Serena in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle. The transfer time will be around 25-minutes, depending on the time of day. Unwind here after your international flights before your safari adventure begins tomorrow.

Day notes

• Transfer to Dar es Salaam International Airport
• Flight to Ruaha National Park
• Overnight at Ikuka Safari Camp

You will be met in the morning for a transfer back to the airport for your flight to Ruaha National Park. There may be stops at other airstrips along the way, but on arrival at Msembe Airstrip, an Ikuka Safari Camp guide will meet you with cold drinks and snacks. After a short welcome briefing, set off for your first game drive as you make your way towards the camp, approximately one hour away, depending on the wildlife encountered en route. Unwind and enjoy lunch in camp, before settling into your suite to relax and enjoy the views or cool off in the swimming pool overlooking the baobab forest.

A two-day stay at Ikuka Camp offers a concentrated yet deeply rewarding introduction to Ruaha’s rugged beauty and exceptional wildlife, all from one of the park’s most dramatically positioned camps.

Game drives explore Ruaha’s rocky hills, open plains and river systems, an area renowned for large lion prides, elephant, buffalo and excellent leopard sightings. The varied terrain makes each drive feel different, with striking scenery and changing light adding to the experience. With only a short stay, activities are timed to make the most of early mornings and late afternoons, when wildlife is most active.

Between drives, time at camp is a highlight in itself. Ikuka’s elevated position delivers sweeping views across the Ruaha landscape, perfect for relaxed lunches, a dip in the pool or simply watching animals move below. Evenings are calm and atmospheric, with sundowners overlooking the plains followed by fireside dinners under the stars.

In just two days, Ikuka Camp captures the essence of Ruaha—big skies, dramatic scenery and a sense of space and wilderness that lingers long after you leave.

Day notes

• Flight to Katavi National Park
• Overnight Chada Katavi

You have an early start to your day as you head to Msembe Airstrip for your morning flight to Katavi National Park. After the 90-minute flight, you will be greeted at Katavi Airstrip by a guide from Chada Katavi, who will welcome you to the area and provide you with some light refreshments. The short transfer to the lodge can be extended into a longer game drive should you choose to do so. 

Three days at Chada Katavi plunge you into one of Africa’s wildest and least-visited national parks, where the scale of wildlife and sense of isolation are both extraordinary.

Game drives focus on Katavi’s vast floodplains and seasonal lakes, where enormous buffalo herds, elephant, giraffe and plains game gather in dramatic numbers. Predators are a major highlight here, with excellent chances of seeing large lion prides, often interacting with buffalo, as well as leopard and hyena. The openness of the landscape makes sightings intense and often prolonged.

Between drives, the camp’s remote setting really sinks in. There are no crowds, no fences, and very little sign of the outside world—just raw wilderness stretching to the horizon. Midday is usually spent relaxing back at camp, watching wildlife move through the plains or resting in the shade during the heat of the day.

Evenings are atmospheric and intimate, with fires under the stars, lantern-lit dinners and the sounds of lions and hyena carrying across the plains. In just three days, Chada Katavi delivers a powerful, unfiltered safari experience—bold wildlife, big landscapes and a rare feeling of true remoteness.

Day notes

• Flight to Mahale Mountains National Park
• Overnight Greystoke Mahale

The flight to Mahale departs at 08h40, allowing for a slightly more relaxed morning with breakfast in camp before departure. After an hour in the air heading in a north-westerly direction, land on the lakeshore airstrip, where a guide from Greystoke will be on hand to welcome you to Mahale Mountains National Park. From here, you will travel by boat for a couple of hours, enjoying some light snacks on board as you make your way towards the remote lodge.

Four days at Greystoke Mahale is a wonderfully immersive escape into one of Africa’s most remote and beautiful wilderness areas, set on the forested slopes of the Mahale Mountains beside the clear waters of Lake Tanganyika.

Your time centres around chimpanzee trekking, with guided walks into the dense mountain forest to track the famed M-Group. Encounters are intimate and deeply moving, as you watch chimps feed, play and interact at close range in their natural habitat. Treks vary in length and difficulty, adding a real sense of adventure and reward.

Between forest excursions, days are beautifully unhurried. You can swim, snorkel or kayak in the lake’s crystal-clear shallows, relax on the white sand beach, or take a traditional dhow cruise along the shoreline as the sun sets behind the mountains. Gentle forest walks, birding and lakeside picnics round out the experience.

Evenings are relaxed and atmospheric, with lantern-lit dinners, fires on the beach and the sounds of the forest all around. Over four days, Greystoke Mahale delivers a rare combination of primate encounters, barefoot luxury and profound isolation—an unforgettable journey to one of Africa’s last true wild places.

During your stay at Greystoke, you are entitled to one chimp trekking expedition every 24-hour day. However, as the chimps are wild animals, it is impossible to guarantee chimp sightings. Some days, they may be right behind the lodge, while on some other days, they might be high in the forest. Apart from chimp trekking, you can also enjoy a restful dhow cruise along the shoreline or take a kayak out early in the morning to watch the sunrise from the water. The forest is home to eight other fascinating species of primates, and you can explore a phenomenal collection of insects, birds, and plant life on guided walks. 

Day notes

• Flight to Dar es Salaam International Airport

After a final breakfast in the lodge, it’s time to make your way towards the airstrip for the long flight back to Dar es Salaam. You’ll depart with a packed lunch to keep your spirits up and should land in Dar es Salaam at approximately 16h45, allowing sufficient time to connect with your international flight home.