Epic Wild Tanzania - 2024-25

On arrival at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, you will be met and assisted through immigration formalities.  You exit the arrivals hall, here you will meet your driver and transfer to Alexander's hotel, a drive of about 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Overnight - Alexander's Hotel

After breakfast, you are transferred to Dar-es-Salaam Domestic Airport and check in for your scheduled light air flight to Ruaha National Park. Thsi is a flight of around 2.5 hours.

On landing, your driver/guide will meet you for a combined 2-hour transfer and game drive to Kichaka Zumbua Camp.

This afternoon enjoy a game drive and sundowners in the park before returning to the camp to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Overnight - Kichaka Zumbua Camp

You have the next 3 days enjoying the activities on offer at Kichaka Zumbua including morning walks, shorter afternoon walks, or game drives, including exciting night safaris. 

Generally speaking, the park is divided into four different habitats consisting not only of Miombo, but also of undulating hills dominated by baobabs, the albida woodland along the main river courses and areas of open ‘black cotton’ grassland. Mammal viewing is superb with elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, impala, zebra, giraffe, hippo, waterbuck, roan and sable antelope, eland, greater and lesser kudu, and Grant’s gazelle  just some on the many species to be seen.

Local birdlife is exceptional as Ruaha lies in the convergence zone of species found both to the north and south of the region. Amongst the 570 or so species recorded in the park, you can expect to see bateleur and fish eagles; ostrich; spurwing and Egyptian geese; crowned cranes; guinea fowl; yellow-billed, saddle-billed, Abdim’s and open-billed storks; and numerous species of ibis, plover, kingfisher, bee-eater, parrot, duck, barbet, dove, francolin and roller. 

Overnight - Kichaka Zumbua

After an early breakfast you transfer to Msembe airstrip in time for your light air flight departing to Katavi National Park, a flight of around 1 hour 40 minutes.

Upon arrival, you'll be met by your driver/guide and enjoy a 45-minute game drive as you transfer to Chada Katavi Camp. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife sightings along the way!

After lunch you enjoy some free time to recharge. Then, head out on an afternoon game drive. Return to camp for dinner and share stories under the stars by the fire.

Overnight - Chada Katavi

You have the next two days enjoying the camp amongst the elephants, bellowing hippos and tamarind trees and some of the greatest concentrations of large mammals in the world.

Katavi is a little known and remote park in south-west Tanzania. Limited access has always ensured an exclusive experience and the game viewing can be spectacular. Miombo woodland covers much of the park, and is home to a variety of game, including Sable and Roan antelope, Lesser Kudu, Eland and Defasa waterbuck. However, game concentrations are highest along the beautiful Kapapa and Katuma rivers which transect the park, especially in the dry season when their waters attract large herds of buffalo, elephant, giraffe, zebra and impala. At various places along the river courses huge flood plains have developed (Katisunga, Chada and Paradise Plains) where game concentrates.

Predators include lion, leopard, hyaena, wild dog and crocodile, the later of which have a rare characteristic of digging caves in the river banks in which to cool down when water is limited. Hippo are plentiful, and can be seen squashed together in huge numbers during the dry season. The woodland is superb for birding and the floodplains also attract vast numbers of migratory birds.

Overnight - Chada Katavi

After breakfast this morning you will be transferred to the airstrip for the 10 minute light air flight to Mahale.

You will be provided with a packed lunch from Chada Katavi to enjoy along the way.

Upon landing, a scenic boat ride (approximately 1.5 hours) whisks you across the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika to Greystoke Mahale, your luxurious lakeside refuge nestled within Mahale Mountains National Park.

After settling into your private banda, take a moment to soak in the breathtaking scenery lush rain-forest, majestic mountains, and the vast expanse of the lake and enjoy a leisurely afternoon at your own pace.

Overnight -  Greystoke Mahale

You spend the next 3 days at Greystoke Mahale enjoying the unique activities on offer.

The Mahale Mountains rise to some 8000 ft above sea-level along the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The predominant habitat in one of sub-tropical forest, home to around 1000 chimpanzees and nine other species of primate, including red-tailed, red colobus, black and white colobus and blue monkeys. 

The lake provides an inland sea of tropical delight with over a fifth of the 1000 or so species of cychlid fish endemic. The lake is also home to hippo and crocs. Birdlife is also prolific, although it is along the lakeshore that you have the best sightings.

The emphasis at Greystoke is on escapism and the natural environment, with the main activity being chimpanzee tracking in the forested mountains behind the camp. Each morning the habituated chimpanzee group can be visited, though their range is huge and sometimes they are located too far away to reach. It usually takes anything between 30 minutes and 4 hours to locate them.

A maximum of one hour is allocated per chimp sighting and you should maintain a distance of 10 metres from them where possible (the chimps will often walk right past you on the pathway).

Beyond the chimpanzee tracking, it is also possible to take more general forest walks to see other primates, birds and some lovely waterfalls where you can swim.

You may also enjoy activities on the lake such as dhow cruises, catch and release fishing and kayaking.

Overnight - Greystoke Mahale

After a relaxing morning, you will be transferred by boat to Mahale airstrip for your light air flight to Kilimanjaro Airport, a flight of just under 4 hours.

On landing at Kilimanjaro Airport, make your way to International Departures to check in for your homebound flight and Depart Africa.

End of arrangements.