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Looking back on how much we liked watching the animals in India, and thinking back of Kenia, we couldn't stop dreaming of going back to Africa. After a long search we found below trip proposal (with Untamed Wildlife Safaris).
"The Dreaming will be a reality. We have booked!"
Tanzania is known for the famous Mount Kilimanjaro and Serengeti game parks and the Ngorongoro Crater. But Tanzania has much more! High mountains with unique vegetation zones, vast savannah's with large numbers of wild animals, colorful tribal culture with a fascinating and vast sandy beaches bordered by palm trees. Few other African countries see such a wide variety of attractions, a unique combination for culture and nature lovers.
Ruaha National Park.
Ruaha N.P. is a unique piece of Africa, rugged and unspoilt, situated between the rivers Njombe and Ruaha. Flora and fauna of Eastern and Southern Africa meet here, resulting in spectacular scenery and exceptional wildlife species. The park is powered by the Ruaha River, which winds its way between jagged rock formations, forests and savannah landscapes with acacia and baobab trees. This lifeline exerts great attraction to all kinds of game.
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Selous Game Reserve
In southern Tanzania is the Selous Game Reserve, the largest game reserve in Africa. This is Africa at its wildest! The reserve was declared a world heritage. Countless elephants and predators are located along the banks of the Rufiji River, which teems with hippos and crocodiles. The trees along the river seem to be alive due to the many birds. Selous G.R. is one of the few parks in Africa where boat trips can be made, an absolute experience when you move up stream along bathing elephants, stared at by dozens of hippos.
The coast near Dar es Salaam
North and south of the capital Dar es Salaam are beautiful sandy beaches, surrounded by palm trees on an azure ocean. An ideal setting for an unforgettable safari to be closed with a few relaxing days at sea.
Travel Program
Day 1 Arrival in Tanzania - Dar es Salaam - Palm Beach Hotel or similar
Day 2 Flight to Selous N.R. - Lake Manze Tented Camp
Day 3 Selous N.R. - Lake Manze Tented Camp
Day 4 Selous N.R. - Lake Manze Tented Camp
Day 5 Flight to Ruaha NP - Mdonya Old River Camp
Day 6 Ruaha N.P. - Mdonya Old River Camp
Day 7 Ruaha N.P. - Mdonya Old River Camp
Day 8 Flight to Dar es Salaam - Bagamoyo Lazy Lagoon
Day 9 Bagamoyo Lazy Lagoon
Day 10 Bagamoyo Lazy Lagoon
Day 11 Bagamoyo Lazy Lagoon
Day 12 Bagamoyo Lazy Lagoon
Day 13 Transfer to the airport of Dar es Salaam - flight to Europe
The end of a fantastic journey through the south of Tanzania!
Detailed Travel Program
Day 1 Arrival Tanzania - Dar es Salaam
Today you fly to Tanzania. After arriving at the airport in Dar es Salaam you are welcomed by our local representative and accompanied to your hotel in Dar es Salaam.
Overnight: Palm Beach Hotel or similar based on bed and breakfast
Day 2 to 4 flight to Selous Game Reserve
You will be brought to the airport for your domestic flight to Selous Game Reserve.
The Selous Game Reserve covers an area of over four times the Serengeti and is nearly twice as large as the Netherlands. Its particularly unspoilt beauty and grandeur will remain in your memories. 3 days, you have the time to discover the secrets of Selous GR. From your accommodation you go on safari, on foot, by boat and by open landrover.
The park has large numbers of live elephants, hippos, lions and leopards. It is one of the last wild areas in Africa, together with the Okavango Delta and Kruger NP, which (long term) have viable populations of wild dogs. Cheetahs are also in the park, but are less common.
The Rufiji River is very rich in hippos and crocodiles. Groups of 50-100 hippos are no exception. Due to the high density of crocodiles animals are very cautious when they come to drink at the River. Nevertheless, especially in the dry season the Rufiji River attracts many animals. You make a good chance to see giraffe, eland antelope and elephant along the shore. If you're lucky, you will see lions and leopards in the morning along the sandy banks of the River.
Selous Game Reserve is also a bird paradise. There are about 370 different species of birds counted in the park. African eagles are a common sight. The beautifully colored bee-eaters, scavengers, and kingfishers you'll encounter throughout the park. If you're lucky, you'll see on a night drive the Pel's Fishing-owl (a large eagle owl).
Nights: Lake Manze Tented Camp on full board, 2 game activities per day, including walking safaris and boat trip
Lake Manze Tented Camp
The camp is located in the Selous Game Reserve, the largest game reserve in Africa and is situated on the shores of Lake Manze. During the one hour transit to the camp which can be reached from Siwandu airstrip, one is introduced to the beautiful plains of Selous and its assorted birds and wildlife. The Lake Manze area is one of the richest for game in the entire Selous, both in the dry and wet seasons.
Day 5 Flight to Ruaha N.P.After breakfast you will be brought to the airstrip and fly to Ruaha National Park. On the way to your accommodation you can make a game drive. Ruaha N.P. is a unique piece of Africa, rugged and unspoilt, situated between the rivers Njombe and Ruaha. It is a very special park with spectacular landscapes. Ruaha is located in an ecological transition zone, which is home to flora and fauna of both eastern and southern Africa. Therefore there is a huge variety of species of animals and plants. Compared to the Serengeti in Ruaha 1600 species, whereas in the Serengeti example, only 600 species are distinguished.
Overnight: Old River Mdonya full board and 2 game drives per day
Mdonya Old River
A small but great Adventure Camp , this is one of the newest and perhaps most exciting bush destinations in Tanzania. With just 11 tents, Mdonya Old River is a small camp offering a personal service tailor-made to clients' needs. And its in the best place to be - where the animals are! The tents are spread out over a large area with many shade trees.
Day 7 to 8 Ruaha N.P.
Two full days of safari in Ruaha. Lunch is taken picnic or when you return for lunch in the lodge, followed by a short siesta. The park is powered by the Ruaha River, which winds its way between jagged rock formations, forests and savannah landscapes with acacia and baobab trees. This lifeline exerts great attraction to all kinds of game. Regularly, large herds of elephant and buffalo can be seen. The rivers accommodate hundreds of crocodiles and hippos.
Nights: Old River Mdonya full board and 2 game drives per day
Day 9-12 flight to Dar es Salaam - Bagamoyo Lazy Lagoon
You fly back to Dar es Salaam and to your accommodation on the beach. Here you can relax the next 5 nights.
Bagamoyo, with beautiful, tranquil beaches north of Dar es Salaam. It is a small town where the Arab and German colonial influences still clearly can be observed. Bagamoyo means "here I put my heart", which indicates the many slaves from the in lands here left the African continent. Today, many traditional dhow boats are made here. In Bagamoyo Kaole you can visit ruins, snorkel or enjoy the sea and the local fishermen on their return with fresh catch. You will stay 5 nights at an island off the coast at Bagamoyo, where you can relax the last few days and enjoy all the impressions of the trip.
Lazy Lagoon
This idyllic exclusive island is 2km off the shore of main land Tanzania opposite the historical town of Bagamoyo, north of Dar es Salaam. A sand spit protected by a coral reef, the island is inaccessible by land at all times, thus maintaining its exclusivity to visitors to Lazy Lagoon. The coral reef surrounding the island offers a great opportunity for snorkeling off the beach.
Being an island, Lazy Lagoon is quite unique with sea swimming possible at all tides. The island has an interesting ecosystem, with many small mammals such as bush babies, (Galagoes) suni antelope and bush pig, plus birds and butterflies. Low tide washes up a plethora of exotically coloured star fish, sea urchins and crabs. All of these share their habitats with natural mangrove forest. Guests are free to wander along the 9km island – although no one has yet reached the end!
The 12 Century Kaole ruins remaining from the Arab Shirazi era with the oldest mosque on the mainland lies only 2kms across the ocean from Lazy Lagoon. The settlement went into decline two hundred years later following the disruption of Arab trading routes by the Portuguese.
Following the decline of the nearby Kaole settlement Bagamoyo grew out of the slave and ivory trade. Its was also referred to as the “gateway to the dark continent“ by explorers including Livingstone, Burton, Speke, Stanley, Grant and others who used Bagamoyo to launch their expeditions to find the source of the Nile. Livingstone’s sundried body was later carried by his two faithful servants 1600km back to Bagamoyo. Later Bagamoyo became the Capital of German East Africa.
Accommodation is in 12 large airy natural mkuti beach bandas only yards from the Indian Ocean. From the sundowner lounge above the bar, visitors can watch the sunrise over Zanzibar and set over the palm trees of Bagamoyo and feel the Swahili atmosphere as they follow the flotilla of hundreds of local fishing boats tack around the island to get from their villages on the mainland to their fishing grounds.
Individual beach cottages with en suite bathroom – shower, basin, toilet. Towels and beach towels provided. All rooms have full beach frontage, with verandah, hammock and deck chairs. The Lounge, bar, dining area is at tip of the island with views east and west. Swimming pool is available as well.
240V electricity is provided by generator for lighting and recharging of batteries. There is mobile phone reception on the island for some networks. The rooms are shady and well ventilated, but there is no air conditioning. Accommodation rates are full board including 3 meals, tea, coffee and laundry. Not included are bar drinks.
Day 13 Transfer to the airport of Dar es Salaam - flight to Europe
In time for your return flight to Europe, you will be transferred to the airport of Dar es Salaam.
The end of a fantastic journey through the south of Tanzania!
