Best Tanzania Walking Safari

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport and meet our trip staff. Transfer to our hotel, set amid tropical gardens in the shadow of Mount Meru.

Venture deep into the Serengeti in safari vehicles, heading for kopje country, where dramatic granite boulders poke out of the savanna. Continue to our camp, located in an area with a high concentration of wildlife—in the midst of thousands of wildebeest during the annual migration*, or in the savanna woodlands, home to a rich variety of wildlife species, including cheetah, leopard, giraffe, buffalo, and vervet monkey. On game drives, observe the legendary creatures of the Serengeti.

We’ll drive to the Elwai mobile tented camp overlooking Olduvai Gorge, where the Leakey family has made groundbreaking discoveries of early human origins with support from National Geographic. Spend two days hiking on the vast Serengeti Plain, Olduvai Gorge, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, keeping an eye out for wildlife or Maasai herding their livestock. Our Maasai hosts and walking guides will choose our route based on wildlife activity. (Days 4 and 5: 5–8 miles walking, 4–6 hours)

A vigorous uphill hike brings us to the crest of the Ngorongoro highlands overlooking the vast Serengeti and the Great Rift Valley. Our descent brings us to the land of the Maasai—the iconic pastoralists of the East African savanna, known for their scarlet robes, their beadwork, and their legendary ceremonies. Pay a visit to a Maasai manyatta, or village, where we’ll be greeted with a foot-stomping, high-jumping welcome dance. Immerse yourself in their world, learning about their customs. Meet the village elders, visit homes, and take part in a memorable cultural exchange. This afternoon, head to our private tented camp in the highlands. (4 miles walking, 6 hours)

After an early breakfast, hop into 4x4s for the descent into Ngorongoro Crater—a 102-square-mile caldera framed by steep green walls and teeming with some 30,000 creatures. Discover lion prides lazing in the grass or readying for the hunt; observe the antics of a herd of zebra or of elephant calves at play; and train your binoculars on an astounding variety of birds. Following our safari, join our Maasai neighbors for a traditional meat-eating ritual and go for a sunset hike along the ridge. The next day, set out to discover the picturesque highlands on foot on a variety of optional walks and hikes with Maasai guides. Visit the home of Ole Dorop, a Maasai elder, for an intriguing discussion about Maasai culture. Or, climb to the summit of one of the highest mountains in the Ngorongoro highlands. (Day 7: 2–3 miles optional walking, 1 hour; Day 8: 2–5 miles walking, 1–3 hours; 12 miles optional summit climb, 6 hours)

Travel to the shores of Lake Eyasi, the home of the Hadza bushmen, one of the last surviving hunter-gatherer tribes in the world. Numbering about 1,000, they cling to a lifestyle that has changed very little over several thousand years, living off the land and relying on very few modern amenities. We’ll settle into our camp and make our way to a Hadza encampment, where life will be going on as usual. Get acquainted with the people of the camp and learn about their traditions and daily life. Spend a full day living among the Hadza and accompanying them during their everyday rituals. We’ll break into small groups and join members of the camp as they go about their search for the day’s food. Through our interpreter guides, enjoy a rare chance to talk with some of the world’s last bushmen about the ways they are coping with modern encroachments. (Day 9: 4–5 miles walking, 2–3 hours; Day 10: 10–12 miles walking, 5–6 hours)

Return to Arusha and gather for dinner before transferring to the airport for our evening flights.