Essential Tanzania, July 1 - 16, 2018

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Overview

Think of East Africa and the word 'safari' comes to mind—and Tanzania offers some of the the finest safari experiences and wildlife spectacles found anywhere on the planet. You will never forget the shimmering carpets of zebras and wildebeests, the explosion of cheetahs springing from cover, or the spine-tingling roars of lions at night when you visit the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Crater. With over 40 national parks and game reserves to choose from there is plenty of room to get off the beaten path and craft your own safari.

​And this is just what we have done. Working with leaders in the industry, we are offering this 16-day tour which will include wildlife, scenic and cultural diversity, all the while staying in some of the finest camps that Tanzania has to offer

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Our Transport in Tanzania

Our vehicles are "stretch" versions of the Toyota Land Cruiser. You will each get a row.  They are closed vehicles with an open roof, as above (sun shade will be fitted when hot/for day game drives). They also include the following:

• Drinks fridge fitted
• ​3 pin (UK) sockets for charging camera batteries (make sure you bring an adaptor for the US plug

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Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Sunday, July 1, 2018 (1 night)
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Arusha and after clearing customs and immigration, you will be met by a Piper & Heath representative for your private road transfer to Rivertrees Country Inn.
In: Sunday July 1, 2018 Out: Monday July 2, 2018
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Accommodation: Rivertrees Country Inn
Rivertrees lies nestled in the foothills of Mount Meru, in view of Mount Kilimanjaro. This peaceful country estate combines old- world ambience, African country elegance, excellent farm cuisine, personal service, and genuine warmth from your hosts. The inn offers tranquillity enhanced with contemporary conveniences, ideal for rejuvenation following stressful overseas travel or deep relaxation after a long safari or strenuous climb up Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru. There are eighteen individually styled garden rooms, two hidden cottages, and the River House—a secluded thatched cottage on the Usa River. Fresh country meals are served in the restaurant, the gardens, the pub, near the river, and in the beautifully restored farmhouse with its warm ochre colors and cherished family antiques.
All Meals
 
Day 2 - 5: Monday, July 2 - Thursday July 5, 2018 (3 nights)
This morning you will be collected from Rivertrees Country Inn by your private guides/vehicles and will drive to Kuro Tarangire in the heart of Tarangire National Park.

Tarangire National Park
Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park is an easy drive from Arusha or Lake Manyara; a surfaced road comes within four miles of the main entrance gate. The park is about 1,100 square miles, and visitors often combine a visit to Tarangire with sightseeing in the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti. The park is an excellent year round destination, but the dry season is when animal numbers are at their peak. But if you are planning a visit, make no mistake, the sun is hot, the red earth is baked dry, and there is little to no moisture. The Tarangire River is a trickle when compared with the wet season, but it throbs with wildlife. Animals have roamed across the parched landscape, knowing that here is water. Herds of up to 300 elephants use their mighty feet to dig for underground water in the dry river bed, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest, and eland crowd the shrinking lagoons. It is the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem, and this is the only place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed.
In: Monday July 2, 2018 Out: Thursday July 5, 2018

Accommodation: Kuro Tarangire
This location was home to one of the earliest camps in Tarangire, and for good reason. It is far enough south to have the little patch to ourselves yet is a pod’s throw away from the Tarangire River, along which much wildlife moves and also prime walking territory. It is also within a leisurely game drive of the Silale Swamp and other favorite animal haunts in this gem of a park. In creating Kuro Tarangire, the camp sought to keep its footprint as light as possible, combining the essence of authentic safari with the textures and elements of Africa. One of the great things about this camp is that you can walk straight out of camp and into wild Africa. Furthermore, the style and location of the camp means that you can sit at peace and observe the natural rhythms of life as it continues undisturbed around you. The six light and stylish safari tents are complete with comfortable beds, en-suite bucket shower, and flushing eco-toilet. The family tent has two en-suite bedrooms and an adjoining sitting area. They rest among the trees with views over the African bush. Everyone gathers to share meals and relax under the cool grass thatch of the open- sided lounge and dining area which is furnished with hides and canvas, brought to life with a touch of colorful and tactile textiles.
Room: Tented Rooms
Included: All Meals, Private Daily Activities, Park Fees, House Drinks (excluding some premium drinks), and Laundry
 
Day 5 - 7: Thursday, July 5 - Saturday July 7, 2018 (3 nights)
Today you will depart Tarangire and will drive to Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp on the shores of Lake Eyasi. We will spend a full day of private photography with the Hazda and waDatoga tribes
In: Thursday Jul 5, 2018 Out: Saturday Jul 7, 2018

Accommodation: Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp
With stunning views over seasonal Lake Eyasi and looking up to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area on one side and across to the Alipi escarpment on the other, Kisima Ngeda offer spectacular landscape as well as an experience of the daily life of the last few remaining hunter/ gatherers, the Hadza and their pastoralist nomadic counterparts the Barbaig. Kisima Ngeda, a stylish camp that includes amazing cultural interaction opportunities along with plenty of activities. The camp’s seven spacious tents have private verandas that overlook the lake. The camp’s decor draws on elements from the surrounding landscape and incorporates elements of traditional Hadza culture. The cozy lounge area is the perfect place to relax before dinner or with an after dinner drinks.
Room: Tented Rooms
Included: All Meals, One Full Day of Private Activities with the Hadza and waDatoga Tribes, and Park Fees
 
Day 7 - 10: Saturday, July 7 - Tuesday July 10, 2018 (3 nights)
Today you will depart Kisima Ngeda and will drive to Entamanu Ngorongoro perched on the rim of the legendary Ngorongoro Crater.

Ngorongoro Crater
Situated about 100 miles west of Arusha, within northern Tanzania’s Serengeti Plains, is the Ngorongoro Crater. Created when an ancient volcano erupted and then collapsed upon itself, the crater now sustains expansive grasslands on its floor dotted by a few Acacia. Montane woodlands cover the highlands around the rim of the caldera. Unlike most volcanic craters on earth, the Ngorongoro Crater has not turned into a lake but is drained by streams to the north and south. In addition to the streams, numerous springs, both near the crater walls and across the crater floor, are important sources of water, especially during the dry season.
In: Saturday July 7, 2018 Out: Tuesday Jul 10, 2018

Accommodation: Entamanu Ngorongoro
Perched high on the Ngorongoro Crater Rim, Entamanu Ngorongoro is the ultimate highland retreat; a place to see, but not be seen. Somewhere to slow down and spend time discovering a unique highland environment. Opening in August 2016, Entamanu occupies an extraordinary site in the sharp air of the highlands on the edge of the world’s largest unbroken caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater, perhaps Africa’s most iconic wildlife destination. The camp represents an ambitious design project, aiming at being completely removable, with no permanent structures, as though it arises with the sun, living large, and then disappears with the rains, leaving no trace. Walls, roofs, and platforms are ingeniously constructed in panels that can be dismantled and taken away. Structures are built of a steel framework, bolted together, and standing on steel legs inserted one meter into the ground. Interiors are of sustainably sourced wood and a corrugated iron exterior allows for efficient water collection. The space in between is insulated, ensuring minimal energy is required to heat the rooms. Entamanu will have six rooms, two of which include a mezzanine level and are ideal for families with children. All the rooms will have views into the crater, with immense Serengeti views to be enjoyed from the other side of camp. 
Room: Tented Rooms
Included: All Meals, Private Daily Activities (full day in crater, full day of cultural with Maasai),
Park Fees, House Drinks (excluding some premium drinks), and Laundry
 
Day 10 - 13: Tuesday, July 10 - Friday July 13, 2018 (3 nights)
Today you will depart Ngorongoro and will drive to Serengeti Safari Camp in the Serengeti’s western corridor.

Serengeti
Stretching from northern Tanzania to southwestern Kenya are the plains of the legendary Serengeti. In the native Maasai language, Serengeti aptly means “Endless Plains.” Unlike other parts of the Africa, the Serengeti managed to avoid European colonization due to the fierce tribes of Maasai that roamed these lands since ancient times. While they were known as fierce warriors, the Maasai actually had an aversion to eating wild game and subsisted almost exclusively on their domesticated cattle. But the rinderpest epidemic and droughts of the late nineteenth century devastated the populations of both the Maasai and the indigenous wildlife. By the mid-twentieth century, drought and fires (both natural and human-caused) reduced forestation across the plains and further encouraged the growth of grasses. But as the populations of the plains game rebounded in the after 1970, native Acacia trees have begun to recapture some territory. As host to the largest mammal migration in the world, the Serengeti’s diverse ecosystems are today home to more than just great herds of blue wildebeest. Innumerable gazelle, zebra, and buffalo also graze the grasslands along with notable numbers of elephant and giraffe. Not far behind the migrating herds are the Serengeti’s predators, most notably lion but also including leopard, cheetah, jackal, hyena, aardwolf, and serval cat.
 In: Tuesday Jul 10, 2018 Out: Friday Jul 13, 2018

 Accommodation: Serengeti Safari Camp
Our Serengeti Safari Camp was the first of its kind. It was designed with a purpose in mind; to be in the best possible location to view the wildebeest migration as it covers hundreds of miles of the Serengeti National Park each year. So it should come as no surprise that it really has not changed much since its early pioneering days. Each year, the camp casts off from Lamai Serengeti and begins its own odyssey. Covering hundreds of miles and moving every couple of months along a route that the herds have traveled for hundreds of years, Serengeti Safari Camp is where you come for your migration fix. The camp has just six large walk- in meru tents, with a dressing area and then an en-suite bathroom at the rear. New eco-flush toilets and safari-style bucket showers are part of every tent, as well as jugs of hot and cold water delivered as and when you would like them. The main dining tent sits in the middle of the line of tents, with the fireplace right in front and a separate library/bar tent nearby.
Room: Tented Rooms
Included: All Meals, Private Daily Activities, Park Fees, House Drinks (excluding some premium
brands), and Laundry
 
Day 13 - 16 Friday, July 13 - Monday, July 16, 2018 (3 nights)
Today you will drive to Lamai Serengeti in the northern Serengeti.
In: Friday, July 13, 2018 Out: Monday, July 16, 2018

Accommodation: Lamai Serengeti
Lamai Serengeti sits tucked among the rocks of the iconic Kogakuria Kopje in the northern Serengeti. There are panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, and it is just a few miles from where the wildebeest cross the Mara River. For roughly a quarter of the year, between late July and October, this is where you will find the migration, right on your doorstep. The camp has designed each of the twelve rooms to fit into the complex geometry of the kopje and its views, natural space, and light. These are split between two entirely separate lodges, the main lodge of eight rooms and the smaller private lodge of four rooms. All the rooms have their own spacious verandas and en-suite bathrooms with flush toilets and running hot and cold water. Each lodge has a separate bar and dining area, with adjoining library and map room and a natural rock swimming pool. Throughout the year, the camps use 4WD vehicles to explore the intricacies of the area, both south of the Mara River and (river state permitting) to the north. Walking safaris are also on offer. And of course with a location like this, one of the best ways to take in the Serengeti is literally from the expansive veranda of your room, tucked away in among the red rocks of the kopje. The rooms are designed not only to maximize the panoramic views, but also to give a window onto life on the kopje which you can watch unobserved. In short, at Lamai, you can be as busy as you like with game drives and walks, or as lazy as you like enjoying the Serengeti from your room or the swimming pool.
Room: Tented Rooms
Included: All Meals, Private Daily Activities, Park Fees, House Drinks (excluding some premium brands), and Laundry
 
Day 16: Monday, July 16, 2018 (1 night)
This morning you will transfer to the airstrip for your light aircraft flight back to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Arusha. Upon arrival you will take the complimentary shuttle to KIA Lodge where day rooms have been reserved for you.

• Luggage limited to 15kg in soft-sided bags. Extra luggage capacity can be included at additional cost.
• Flight is currently scheduled to depart Kogatende at 10:30am and arrive Arusha at 1:00pm. There may be stops en route.

In: Monday Jul 16, 2018 Out: Monday Jul 16, 2018
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Accommodation: KIA Lodge
At less than a 5-minute drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport, KIA Lodge is your door to Tanzania. The lodge is situated on a secluded hill in the heart of beautiful savanna scenery that is so typical for East Africa. Guests can admire the vast views of the African plains and of course the grand Kilimanjaro Mountain that shows her snowy top mostly in the morning and at sundown. Because of its location, the KIA Lodge is an ideal safe haven for arriving and departing Tanzania, climbing the Kilimanjaro, or traveling on to the northern safari destinations. The friendly service, Zanzibar style reception, typical African decorations, and tropical restaurant offer a warm welcome to into the Tanzanian culture. Drink a Kilimanjaro beer in the open bar, enjoy over a hundred species of birds in the savannah garden, or relax at our hilltop swimming pool with great views of Mt Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru, the Blue Mountains, and the Maasai plains all around.
Room: Standard Rooms Included: (accommodation only)

• This evening you will take the complimentary shuttle back to the airport where you will connect to your departing commercial flight.

Pay the balance for Tanzania

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Trip Details
16-Day Tour
​Tour Cost $15,350, Trip Deposit $3,500 
Single Supplement $3,550
Maximum Group Size 6
FULL

Pay the Balance  for Tanzania

Paying by check
If you would like to pay your deposit  and/or balance with a check, please make the check payable to: Pixelchrome, Inc and mail it to:

Nicole Woodhouse
Pixelchrome, Inc, 
605 Rouen Drive, 
McKinney TX 75070

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Trip leader
Jeremy Woodhouse. This trip is limited to only 6 participants. 

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Included

• All accommodation on a shared basis
• Meals as specified
• Excursions and transfers as included in the itinerary
• Most safari camps and lodges include two game activities per day in their rate (one in the morning and the other in the afternoon)
• Services of the lodge guides and staff
• Relevant park fees and entrance fees as specified in the itinerary
• Drinks as specified (drink inclusions may differ among accommodations)
• Laundry as specified (at most properties, if not included free of charge, laundry is at least available for at a small cost)
• Air transfers as specified
• Taxes, applicable tourism levies, and all relevant Value Added Tax (VAT).

Not Included

• Commercial flights, including international flights
• Meals not specified in the itinerary such as lunch and dinner in city hotels
• Any drinks, park fees, entrance fees, porterage, tours/excursions, and transfers not specifically included in the quote
• Medical, evacuation, luggage, delay, and cancelation insurance;
• Tips and gratuities
• Substantial exchange rate fluctuations for services in foreign currency (mitigation for significant fluctuations is available)
• Any significant new government taxes, levies, fuel, or industry increases which are beyond our control
• Visa costs, where relevant
• Airport departure taxes and other taxes and fees due upon exiting a country (often these are including in the cost of commercial airfare)
• Any items of a personal nature.