Day trips and Addons Excursions
Half-day, full day, or multi-day excursions can be added on to any Safari, Mountain Treks, or Swahili Coast Diving itinerary. Immerse yourself in local culture or add a little variety to your wildlife and scenic viewing, these excursions are just one more way to make your Tanzanian adventure go beyond the ordinary.
Arusha National Park – Full Day – Walking Safari, Game Drive
Arusha NP, just ½ hr drive from Arusha town, is dominated by Mt Meru. At 4,566m (14,980 ft), Mt Meru is the second highest mountain in Tanzania. The lower slopes of the park offers views of mountains, valleys, lakes, waterfalls, and “Little Serengeti” grasslands. Wildlife viewing can include giraffes, zebras, buffalo, warthogs, antelope, baboons, and colobus monkeys. In addition, flamingoes and abundant waterfowl, plus hippos, can be spotted in the Momella Lakes. Game drives, walking tours, and canoeing make for a peaceful, relaxing daytrip before or after trekking Mt Kilimanjaro.
Marangu – Full Day – Chagga Museum, Waterfalls & Coffee
Nestled on the lower slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro and surrounded by small streams and waterfalls cascading down the mountain, Marangu is a lovely market town at the gate of one of the routes to the summit of Kilimanjaro. The Chagga Museum offers a fascinating insight into the lives and history of the Chagga people including a tour of ancient defensive tunnels and a lively demonstration of the traditional process of preparing coffee from plant to bean roasting to a scrumptious cup of aromatic coffee served along side a variety of local dishes.
Arusha Town – Half Day – Markets & Cultural Center
Our half day or full day Arusha city tour will take you around the city of Arusha with its historical background.
From local markets, shops, church and mosque to the Maasai market, we will introduce you to the hub of safari in Tanzania.
Brief history of Arusha- Located in the northern highlands of Tanzania, beneath the twin peaks of Mt. Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, Arusha is the safari capital of the country. Guests embarking on the popular northern safari circuit all stop in the ‘Geneva of Africa’ to prepare for their journeys into the African bush.
Arusha’s ideal location near the major national parks and it’s highland setting make it a peaceful idyll of relaxation before the start of an exciting journey.
Built by the Germans as a centre of colonial administration administration in the early 20th century, Arusha was a sleepy town with a garrison stationed at the old boma and a few shops around a grassy roundabout. From its backwater status amidst the farmlands and plantations of northern Tanzania, today Arusha is one of the country’s most prosperous towns.
Arusha is a major international diplomatic hub. The city hosts and is regarded as the de facto capital of the East African Community. Since 1994, the city has also hosted the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. It is a multicultural city with a majority Tanzanian population of mixed backgrounds: indigenous Bantu, Arab-Tanzanian and Indian-Tanzanian population, plus small White European and white American minority population. Religions of the Arushan population are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu.
The current site of Arusha was first settled in the 1830s by the agro-pastoral Arusha Maasai from the Arusha Chini community, south of Mount Kilimanjaro. They traded grains, honey, beer, and tobacco with the pastoral Kisongo Maasai in exchange for livestock, milk, meat, and skins. Demand for Arusha’s foodstuffs increased substantially during the 1860s when the Pangani
Lake Duluti – Half Day – 2km Hike, Canoeing, Bird Watching
Our half day or full day of Lake Duluti Day trip we will explore Lake Duluti; an old crater that became a lake. The lake is incredibly deep. It is believed to be more than 700m deep, but it’s unconfirmed. Lake Duluti is beautifully located between the green, lush forests and lends itself for a great deal of activities. From here we will have views of Mt. Meru and on good weather day even Mt. Kilimanjaro. Lake Duluti is a paradise for reptiles and birds. Monitor lizards can be seen sunbathing on the edge of the lake and a great variety of birds have made their homes here. Occasionally monkeys can be seen swinging from the treetops on the edge of the lake.
Canoeing and Hiking
We will take a guided walk around the Lake, and learn about flora and fauna and cultural/religious practices on the mountain sides. During the hike you will explore the lake and learn about its interesting history, variety of animals and its flora & fauna.
Afterwards we will do a Canoe around the lake and get up close with the birds and lizards and small animals.
Kondoa Irangi – 2 days – Petroglyths
The Kondoa Irangi Rock Paintings are present in a series of caves carved into the side of a hill looking out over the Maasai steppe of central Tanzania. The caves contain paintings which are believed to date back more than 50,000 years. The paintings are still part of a living tradition of creation and use by both the Sandawe and Maasai people. The Kondoa region was declared an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2006.
“Africa’s rock art is the common heritage of all Africans, but it is more than that. It is the common heritage of humanity.” Nelson Mandela
Lake Eyasi – 2 days on way to Serengeti – Hadzabe and Datoga Tribes
The shores of Lake Eyasi are home to Datoga pastorialists and Hadza foragers. By arrangement, it is possible to visit for a unique experience which will introduce you to these two fascinating tribes as they strive to maintain their ancient customs and way of life in the modern world.
The Hadza are indigenous to the area and are a modern hunter-gatherer people. They have probably occupied this area for thousands of years with relatively little modification to their basic way of life, at least, up until the past hundred years. Even today, about 400 Hadza still survive based primarily on the traditional means of foraging.
The Datoga are a pastoral tribe who have also occupied the area around Lake Eyasi. They consider themselves the oldest tribe in Tanzania, though the Maasai and Hadza also lay claim to this distinction. As warriors, the Datoga were well known for their stealth and fierceness.
Maasai Boma – Half Day in Ngorongoro Conservancy
The Maasai, with their distinctive customs and dress, are among the best-known African tribes. Their main activity is raising cattle, but the Maasai have also been known for centuries as fearsome hunters and warriors. Spend a half day to gain an appreciation for their culture, traditions, and lifestyle in a traditional boma on the way to the Serengeti.
Mto Wa Mbu – 2 hrs on way to Ngorongoro, Full Day from Arusha – Multi-Tribal Market Experience
A bustling cross-cultural melting pot, the market of Mto Wa Mbu lies at the entrance to Lake Manyara National Park, a perfect wayside stop between Arusha and Ngorongoro. Take a couple of hours (or more) to interact with local farmers, artisans, craftsmen, and painters. Or, perhaps sample a pint of the local banana beer for a unique taste of local flavor. Outside the market, a visit to Mto Wa Mbu can include: 1) A walk through the local farms arrayed along the foot of the Great Rift Valley, 2) A climb to Balaa Hill for a spectacular view of the town and Lake Manyara, 3) A trip to Miwaleni Lake and waterfall, and 4) A visit to agricultural development projects such as the regional irrigation system. Mto Wa Mbu is a great way to catch a glimpse into the culture of the many different tribes living in the area.
Hot Air Balloon over Serengeti – Half Day
See the Serengeti from a completely different perspective and gain an even greater appreciation for the vast scale of nature.
Lake Natron – 2 Days on way to Serengeti or from Arusha – Flamingos, Waterfowl & Waterfalls
The red-hued, mineral-rich soda lake is the breeding ground for 2.5 million lesser flamingoes. Greater flamingoes also breed on the mud flats. Trails lead from the lake to Engero Sero waterfalls.
Olduvai Gorge & Museum – Half to Full Day on way to Serengeti
Olduvai Gorge, in the Great Rift Valley, is the site of the discovery of some of the earliest known remains of human ancestry, dating back 1.75 million years. Olduvai Gorge is one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world. As the site of the discovery of some of the earliest known remains of human ancestry, it has proven invaluable in furthering understanding of early human evolution. The site is significant in showing the increased developmental and social complexities in the earliest humans.
The gorge, itself, is a steep-sided ravine consisting of two branches that have a combined length of about 30 mi (48 km) and are 295 ft (90 m) deep. Deposits exposed in the sides of the gorge cover a time span from about 2.1 million to 15,000 years ago. The deposits have yielded the fossil remains of more than 60 hominins (members of the human lineage), providing the most continuous known record of human evolution during the past 2 million years, as well as the longest known archaeological record of the development of stone-tool industries. Olduvai Gorge was designated part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.
The birds of Mkomazi are numerous, with over 400 recorded species. Doves, hornbills, weavers and guinea-fowl are all present in large numbers – as well as such striking species as the martial eagle and violet wood-hoopoe.
Mkomazi National Park – 3 Days from Arusha – Game Drive, 3-5km Hikes, and Rhino Sanctuary
With Mt Kilimanjaro in sight to the northwest and the Pare and Usambara Mountains to the south forming a dramatic backdrop, Mkomazi National Park is a spectacular wilderness in one of the largest and most important protected ecosystems on earth. Giraffe, oryx, gerenuk, hartebeest, lesser kudu, eland, impala and Grant’s gazelle share the reserve with elephant, buffalo, and numerous predators, including lion, leopard and cheetah.
A highlight of Mkomazi is black rhinoceros and wild dog sanctuary focused on restoration of habitat and re-introduction and breeding programs for these two highly endangered species.