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Spend 10 days on an adventurous and diverse, yet comfortable safari exploring Tanzania's famous northern circuit with an expert driver-guide. This is a great group trip for active people! Visit Lake Manyara, the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater, whilst staying in a mix of comfortable private camps and high-quality lodges.
Guides
The Serengeti Walking Adventure will be led by a highly trained and knowledgeable driver-guide, who has a wealth of experience in the bush and great knowledge of flora, fauna and birds. He will also be able to converse about the geography and share information on the culture and politics of Tanzania. As this trip involves walking in the bush, the standard of guiding is excellent and amongst the best of our Wild about Africa safaris.
Tents and lodges
The accommodation used varies throughout your safari to Tanzania - though it is always very comfortable.
Whilst out on the walking safari adventure in the Serengeti, your accommodation is a private mobile camp set up just for your group. This is a lightweight camp that will move with you throughout your trip, but it is also very comfortable and makes use of brand-new equipment. The camp and crew will travel ahead of you, so that is set up when you arrive - this allows you to optimise your game viewing.
Each tent is a large three-man dome tent, so for two people it is very spacious and is furnished with a comfortable 4 inch foam mattress on the floor with cotton bedding and towels. Lighting is provided via solar lamps and each tent has a small veranda with directors' chairs and table.
Dining is usually under the stars, though in case of bad weather there is also a small mess tent. The bathrooms are shared bush showers and short-drop toilets, so they are very environmentally sound. The toilets are not en suite but they do have proper seats.
You have one night in Rothia Valley Lodge which is a luxury tented camp located on the edge of the Ngorongoro forests, a short drive away from the Craters rim. You have en-suite facilities and electricity in your comfortable tents and all proceeds from accommodation at this lodge go towards a children's home located nearby.
When you first arrive in the Serengeti eco-system you have a night at the low-key and friendly Ndutu Lodge. The functional rooms are semi-detached cottages with twin or double beds, hanging space for clothes and simple en-suite bathrooms. The shared areas are open sided and under thatch - looking out over the Tanzanian bush. There is a dining area and a lounge - both of which use neutral colours and African fabrics to good effect. This lodge is not luxurious or stylish but it has a really warm atmosphere and great service, and is a great base from which to embark on your walking adventure.
After your walking safari you will spend your last night in a larger tented camp - Kati Kati Camp. This will offer more in the way of creature comforts than your private lightweight camp - but not quite the same sense of wilderness as there are likely to be other guests there. However, your room will be a spacious walk-in tent with proper beds, hanging space for clothes, a veranda with directors' chairs and an en-suite bathroom. There will also be two large mess tents: one acts as a lounge area with interesting wildlife books; the other is the dining tent.
Bathroom facilities
The bathroom facilities vary depending on the style of accommodation.
Whilst staying at the lightweight tented camps you have a shared bucket shower and short-drop toilet. The showers are set within a spiral canvas tent, which has no roof and so allows you to shower under the stars. Hot water is always provided and either hoisted above you in a shower bucket or placed in a bucket on the floor with a container to throw water over yourself. The choice depends on whether there is or isn't a conveniently located tree! The toilet is set within the same kind of spiral tent, and is a short-drop toilet with a proper wooden seat. It is simple yet eco-friendly and functional.
At Rothia Valley Lodge and Ndutu Lodge you have access to running water and so have an en-suite bathroom with a proper flush toilet and shower facilities.
At the larger tented camp on your last night you have a private en-suite bathroom with a sink and mirror, chemical toilet (this is still a bush camp after all) and bucket shower. Your bucket shower will usually hold around 20 litres and is filled with warm water on request.
Meals
Breakfast whilst on the Serengeti Walking Adventure usually consists of fresh fruit, cereals, fresh toast and a cooked breakfast with eggs of your choice. Tea and coffee and fresh fruit juice are also on offer. For lunch you will often have a packed lunch which allows you to spend the day travelling from one place to another, or to head out on a full day's safari without having to head back to camp. You will also have the odd day where you do return to the camp or lodge for lunch, in which case you can expect a small starter such as soup and a main of salads, pasta salads, cold meats and bread, followed by a light dessert. Dinner is also a three-course meal and at the larger lodges might include a few choices for each course.
Vehicles
The vehicles used on these safaris through Tanzania are custom-made 4WD Land Rovers or Land Cruisers that have been stretched and widened to allow for much more space. Each has pop-top roof hatches that come off completely, allowing for great all-around game viewing. There are also 110v and 220v power adaptors which make it possible to charge camera batteries. There is no division between the guide and the passengers, which means he can share his expert knowledge with you at all times.
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