Mobile Tented Safari
7 Day / 6 Night
Imagine finding yourself under the vast African sky in the middle of one of the last expanses of true wilderness left on our planet, listening to the haunting and mysterious sounds of night predators and their prey as the drama of their interactions unfold. Is this your kind of safari?
On our Explorer Mobile Safaris we offer a style of travel which is extremely comfortable, whilst still mobile camping, allowing our guests to get off the beaten track and away from the main safari thoroughfares. On this style of safari we book private wilderness campsites to keep you away from the crowds and as close as possible to the wildlife action. A relaxed alternative to a lodge safari – for those who prefer to sleep under canvas and get away from the crowds.
Tour Highlights:
- Tarangire National Park
- Lake Mayara National Park
- Serengeti National Park
- Ngorongoro Crater
Day 1 – Tarangire National Park
Your guide will meet you at your Arusha hotel and conduct a pre-departure briefing at 08h00 for a 09h00 departure. Head off away from the main safari route of the Northern Circuit, to Tarangire National Park, a true hidden gem.
Highly underrated, yet bursting with a dense wildlife population, it won’t take you long to appreciate just why we love Tarangire. It’s a special park, virtually untouched, with far fewer visitors than the world famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
During the dry season (June to September) thousands of animals including elephant, buffalo, giraffe, wildebeest, kudu, and the rarely seen oryx migrate from the dry Maasai steppe to the Tarangire River in search of water. Lion, leopard and other predators follow, so be sure to be sure to charge your camera battery and empty your memory stick as some unique memories are waiting to be made. With impressive landscapes dominated by baobab trees, an enormous elephant population and over 550 varieties of bird, Tarangire offers secluded game viewing and loads of game – a winning combination in anyone’s book!
Overnight at a private campsite in Tarangire National Park, or in a private concession nearby.
Day 2
Leisurely day spent exploring Tarangire. Overnight Explorer Mobile tented camp, private site, all meals included.
Day 3
Today we leave early for a day in the scenic Lake Manyara National Park. The north-western area of Lake Manyara, a shallow, alkaline lake, is protected in a 330 sq km national park, which contains a remarkable diversity of habitats: the grassy floodplain of the lakeshore, the rocky base of the escarpment, a belt of thick acacia woodland and a lush patch of groundwater forest. A variety of large mammal species including elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe and lion may be observed. Manyara is superb for keen birders – with almost 400 recorded species.
Continue up to the Ngorongoro highlands via the rich soils and farming area of Karatu.
Overnight Bougainvillea, or similar.
Day 4 – Ngorongoro Crater
Today is surely one you’ve been itching to tick off your African travel bucket list. One of the natural wonders of the world, the volcanic caldera of Ngorongoro offers spectacular game viewing in the crater. We can almost guarantee you four of the Big Five will show up, as well as a rich variety of birds, all viewed against the splendid backdrop of the thickly forested crater walls.
Your picnic lunch on the crater floor will forever remain a treasured memory. Head to the Serengeti, with ample time for an optional visit to Olduvai Gorge, or a Masai Village en route.
Overnight Serengeti National Park.
Day 5 & 6 – Serengeti National Park
Your days are spent at leisure exploring this world renowned park, unequalled for its beauty and home to more than three million large mammals spread over the vast endless plains. It is here, at certain times of the year, that we may encounter the breathtaking spectacle of the annual wildebeest migration, where one and a quarter million wildebeest trek in columns of up to forty kilometres long in search of grazing, drawing with them their predators and numerous other species of game.
Huge herds of wildebeest and zebra can be found here along with smaller concentrations of gazelles and buck. There are also significant numbers of buffalo, giraffe and warthog. Elephants are relatively scarce on the open plains, more common in the northern areas and the western corridor.
But the most popular animals to be found here in greater abundance than elsewhere on the northern circuit are the cats. Lions, cheetahs and leopard may all be seen here along with other predators, such as the spotted hyena, golden and black-backed jackals, wild cats and servals.
Overnight Serengeti National Park.
Day 7
We strongly recommend that you consider the option of flying back from the Serengeti to Arusha or Kilimanjaro today. It is an exceptionally scenic flight over the highlands of Ngorongoro, across the vast expanse of the Rift Valley escarpments and the green coffee plantations surrounding Arusha airport. On a clear day you will see amazing views of Mount Meru’s dark profile rising up above the town, cloaked in wisps of cloud, and sometimes Kilimanjaro in the distance. This optional flight carries an additional cost.
Alternatively, you may prefer to drive back to Arusha (not recommended as it’s a long way in one day) – arriving very late afternoon (picnic lunch included).
End of services
Package Includes:
- 7-day ‘explorer mobile’ safari by road in 4×4 vehicle with open game viewing hatches, with full back up crew in second vehicle
- Services of a private safari guide/ driver
- All meals on safari
- Game viewing activities as indicated
- All camping equipment
- Bedding (duvet/linens), pillows and towels
- Bottled water for game drives / in vehicle throughout
- Park fees and camp fees as shown
- Ngorongoro crater entry
Price Excludes:
- Visas and travel insurance
- International flights and optional domestic flight
- Drinks, gratuities and items of a personal nature
- Optional excursion to Olduvai Gorge & Masai Village visit
Charging facilities while on safari: There are charging facilities at the lodges/camps as well as on in our safari vehicles for camera batteries, mobile phones etc. Two-pin plugs as well as the round three-square pin plug points.
Weather: Tanzania is a land without winter. Temperatures in northern Tanzania range between 15-21C during the day and 4-10C at night, from May to October. From November to March the daytime temperature varies from 21-32C and from 15-23C at night. However, if you are travelling to high altitude areas like Ngorongoro Crater and Kilimanjaro, the temperature drops substantially.