Off the Beaten Track safari is ideal for someone exploring some of Africa’s most remote locations! It offers fascinating experiences ranging from the typical African Savannah to dense Equatorial forests boasting communities of chimpanzees, as well as big rivers offering one an opportunity for the Nile Perch fishing. The beautiful/interesting part of this safari is that you will be away from the “usual tourists’ crowds”. Due to remoteness of these parks, travel by plane is limited to every Monday and Thursday and provided in a shared charter hence this need to be factored in when planning for the dates of travel.
Day | Place | Highlights | Hotel |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Arrival in Kilimanjaro Airport | Arrival & transfer to your Hotel | Arusha Coffee Lodge |
2 | Fly to Katavi National Park | Travel to Katavi National Park | Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge |
3 - 4 | Katavi National Park | Full Days in Katavi National Park | Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge |
5 | Katavi - Mahale Mountains National Park | Travel to Mahale Mountains National Park | Mbali Mbali Mahale Lodge |
6 - 8 | Mahale Mountains National Park | Full Days in Mahale Mountains National Park | Mbali Mbali Mahale Lodge |
9 | Mahale Mountains - Arusha | Travel to Arusha | Arusha Coffee Lodge |
10 | Arusha - Selous Game Reserve | Travel to Selous Game Reserve | Sand Rivers Selous Camp |
11 - 12 | Selous Game Reserve | Full Days in Selous Game Reserve | Sand Rivers Selous Camp |
13 | Selous Game Reserve - Dar-es-salaam | Travel to Dar-es-salaam for departure | N/A |
Travel Date | Price per person | Single Room Supplement |
---|---|---|
Green Season | USD 10900.00 | USD 950.00 |
*The minimum participating age for chimpanzee trekking as determined by TANAPA is 12 years old
*Western Circuit lodges are closed from 1 March to 31 May
PRE- or POST Safari Extensions: We offer wonderful pre- or post- Safari extensions to a variety of National parks & game reserves.
BB | Bed & Breakfast |
Half Board: | 2 Meals per day (Breakfast / Dinner) |
Full Board: | 3 Meals per day (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner) |
Eco-status: | Indicates the Environmentally friendly/ sustainable approach of the hotel |
Eco-friendly status: | Bronze: | Silver: | Gold: |
Arrival can take place at any time of the day though we would recommend from noon onwards for guaranteed hotel check-in. Upon arrival, your private safari guide / vehicle will be waiting to pick you up and transfer you to your overnight hotel which will be about 45 minutes to 1 HR drive. All meals on this day will be payable direct. Overnight at ARUSHA COFFEE LODGE. (No meals to be provided this day)
Meal Plan: Boarding Only
You will have an early departure today. At 0630 Hrs after breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to Arusha Airport to catch your shared charter flight departing at 0800 Hrs and arriving at the Katavi National Park at 1110 Hrs. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your lodge for lunch. Scheduled activities in the afternoon as offered by the lodge i.e. afternoon / early evening game drives (if time allows). Evening sundowners and dinner.
Overnight at MBALI MBALI KATAVI LODGE.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Two full days in KATAVI NATIONAL PARK
Spend the next 2 days in Katavi National Park with an option of full day game drive with a packed lunch or extensive morning and afternoon game drives with a hot lunch at the lodge. This park offers un-spoilt wildlife viewing in the country’s third-largest national park, in a remote location far off the beaten track. It is said to be Africa at its most wild — unadulterated bush settings, spectacular views, and rich wildlife. Wildlife sightings include: Elephants, Giraffes, Cheetahs, Wild dogs, Hyenas, Leopards and lions amongst other wildlife. Hot afternoons may be spent by the swimming pools and it would be lovely to wind up your days with an evening sundowner as you watch the magical sunset.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Fly to MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK in a shared charter
After breakfast you will be transferred to Katavi Airstrip combined with a game drive en-route time allowing. Board your shared charter flight to Mahale Airstrip departing at 1125 Hrs and arriving at 1210 hrs. This will be followed by a dhow boat transfer (approx. 1.5 hours) to the lodge. Staff welcome and introductions followed by lunch. Afternoon / early evening chimpanzee trekking or forest walks (if time allows). Evening sundowners and dinner.
Overnight at MBALI MBALI MAHALE LODGE. (B, L & D)
Meal Plan: Full Board
We have chimpanzee trekking included for the morning part as it is the main activity here. For the rest of the afternoon you can partake the available excursions such as Kayaking and boat safari along the lakeshore. Mahale Mountains National Park lies on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in Kigoma Region, Tanzania. Named after the Mahale Mountains range that is within its borders, the park has several unusual characteristics. First, it is one of only two protected areas for chimpanzees in the country. (The other is nearby Gombe Stream National Park made famous by the researcher Jane Goodall.) The chimpanzee population in Mahale Mountains National Park is the largest known and due to its size and remoteness, the chimpanzees flourish. It also the only place where chimpanzees and lions co-exist. Another unusual feature of the park is that it is one of the very few in Africa that must be experienced by foot. There are no roads or other infrastructure within the park boundaries, and the only way in and out of the park is via boat on the lake.
Wind up your days with an evening sundowners and dinner. Overnight at MBALI MBALI MAHALE LODGE.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Fly back to ARUSHA in a shared charter and connect to SELOUS GAME RESERVE
Breakfast at your lodge. Thereafter check-out and dhow boat transfer (approx. 1.5 hours) to Mahale Airstrip. Board your shared charter flight to Arusha Airport with packed lunch. Arrival time varies as there could be various pick-ups / drop offs hence your arrival in Arusha could be late in the afternoon. On arrival you will be transferred to your Arusha Hotel for overnight. Dinner on own account. Overnight at ARUSHA COFFEE LODGE.
Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
Breakfast at your hotel and the rest of the morning at leisure until 1115 hrs when you will be transferred to Arusha Airport to board your flight to SELOUS GAME RESERVE scheduled to depart at 1245 hrs and arriving at 1735 hrs with Coastal Aviation. Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your camp with a game drive en-route. Dinner and overnight at SAND RIVERS SELOUS CAMP
The lodge is located in the Selous Game Reserve in the south of Tanzania and is easily reached by light aircraft from Dar es Salaam, just a 45 minute flight. The camp is located further west than the other properties in the reserve in a slightly quieter area, with direct access to boating safari up to Steiglers Gorge as well as walking safari from the camp. The camp is positioned on the banks of the river under the shade of trees.
The main area of the lodge is raised, with fantastic views down onto the river here there’s plenty of hippo and other game activity. The main area is open faced with thatched roof and stone floors, a communal pool off to the side and plenty of areas to relax in the afternoon.
Accommodation at Sand Rivers is in spacious open-fronted cottages raised on the banks of the Rufiji River. All have en-suite bathrooms, with flush toilets, powerful showers and hot and cold running water. See the following page for more details on the different room types.
Standard Riverside Rooms: There are five standard rooms. All the rooms are open-fronted and set up on platforms with spectacular views out over the river and surrounding woodlands. En-suite bathrooms have hot and cold running water, flush toilets and powerful showers
Hillside Suites: There are three hillside suites. All the rooms are open-fronted, raised and have a lounge area, en-suite bathrooms, powerful showers and private plunge pools.
Meal Plan: Full Board
Two full day in SELOUS GAME RESERVE with game activities as per the camps schedule
Enjoy two (2) full days in the largest reserve in Eastern and Central Africa with safari activities as offered by the camp. Safari activities included at Sand Rivers Selous: Game drives in open 4 x 4 vehicle (Shared with other guests at the camp), walking safaris & birding, private game viewing platforms & bush lunches.
Covering 45,000km² of wilderness, with grassy plains, open woodland, mountains and forests, the Selous Game Reserve is Africa’s largest game reserve. It’s about three times the size of South Africa’s Kruger National Park, and twice the size of the Serengeti National Park. In a fitting tribute, it is also one of Tanzania’s three World Heritage Sites.
The lodge is located in the Selous Game Reserve in the south of Tanzania and is easily reached by light aircraft from Dar es Salaam, just a 45 minute flight. The camp is located further west than the other properties in the reserve in a slightly quieter area, with direct access to boating safari up to Steiglers Gorge as well as walking safari from the camp. The camp is positioned on the banks of the river under the shade of trees.
The main area of the lodge is raised, with fantastic views down onto the river here there’s plenty of hippo and other game activity. The main area is open faced with thatched roof and stone floors, a communal pool off to the side and plenty of areas to relax in the afternoon.
Accommodation at Sand Rivers is in spacious open-fronted cottages raised on the banks of the Rufiji River. All have en-suite bathrooms, with flush toilets, powerful showers and hot and cold running water. See the following page for more details on the different room types.
Standard Riverside Rooms: There are five standard rooms. All the rooms are open-fronted and set up on platforms with spectacular views out over the river and surrounding woodlands. En-suite bathrooms have hot and cold running water, flush toilets and powerful showers
Hillside Suites: There are three hillside suites. All the rooms are open-fronted, raised and have a lounge area, en-suite bathrooms, powerful showers and private plunge pools.
Meal Plan: Full Board
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