Classic Tented Safaris -Tanzania, East Africa including Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Eyasi, Tarangire National Park and the splendor of the Serengeti Ecosystem

Jim Brett Guided Departures January, March, October 2007 and 2008
Treks’ Partner Safari Departures February, September, November 2007 and 2008

Our adventure begins with an evening departure from Newark to Amsterdam.

Day 1

Arrive Kilimanjaro Int'l Airport near Moshi, Tanzania and transfer to Mountain Village Lodge near Arusha, for late dinner and overnight. Set in the flowered gardens of a coffee planter’s farm house and surrounded by rolling groves of wax-green coffee bushes, Mountain Village offers wide timbered decks with panoramic views over Lake Duluti, and a selection of ethnically-styled ‘Rondavel’ village-cluster rooms, each one neatly thatched with ‘Makuti’ stems, lavishly embellished with ‘Makonde’ carvings and comfortably furnished in traditional safari style.

Day 2

Following early breakfast at Mountain Village we meet our Tanzanian drivers and embark south on the Cairo to Cape Town Highway, in our specially built extended Land Cruisers, for Tarangire National Park. Tarangire is unique amongst East African Reserves in that it is a highland thorn bush habitat dotted with massive Baobab trees, very large elephant herds and all the plain's game and predators experienced in other equatorial grassland/thorn bush landscapes. Tarangire's bird-life is extraordinary with a great variety of birds of prey. The Tarangire River flows through the park and offers extraordinary game viewing. We will be taking a picnic lunch and cold drinks so that we can spend the remainder of the day on our game drive. We arrive at our Private Luxury Kikoti Safari Camp located just outside the park for hot showers, cocktails and beverages by the campfire and a fine dinner by candlelight.

Day 3

Following an early breakfast at Kikoti Camp we will depart for Selali Swamp to investigate this pristine wetland, home to African Cape Buffalo, large herds of elephant, splendid bird species and the immensity of the Tarangire Thorn Bush . We may opt to enjoy lunch al fresco or return to camp for lunch in the dining tent followed by a guided bush walk with armed rangers and our Maasai guide. We will return for sundowners on Kikoti Rock and dinner. After dinner there is the option of an evening game drive in open 4X4 vehicles. Overnight at Kikoti Camp.

Days 4 & 5

After breakfast we will proceed to Lake Eyasi - via a small farming community at the base of the Rift Valley called Mto wa Mbu (Mosquito River). We will climb the rift wall and travel through rich agricultural lands passing by Karatu as we continue towards Lake Eyasi. There will be an opportunity to stop at local markets en route. We will drive southwest, off the main track to the north shore of Eyasi. The northern horizon is dominated by the Ngorongoro Highlands and beyond the Siringet - the 'Far Spread Land' of the Maasai. We will spend two days exploring the dry and harsh lands of primitive Stone Age Bushmen of the WaHadzabe Tribe. These peoples live their daily lives gathering roots, wild fruits and hunting with their bows and poison arrows, taking you back to ancient times when living in harmony with nature was essential to survival. This, in itself, is an experience of a lifetime. We will also visit peoples of the Tatoga Tribe, closely related to the Maasai. All meals and overnight at Kisima Ngeda, a permanent tented camp on Lake Eyasi.

Days 6 through 9

We depart for Serengeti National Park - arguably the most famous National Park in the world. The vast predator rich Serengeti needs little introduction. The primeval paradise, roughly the size of Connecticut, has been subject of countless wildlife films, each seeking to capture the unique spirit of this exhilarating ecosystem. At this time of year we are witness to one of the greatest spectacles of the natural world - the annual influx of wildebeest and zebra into the Serengeti from the Maasai Mara in Kenya. This is when massed herds congregate in the millions on the short grass plains. It is extraordinary. We are pleased to say that the Serengeti is everything that the discerning safari-seeker would expect – and more.- and we believe that the nights spent in our mobile camp come closer to any other way of doing it the justice it deserves. There is much to experience. We will take our time exploring the richness of this landscape.

Days 10 & 11

This morning we will embark for Ngorongoro Highlands. On the way we will stop at Oldupai Gorge where a river canyon cuts 300 feet deep through the volcanic soils of the plains. Buried in the layers are remains of ancient plains' game, predators and, most spectacular of all hominoids that lived and died around the shallow Lake Ndutu some 2,000,000 years ago to We will be arriving in time for lunch at our Private Luxury Lemala Camp on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater. Enroute we need to descend 2,000 feet to the floor of this collapsed volcano (caldera) whose height once rivaled Kilimanjaro. There will be time to explore some sectors of the 12 mile diameter crater floor. Ngorongoro is perhaps the finest and without a doubt one of the the most impressive wildlife destination on the planet A game drive around the perfect natural amphitheater, bounded by sheer rock walls, allows a rare intimacy with the resident wildlife that roam a definitive range of ecosystems. This is truly one of the great wonders of the world. Spending our evenings at Lemala in the cool acacia forest is a capstone to having spent time in the world below the rim. On day 11 we will visit the crater floor leaving our camp before sunrise. The afternoon will be spent hiking around Empakaii Crater and visiting a local Maasai Manyatta.

Days 12 through 14

We drive to Arusha for lunch and shopping. We depart late afternoon for the lovely Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge at the base of Mt. Meru. We will spend days 12 & 13 exploring the Momella Lakes, hike through the Montane Forest and enjoy waterfalls, buffalo herds and the high concentrations of giraffe in the park. Birding around the Momella Lakes is superb! We will return to Arusha Town for dinner at the New Arusha Hotel. Day 14 will be spent in Arusha for lunch and last minute shoppoing before we return to Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge where we can enjoy the Lodge swimming pool. We will have day rooms at the Lodge until we depart at 5:30 P.M. for Kilimanjaro Airport for our flight to Dar es Salaam and Amsterdam. Our arrival in Amsterdam is scheduled for 07:30 hrs and points west with our arrival in Newark at 10:55 hrs.

Safari Costing

Land and International Air Packages Per person, double occupancy quoted for each safari
Single Supplement $555

• Note: A minimum of eight guests is required in order to operate the itineraries guided by Jim Brett
• Note: Partner Safaris arranged individually for Treks’ participants
• Note: Airfare costs are subject to change until confirmed. Airport taxes are included. All safari transportation and transfers as indicated in the itinerary. Airfare based upon East Coast Departures. Departures from other US cities result in a nominal increase. We use Northwest/KLM exclusively. Western US departures fly direct to Amsterdam.

˜Note: Land costs subject to change depending on increases in diesel fuel in Africa and unexpected rises in parks fees.

Included in the cost of your land arrangements

• Services of Jim Brett or partner guides throughout
• All hotels, camps and lodges as indicated in the itinerary
• All meals in lodges and camps
• All game viewing activities, guide fees and park fees as indicated in the itinerary
• All safari transportation and transfers as indicated in the itinerary
• All drinks -- water, soft drinks, local beers
• Daily laundry where water supply allows it

Not included in the cost

• Tips for lodge and hotel staff; drivers and camp staff, unless otherwise indicated
• Lodge porters @ $1/bag
• Visa and required immunizations
• Personal expenses such as curios, excess baggage fees, travel and personal insurance, phone calls
• Alcoholic beverages, unless otherwise indicated