Tribal Tales - Deluxe

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Arusha

Meet at the airport/Arusha arrival point and transfer to your lodge for pre-safari briefing.

Overnight: Karama Lodge (Dinner included)

Day 2 - Arusha - Marangu

After breakfast, We begin our day with a morning walk & town tour of Arusha – visiting key sites of interest as well as colourful craft markets before departing due east to Marangu, in the foothills of Mt Kilimanjaro. This area is home to the Chagga people and traditional people of the Kilimanjaro region. We stop enroute for a delicious meal at Kigongoni Lodge, situated atop a ridge with magnificent views to Mt Meru. We arrive to Marangu mid-afternoon and take a walk to the rushing waterfalls that are fed by the Snows of Kilimanjaro. We arrive back to the lodge for Chagga tales of yesteryear.

Overnight: Capricorn Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included)

Day 3 - Marangu - Arusha

After breakfast, we wander off to explore traditional Chagga housing and blacksmith workshop. The blacksmiths toil away exactly as they have for centuries. We then take a hike to some caves on the other side of the village and we enter into the depths to explore the cavern before returning for lunch at Capricorn, followed by a return to Arusha.

Overnight: The Arusha Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Day 4 - Arusha - Esilalei

We transfer back via Arusha and into the Maasai Heartlands to a village called Esilalei (Toothbrush Tree) located in the wildlife corridor in between Tarangire and Lake Manyara. We enjoy a packed lunch just as we enter the village and are met by the village elders and morani (warriors) singing and dancing to welcome us. Your visit supports the building of their school here. Camp overnight, and although you’ll sleep to calls of hyenas and the African night, there will be Maasai sitting up round the fire and guarding the camp.

Overnight: Maasai Boma Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included)

Day 5 - Esilalei - Lake Eyasi

Cultural insights around the village. Here with Maasai as guides you can visit traditional huts, take part in activities like herding goats, milking cows, jewellery beadwork, spot animals & birds on a walking safari in the bush, find out about the medicinal uses of the savanna plants and learn from an elder the history and culture of these fascinating people. We move further into the true tribal areas of Tanzania and head towards Lake Eyasi. Upon arrival we are able to interact with the Hadzabe/Datoga tribes and exchange cultural norms and customs. We arrive at our camp for a late lunch and then follow with an afternoon of exploring the lake shore and nearby Wilderness area

Overnight: Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Day 6 - Lake Eyasi

A very early morning of traditional hunting ensures we are learning ancient customs firsthand. We are able to interact with the Hadzabe people and join in the thrill of the hunting of small mammals and preparation to cook. We return to the camp for resting, lunch and then afternoon Wilderness Walk.

Overnight: Kisima Ngeda Tented Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Day 7 - Lake Eyasi - Arusha

We enjoy a more leisurely morning before transferring back to Arusha via the traditional craft stalls along the way – many tribal artworks can be represented in one stall. We pass through E Unoto Maasai Retreat for one last exposure to the Maasai people before arriving in Arusha late afternoon.

Overnight: The Arusha Hotel (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included)

Day 8 - Arusha and beyond...

We make a timely transfer to Arusha departure point for travel beyond.

Overnight: (Breakfast included)

Accommodation Information

Karama Lodge

Karama Lodge in Arusha is set on the side of a hill just on the outskirts of Arusha and it individual thatched cabins with spectacular views across to Kilimanjaro. Karama is also known for its superb cuisine.

Capricorn Hotel

Capricorn Hotel is located in Marangu, on the road up to Marangu Park gate that is used for Kilimanjaro trekking. It is a lush and green area abound with banana and coffee plantations. It is an old colonial house, with main residence and guesthouse – and even has a stream from Kilimanjaro running through the restaurant and reception area.

Arusha Hotel

The Arusha Hotel is the tastefully refurbished hotel which was John Wayne’s watering hole while filming ‘Hatari’ in Arusha National Park. It is located right in the heart of Arusha with good access to craft markets and is now one of Arusha’s premier hotels. It has large rooms, superb food, extensive gardens, swimming pool and 24 hour casino.

Maasai Boma Camp

For the duration of the stay out at Esilalei ‘Maasai’ village, we will be welcomed into one of the bomas. This is a night of camping near the shores of Lake Manyara and sitting by the fire with Maasai warriors, exchanging stories and cultures. There is a temporary drop toilet but there are no showering facilities. Esilalei Nursery School is one of the schools that we have built in 2007 and continue to maintain and so we consider it our second home and are treated as such. The experience is excellent as is when conversation with the villagers takes over.

Kisima Ngeda

Kisima Ngeda is a discrete but luxury tented camp at Lake Eyasi with all the trims. It is a great location and a good base to really explore to Hadzabe people and nearby hiking paths in the acacia forest.