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There
are a number of optional activities or excursions that may be
included to fit around your basic safari program: You may wish to
visit a local village whilst you are in Arusha or near Lake Manyara, or
perhaps hike or go mountain biking along the Rift Valley Wall, perhaps
canoe on the Great Momella Lakes in the Arusha National Park, or take a
luxurious balloon safari at dawn in the Serengeti followed by a champagne
bush breakfast.
Excursions such as these can be easily incorporated with your basic safari
program and can be tailored to suit your interests. Some of these
excursions help enhance the variety of your safari program as it allows
you to explore unspoilt areas on foot, have a different
perspective of a safari - for instance a balloon or
canoeing safari, or meet local tribes directly and learn about
traditional customs.
Our
aim is to ensure that people get to experience the very best that this
part of Africa has to offer and we will do our very best to get you your
ideal program.
Find
out from the menu below the excursions that are available in the areas you
intend to visit on safari and you just might find an interesting activity
whilst visiting this beautiful land.
Tarangire:
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Ethnobotanical
tour – learn about medicinal plants
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Ethnobotanical Walk - find out about medicinal plants and those
used in cultural ceremonies.
During
this hour-long walk, find out from traditional herbalists about
medicinal plants used for centuries in treatment of common ailments
from malaria and fever to headaches and more. Learn about the use of
various plants in cultural ceremonies. Smell and feel the smooth
Amarula fruit used to make the delicious smooth African liqueur.
This excursion provides an opportunity to walk in the wild and get a
sense of appreciation for the flora and its use.
Night Drive
- experience the nightlife in the wilderness just outside the
boundaries of the Tarangire National Park, in an open-top jeep (only if
staying at Kikoti or Treetops).
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Lake
Manyara:
Nature Walk (1 hour)
- this walk is designed to fit into your safari schedule and is perfect
for those wishing to stretch their legs a bit. After tea/coffee, you leave
the lodge at 06:30 am and stroll west into semi-arid bush then follow the
edge of the rift valley wall in front of the lodge. Guests return to the
lodge for breakfast in plenty of time for an 08:30 departure for a game
drive or transfer. The walk is
carried out by well trained and experienced guides focussing on the
intricacies of the bush that are often missed whilst sitting in a vehicle.
Birds, plants, insects, history, geology and cultures will be explained to
the hikers. The walk is suitable for people of all ages and abilities - no
particular fitness level or experience is required to enjoy the walk.
Forest
Hike
- This
hike is designed for guests who would like to do more serious walking. The
walk takes a total of approx 3-4 hours. It leads clients down the Rift
Valley wall via a well-established game path into a river valley. The path
in the valley leads to an underground water forest next to a fresh water
stream pouting out of the valley walls. Towards the end of the walk, guests
will have the option of climbing up the rift valley wall on a steep path,
with the help of ropes or be driven back to the lodge by vehicle.
Your trained guide will be in constant radio contact with the lodge.
To keep walks more personal, a maximum of 10 guests per hike will be
allowed. This walk is perfect for guests who would like to do something
different from a game drive. The hike begins and ends at the Lake Manyara
Serena Lodge. The morning hike begins at 07:30 am and the afternoon hike
begins at 3:00 pm.
Cycling
Excursion (3 hours) - Ride
through the spectacular rural countryside using top of the line mountain
bikes. Stop along the way to learn about the flora and fauna and history of
the Manyara area. Descend down the Rift Valley escarpment through Mto-wa-Mbu
village to the lakeshore.
Ngorongoro:
Empakai Crater Trek - Northeast
of the Ngorongoro Crater lies the Empakai Crater, which is 6000m wide and
300m wide. Among other animals, you will see buffalo, bushbuck, a variety of
antelope and blue monkeys. Birds are in abundance. A deep soda lake covers a
large part of the crater floor. There is a track to the crater floor and one
around the rim of the crater. On
a nice, clear day, one can see Mt Oldoinyo Lengai, Lake Natron and Mt
Kilimanjaro. The scenery is left to your imagination! A
day trip to Olmoti is available (weather and road permitting) ex-Ngorongoro
as an add-on to regular safaris. *One of our more popular programmes is a
3n/4d Olmoti Crater and Empakai Crater trek (walking, driving, camping) - see below.
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Olmoti
Crater Trek - Close
to the Nainokanoka village, also Northeast of the Ngorongoro crater, lies
this sunken crater. A visit to Olmoti is only possible by foot with the
escort of an armed ranger. It takes about 35 minutes to walk to the rim of
this shallow crater. Lots of different species of antelope can be found
here. A walk to the waterfalls of the Munge River is also interesting. A day trip to Olmoti is available (weather and road
permitting) ex-Ngorongoro as an add-on to regular safaris. *One of our
more popular programmes is a 3n/4d Olmoti Crater and Empakai Crater trek
(walking, driving, camping) - see below
*Itinerary
for 3n/4d Trek:
Day 1 - Begin trek at Lemala Gate to Nainokanoka village. Trek to
Olmoti Crater. Then return to Nainokanoka camp for o/n (2630m)
Day 2 - After breakfast, drive past Bulati to Empakaai crater rim.
O/N campsite (2510m)
Day 3 - Trek into the Empakaai Crater. O/n camp on rim (2510m)
Day 4 - After breakfast, drive past Bulati and Nainokanoka to
Lemala Gate (End of Tour)
Mt
Lemagrut Trek (3-4 hours) - this
mountain lies to the west of the Ngorongoro Crater at 3155m. It takes under
an hour to drive to the lower slopes and about 3-4 hours trek to the summit.
In a clear day one can see the Serengeti plains, Lake Eyasi and the
Ngorongoro Crater. The tour is
best done as an add-on trip to a regular lodge or camping safari.
Lake Eyasi - A very scenic lake
found on the southern border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. This less
visited lake lies at the base of the Eyasi escarpment on the western rift
valley wall. The Hadza tribe (hunter-gatherers) live close to the shores of
Lake Eyasi as do the Nilotic-speaking Datoga tribe (see Cultural
Tours Pages for more information). There is quite a lot of
wildlife and a wide species of birds to be seen here and walks around the
lake are easily arranged.
Maasai Village Visit - there are a number of Maasai Bomas to visit - Please
visit the Cultural Tours Pages for information or Contact
us for details.
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Serengeti:
Balloon Safari - Tanzania Balloon
Safaris operates daily from Seronera. You are picked from your lodge/camp in
the Serengeti and driven to the balloon launch site. The flight begins at
around 06:00 am for about an hour and returning to Seronera by road at
approximately 09:15 am after a hearty champagne breakfast. This just about
fits in with safari schedules.
Arusha National Park:
Day trip from Arusha is possible - morning Walking Safari
escorted by an armed ranger followed by an afternoon game drive to the
Momella Lakes and Ngurdoto Crater. Black-and-white colobus monkeys are
uniquely found here and there are other wildlife such as buffalo, hippo,
giraffe, zebra, vervet monkeys, antelope and the occasional leopard to be
seen here.
Mkuru is situated on the north side of Mt Meru, not far away from the
irrigated fields of Ngarenanyuki & the Momella gate, of Arusha National
park. From a distance the area can be recognized through the remarkable
shape of Ol Doinyo Landaree, the little mountain that looks like a pyramid.
Masaai families live in traditional bomas scattered throughout the area. In
the early morning, the warriors start wandering with their cattle in search
of water & pasture. Young children take care of the goats & sheep,
and sometimes assist their mothers in fetching water & collecting
firewood.
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Canoeing
Safari - This is a
two-and-a-half hour
canoeing safari with a qualified guide in good quality and safe two-man
canoes run by Footprint Adventures. Life
jackets and water packs are provided. Guests receive all safety information
and set off on the water in the company of the canoeing guide. Canoeists
glide over the smooth lake water 20m offshore drifting past herds of
giraffe, buffalo, gazelle and elephant, ending with a refreshing drink stop.
Departure times from the gate are 07:30 and 14:30 and the length of
excursion is approx 3-and-a-half to 4 hours long. Level of strenuousness is
moderate (canoeing is always done with the wind from behind)
Mountain
Climbing:
Mt Kilimanjaro
Mt Meru
Mt Oldo-inyo_lengai
Mt Kenya
Zanzibar:
Snorkelling (Zanzibar)
Swimming with Dolphins (Zanzibar)
See more for Zanzibar
Excursions
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