ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK

 OVERVIEW:

ARUSHA National Park is a popular destination for day trip visitors who are about to embark from the town of Arusha on longer northern circuit safaris. The small national park includes the slopes, summit, and ash cone of Mt. Meru, the Momela Lakes, Ngurdoto Crater, and the lush highland forests that blanket its lower slopes.

Climbing Mt. Meru or enjoying the smaller trails that criss-cross its lower slopes is a popular activity for visitors to Arusha National Park. The three-day trek to reach the crater’s summit is a quieter, and some say more challenging alternative than the famous peak of nearby Mount Kilimanjaro.

Along the lower slopes, the paths to rivers and waterfalls create a relaxing day hike for visitors who don’t want to attempt the rather arduous climb. Ancient fig tree forests, crystal clear waters cascading from mountain streams, and a chance to spot colobus monkeys are the attractions and pleasures of Arusha National Park.

TOUR ITINERARY:

Make sure you have an early (and good!) breakfast because we leave market town Moshi at 8:00 am sharp for the hour’s drive to Arusha National Park. Once you arrive, you’ll stretch your legs on an out-of-this-world walking safari, accompanied by a ranger who will guide you through rainforest up to a sparkling waterfall where you’ll be able to spot black and white colobus monkeys going about their day.

After a tasty lunch you’ll hop in the Land Cruiser for a game drive that will take you through a wider scope of the park, including the Lakes of Momella and the Ngurduto Crater, and you’ll most likely spot buffalo, waterbuck, giraffe, warthogs, zebra and gazelle as well as a host of different bird species.

If you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of the shy leopard or elephant. Don’t forget your camera! After the drive, you’ll be driven back to Arusha/Moshi

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK OVERVIEW:

Located just a few hours drive from the town of Arusha, Tarangire is a popular stop for people travelling through the northern safari circuit on their way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. The park extends into two game controlled areas and the wildlife is allowed to move freely throughout.

Before the rains, droves of gazelles, wildebeests, zebras, and giraffes migrate to Tarangire National Park’s scrub plains where the last grazing land still remains. Tarangire offers an unparalleled game viewing, and during the dry season elephants abound.

Families of the pachyderms play around the ancient trunks of baobab trees and strip acacia bark from the thorn trees for their afternoon meal. Breathtaking views of the Maasai Steppe and the mountains in the south make a stopover at Tarangire a memorable experience.

TOUR ITINERARY:

With an early pick from your Arusha hotel at 08.00, our two-hour drive will take us the 120km to Tarangire National Park, one of Tanzania’s real treasures. You spend as much time as possible at the park, marvelling at all its wonderful wildlife with the assistance and expert knowledge of your Travel driver-guide. 

But don’t forget those elephants! You’ll spot herds of elephants of all ages; bachelor herds or herds of females – babies, teenagers, young mums and older mums all led by a matriarch. You might spot a majestic bull elephant, too, who travel alone.

After a stop for a tasty lunch somewhere picturesque and, of course, safe (we don’t want you to BE lunch), you’ll spend the afternoon back in the 4×4, drinking in all the sights and sounds of this perfect little park. At 16.00, we set off from the park to reach Arusha and your hotel again by 18.00.

NGORONGORO CRATER OVERVIEW:

A visit to the Ngorongoro Crater is an experience of a lifetime. There are few places that have wildlife densities and variety on this level. It is not unusual to see the Big Five in one day – and all this in the most amazing setting with a backdrop of the 600m/1,968ft-high crater wall.

The Ngorongoro Crater offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa. All the major safari animals occur in great numbers. The resident population of black rhino is a real treat, as rhino are very difficult to spot elsewhere in Tanzania. The crater is also home to some very impressive elephant bulls with huge tusks.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is stunningly beautiful. Aside from the well-known Ngorongoro Crater, Empakaai and Olmoti craters are scenic highlights as well. Both the Ngorongoro and Empakaai craters regularly have flocks of flamingo.

TOUR ITINERARY:

At 0600 hrs in the morning, be ready for a pick up from your hotel or from your stay in Arusha town, your driver guide will collect your picnic lunches, drive 190 km on tarmac road to Ngorongoro Conservation entry gate.

Ngorongoro Crater is one the largest intact caldera in the world and one of the most spectacular sights in the whole of Africa. All the BIG FIVE Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Elephant live in this wonderful caldera, others are Zebra, Hippo, Wildebeest, Hyena and more… Birds includes flamingos on the Soda lake, Geese, Storks, Vultures and more other bird families.

Your picnic lunch will be served in the Crater picnic site at Ngoitokok swamp, a Hippo pool, after lunch proceeds with afternoon game viewing. At 1500 hrs ascend the Crater and drive back to Arusha.

MAJIMOTO TOUR OVERVIEW:

Chemka Hot Springs in Moshi, Tanzania also known by some as Maji Moto, known locally as Kikuletwa Hotsprings, is paradisiac oasis amidst the Tanzanian savannah. The crystal clear springs offers captivating, Bounty-styled views, and dense vegetation around making it a real oasis in the middle of the African plains.

The Chemka Hot Springs is located in an area locally known as Rundugai a merely 2-hour drive from Moshi (Tanzania) which is the main climbing hub for Mt Kilimanjaro climbing and approximately the same distance from Arusha the safari hub of Northern Tanzania and Africa.

A visit to the Chemka Hot Springs is a great way to start or finish your Kilimanjaro climbing tour or Tanzania wildlife safari tour if you want to visit Tanzania for a wildlife viewing adventure.

TOUR ITINERARY:

Experience a slice of local life with a visit to the idyllic oasis that is Kikuleta Hotsprings. Better known as ‘Maji Moto’, this gorgeous geothermal spring is a popular playground with locals and international visitors alike.

You’ll depart from your Arusha or Moshi hotel and make the two-hour drive to Maji Moto. This scenic drive takes you off the tourist trail and offers a glimpse into local life: bustling markets, local farms, and the like.

You’ll then spend a few hours soaking in the pleasantly warm waters, swinging on the rope swing, relaxing in the sun-dappled shade of the trees, and feasting on local favourites such as chips maiyai (a French fry omelette) and nyama choma (BBQ).

After your fun in the sun, you’ll return to your lodge or continue on to your next destination.

TOUR OVERVIEW:

Tanzanian coffee is famous around the world for its rich flavors, so why not go straight to the source and try it for yourself?

The Kahawa coffee plantation is located in the village of Nkoaranga, about 25 kilometers from Arusha. Here, you’ll have the chance to tour a working coffee plantation, roast and grind your own beans, and enjoy a hot cup of the freshest coffee you’ll ever have.

Couple this with a hot local lunch and your own bag of Tanzanian coffee beans to bring home and you’ve got the recipe for a delicious cultural experience.

The Coffee Walk is a walking day trip, and can also be done in a couple of hours, if you are in a hurry. Many people like to do this tour before or after a safari, or before travelling home with their evening flight.

TOUR ITINERARY:

You will visit a local organic and Fair Trade coffee farm in Nkoaranga Village, 25km east of Arusha. Our guest house is in the same village. The farm is one of the farms of Aranga Coffee Group, the group which Wild Tracks buy the coffee from.

First, your local guide will show you the village and tell you about its history. You will see the oldest Lutheran church in Mt. Meru, visit a primary or secondary school, and as you walk to the farm you will see small shambas (farms), where people grow banana, maize, beans and other vegetables and fruits.

The last stop is our coffee roasting factory. Here, you can taste freshly roasted coffee while you see the process of the roasting and grinding coffee. You will get a free bag of your favorite coffee bag to bring home, and we also have other souvenirs from Tanzania.