DAY 1
DAR ES SALAAM
Arrive Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and transfer to your hotel for overnight.

Days 2-3
MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
Board The Safari Express which takes you to the Mikumi National Park. The stylish and comfortable train travels along the coastal strip through villages and towns before diverting inland along the northern border of the Selous Game Reserve and arrives at Udzungwa where you are then driven to your tented camp in Mikumi National Park. Here you experience the vast array of wildlife by taking game drives in search of giraffe, buffalo, zebra, eland and greater kudu. Predators abound, including leopard, tree-climbing lion, the endangered wild dog and black-backed jackal.

Days 4-5
RUAHA NATIONAL PARK
Fly by small plane to the Ruaha National Park which is one of the wildest and most remote of the Tanzanian parks. It is of particular interest since animals from both East Africa and Southern Africa may be found here, such as wild dog, roan antelope, sable antelope, lesser kudu and Grant's gazelle.

Game drives take you into amazing varieties of habitat such as Miombo woodland, acacia tortilis, rough hilly terrain, grassy plains, stunning granite ridges and the sand river bed. During the dry season the buffalo come to drink at the waterholes where lions lie in wait. This is one of the best places in Africa to observe the natural interaction of predator and prey.

Your lodge overlooks the Great Ruaha River and is built from local stone and thatch, providing the perfect setting for relaxing between bush excursions. From the seclusion of your verandah you can watch wild animals as they descend from the hills to quench their thirst and nibble on the green grass.

Days 6-8
KATAVI NATIONAL PARK
Charter to Katavi National Park, Tanzania's third largest, which offers untouched African wilderness and a landscape of open grassy plains interspersed with miombo woodland, acacia forests, small lakes, and swampy wetlands. Vast herds of buffalo graze amidst flocks of water birds and high concentrations of lion, leopard, zebra, masai giraffe, and black legged topi are found in the grasslands. In the rivers, hippopotamus battle for space with crocodile, and elephant emerge from the woodlands to drink and bathe. There are over 400 bird species, including the Angolan pitta, black-faced barbet and blue swallow.

Your camp is very exclusive with only six luxurious tents set back amongst the trees that line the floodplain, providing both shade and camouflage in a prime game viewing area of the park.

Days 9-12
SELOUS GAME RESERVE
Charter to the Selous Game Reserve which forms the basis of the largest wildlife sanctuary in Africa, covering 46,500 square miles of virgin wilderness. This beautiful reserve is home to Africa's largest populations of elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile and some of the last remaining packs of wild dog. Within a short distance from the lodge are many sites of interest, such as The Tagallala Hot Springs (which are thought to be the origin of the 1905 Maji Maji rebellion), Frederick Courtney Selous' grave, and other interesting World War I sites.

Boat trips are available on the Rufiji River where you float past pods of shiny hippos and sunbathing crocodiles. Here you also witness the lush palms along the riverbank and listen to the call of monkeys.

The camp is comprised of large comfortable safari tents situated on raised platforms with attached private bathrooms.

Day 13
DAR ES SALAAM / HOMEWARD
Fly from the Selous to Dar es Salaam where you board your flight homeward.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION: MAHALE MOUNTAINS

Days 13-16 MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Fly by small plane to Mahale Mountains National Park which has been described as an earthly paradise - remote, exotic and captivating. Dramatic emerald peaks and fine white sand lapped by the crystal clear waters of Lake Tanganyika make this an opulent and stunningly beautiful place.

Your camp is very exclusive and each of the elegant thatched open cottages are situated on the edge of the forest facing the lake. Often sited by architectural magazines as one of the most original and stylish camps in Africa, the private thatched chalets are made of cleverly assembled pieces of old dhows and smooth wood.

The chimpanzees are the highlight of your experience here. Every day you are able to track them in the stunning tropical rainforest with skilled guides and trackers. Once found, you have the honor of observing their daily life. After a day with the chimpanzees, you may also fish, snorkel, swim and canoe.

Day 17 DAR ES SALAAM / HOMEWARD
Fly to Dar es Salaam where you board your flight homeward.

NOTE: This is just one example of many custom itineraries we can do for you in this diverse country.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tour Includes:
All air charters and scheduled flights - internal Africa. All ground transportation, accommodation, all meals except at the hotel in Dar es Salaam, all bottled water and soft beverages, laundry, guides, park fees, and all activities in itinerary.

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