Trip Overview

Exploring Tanzania with AdventureWomen is the perfect choice for a first-time safari, where you’ll get to stay in custom-designed glamping tents, travel with expert naturalist guides, immerse yourself in local culture, and best of all, see more African wildlife than you could have imagined!

Begin your Tanzania adventure with a scenic flight to the Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem, where you’ll meet your Tanzanian guides, experts in wildlife spotting and behavior, and the driver of your customized, four-wheel-drive Land Rover Defender, complete with a pop-top roof for wildlife viewing and a window seat for each of you. You’ll meet other incredible individuals on your journey. They will help make your experience a fun and personally fulfilling adventure and will cheer you on as you reach beyond your comfort zone and embrace new challenges!

Head to camp where you’ll enjoy an exciting stay in an airy and beautiful tent, or nyumba (Swahili for “home”), perfectly placed to allow better views of passing giraffes and unique birdlife. The rustic comforts of your nyumba, including en-suite bathrooms, fine linens, and full-service camp offer the quintessential bush safari experience.

The Serengeti

For centuries, the nomadic Maasai people have made the lands outside of the Serengeti their home. Learn firsthand about their culture by visiting them in a boma, their traditional homes, to meet Maasai women living there. A group of women will also visit you at camp for a women-only meeting. The topic for this discussion will be chosen prior to your trip, but this is a unique opportunity to learn about their very different lives: raising kids in remote villages, being one of multiple wives, their traditional, gender-defined domestic roles, and becoming entrepreneurs. These unforgettable women and their stories will surely be the highlights of the trip.

Friendships grow day to day through shared experiences with your fellow safari adventurers. Walk and talk on a morning wildlife hike while you each point out different discoveries such as silver-backed jackals and grazing impala, and learn tracking techniques together. See which of your new AdventureWomen friends has the sharpest eyes on a very special night drive as you watch for nocturnal aardvarks, porcupines, and spring hares.

As you drive through the majestic Serengeti National Park, quietly observe zebras, lions, elephants, and cheetahs as they wander these iconic plains. You’ll enjoy three days of the best wildlife viewing on earth, including sightings of the Great Migration that involves over 2 million adult and juvenile wildebeest and other grazing mammals. An optional sunrise hot-air balloon ride will offer breathtaking views of the Serengeti and an elegant full breakfast with a champagne toast right in the bush when you land.

Ngorongoro Highlands

End your journey in the Ngorongoro Highlands, a lush hilly region of Tanzania that holds the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater. Visit the crater floor, a self-contained ecosystem that holds over 30,000 unique animals, including all of the Big Five. Because they have poor eyesight, rhinos tend to be bashful, but if you’re lucky you’ll catch a glimpse of one of these endangered mammals. Gourmet meals and stunning accommodations at award-winning Gibb’s Farm are a perfect way to unwind after an adventure-filled journey.

Experience the joys of glamping in the bush, the magic of sunrise on the Serengeti, and thrilling safari drives into the hills and plains to see Tanzania’s most majestic creatures roaming free!

Main Attractions

  • Experience wildlife viewing drives in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater to spot Africa’s Big Five, colorful birdlife, and dozens of species of African animals
  • Get to know talented naturalist wildlife guides and learn about wildlife conservation in Tanzania
  • Spend time with Maasai women, learning about what their lives are like in a polygamous society
  • Stay in comfortable safari camps falling asleep to wildlife calls, then enjoy classic farm-to-table cuisine at Gibb’s Farm

What You'll See and Do

  • 4x4
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Birding
  • Cultural Exploration
  • Glamping
  • Hiking
  • Local Delicacies
  • National Parks
  • Natural History
  • Photography
  • Sightseeing
  • Wildlife Safari
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Women-To-Women Exchanges

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686

Trip Itinerary

The AdventureWomen itineraries are subject to change depending on the chosen departure date. To view a specific departure itinerary, simply click on the "Browse Detailed Itinerary" button above and select your date.

Day 1

Arrive in Arusha
Exploring Tanzania with AdventureWomen is the perfect choice for a first-time safari, where you’ll get to stay in custom-designed glamping tents, travel with expert naturalist guides, immerse yourself in local culture, and best of all, see more African wildlife than you could have imagined!

During your adventure you’ll get to know your Tanzanian guides, experts in wildlife spotting and behavior, and the driver of your customized, four-wheel-drive Land Rover Defender, complete with a pop-top roof for wildlife viewing and a window seat for each of you. You are also accompanied by an AdventureWomen Ambassador, committed to helping make your experience a fun and personally rewarding adventure, and cheering you on as you reach beyond your comfort zone to take on new challenges in your own unique way!

You will be picked up at Kilimanjaro Airport and transferred to your comfortable lodge. One group transfer is provided for the Delta/KLM arrival today. Private transfers for other arrivals are available for an additional fee.

Enjoy a light snack at the lodge before turning in for the night. Your adventure starts early tomorrow!

Snack

Overnight: Mount Meru Game Lodge

Day 2

Arusha to the Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem
Have breakfast with your group before driving to the small Arusha Airport. Take a short scenic flight from Arusha to the eastern Serengeti ecosystem.

Your guide will welcome your group at the remote airstrip. He will accompany you throughout your safari, offering cultural insights, wildlife spotting expertise and in-depth knowledge of wildlife behavior.

Enjoy a brief tour and history of the 10,000+ acre refuge as you make your way to camp. Enjoy wildlife viewing along the way, one of the tangible results of conservation efforts in the area. Giraffe, eland, dik dik, ostrich, leopard, and even wild dog can be seen in this unique wildlife haven.

Immerse yourself in the semi-nomadic culture of the Maasai by visiting a boma, which is a settlement of circular mud-and-dung Maasai homes. Learn more about their extraordinary culture as you tour the boma and take in the scenes of village life.

Enjoy a welcome dinner and the full Tanzanian hospitality that comes with it!

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Eastern Serengeti Nyumba

Day 3

Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem
Enjoy a light breakfast before heading out on a morning hike. The terrain will be fairly mild, but make sure that you’ve got comfortable shoes with good traction. Being out on the plains on foot at this time of day is magical.

Visit a school, teachers’ housing, or medical dispensary to learn how tourism can impact the community in positive ways through collaboration and understanding.

Enjoy wildlife viewing this afternoon in the Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem. Be on the lookout for rarer species, such as the bat-eared fox and the smaller animals that are sometimes overlooked, such as the mongoose, hyrax, dik dik, and klipspringer.

Maasai elder Nekaaki Kioki is a feisty grandmother and fantastic storyteller. She knows hundreds of Maasai folktales and tells them in a truly dramatic fashion. Travelers usually gather around the campfire to listen to her tell folktales, which are translated into English.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Eastern Serengeti Nyumba

Day 4

Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem
The morning hours offer ideal moments for wildlife viewing in the Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem. Perhaps you will spot a silver-backed jackal or even a big cat on the prowl.

The Enjipai Women’s Group was formed by a small group of Maasai women with a great entrepreneurial spirit. Now numbering over 100 members, the collaborative already has several successful microfinance initiatives underway. This is a precious opportunity to learn about their very different lives: raising kids in the remote villages, being one of multiple wives, their traditional, gender-defined domestic roles, and becoming entrepreneurs.

Sit down this afternoon with a small group of local Maasai women and a translator to have a conversation about a particular topic (to be determined prior to your trip). No men will be present during this conversation, so you will have a chance to share details of your life as well as to ask questions of the local women. This is a unique opportunity to connect with the Maasai on a deeper level.

Hop in the vehicles after dark for a night drive in the Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem. Night drives offer thrills and possible sightings of nocturnal creatures, such as spring hares, aardvarks, and porcupines. More than anything, the night drive offers an adventure few travelers in Tanzania have the chance to experience.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Eastern Serengeti Nyumba

Day 5

Eastern Serengeti Ecosystem to the Serengeti National Park
Enjoy the journey to your next Nyumba camp, as there will be plenty to see along the way. Perhaps you will come across a chase between predator and prey; maybe you will spot a wake of vultures; or maybe you will be lucky enough to find a leopard relaxing high in the limbs of an acacia tree.

Enjoy a boxed lunch along the way to maximize your time with the wildlife.

Spend an afternoon wildlife viewing in the Serengeti. The big cats often spend these hours lying drowsily about the plains and up in the trees while many antelope and other animals continue to graze.

Enjoy your Nyumba, whether you get in a workout with a Keep Fit Kit, learn a traditional Tanzanian game from your guide, write in your journal, or simply put up your feet and relax with a drink by the campfire.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Central Serengeti Nyumba

Day 6

Serengeti National Park
Those with advance reservations will have the opportunity to balloon across the plains during one of your mornings in the Serengeti. A pre-dawn wake-up call leaves you time to drive to the balloon launch site in order to catch the most dramatic light. Take to the skies just as the sun rises. Glide over the plains and acacia treetops, taking in spectacular views of the Seronera River Valley and the surrounding plains. After your descent, enjoy a magnificent champagne breakfast right in the midst of the Serengeti wilderness.

There is nothing as marvelous as traversing the plains of the Serengeti just after dawn and through the morning hours. Look for herds of wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, impala, eland, topi, and more out on the savannah.

For those who opt not to take the balloon excursion, there is much to discover within arm’s reach of camp; learn how to identify animal footprints and bird calls with your guide.

Once you return “home” from wildlife viewing, take time to sit by the fire and relax. Exchange stories of the day, write in your journals, or simply enjoy the fresh evening breeze.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Central Serengeti Nyumba

Day 7

Serengeti National Park
Explore the pristine landscapes of the Serengeti with your guide’s uncanny wildlife-spotting instincts leading the way. Expansive plains, rolling hills, dramatic granite outcrops and riverine valleys are home to an endless variety of fascinating creatures, from the lowly dung beetle to the impressive elephant.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in a scenic spot. This afternoon, spend more time seeking out wildlife and exploring the Serengeti’s rich landscapes. The so-called Big Five and the Great Migration are the most well-known of the Serengeti’s offerings, but there is much more to see. Thousands of equally fascinating dramas of a smaller scale play themselves out on these endless plains.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Central Serengeti Nyumba

Day 8

Serengeti National Park to the Ngorongoro Highlands
Take a scenic flight from the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Highlands.

Savor lunch at Gibb’s Farm, where nearly every ingredient comes fresh from the estate’s organic farm. With delicacies to suit every palate, this is sure to be a memorable meal.

You may choose to spend the afternoon relaxing on the verandah with tea or taking advantage of innumerable optional activities: a farm or garden tour, bird watching, coffee roasting, and more.

Take a leisurely stroll on your own through the gardens at Gibb’s Farm to stretch your legs. Enjoy the quiet atmosphere, the abundance of beautiful plantings and the views out into the surrounding highlands.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodations: Gibb’s Farm

Day 9

Ngorongoro Highlands
Visit the Ngorongoro Crater, where you are likely to find an abundance of wildlife. With luck, you might even see rhinoceros and big cats, such as lion and cheetah. The diversity of species often inspires awe, from baboons and elephants in the Lerai Forest to wildebeest and mountain reedbuck over the crater’s grassy floor. To maximize your wildlife viewing time on the crater floor, enjoy your picnic lunch near a hippo pool.

This evening, relax at the Tembo Fire, an open-air sitting area nestled at the foot of the organic gardens. The tradition of the nightly campfire began as a purely practical measure to ensure that elephants – or “tembo” in Swahili – are not tempted to feast in the organic gardens at night. It soon became a popular place to sit and relax at the end of the day. Now, with a comfortable seating area and full bar, the Tembo Fire makes a wonderful place for conversation, storytelling, or star-gazing.

Enjoy your farewell dinner in Tanzania, giving you time to reflect on the many sights, adventures, and experiences that you will remember for years and years to come.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Gibb’s Farm

Day 10

Depart Tanzania
A shopping mainstay in Arusha, the Cultural Heritage Center attracts many travelers each year with its abundance of wooden carvings, artifacts, apparel, and crafts. The center also has Tanzanite and other gemstones for sale.

Enjoy a special farewell lunch in Arusha. Visit the adjoining Shanga workshop where physically challenged artisans create remarkable jewelry, learn glass-blowing, and sell their work.

Enjoy a day room in Arusha, resting up and readying yourself for your departure.Have a nutritious snack, including a variety of nuts, fruit, vegetables and other treats to enjoy now or on your flight home.

Say goodbye to your new AdventureWomen friends as you transfer to the airport for your flights home. One group transfer is included for the Delta/KLM flight this evening. Private transfers for other arrivals are available for an additional fee.

Breakfast, Lunch, Snack

Day Room: Mount Meru Hotel

If you’d like to continue your adventure, ask us about our Tarangire National Park and Zanzibar extensions!

Please note: AdventureWomen will attempt to adhere to the itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, and cultural) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. AdventureWomen reserves the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if necessary. We will attempt to notify participants of changes as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility of the participants. 

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686

Traveling to Tanzania



Arrival and Departure Information

May 21, 2024 Departure:

Arrive: Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on May 21, 2024 at any time. A group transfer from the airport to the hotel will be provided when most guests arrive (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

Depart: Depart Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) after 7:00 PM on May 30, 2024. A group transfer to the airport will be provided in the evening when most guests depart (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

October 10, 2024 Departure:

Arrive: Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on October 10, 2024 at any time. A group transfer from the airport to the hotel will be provided when most guests arrive (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

Depart: Depart Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) after 7:00 PM on October 19, 2024. A group transfer to the airport will be provided in the evening when most guests depart (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

October 27, 2024 Departure:

Arrive: Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on October 27, 2024 at any time. A group transfer from the airport to the hotel will be provided when most guests arrive (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

Depart: Depart Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) after 7:00 PM on November 5, 2024. A group transfer to the airport will be provided in the evening when most guests depart (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

May 31, 2025 Departure:

Arrive: Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on May 31, 2025 at any time. A group transfer from the airport to the hotel will be provided when most guests arrive (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

Depart: Depart Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) after 7:00 PM on June 9, 2025. A group transfer to the airport will be provided in the evening when most guests depart (exact time to be determined). Private transfers at other times are available for purchase.

We are happy to help you make your flight and travel arrangements. If you’d like to do anything prior to or following the AdventureWomen trip, we’d be delighted to help you arrange any trip extensions you’re interested in.

Note: The recent trend in travel is for travelers to finalize their plans much closer to departure time than was customary in the past. While we try to be as flexible as possible booking last-minute registrants, we must release hotel rooms two to three months prior to departure! Please keep this in mind when making your travel plans.

Preparation and Packing  

Please use the following guides as a reference when preparing for your adventure. We also encourage you to adapt the guides to your travel style as well as the destination’s forecasted weather.  

Gratuities  

Gratuities are a personal decision and are at your own discretion based on your level of satisfaction with the service provided. Gratuities are dependent upon the number of guests on your departure, and they vary greatly from trip to trip. As a general reference, AdventureWomen suggests you plan for $210-$300 (or more) worth of gratuities for this adventure. Specific tipping recommendations for your trip will be provided to you closer to your departure date and may fluctuate due to inflation, exchange rates, and the number of travelers on your trip. 

Passports and Visas

Citizens of the United States must have a passport valid for six months beyond your travel dates with at least two blank facing pages. If you do not have a passport, please apply now!

You need a visa to enter Tanzania. No earlier than 90 days prior to departure, obtain a Tanzania Entry Visa from the Embassy of Tanzania in the United States, or no earlier than 45 days prior from the High Commission of Tanzania in Canada.

We will send you a Tanzania visa application, an information form with visa instructions, and a letter to enclose three months prior to your departure.

Activity Level

We rate this trip as Moderate. Our Moderate adventures exercise your mind more than your body and are designed for women who prefer a leisurely, less rigorous experience. For example, you could walk up to 2 miles per day through cities and villages, stand in museums for a few hours, relax on a boat, or view wildlife from a vehicle. Please note that this is a general description of what you might encounter; for specific details about your trip, please consult the itinerary.

We recommend training before your trip (with your doctor’s permission) to make the most of your adventure. With this itinerary in mind, we have a partnership with Trailblazer Wellness, a woman-owned, women-run company that will design an individualized fitness plan just for you! Best of all, AdventureWomen guests get a 10% discount with the code AVW. Learn more on the Trailblazer Wellness website.

Health Considerations

Make an appointment with a travel clinic, as they may have recommendations for vaccines and medications based on the destination as well as your age, health, and past vaccination history.

For more health information, go to www.cdc.gov/travel and navigate to the page about Tanzania.

How to Register

Call the AdventureWomen office at (800) 804-8686 to determine space availability and register for this trip. We can complete your registration, including taking your credit card deposit over the phone.

If you prefer, you can register online by clicking “Sign Up for this Trip” on the trip page.

Please be sure to read the AdventureWomen policies before registering!

Forms and Final Payment

The deposit for this trip is $800. You can transfer your deposit to another trip with no additional fee if you notify us within 120 days of the original trip departure date. We can hold your deposit for up to six months as a credit. Failure to book a new trip within this timeframe will result in the forfeiture of your deposit.

Once you book, you will need to fill out and return to AdventureWomen:

  • Information Form
  • Booking Conditions Form
  • Copy of Flight Information
  • Copy of Issuing Page of Passport (Photo Page)
  • Supplement Health and Safety Form

Final payment is due to AdventureWomen in a cash form (check, money order, or wire transfer). A maximum of $1,500 per person can be put on a credit card, which includes your deposit.

May 21, 2024 Departure Final Payment Due Date: February 21, 2024

October 10, 2024 Departure Final Payment Due Date: July 12 2024

October 27, 2024 Departure Final Payment Due Date: July 29, 2024

May 31, 2025 Departure Final Payment Due Date: March 2, 2025

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686

What's Included

Included

  • Accommodations as per itinerary based on double occupancy
  • All meals as listed in the itinerary
  • All park fees
  • Services of professional safari guides and drivers
  • Services of Nyumba camp staff including chef and waitstaff
  • Land transportation in a customized safari vehicle
  • Guaranteed window seating in safari vehicles
  • Unlimited mileage in safari vehicles
  • Flights within Tanzania as indicated in the itinerary (priced separately)
  • Activities as indicated in the itinerary
  • Drinking water available in large jugs to refill personal bottles
  • Airport transfers for Delta/KLM flights on scheduled arrival/
    departure days
  • Baggage handling

Not Included

  • International airfare to and from Tanzania
  • Optional activities
  • Meals not specified in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages (unless otherwise specified)
  • Fees for passports, visas, immunizations, or travel insurance
  • Cost of hospitalization or evacuation
  • Items of a personal nature
  • Gratuities for guides, drivers, and camp staff
  • Mandatory local emergency evacuation insurance

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686

Accommodations

Mount Meru Game Lodge

This former private residence is a unique property located on the outskirts of Arusha; it has been a refuge for injured or orphaned animals for over 15 years. Homey, comfortable cottages are placed throughout the garden, while in the main building, an elegant lounge and dining area offer a quiet place to relax and share safari stories. At one end of the picturesque garden, there is a semi-enclosed park-like setting where marabou stork, zebra, gazelle, warthog and even elephant recover from injuries obtained in the wild. Depending on their condition, every effort is made to reintroduce them to the wild.

Amenities:
Soap, shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer available upon request, electricity, limited
Wi-Fi

Eastern Serengeti Nyumba

Your Nyumba offers exquisite, environmentally responsible comforts and personalized care. En-suite bathrooms have water-saving safari showers and self-contained, pump-flush toilets. Enjoy a refreshing beverage at your private verandah as you look out to the acacia-covered plains where giraffe, wildebeest, and gazelle sometimes graze. This is Tanzania at its boundless magical best.

Amenities:
En-suite bath with pump-flush camp toilets and safari showers; soap, shampoo, conditioner

Central Serengeti Nyumba

Your nyumba is a spacious, walk-in tent, where you will find all the comforts you need out in the bush: artfully crafted furnishings, cozy bedding with fine linens, solar-powered, eco-friendly lighting, and an en-suite bathroom with shower and self-contained pump-flush toilet.

Amenities:
En-suite bath with pump-flush camp toilets and safari showers; soap, shampoo, conditioner

Gibb's Farm

Travel + Leisure’s Best Safari Lodge in Africa – Gibb's Farm is a getaway for the senses hidden in the rolling hills of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Enjoy an afternoon at the spa, an evening on your private veranda, a dinner decked with fresh farm-to-table delicacies and rich South African wines as this world class lodge caters to your every indulgence. The country’s longest-standing farm and coffee plantation, Gibb’s Farm delivers its peaceful comforts with authentic East African flair.

Amenities: Soap, shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer, electricity, Wi-Fi

Mount Meru Hotel

An Arusha mainstay near the busy downtown area, the Mount Meru Hotel sits on a 15-acre garden and provides comfortable, modern accommodations. Amenities include cable TV in all rooms, internet access, currency exchange facilities, concierge, massage services, babysitting on request, playground for children, outdoor swimming pool, sun bed, a volleyball court, and a nearby golf course. The Themi Grill serves both international and African cuisine.

Amenities: Soap, shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer, electricity, Wi-Fi

Please note that all amenities were current when written and are subject to change at any time.

If you're curious about this trip, we would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Call us ~ 1.800.804.8686