Tanzania Walking Safari
5 Good Reasons To Do This Trip!
Chart your own course off the main safari drag to experience a Tanzania most visitors never see – some of the world’s most remote and untouched wilderness, only-seen-here wildlife and end-of-day fiery sunsets.
Scavenger hunts, intimate meetings with locals and smack-in-the-middle-of-it meals in the wild dot the itinerary to keep you on your toes, eager for what’s around the bend.
Game Drives are a must in Tanzania, so this trip has plenty. It’s your chance to spot the Big 5 – lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and the critically endangered black rhino – plus giraffes, hippos and more.
Never thought you’d see a pink lake on this trip, right? Lake Natron, salty by nature and surreal in colour, is the place you’ll find calcified animals, human history and a million pink flamingos.
Your Camino Crew is a small group of adventurous, curious women who like to travel solo – and it’s not uncommon to walk away with lifelong friendships… or at least someone to compare wildlife pics with over dinner.
Uncover more info by clicking the tabs below!
Trip Details
| Dates | Price AUD (per person twin share) |
|---|---|
|
|
|
$2,407 AUD
Private Supplement: +$363
|
Details
- 2 week cooling off period applies.
- Lifetime Deposit. If you need to cancel, your deposit is transferable to other trips.
- Twin Share: we’ll match you with a roomie if you’re travelling solo.
- Partial private supplement available: max 4 spots
Please refer to our payment terms in the FAQs.
Trip length
13 days, 12 nights
Meeting point
Olerai Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania
Departure point
Olerai Lodge, Arusha, Tanzania
Group size
Maximum 14
Participation requirements
- You’re open-minded and open-hearted.
- You try to embrace the little things.
- You love adventure and the surprises that come with it.
- You are gracious to others and a team player.
Fitness
Level 3 – Moderate Plus
A fair amount of endurance and a slightly more than moderate level of fitness is needed for our Level 3 rated trips. Expect to walk for between 4 and 7 hours a day, that’s somewhere between 10 and 15 kilometres. Also keep in mind that we’ll need to cover that distance at a fairly moderate pace through undulating terrain. Some days may be solely devoted to trekking through isolated wilderness, while others are dedicated to relaxation and cultural experiences. Half-day cycle tours are a regular addition to many of our trips – another somewhat challenging physical activity that allows you to see a destination in a whole new light!
Included
- Arrival and departure transfers
- Meals: 12 breakfasts, 11 lunches and 12 dinners
- Private vehicle transportation/4WD transportation
- 6 nights hotel accommodation
- 6 nights wildlife camping
- A top-rated and English-speaking Tour Leader
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance (compulsory)
- Personal trekking equipment
- Late check-out at hotels
- Meals and drinks not mentioned in the itinerary
- Drinks with included lunches and dinners
- Tip kitty
- Personal expenditure
- Visa Fee
Accommodation Preview
Olerai Lodge
BSG Marera Valley Lodge
Under the Shade Safari Lodge
Overview
Trip Summary By Days
|
|
Welcome to Tanzania! | |||||
|
|
Scavenger Hunt in Mto Wa Mbu Village | |||||
|
|
Ngorongoro Crater Game Drive | |||||
|
|
Hiking Karatu to Kamnana Village | 12km | 4-5hrs | |||
|
|
Hiking Kamnana Village to Empaakai Crater | 16km | 6-7hrs | |||
|
|
Hiking Empaakai Crater to Naiyobi Village | 15km | 5-6hrs | |||
|
|
Hiking Naiyobi to Mounwongoni | 18km | 6-7hrs | |||
|
|
Hiking Mounwongoni to Lake Natron | 22km | 6-8hrs | |||
|
|
Exploring Lake Natron Area on foot | |||||
|
|
Game drive in Lake Natron Area. Head to Tarangire National Park after the game drive | |||||
|
|
Game drive in Tarangire National Park | |||||
|
|
Head back to Arusha for some rest and Farewell dinner | |||||
|
|
Departure day | |||||
| Totals: | 83km | 27-33hrs | 12 | 11 | 12 |
Trip Map
Get to Know Your Donkey Trail Walking Safari Itinerary
What You'll See & Do
Day 1 – Arrival
Karibu and welcome to Tanzania! You’ll barely have time to switch your phone from airplane mode before your driver whisks you from the airport to your first pitstop, Arusha. Wait… was that a monkey hanging around outside your lodge?
Often called the ‘Safari Capital of Tanzania’, it’s no surprise really that Arusha, a buzzing city-hub, should be the natural starting point for your about-to-kick-off trek. Arriving early? Take this opportunity to explore the town, and definitely don’t miss your first (of many) cups of high-quality Arabica coffee, grown and harvested – in this case – just down the road. This evening, kick off your adventure for real with the official welcome dinner, where you’ll finally get to meet your fellow Caminos, compare hiking boots and practice your Swahili. Jambo!
Accommodation: Olerai Lodge, Arusha
Included: Dinner
Day 2 – Karatu
Today could have been just a travel day toward Ngorongoro, but you’ll be so busy making discoveries along the way that you may find yourself wishing the journey would last even longer. A stop in the small town of Karatu to scour the local market for handicrafts will have you working up a bit of sweat – best refresh yourself with a local brew at the local brew afterwards.
The real gem of the day however is the Scavenger Hunt you’ll take on in Mto Wa Mbu, a true melting pot of Tanzania’s 120 tribes. Hop on a bike, flex your brain and get to solving the puzzles your guide lays out for you. We won’t reveal what you might discover where ‘X’ marks the spot, but it’s safe to say that what you learn about local culture along the way could be the true treasure.
Accommodation: Marera Valley Lodge, Karatu
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3 – Ngorongoro Crater
Your eagerness is about to be rewarded It’s time to dive head-first into the full safari experience at the Eighth Natural Wonder of the World. Leave your bags at the lodge and prepare yourself (as if it were possible to be ready for this!) for the Ngorongoro Crater. A place where the Maasai and wild animals live side by side, you’ll spend all day right in the middle of it.
Prop yourself up in an open-top vehicle and keep an eye out for the wild animals that call this flourishing, lost world home. Your chances of spotting Africa’s Big Five here are high, and you’ll want to keep your binoculars nearby to catch sightings of lions stealthing about in the tall grass. Pro tip: this is one of the best places to spy one of Africa’s rarest animals – the black rhino. If you’re feeling really brave – or just hungry after all this amazement – tuck into a picnic lunch in the presence of your barrel-shaped ‘neighbours’ in the famous hippo pool… our guide will make sure you have the best viewing point!
Accommodation: Marera Valley Lodge, Karatu
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4 – Lake Magadi
This morning, fuel up with a filling breakfast and grab an extra mandazi before lacing up your boots, because it’s time to get stuck into some real hiking. Get your heart racing on well-trodden cattle paths, in the footsteps of the Maasai. The trail will carry you through acacia forests of umbrella-shaped trees and open grasslands, at the foot of several ancient volcanoes rising to meet you (although hopefully not too excitedly, we’d rather they keep their cool). Worried about tired feet? You’ll be too busy snapping the next wildlife pic of the year to even notice.
They say the journey is the destination, but when the actual destination is your camp in Kamnana Village, the goal is just as sweet as getting there. Remain one with nature while getting some well-deserved, restful sleep, and take a wood-fire heated shower to soothe your muscles.
Accommodation: Campsite in Kamnana village
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5 – Empakai Crater
Now that your legs have warmed up, it’s time for an absolute cannot-be-missed hike to the Empakai Crater. You’ll be on top of the world at the crater rim, keeping an eye out for smoke at the distant Ol Doinoyo Lengai volcano and sneaking a preview of Tanzania’s alien-looking pink (or, let’s be honest here, it’s more like blood-red) Lake Natron. You’ll get to see it up close soon!
Did you manage to get your fill of these panoramic vistas across Tanzania’s northern highlands? Time to take a deep breath and start your steep descent into the crater. It will challenge your endurance, but you will be well rewarded for your effort. Did you catch sight of the blue monkeys in the trees? Hear the hyenas laugh? Exactly! This crater hike is often overlooked by tourists. Take this chance to absorb the experience of being alone with your fellow Caminos and guide in this wilderness, and your own personal symphony of birdsong, before heading back to the rim where you’ve earned an epic night’s sleep.
Accommodation: Empakaai Crater rim campsite
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6 – Empakai rim and Maasai friends
Spend the morning stretching your hamstrings, recharging your energy stores and confirming with your Camino gang which animals have already come your way. You’re only halfway through, with so much left to see.
Your lungs – and your heart – will expand in the vastness of the Empakai rim, as you take the long way around. Don’t miss this chance to really feel the sights and sounds of Tanzania sink into your bones. It’s a feeling that will remain long after you’ve come down from this mountain.
Landing in the village of Naiyobi, get ready for a cultural appreciation encounter like no other, meeting with the soul-warming and generous Maasai locals. Hopefully you’re hungry (after that hike, how could you not be!), because you’re about to dive into the mouth-watering flavours of traditional Maasai cooking. Psst, don’t tell, but we’ve snuck in a secret, heart-hugging surprise trip into your schedule before you set up camp underneath the sweet scents of an acacia grove.
Accommodation: Ngorongoro camp
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7 – Mounwongoni Village
Today you rise at dawn to set out on a seemingly world-crossing trek that will transport you a whopping 11 kilometres, from the greenery of the highlands to dusty,wide trails. Let your mind drift as you wander, with each turn a mind-boggling, can’t-believe-it’s-real change in scenery, vegetation and animal life. The symphony of birdsong will be the soundtrack to both of your journeys: the physical one, and the one that is hard to put into words until you’ve experienced it. Your soul may leave your body, but your steady steps (and chatting with a new-found friend or two) will keep you grounded.
The best news? Your glutes will get a break since this hike is mainly downhill! Snag a steady walking stick and you’re on your way.
Accommodation: Ngorongoro camp
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8 – Lake Natron
Are you ready for another breath-tumbling moment of landscape change? They keep coming your way! Under the watchful eye of Ol Doinyo Lengai, you and the Crew will wend across the land to end up at the impossible shores of the ‘toxic’ soda lake, Natron. This is surely one of the most anticipated days of the trip so far. Just take care to not get calcified, as so many animals have, in its waters!
In a region filled to the brim with natural wonders, this one is far enough off the beaten path to let you gather memories few others ever will. Arrive at the lodge in the late afternoon, perfectly timed to wrap up the day with a rewarding bevvy by the swimming pool, as the sun melts into the horizon giving you one last panorama before nightfall. Hold on tight to your snacks though, lest they be snatched up by a roaming herd of giraffes or zebras passing by!
Accommodation: Africa Safari Lake Natron
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9 – Lake Natron
Lake Natron can’t be experienced in a moment, so you’ll have the full day to immerse yourself in one of Tanzania’s least-visited masterpieces… something that will stay with you forever. Getting up early to see the earth painted with all the colours of sunrise, rivalled only by the pink and orange hues of the lake itself. Today’s must-see: unaffected by the cyanobacteria of the lake, up to a million flamingos can be found here and you’ve got a front row seat.
The rest of the day is a pick-and-mix of pinch-me moments. Bravely venture as close as you can to the toxic lake. Line up your footprints with those of early humans who crossed the land and imagine what it might have felt like for them. Hike to the nearby waterfall and let its powerful flow massage your weary muscles. Then return to the lodge for dinner and a show – the one-and-only Great Rift Valley sunset.
Accommodation: Africa Safari Lake Natron
Included: Add Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10 – Lake Natron – Tarangire
Today, your feet get a break while your eye muscles do all the work. Keep your camera handy for a game drive around Lake Natron, because while you’re a pro at spotting the flamingos now, the area has so much more for you to soak in (except the lake water, which it’s pretty clear by now you should not soak in)!
Prepare for oohs and aahs from the whole Camino crew as your guide points out wildebeest, zebras, ostriches, oryx and maybe a jackal or two. And it’s not just the animals that take your breath away. You’ll weave around ravines, craters and lakes, to views that will have you convinced that your morning commute back home takes place on a different planet.
At the end of the day’s journey, it’s time to treat yourself to a drink, a delicious dinner, or a dip in the pool at the lakeside lodge. Take this time to rest as seriously as you took each hike. You’ll be thanking yourself tomorrow!
Accommodation: Lake Burunge Tented Lodge
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11 – Tarangire National Park
Not everyone knows this, but you simply cannot visit this part of Tanzania and not go to Tarangire National Park. We would, however, never keep it from you!
This day is All. About. Animals. Hand over the reins to your local guide, who will expertly navigate the park and help you pick out lions, leopards and buffalo (oh my!), not to mention antelopes and elephants, all of them drawn to the life-giving Tarangire River. The river will give you life too, in the form of a nourishing picnic lunch near its banks.
Take a break underneath the great baobab trees and gaze through the acacia branches to spot zebras coming down for a drink in this intimate moment with nature. But don’t get too comfortable or a cheeky monkey might just hop in to relieve you of your lunch (and in all honesty, it’s hard to get mad at them for that)!
Accommodation: Lake Burunge Tented Lodge
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12 – Return to Arusha
It feels like your adventure is quickly rushing towards its end, but you’ll be able to squeeze out every last drop of the experience. Marinate in your memories so far, while you enjoy a leisurely morning in Tarangire. Enjoy a coffee or tea by the all-encompassing views from the raised platform of your lodge. You may become one with the eons of time that created this African landscape, as you patiently wait to see thirsty animals saunter to the water’s edge.
Waving goodbye to Tarangire and all its elephants, you return at last to Arusha. But if you think you’ll spend the evening alone in your room, feeling sad about the end of the road, you could not be more wrong! A farewell dinner complete with belly-laughs is on the schedule – it’s the perfect chance to recount your highlights, exchange contact information with your Camino besties and try to digest not just the mouthwatering food, but all the magic you’ve just experienced.
Accommodation: Olerai Lodge
Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13 – Homeward Bound
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened, has never rung more true, and after an adventure like the one you’ve just had it might be physically impossible not to smile. Grab those last farewell hugs, a last-minute photo swap and vow to stay in contact – or perhaps even start planning your next hike together. Say your goodbyes, and enjoy one last show of Tanzanian hospitality in a comfy ride to catch your departing flight. Asante kwaheri!
Included: Breakfast
FAQs
Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is significant variation in the AUD:USD exchange rate. Our trip pricing is determined by what the exchange rates are at the time of publishing the trip.
The pricing on this trip is based on an exchange rate of 1 AUD:0.62 USD
A deposit of 25% of the total trip price is required to hold your spot. Payment can be made by credit card (fees apply) or bank deposit.
There is a cooling-off period of 2 weeks. (Applicable to all bookings made at least 120 days before trip departure.)
We have implemented a ‘lifetime deposit’ guarantee. Deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable at any time, right up until the first day of the trip.
The final balance of the trip is required 120 days in advance of the departure date. Our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability.
Please refer to the full terms and conditions for further information.
You’ll need a visa to enter Tanzania. Australian citizens can apply online for their Tanzanian visa. We will share more information about visa requirements closer to the departure date.
Level 3 – Moderate Plus
A fair amount of endurance and a slightly more than moderate level of fitness is needed for our Level 3 rated trips. Expect to walk for between 4 and 7 hours a day, that’s somewhere between 10 and 15 kilometres. Also keep in mind that we’ll need to cover that distance at a fairly moderate pace through undulating terrain. Some days may be solely devoted to trekking through isolated wilderness, while others are dedicated to relaxation and cultural experiences. Half-day cycle tours are a regular addition to many of our trips – another somewhat challenging physical activity that allows you to see a destination in a whole new light!
Most of our trips have a tip kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands. Our goal is for guests to relax and know that the complexities of tipping are taken care of, on their behalf.
We’ll be updating this section with the tipping amount and how it’s distributed, soon.
In February, the Arusha, Tarangire, and Lake Natron areas are generally warm and partly dry, with occasional short rains. Temperatures range from the mid-20s to low 30s°C. The landscapes are lush from earlier rains, making it a beautiful time to visit, especially for spotting wildlife in Tarangire and enjoying the dramatic scenery around Lake Natron.
During the trek, we primarily rely on wild camping — sleeping in tents in remote mountain valleys, either without facilities or with minimal amenities such as basic bathrooms.
When we stay in hotels, they typically range from 3 to 4 stars.
Suitcases are not suitable for hiking, so you will only need a backpack with the essentials for the day. Your main luggage will be transported by car to the Natron Camp.
This trip begins in Arusha, Tanzania, and ends in Arusha, Tanzania. We recommend that you fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport, as that is where your hotel transfer will be waiting for you.
The most convenient departure airport is Kilimanjaro International Airport. Both transfers – on arrival and on departure are included in your price.
The local currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS).
In the unlikely event of a health or security related incident during a trip, we’ve engaged a local partner to assist. From our experience, there is not one framework that fits all, and every incident is unique and requires a different approach. With all trips, your guides are your day-to-day support. While behind the scenes, there is an active line of communication – between your guide, the on-ground support team, and Australian Ops.
