TANZANIA & ZANZIBAR

Explore Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti & Zanzibar

14 Days starting DAR Es SALAAM

AUG 1 – AUG 14, 2016

with Richard Mole

TANZANIA & ZANZIBAR

Trip Outline

From stunning Indian Ocean beaches to the shores of Lake

Victoria, Tanzania is the jewel of East Africa. It is the

biggest country in the region, formed in 1964 by the union

of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Its neighbours include Kenya

to the north and Mozambique to the south, with multiple

landlocked nations to the west that rely on it for access to

the coast. Tanzania’s natural beauty and sheer density of

plant and wildlife species make it a top destination for

eco-tourists. Almost a third of the country is protected,

providing habitat for scores of species across 14 national

parks. A fifth of Africa’s large mammals can be found

within its borders, including lion, hippopotamus, elephant,

zebra, and wildebeest – and there are also over 1100

native bird species.

Our adventure begins in Dar Es Salaam and the next day

we fly north to Arusha, to meet our safari crew. Our first

wildlife destination is Tarangire National Park, the sixth

largest reserve in Tanzania and often overshadowed by its

more famous neighbours. It receives a fraction of the

visitors to Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, yet the

game-viewing is often outstanding – particularly in July

and August. We enjoy two game drives here before

heading to our lovely lodge at Karatu. The next day we

descend into Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact

caldera and one of richest wildlife reserves in Africa.

Considered one of the best places to see the ‘Big 5’, we

spend a full day exploring the crater floor, seeing a

considerable variety of animal and bird species.

Heading west towards the Serengeti we stop at Olduvai

Gorge, where Louis Leakey discovered fossil remains that

convinced most anthropologists humans originally

evolved in Africa. We then spend three nights at a classic

tented camp, a highlight of our safari. Located within the

vast plains of the Serengeti, we enjoy morning and

afternoon game drives as we search for lion, elephant,

numerous antelope species and more. Evenings are spent

around the flickering campfire, listening to the whispering

grasslands.

The last leg of our journey takes us south to the fabled

spice – and slave – island of Zanzibar, where we have

three full days to relax and explore before returning to

Dar Es Salaam for our final night.

Tour Host – Richard Mole Richard Mole, director and

founder of Byroads, designed this

trip and will lead it as tour host

and facilitator. Born in Kenya, he

spent almost a decade (in the

1990’s) designing and operating

lodge-based and camping safaris

throughout east and southern

Africa. Africa is in his blood and he

is very much looking forward to

returning to Tanzania!

Over the past thirty years Richard has set up and led

numerous tour programmes around the world including

Morocco, Spain, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran, India and

Sri Lanka. He still consults to the travel industry and offers

regular courses at Sydney’s WEA, focusing mainly on the

architecture and decorative arts of western Islamic lands.

A particular feature of his tours is the chance to see places

that others often miss (or simply don’t know about!), such

as Morocco’s Kasbah-studded Draa Valley, the pueblos

blancos of Andalusia – or Tanzania’s excellent Tarangire

Park. Richard enjoys taking the time to make his own

discoveries and his tours are structured to allow

participants to wander off and ‘smell the roses’. But you

can also be confident you’ll visit all the ‘must see’

attractions – and more – with your safari guides providing

plenty of information on the native flora and fauna.

Itinerary - starts IN DAR ES SALAAM

MON 1 AUG: DAR ES SALAAM – Upon arrival at Dar Es Salaam Airport you are met and

transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure.

TUE 2 AUG: DAR ES SALAAM-ARUSHA – The morning is at leisure. The National Museum is just

a short walk from our hotel, so there should be time for an optional visit before we head to the

airport for the afternoon flight to Kilimanjaro, and on to Arusha. Once we have settled in to our

hotel there’s time to relax before an evening safari briefing. (B)

WED 3 AUG: ARUSHA-TARANGIRE – This morning we drive towards Lake Manyara and the

adjacent Tarangire National Park. We arrive at our safari lodge, enjoy a leisurely lunch, and then

set off in the afternoon to explore the park. Herds of up to 300 elephant can be seen at this time

of year, while migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland crowd

the shrinking lagoons. We return to our lodge for dinner and overnight. (BLD)

THU 4 AUG: TARANGIRE-KARATU – In the morning we enjoy another game drive. Tarangire has

the greatest concentration of wildlife outside the Serengeti ecosystem – a smorgasbord for

predators – and it’s the one place in Tanzania where dry-country antelope such as the stately

fringe-eared oryx and peculiar long-necked gerenuk are regularly observed. We return to our

lodge for lunch and then drive to Karatu for the night. (BLD)

FRI 5 AUG: NGORONGORO CRATER – The Ngorongoro Crater is a breath-taking natural wonder.

Within its walls lies one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in the world, including lion,

zebra, wildebeest, eland, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle. The birdlife is equally spectacular, with

both greater and lesser flamingo often sighted at the lake. We spend a full day here before

returning to Karatu for the night. (BLD)

SAT 6 AUG: NGORONGORO-OLDUVAI-SERENGETI – It’s a longish drive today as we head west to

the Serengeti, stopping enroute at Olduvai Gorge, where early humanoid fossils were uncovered

in the late 1950’s. We reach our classic tented camp, located in the heart of the grasslands,

where we settle in for the next three nights. (BLD)

SUN 7 & MON 8 AUG: SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK – We spend the next two days exploring the

park, on extensive morning and afternoon game drives. The Serengeti offers arguably the most

sensational game-viewing in Africa: great herds of wildebeest, zebra and buffalo, smaller groups

of elephant and giraffe, and thousands of eland, topi, impala and Grant’s gazelle. But there’s

more to Serengeti than large mammals: gaudy lizards and busy rock hyrax scurry along the

surfaces of isolated granite koppies; over 100 varieties of dung beetle have been recorded; and

500-plus bird species can be seen – ranging from the ostrich and bizarre secretary birds of the

open grassland, to black eagles that soar above the Lobo Hills. In the evenings, as we sit around

the campfire, we can enjoy the liberating sense of space that characterises these great plains,

stretching across sunburnt savannah to a shimmering golden horizon at the end of the earth.

(BLD)

TUE 9 AUG: SERENGETI-ZANZIBAR – Avoiding the long haul back to Arusha, we drive to the

Seronera Airstrip and fly to Zanzibar, where we are met and transferred to our seafront hotel in

the heart of the old Stone Town. The balance of the afternoon is at leisure to explore. (BL)

WED 10 AUG: ZANZIBAR – The history of Zanzibar is inextricably linked to the rest of Tanzania,

and Stone Town is rich in cultural interest. From slave markets to elaborate old palaces, it bears

witness to a chequered past. More recently, of course, it was the birthplace of Freddie Mercury

(!) and is best explored on foot. We enjoy a morning walking tour and the balance of the day is

then free to make your own discoveries. (B)

THU 11 & FRI 12 AUG: ZANZIBAR – There are many things to see and do in Zanzibar, and we

now have ample time for optional excursions and activities. We can arrange a morning spice

tour followed by a cooking lesson; alternatively head out in a traditional dhow for a full day

excursion to Changuu Island, followed by a lazy afternoon on a sandbank. For wildlife

enthusiasts, we may be able to arrange a half-day tour to Jozani Forest, home to a number of

endemic species including the red colobus monkey. (B)

SAT 13 AUG: ZANZIBAR-DAR ES SALAAM – All good things must come to an end and today we

fly back to Dar es Salaam, where we’ll plan to head out for a final evening together. (B)

SUN 14 AUG: DAR ES SALAAM – Our tour ends after breakfast. Transfers to the airport can be

easily arranged from our hotel. (B)

Prices & Inclusions

14 Day Tanzania & Zanzibar

Provisional price: $7100 (per person twin-share)

Single Supplement: $1350

Price includes: Richard Mole as Tour Escort, local drivers/safari

guides, transfers and transportation as detailed, 13 nights

accommodation, meals as indicated.

Not Included: Visa fees, travel insurance (compulsory),

international flights, DOMESTIC FLIGHTS in Tanzania, additional

meals, drinks, optional tours, spending of a personal nature,

laundry and tips, departure transfer.

Transportation: We travel in 2 x ‘pop-up’ 4WD vehicles, each

taking a maximum of 7 people, all with window views.

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Accommodation: Accommodation is a key part of an African

adventure, and we hope you’ll enjoy our selection! Dar Es Salaam

is always a challenge, so we’ve gone for location as much as

anything else. In Arusha our riverside hotel is a great start to our

adventure and at Tarangire our tented lodge has stunning views

over the park. At Karatu, Plantation Lodge is one of the best in the

region and in the Serengeti we stay in a classic tented camp with

comfortable beds and private facilities. Zanzibar offers a complete

change of pace, and here we have chosen one of Stone Town’s

most historic properties, a former American Consulate from

1834-1884.

New Africa House, Dar Es Salaam Rivertrees, Arusha

Tarangire Safari Lodge Deluxe lodge at Karatu

Classic Tented Camp, Serengeti Historic Hotel, Zanzibar

Food and drink: All meals are included on safari; elsewhere,

breakfast is provided. Beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks are

widely available.

Group size: Maximum 13 (2 x 4WD vehicles)

Additional Expenses: All meals are included on safari. In

Dar Es Salaam, Arusha and Zanzibar, allow around US$15-$20

for lunch and around US$20-$30 for dinner. In addition you

should budget for any personal spending. Please also allow

extra funds to tip your local crew and hotel porters (full details

will be provided in the pre-trip field guide).

International flights & Transfers: This tour has been designed

to fit with Emirates or Qatar Airways flights into Dar es Salaam.

Note that Qatar Airways also flies into Kilimanjaro, so you may

wish to consider this option. If you do this we strongly

recommend an extra night pre-tour at the Arusha hotel (see

below). You will save the cost of the Dar Es Salaam-Arusha

airfare, however you will require a private transfer from

Kilimanjaro Airport. Your final invoice will be adjusted

accordingly. All arrival flights (Dar or Kilimanjaro) will be met,

however the final departure transfer is not included.

Domestic flights: The flights Dar-Arusha, Seronera-Zanzibar

and Zanzibar-Dar are not included and are expected to be

around USD 850-900. Exact costs will be advised once fares are

released. Due to weight restrictions on the Zanzibar-Dar flight

you are strictly limited to 15kgs check-in baggage while on

safari. Extra bags can be stored at the Dar Es Salaam hotel.

Pre-tour accommodation: If you are joining the tour in Dar Es

Salaam, this is not really necessary. If, however, you are flying

directly into Kilimanjaro Airport (see above), we recommend an

extra night, pre-tour. If you require this facility you MUST

advise us well in advance. Costs are as follows:

Rivertrees Hotel (Arusha)

Twin B/B – $210 per person

Single B/B – $275 per person

VAT: There has been much discussion about the possible

introduction of VAT in Tanzania. This may or may not happen by

August 2016. If it does, we will be obliged to pass on any cost

increases. Our best estimate is that this will add US$300-

US$350 per person to the tour price.

Documentation: Upon receipt of final payment, a

comprehensive field guide will be mailed and you will be sent

the relevant tour and accommodation vouchers prior to

departure.

Pricing: Due to the volatility of the Australian dollar, we have

opted to quote ‘provisional prices’. Final prices will be advised

closer to the tour departure date.

What next? Byroads is the operator of this tour. For further

information visit www.byroads.com.au. There is an enquiry

page if you have any questions.

Bookings: Travel on Q (Sydney) is the sole booking agent for

this tour. Please register your interest ASAP in order to secure

your place and note there are a limited number of single rooms

available. A non-refundable deposit of $1000 per person is

required, to secure your place, with final payment due early

June 2016.

Contact details: Carole Grassby

Travel on Q, 94 Cathedral Street, Woolloomooloo

Sydney NSW 2011

Tel: (02) 9357 6800

Email: travel@travelonq.com.au

www.byroads.com.au