8-Day Serengeti-First Honeymoon
Arusha Serengeti Ngorongoro Lake Manyara Tarangire Arusha
From, per person$3,851
Tanzania safari
8-Day Conservation & Community Safari
Overview
People come first on this trip. Most safaris treat a village visit as a short stop between game drives; here, six of the eight days are spent with Tanzanian communities, and the wildlife comes at the end. You meet Chagga farmers on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, spend two nights in a Maasai village, stay at a Maasai-style eco-lodge, and join Hadzabe hunter-gatherers and Datoga blacksmiths near Lake Eyasi.
Local guides and community elders lead the conversations. Expect to hear about history, land, cattle and the pressures facing traditional ways of life today, and to try your hand at crafts such as beadwork, learn which plants are used as medicine, and share meals cooked the local way. Evenings often bring songs, dances and stories around a fire.
The final full day is a game drive on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, where Maasai herders and wild animals have shared the wider conservation area for generations. Tanzania Tourism Safaris runs the journey privately with mid-range lodges and simple community stays. It suits curious travelers who are happy with early starts and basic comforts on a couple of nights.
Tour highlights
- Chagga village day with coffee and banana farms
- Two nights living alongside a Maasai community
- Dawn outing with Hadzabe hunter-gatherers
- Datoga blacksmiths at work near Lake Eyasi
- Full-day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater
Day by day
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Day 1 Landing at Kilimanjaro, Night in Moshi Stay Boutique hotel in MoshiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Your guide meets you at Kilimanjaro International Airport and drives you to Moshi, the busy market town at the foot of Africa’s highest mountain. The hotel is a comfortable place to recover from the flight, and on a clear evening you may see Kilimanjaro’s snowy summit above the rooftops. Over dinner, your guide talks you through the week and the customs that help a community visit go well.
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Day 2 A Day with Chagga Farmers Stay Boutique hotel in MoshiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive up into the green foothills, about 40 minutes, to a Chagga village. Elders welcome you with song and dance, then show you how bananas and coffee are grown together on small family plots. You meet children from the village and sit down to a traditional Chagga lunch. The visit lasts roughly five to seven hours before you return to Moshi for the night.
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Day 3 Welcome to a Maasai Village Stay Simple community lodge in a Maasai villageMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, travel about two hours to the Maasai village of Osiligilai. The community greets you with dancing and chanting, and the elders begin with the story of their people: where they came from, how families and age groups are organized, and why cattle matter so much. The afternoon is spent around the homesteads, and you sleep in the village tonight.
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Day 4 Living Maasai Traditions Stay Simple community lodge in a Maasai villageMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Your second day in Osiligilai goes deeper. Women may show you how beaded jewelry is made, and elders explain which bush plants are used to treat illness. The community may also demonstrate traditional practices around food, which can include slaughtering a goat, eating the meat and drinking blood. Some travelers find this hard to watch, and you are always free to step away or skip it.
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Day 5 Eco-Lodge Stay near Makuyuni Stay Maasai-style eco-lodge near MakuyuniMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Say goodbye to your hosts and drive roughly two hours to Makuyuni, where an eco-lodge blends Maasai building traditions with simple modern comforts. The lodge runs its own program of cultural activities, so there is time with elders and children, more dancing and a chance to ask the questions that came up over the last two days. The evening is yours to rest after two full days.
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Day 6 Hadzabe and Datoga at Lake Eyasi Stay Mid-range lodge at Lake EyasiMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast is early, around 6:30, so you reach Lake Eyasi while the Hadzabe are setting out. One of the last hunter-gatherer peoples in Africa, they hunt with bows and arrows and forage for roots, berries and honey. After a short briefing, you walk with them through the bush. Later, visit a Datoga homestead, where blacksmiths forge tools and ornaments by hand, and meet Iraqw families.
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Day 7 Wildlife Day in the Ngorongoro Crater Stay Upscale lodge or camp on the Ngorongoro Crater rimMeals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Leave Lake Eyasi early for the Ngorongoro highlands and drop more than 600 meters into the crater for a full day of game viewing. Permanent water and grazing keep animals here all year: buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, eland and warthog, plus lions, spotted hyenas, jackals and, with luck, a cheetah, leopard or black rhino. Lunch is a picnic on the crater floor, and tonight you sleep on the rim.
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Day 8 Arusha Market and Homeward Flight Meals Breakfast, Lunch
Drive back to Arusha after breakfast, about two hours. Before the airport, stop at a local market to browse fabrics, spices and crafts and pick up gifts to take home. Your guide then transfers you to Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure, or to your hotel if you are staying on in Tanzania. With an evening flight, there is usually time for lunch in town first.
Prices by season
Per person in US dollars. The price depends on when you travel and how many travelers share the trip.
| Season | 1 traveler | 2 travelers | 4 travelers | 6 travelers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low season 1 Mar – 31 May | $4,734 | $3,156 | $2,472 | $2,115 |
| High season 1 Nov – 20 Dec and 6 Jan – 29 Feb | $4,984 | $3,322 | $2,602 | $2,226 |
| Peak season Now 1 Jun – 31 Oct and 21 Dec – 5 Jan | $5,538 | $3,692 | $2,892 | $2,474 |
Tour price includes
- Airport meet and greet with private arrival and departure transfers
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle with English-speaking local guide
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area entry fees and taxes
- All community visits and cultural activities in the itinerary
- Accommodation for 7 nights as described day by day
- Breakfast every day, with lunches and dinners as listed
- Departs with as few as two travelers
Tour price excludes
- International flights
- Tanzania visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Souvenirs, tips and other personal spending
Questions about this safari
How comfortable are the village nights?
The two nights at Osiligilai are in a simple community lodge, not a safari hotel, so expect basic, no-frills rooms. The other nights are in a boutique hotel, an eco-lodge, a mid-range lodge at Lake Eyasi and an upscale lodge or camp on the crater rim. Pack a headlamp and an open mind.
Will I see animals being hunted or slaughtered?
Possibly. The Hadzabe hunt for food, and the Maasai may demonstrate how a goat is slaughtered and eaten. These are real parts of daily life, not shows. If you would rather not watch, tell your guide in advance, and you can step away at any point without causing offense.
How much wildlife does this trip include?
One full day, in the Ngorongoro Crater, which is among the most reliable places in Tanzania to see a wide range of animals in a short time. If you would like more game viewing, we can add nights in Tarangire or the Serengeti to the end of the trip.
Before you go
- Best Time To Visit Tanzania
- How Much Does a Tanzania Safari Cost?
- Top Safari Packing List in Tanzania
- The Best Guides on Tanzania Visa Requirement
- Tanzania Travel Insurance
- Tanzania Travel Safety
- Tipping In Tanzania Safari
- Tanzania Safari Faqs
Listed in Cultural safaris
Where you will go
Parks on this safari
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