Compare Golden Trails of East Africa by AMA Waterways vs Essence of Tanzania Safari by Rothschild Safaris
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| Trip |
3.5 | Average
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 17 days | 9 days |
| Price From | $ 14,495 | $ 6,446 |
| Price Per Day | $ 853 | $ 716 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small ship cruise | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Luxury |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
16 Breakfasts,11 Lunches and 13 Dinners |
7 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches and 6 Dinners |
| Description |
Your journey begins with an overnight stay in Johannesburg (option to start with 3 nights in Cape Town). Next, fly to Kasane, Botswana and board the Zambezi Queen, your wildlife river cruise vessel on the Chobe River for the next 4 nights. Enjoy two nights at Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. From here, fly to Johannesburg for two nights at your intimate, all-suite hotel. Depart to Nairobi where a connecting flight brings you to your Tanzania safari. Enjoy two nights at three of the four luxury Tanzanian lodges: Tarangire Treetops, The Manor at Ngorongoro, and the luxury-tented Serengeti Migration Camp or Serengeti Pioneer Camp. |
The Best Tanzania Safari begins at the Arusha Coffee Plantation Lodge, at the foot of Mt. Meru. After breakfast, the following day you are off on a flight to Tarangire National Park where you settle into Swala Camp. Enjoy game drives as well as a Safari by moonlight and walking with an armed guide before driving west towards the Ngorongoro Highlands and Entamanu Camp surrounded by mountains. The Ngorongoro Crater is an iconic African sight before you move on by plane to the Serengeti before you return to Arusha for your flight home. |
Day 1: Arrive In Johannesburg
Welcome to Africa! Upon arrival, you will be met by an AmaWaterways Representative and transfered to your hotel.
Day 2: Johannesburg – Zambezi Queen – Embarkation
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
After breakfast, fly to Kasane, Botswana where you’ll board the elegant Zambezi Queen on the Chobe River. Late this afternoon, enjoy the riverside scenery before your Welcome Cocktail and Dinner on board.
Day 3: Zambezi Queen
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning embark on a boat safari to explore the Chobe River’s spectacular game viewing. Then journey back to the Zambezi Queen for lunch and time to relax on board. Later today, enjoy a slightly different version of a river safari aboard a special double decker barge which will allow you to venture into the southern channels. This excursion will offer you an unusual viewpoint to observe hippos and elephants in their natural habitat
Day 4: Zambezi Queen
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Join a full day safari of Chobe National Park in open-top 4x4 vehicles. Chobe National Park is home to one of the most dense populations of wildlife in Africa. Be on the lookout for elephants, giraffe, zebra, sable, warthog and cape buffalo. Prides of lions, hyenas and more rarely cheetahs, are normally visible along the way. Lunch will be a delicious picnic served up under the trees.
Day 5: Zambezi Queen
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
This morning, enjoy an unforgettable visit to a typical African village to experience the local culture first hand. Spend time with the children of the village as well as its elders and learn about their day-to-day life. After lunch on board, you can choose your afternoon activity including an afternoon safari by boat, bird watching or fishing. Tonight your crew hosts an African themed dinner complete with singing and dancing.
Day 6: Zambezi Queen – Disembarkation – Victoria Falls
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Transfer to legendary Victoria Falls, one of the nature’s greatest natural wonders. Settle into your hotel and spend the afternoon exploring the town or experience one of the many activities offered at your hotel. This evening you have a special dinner and an encounter with Africa’s “gentle giants.”
Day 7: Victoria Falls
Meals: Breakfast
Join a local guide for a tour of remarkable Victoria Falls, more commonly referred to as the smoke that thunders. The afternoon is free for independent activities. Relax and enjoy the amenities of your iconic hotel, walk into town or perhaps take an optional outing including a helicopter ride or wildlife trail walk. Tonight, embark on a private and festive Sundowner cruise complete with drinks, tapas and music.
Day 8: Victoria Falls – Johannesburg
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
After breakfast, a flight to Johannesburg brings you to the largest city in South Africa. After arriving at your hotel, settle into your suite and relax in the park-like setting. Before dinner, gather for an informative discussion on the day-to-day life
Day 9: Johannesburg
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Head out this morning for a fascinating look at Johannesburg and the rich history it has to share, from colonialism to apartheid, and finally democracy. Get an in-depth look at Soweto, the center of the uprising against the apartheid state. Walk the footsteps of Nelson Mandela and explore the colorful neighborhoods, parks and squares of Soweto. A visit to the Apartheid Museum is also on the agenda. Enjoy a delicious “township” lunch along the way.
Day 10: Johannesburg – Arusha
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Fly to Arusha, via Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where you will be met by an AmaWaterways Representative at Kilimanjaro Airport and transfered to the Arusha Coffee Lodge. The lodge provides a peaceful and calming retreat before you start your Tanzanian safari.
Day 11: Arusha - Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Enjoy a scenic drive to Tarangire. Take an afternoon safari drive, followed by a visit to Masai village. Spend two nights in a Tree House that rests on the branches of thousand-year old marula and baobab trees overlooking Treetops’ private reserve.
Day 12: Tarangire National Park, Tanzania
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Enjoy a full day of activities including game-drives, and a sunset drive in the bush. The meals at Treetops are also their own unique experiences to be enjoyed.
Day 13: Tarangire - Ngorongoro, Tanzania
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Drive to Lake Manyara National Park for a game-drive and picnic lunch. Then on to the renowned Ngorongoro Manor.
Day 14: Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
You’ll enjoy a full day of exploration of the Ngorongoro Crater. Once a gigantic volcano, it is the largest intact caldera in the world and shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth. A picnic hamper lunch will be served on the crater floor. After lunch, explore more of the crater before heading back to the Manor for evening cocktails, dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 15: Ngorongoro - Serengeti, Tanzania
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
After breakfast you will be transfered to Manyara Airstrip for your Serengeti flight. Upon your arrival you’ll enjoy a game drive en route to the luxurious camp where your lunch will be served. This afternoon, it is time for another drive.
Day 16: Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Today you’ll have two game drives exploring the vast Serengeti, one in the morning and another after lunch. It is not possible to say with any accuracy where the Great Migration of the Wildebeest will be located at any one time. There are a number of determining factors; however, one can be assured that if there is a good chance of seeing it, then this can be accomplished from the Pioneer Camp or Migration Camp.
Day 17: Serengeti - Arusha, Tanzania
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
This morning take your final safari drive. Then transfer to the airstrip for your flight back to Arusha. Lunch will be served in the gardens of the lodge before your final transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Do not schedule onward flights before 6:00 pm.
Day 1: Arusha
Welcome to Africa and the best Tanzania Safari. Transfer to the Arusha Coffee Lodge, built around a plantation home from the early 1900’s and beautiful, sprawling coffee fields. Enjoy dinner and overnight.
Day 2:Tarangire National Park Day and Night Game Drive
After breakfast, your flight takes you into Tarangire National Park, famous for it’s impressive elephant migration and high concentration of game around the Tarangire River during the dry season. After settling into Swala Camp, set out on your first game drive in Africa. After a restful afternoon, you leave camp again at dusk for an exciting evening game drive. Search for the rarely seen, nocturnal animals. This is one of the few places in northern Tanzania where you can enjoy a safari by moonlight. At night, you may encounter an African wild cat, the elusive leopard or feel the round eyes of a bushbaby peering down at you as the moon rises into the sky. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Walking in Tarangire National Park and Game Drive
Rise early this morning with a hot cup of coffee and set out for an early morning game drive. You’ll be met in the bush with one of the most perfect ends to thrilling game drive; a hot breakfast. Later this afternoon you will set out on foot to explore the grassland around camp in one of the most secluded areas of the park. An armed guide will accompany you and explain animal behaviour whilst tracking a variety of game. You may encounter zebra, waterbuck, impala, ostrich, elephant as well as a number of birds. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 4: Ngorongoro Highlands
After breakfast, drive west towards the Ngorongoro Highlands and Entamanu Camp. En-route stop off at Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive through the park with a picnic lunch. Arrive at Entamanu mid-afternoon in time for High Tea. Enjoy the breathtaking views of Empakai, Olmoti, and OlDonyo Lengai Mountains as well as the spectacular bird life right in camp. After a busy day, savor a delightful evening in camp mingling with other travelers from around the globe, over dinner.
Day 5: Full day Game Drive Ngorongoro Crater
Set out early for the nearby Ngorongoro Crater by safari vehicle. The crater is a huge volcanic caldera formed about 2.5 million years ago when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed in on itself. Here you can view the Big 5 in high concentration with the stunning backdrop of crater walls. Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch on the crater floor. Return to Entamanu for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Bush Plane to Serengeti, High Tea and Afternoon Game Drive
After breakfast, hop on a bush plane for a quick flight to Serengeti Safari Camp. Arrive in time for lunch, siesta, high tea and then head out on an afternoon game drive. As this is a seasonal mobile safari camp, the camp is set up in the best possible location for prime wildlife viewing (oftentimes right from camp). Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Full day Migration Experience in the Serengeti
Today, head out with a guide and packed picnic lunch for a full day exploring the Serengeti plains. Move as quickly or as leisurely as you would like in your private safari vehicle. This is a fabulous opportunity to see the great wildebeest and zebra migration, large herds of plains game and the highest concentrate of predators in Africa. Return to camp for dinner and overnight.
Day 8: Early Morning Game Drive in Serengeti, High Tea, Afternoon Game Drive
This morning, rise early and set out as the sun begins to rise. This is the time of day when the wildlife is most active. Return to camp for a full breakfast and spend the afternoon relaxing in the shade, reading a good book. After high tea, set out for one final game drive in the Serengeti, stopping to watch the sun set with cocktails and appetizers.
Day 9: Travel Home
Enjoy the final moments of the best Tanzania safari, then fly back to Arusha and connect to your international flight home.
