EXPERIENCE TANZANIA
It's impossible to prepare for the thrill of seeing the honeyed plains and grasslands of the Serengeti for the first time. The goosebump-inducing tingle of spotting a sleek cheetah as it silently navigates the brush is unmatched. Wildlife abounds–from snoozing lions to the unexpected stampede of wildebeest, time seems to stop under the molten Tanzanian sun abruptly.
On the Tanzania Safari, the experience is an authentic and all-encompassing one, from bucket-style safari showers to visiting a traditional Maasai boma (home) to game drives in search of the elusive big cats.
For two nights, we'll be totally starry-eyed at Dunia Camp, the only all-female-run camp in the Serengeti! The accommodations on this trip are a balanced blend of traditional safari and luxury in tented suites, panoramic lodges on the crater's rim, and dome tents at the fly camp in the wild savannah. Everywhere, the sounds of the African night will swallow you up into a deep sleep.
Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti National Park will load up your memory cards quickly. The Tanzania Big 5 list traditionally includes the lion, leopard, elephant, Cape Buffalo, and rhino. However, there are other fives like the giraffes, zebra, dik diks, flamingos, and waterbucks that will leave your head on a perma-swivel. This will be the best scavenger hunt ever–Serengeti National Park has over 500 species of birds alone!
From late July and August, the great wildebeest migration shifts to the Kogatende and Masai Mara side, which is the ideal time to be in the Northern Serengeti. The plains will be reduced to the stubble of short grasses, making all the big cats more visible. Ruminant animals like antelopes will be peppered everywhere as the short grass allows them to see their predators from afar; because the ruminants feed on the short grasslands, they must be behind the large animals on the food chain. Despite the surprises on the safari, everything is quite orderly!
Grab your binoculars and Buff and get ready to fall under the hypnotic spell of Tanzania, from the kick of Zanzibari-spiced curries to the flame-orange sunsets to the expansive landscapes that no longer belong to just your TV screen. They will be part of you.