Arrive into Kilimanjaro Airport and get a glimpse of Africa’s tallest mountain, before you head into the town of Arusha. Here you will be greeted with a warm welcome, your first taste of African cuisine and a briefing about the adventure that you are about to embark on. In the first full day, you will take time to understand a bit about the Tanzanian culture and language by taking a town tour of the markets then receive your first Swahili lesson followed by traditional Swahili cuisine.

After a good night’s sleep, we’ll kick off the adventure by travelling to the village where you’ll be staying for the majority of your time. En-route we will visit a coffee lodge and plantation to sample some of Tanzania’s finest Arabica Coffee. Then onwards on our journey which itself is a sight to be seen. The move from urban to rural takes you through amazing views of the Maasai bush land. If you’re lucky you may even spot elephants, giraffe and other wildlife on the way! Once settled in we’ll then head up to the Great Rift Valley Escarpment to some amazing viewpoints where you can start spotting some of the amazing wildlife that Tanzania houses!

Mto Wa Mbu is home to over 130 different tribal groups, meaning there’s a real mixture of culture to experience. We’ll go on a tour to experience this first hand while visiting local farm and trade sampling local food and drink production. You’ll try things you’ve never seen or heard of before. We’ll also be sharing best practices around travelling sustainably for this trip and your future travels. We’ll later head to the Maasai Market. Held weekly, these markets bring everyone from the local area together. The sights, sounds, and smells are something you’re unlikely to experience elsewhere!

This incredible hike up the Great Rift Valley escarpment offers amazing views as well as a rewarding cool dip in the waterfall at the top. We’ll hike up through banana plantations and along the river to reach the unexpected waterfalls with spectacular views over the African Bush. Keep an eye out for monkeys, baboons, Lizards and birdlife on the way!

The rest of the day is a chance to chill out around the infinity pool at Migonbani located on the Rift Valley escarpment. The campsite and pool provide unbeatable views of Lake Manyara as well as the surrounding mountain ranges and Maasai Savannahs.

Through Project Plant, you’ll learn from local women how to plant trees to offset your carbon. The project mixes conservation with women empowerment, as the women are paid to keep the trees alive! This is a really fun activity in which you will get to know some of the local community while reforesting community space or important wildlife corridors.

Serengeti National Park has nearly 15000 sq km of plains, teeming with animal life that will not disappoint! On this ultimate safari experience you’ll head out on a 4 x 4 Safari Land Cruiser into the endless beautiful plains of the Serengeti. You’d be unlucky not to spot the Big 5 (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Water Buffalo, Elephant). Gazelle, giraffe, hippo, antelope, zebra are just a fraction more to mention in the huge list of animal, bird and reptiles you will see. The Serengeti, in our opionion, is the best park in the world to see endless wildlife in action.

Head out to a local Maasai village to learn more about their sustainable ways of living. They’ll teach us how to start a fire using the materials around us and learn various survival skills and bushcraft from the GLV experts. We’ll then work together to prepare a traditional meal with a Maasai family. We’ll share stories and food around the fire under the stars with the distant sound of lions roaring and hyenas cackling (don’t worry, the Maasai Warriors will keep us all safe!).

In the morning, we’ll head out on an amazing Safari cycle ride to Lake Manyara. Keep an eye out for zebras, wildebeests, gazelle and amazing birdlife en route. Once we hit the lake, we will be struck by the amazing scenery of the slat planes, the Great Rift Valley Escarpment and of course Lake Manyara itself. Here we can spot flamingos, pelicans and hippos in the lake.

Mto Wa Mbu is famous for its bananas. It’s even home to the rare red banana! We’ll visit a local farm and learn how to cook local dishes including banana stew; it’s better than it sounds, trust us!

Our last full day is all about relaxing in nature. An oasis in the middle of the bushland with crystal clear waters. The Maji Moto (Hot Springs) trip will be sure to be one of your favourite places!

Spend time bathing in the warm waters, go for a swim and relax with a cold drink and Tanzania BBQ all under the epic view of Mt Kilimanjaro.

In the evening, we’ll head out for a meal to celebrate our last evening together while sharing some amazing memories and stories.

Explore the local marketplaces in Arusha town and take time to do that last bit of souvenir shopping. There will also be a bit of free time to explore and make the most out of Tanzania in the way you want to. We’ll then enjoy our last traditional local cuisine together and say our farewells before your private transfer back to KIA airport.