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This 9-day safari combines two of the most incredible and off-the-beaten-path wildlife destinations in Tanzania to leave you with indelible memories and plenty of stories. The journey begins at Chada Katavi Camp in western Tanzania’s Katavi National Park. This little-known and even less-visited gem offers tremendous big game sightings in a wilderness so primal it would seem as if you had stepped back in time to when the great herds roamed.
After your fill of elephants, buffalo and big cats, the experience moves to the unique Greystoke Mahale Camp, set on a golden beach next to Lake Tanganyika where close-up encounters with our closest animal relatives await. Trails in Mahale’s canopied forests take you to troops of habituated chimpanzees while your guides point out other primates, birds and butterflies along the way. Suitable for second-time-around safari visitors and those after a genuine safari adventure, this is a journey that will connect you to nature in a manner you have never experienced before.
Highlights & Activities
What's on offer whilst on this itinerary?
Summary
Tour Duration: 9 Days
Start: Arusha, Tanzania
End: Tanzania
Destinations visited
Accommodations visited
Itinerary
Day to day
Rivertree Country Inn is a charming and intimate retreat located just outside of Arusha in Tanzania. Surrounded by lush gardens and towering trees, this boutique accommodation offers a peaceful and secluded escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The spacious and well-appointed rooms are designed with comfort in mind, featuring plush beds, en-suite bathrooms, and private patios or balconies with views of the gardens or the nearby mountains. The inn also offers a variety of amenities, including a swimming pool, a restaurant serving locally-sourced cuisine, and a spa offering a range of treatments.
Transfer via charter flight to Katavi National Park, located deep in off-radar western Tanzania. A short game drive carries you to Chada Katavi Camp, your home for the next three nights. Arrive to welcoming smiles and an escort to your canvas suite. After settling in, stroll over to the lounge tent for high tea and an introductory game drive.
From the outset, you will be in awe at the utter remoteness of Katavi. Largely free of any other vehicles, the plains roll out before you in endless golden vistas and support great numbers of animals, concentrated en masse in the enervating dry season.
Selecting a scenic spot, your guide pulls out a hamper packed with sundowner treats and chilled drinks. As the sun sinks toward the horizon, you raise a glass to the wildness and solitude of Katavi. Return to the lodge in the early evening, where candles and lanterns create a warm and cosy glow around the fireplace. After freshening up, sip cocktails in the library before a sumptuous three-course dinner.
Bid farewell to Katavi as you fly to the shimmering expanse of Lake Tanganyika. You descend to Mahale airstrip where a boat takes you on a 90-minute journey to Greystoke Mahale, your accommodation for the next four nights.
You will feel very much like an early explorer as the camp comes into view – a sweeping Crusoe-esque thatched structure set right on the beach with jungle-clad mountains rearing up behind it. Step ashore and enter a castaway world, ringing with the sound of forest birds. The lodge and its six guest bandas are constructed from old sailing dhows, thatch and driftwood, blending seamlessly into the verdant environment.
Take off your shoes and allow your toes to sink into the sand, cast off the world behind and enter the spirit of this extraordinary place. With no roads in the vicinity, there are only animal paths and jungle trails to wander. Nine species of primate inhabit this ancient forest but the chimpanzees that live here are the main attraction: trek into their territory with an experienced guide for an encounter that will hold you in spellbound fascination as our closest living relatives play, forage and behave in an all-too-familiar manner.
As with all good things, the magical days at Mahale must finally come to an end. After a last walk on the beach, take the final journey back to the Mahale airstrip and a flight to Arusha.
As you fly over Tanzania’s forested peaks and open savannahs, reminisce on the extraordinary journey you have experienced. From teeming herds on wide open plains and the thrill of following the spoor of a pride of lions to the incredible connection you felt when meeting a chimpanzee’s probing gaze, each of these experiences is indelibly carved in your memory, which will perhaps compel you one day to return to Africa.
Rates
Competitive rates for unforgettable experiences
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Date | Price |
---|---|
2023-11-01 - 2023-11-30 | $9,980 |
2023-12-01 - 2023-12-20 | $13,535 |
2024-06-03 - 2024-06-30 | $14,960 |
2024-07-01 - 2024-08-31 | $16,495 |
2024-09-01 - 2024-09-30 | $16,470 |
2024-10-01 - 2024-10-31 | $15,730 |
2024-11-01 - 2024-11-30 | $14,910 |
2024-12-01 - 2024-12-31 | $14,985 |
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Expert Opinion
We know because we go
Maureen Stover
Africa Safari Expert
This tour include some of the most beautiful locations that I have ever stayed at - you can't really top it. Katavi offer great game viewing, very unique, very wild & not many other travellers around to 'compete' with an animal sighting as you find in other Northern parks. There is plenty to do at Mahale, besides the excellent experience of trekking the chimps, such as kayaking, snorkelling, nature walks, fishing, and just plain old relaxing.