8 Days Tanzania Cultural Tour

8 days
From USD $3292
Start
Arusha or Moshi
End
Moshi or Arusha
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Ages
Min 4

About This Trip

We provide immersive Tanzania Cultural Safaris that allow travelers to experience the authentic culture of Tanzania. This adventure includes visits to the Chaga, Masai, and Hadzabe tribes.

The Hadzabe bushmen, residing around Lake Eyasi, form small communities and speak a language similar to the click languages found among other bushmen in the Kalahari region. Their population has faced significant challenges, especially during Julius Nyerere’s ujamaa policies, when many resisted enforced resettlement.

As a result, many of their children have grown up without access to medical care or formal education, relying solely on the bush for their sustenance. Visitors will have the opportunity to see their traditional bush homes, which may consist of natural shelters like tree canopies or caves.

The Hadzabe live off the land, primarily hunting small game such as antelopes and baboons. During the rainy season, they benefit from an influx of wildlife, as gazelles and antelopes migrate from the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti to the lush areas they inhabit. Recently, their hunting practices have faced opposition from trophy hunters who have attempted to label their traditional hunting as “illegal.”

Itinerary Summary

DAY

ACCOMMODATION

PLACES

MEALS

Day:
Day 1: Arrive- Olpopongi Masai Village
Accommodation:
Destination
Olpopongi Masai Village
Meal:
Day:
Day 2: Olpopongi Masai Village
Accommodation:
Destination
Olpopongi Masai Village
Meal:
Day:
Day 3: Olpopongi Masai Village- Tengeru Village
Accommodation:
Destination
Tengeru Village
Meal:
Day:
Day 4: Monduli Juu Cultural.
Accommodation:
Destination
Monduli Juu
Meal:
Day:
Day 5: Lake Eyasi – Cultural Interaction.
Accommodation:
Destination
Lake Eyasi
Meal:
Day:
Day 6: Lake Eyasi – Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Destination
Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Meal:
Day:
Day 7: Masai Village Visit- Olduvai Gorge.
Destination
Olduvai Gorge.
Meal:
Day:
Day 8: Mto wa Mbu - Arusha.
Accommodation:
Destination
Arusha
Meal:

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive- Olpopongi Masai Village

Arrive at Kilimanjaro international airport. Drive to Olpopongi in the West Kilimanjaro region, 74 kilometres from the airport taking us through the beautiful outback of West Kilimanjaro. Depending on the season, you can see game like zebras and elephants. On a clear day, you will have amazing views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. We arrive at Olpopongi Maasai Village a group of Maasai where the Village Chief welcomes you with refreshments.

Accommodation: Overnight at the village

Olpopongi Masai Village
Day 2: Olpopongi Masai Village

After breakfast, we go on a walking safari where your guide will explain the past and contemporary life of the Tanzania Maasai. Get more information about the culinary culture of the Maasai while sampling a traditional tea (chai) prepared on the wood fire. A tasty lunch with a variety of local food highlights will end the activities inside the village.

Maasai warriors will guide you along their paths and explain typical medicinal plants, extraordinary trees, tracks and the local wildlife. Also learn to use local tools, hunting techniques and fire preparation as part your bush excursion. At sunset, a group of Maasai men and women will gather around for a traditional sing & dance performances. A great BBQ-Buffet at the camp fire will provide you an unforgettable evening under the starry sky.

Accommodation: Private Maasai house with traditional beds

Olpopongi Masai Village
Day 3: Olpopongi Masai Village- Tengeru Village

After breakfast, depart for Tengeru for a day of cultural tour. In the village, there are two primary schools. One is for handicap children and the other is a teaching practice primary school.

You have the chance to play with the kids and get to know their way of life. We also visit an old stone quarry site developed after WWII where more than 100 refugees from Poland were brought to Arusha. Most of them died of malaria and influenza and were buried in this area. In the evening, we drive back to Arusha for accommodation and overnight at Mount Meru Hotel.

Accommodation: Mount Meru Hotel
Tengeru Village
Day 4: Monduli Juu Cultural.

After breakfast, we depart from Arusha with picnic lunch boxes and drive to Monduli. We start walking from there through a forest where an armed ranger will be guiding us. Buffalos, Elephants, and other wildlife can be seen in this forest. After lunch, we proceed to the summit of Monduli Mountain and enjoy the great views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru.

Accommodation: Enguik Village

Monduli Juu
Day 5: Lake Eyasi – Cultural Interaction.

After breakfast, we will traverse the rough road to Lake Eyasi, another soda lake in the rift valley. We arrive in the afternoon for a cultural interaction with the Tatoga tribe (a fascinating tribe). Our Tatoga guide at the village will lead the tour. On foot, we explore the dry and rugged landscape area, which is still inhabited by a small group of bushmen: the Hadzabe or Watindiga. These tribes still live in bands, hunting with bows and arrows and gathering roots, tubers, and wild fruits, just as how humans did to survive 10,000 years ago. Another interesting tribe in this area is the Datoga (also called the Barabaig or Mang’ati). Initially, they were exercising a lot of rivalry over grazing land with the Maasai tribe.

Accommodation: Kisima Ngeda Camp
Lake Eyasi
Day 6: Lake Eyasi – Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

We start early in the morning for a hunting tour with the bushmen then back to the lodge for breakfast. Afterwards, we depart for Ngorongoro Crater seeing wildlife en route. You’ll stop briefly on one of the viewpoints on the rim of the crater to enjoy it splendid views.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Day 7: Masai Village Visit- Olduvai Gorge.

Drive to the Masai village with an optional stop- over at Olduvai Gorge – a famous historical site for a visit. A resident anthropologist will give a lecture about human evolution and life at this place 20milion years ago.

Olduvai Gorge.
Day 8: Mto wa Mbu - Arusha.

After breakfast, drive to Mto wa mbu for a cultural tour. Mto Wa Mbu Village has a very active cultural programme that seeks to show visitors the traditional way of life of the villagers through various activities and also a range of community projects that are in place. You can visit top spots in the area, taste Tanzanian foods and experience authentic cultural interaction. There are a number of excellent walking, hiking and biking tours offered in the village ranging in length from a couple of hours to a full day. In the afternoon, we drive back to Arusha.

Arusha

Inclusions and activities

Park fees
All activities (unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
All Taxes/VAT
Roundtrip airport transfer
All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinking water on all days
Camping Equipment
Porterage
International flights (from/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day)
Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Alcoholic drinks
Rescue Fee
Climbing Gear
Sleeping Bag

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