Serengeti To Southern Tanzania
11 Days: Arusha, Serengeti National Park, Ruaha National Park, Selous Game Reserve
Combining 1 night Onsea House, 3 nights Dunia, 3 nights Kwihala and 3 nights Roho ya Selous
Day 1: Overnight at Onsea House, Arusha
On arrival in Kilimanjaro Airport you will be met by your very own driver who will transfer you to Onsea House in the outskirts of the nearby town Arusha. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax after your flights in the peaceful gardens or beside the pool.
Onsea House
Onsea House is located just outside the town of Arusha, perfectly positioned on the drive from Kilimanjaro Airport. Owner managed and spread out over two levels, the House has an intimate and friendly feel. Add to this the superb staff and a reputation of culinary excellence, and Onsea House is a brilliant pre or post safari stopover.
Day 2: Overnight at Dunia, Serengeti National Park
You will be driven to Arusha airport this morning for your light aircraft flight to the Serengeti, one of Africa’s greatest national parks. You will be staying in the heart of the park, surrounded by seemingly never-ending savannah plains, at the wonderful Dunia and a guide from here will meet you at the airstrip and game drive you back to camp.
Settle in and soak up your new surroundings before enjoying a delicious, fresh lunch in a shady spot. There is time to relax for a couple of hours after lunch, before meeting at the mess tent for afternoon tea and freshly baked cakes and departing on an afternoon game-drive.
The Serengeti is home to a wide variety and high densities of wildlife, making a safari here immensely rewarding. Look for lions lounging on the rocky kopjes, herds of buffalo roaming the plains and lilac-breasted rollers perching on acacia branches.
Dunia
Dunia is a small, intimate camp that evokes a sense of being immersed in nature while still being able to enjoy the warm hospitality and luxury that the camp has to offer. Attention to detail is balanced with an essence of grateful simplicity that is in harmony with its tranquil and exclusive location.
Dunia offers superb game viewing all year round from its secluded location in the south west corner of the Central Seronera Valley – the heart of the Serengeti. This area is renowned for its abundance of game, especially big cats and is right in the path of the extraordinary annual Great Migration of hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebra.
Day 3 & 4: Overnight at Dunia, Serengeti National Park
Explore the Seronera valley and beyond on morning and afternoon game drives with our expert guides, returning to Dunia for lunch and a siesta. If you prefer to travel further one day, you could take a picnic lunch with you to enjoy a full day drive – particularly worthwhile when the Great Migration herds are in the area, so you can spend as long as possible searching for, and hopefully watching, this wildlife spectacle.
Day 5: Overnight at Kwihala, Ruaha National Park
Today you will bid the team at Dunia goodbye as you fly out of the Serengeti and south to Ruaha National Park. This journey is quicker than it used to be thanks to Coastal Aviation’s Pilatus aircraft, too, so within just two hours you are the other side of Tanzania and in an entirely new environment for the next stage of your safari.
A guide from Kwihala will meet you at the airstrip and give you an introduction to Ruaha on the game drive back to camp, where a warm welcome and cool drinks will await. Enjoy a leisurely lunch here overlooking the Mwagusi River and a siesta after lunch to rest during the heat of the day.
This afternoon set off on a game drive or guided walk to explore this very different national park with your expert guide.
Kwihala
Kwihala combines raw beauty with simple excellence. Situated in the new safari frontier of Ruaha in Tanzania, this is unconstrained Africa where you will find one of the most spectacular concentrations of wildlife set in a beautifully diverse landscape that ranges from baobab forests, granite kopjes and open plains to cooling rivers and woodland valleys.
Largely unexplored, Ruaha is as remote as you can get in East Africa. Few have heard of it and none will forget about it.
Day 6 & 7: Overnight at Kwihala, Ruaha National Park
Each morning and afternoon you have a choice of activity – game drives or walking safaris, or if you wish, full day game drives with picnic lunches are also possible. A walking safari will offer a lovely contrast to the game drives, the chance to stretch your legs and gain a wider understanding of how the whole ecosystem of Ruaha fits together.
Our guides know Ruaha like the back of their hand, ensuring you the best possible safari experience in this gem of a national park. One tenth of the world’s lion population lives in this park, as well as good numbers of leopard, cheetah and some more unusual species such as sable antelope and lesser kudu.
Day 8: Overnight at Roho ya Selous, Selous Game Reserve
There is time for a final morning game drive before you fly out to the Selous Game Reserve for the final stage of your safari adventure. The Selous is entirely different to the Serengeti and Ruaha, with a network of rivers, lakes and swamps to explore, as well as woodland and plains.
You will be met at the airstrip by your guide from Roho ya Selous, who will game drive you back to camp in time for lunch. Unpack your bags and spend siesta time settling in to your room before the afternoon safari – we highly recommend a boat safari as a wonderful introduction to the Selous, encountering hippos and crocodiles and enjoying sundowners on a pretty sandbank.
Roho ya Selous
Located in the heart of the Selous Game Reserve, Roho ya Selous is tucked into a shady grove of trees, close to a waterway linking Lake Manze and Lake Nzerakera. There are eight spacious tented rooms, each with shade netting over the main canvas, and Evening Breeze cooling over the beds to keep you cool and comfortable even in the hotter months.
The open-sided mess area has plenty of space to relax during siesta time, or with a drink after dinner, chatting to other guests. Expert guides lead guests on a variety of safari activities to explore this wildlife-rich reserve, with boat safaris, fishing, walking safaris and game drives included in your stay.
Day 9 & 10: Overnight at Roho ya Selous, Selous Game Reserve
Your final days on safari offer plenty of flexibility, with a range of safari activities to choose from each morning and afternoon. Walking safaris are entirely different here to those in Ruaha, exploring the miombo woodland environment with your guide.
In the early mornings, the light is particularly beautiful in the Selous, making for some great photography opportunities as you look for tracks of wildlife that have come near camp overnight. The boat safaris are superb morning or afternoon, watching wildlife come to the water’s edge to drink and getting close to bird colonies, hippos and crocodiles.
You can also enjoy a spot of catch-and-release fishing, too. Game drives are the best way to travel further afield and see some larger game including the predators – the Selous is home to the largest populations of wild dog in Africa, which are a real highlight if you are lucky enough to encounter a pack.
Day 11: Departure
There is time for one final morning safari activity before you fly out of the airstrip to Dar es Salaam, where you can connect to your international flight home.
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What people say
“The trip itinerary that Penwell Safaris put together for me was the perfect balance of cultural and environmental explorations. Each camp I stayed in, from the Ngorongoro Crater to Central and Southern Serengeti, to the island of Rubondo, had a team of knowledgeable and friendly staff who celebrated the natural beauty of their surroundings. Their love and respect for their country inspired me to take in every moment with complete awe and appreciation for the diverse, intelligent ecosystems and majestic wildlife that thrived in the Bowl of Plenty and endless plains of the bush. Driving through thousands of wildebeests and zebras while they fed on grass and instinctively migrated through the great Serengeti was an overwhelming sight to behold with muffled sounds of hoofs and grunts, yet deeply peaceful at the same time. It sometimes took my breath away. Even the industrious dung beetles rolling their dung balls were as exciting to observe as the the big five and scavenging hyenas. But the strikingly beautiful faces and welcoming attitude of the Tanzanian people were the icing on the cake. Pure joy and a sense of belonging came through every “Mambo” greeting they shared with each other and with us as we wandered through their vast, abundant land. My trip was a life-affirming adventure that I would recommend to anyone. And I plan to go back for more!”
— Sue Baile
“We traveled to Africa in August 2018 and visited Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania. The tours were very well organized and could not have asked for a better experience or accommodations. Every guide and driver we had were knowledgeable, personable, and funny. They really wanted you to have the best Safari experience possible. In Uganda, it was such a great experience to see the gorillas in the rain forest. It was a hard trek but totally worth the experience. We got to see so much wildlife in Tanzania (lions, zebra, cape buffalo, hyena, jackals, cheetah, elephant and so much more), but most importantly we were lucky to see 5 Wildebeest migrations across the river!
We were really impressed with the food offerings and the chef at each camp was sensitive to the dietary needs of our party (vegetarian for one traveler and lactose sensitivity to another). From the early morning game drives and morning tea in the bush, to afternoon lunches at the camps, to beautiful sundowners in the evening, and delicious dinners we felt catered to at every stop. The staff at each camp was amazing! We look forward to our next trip over to Africa!”
— Marc Foreman
“I could not describe how magnificent my experience was on a 10 day safari through the Serengeti with Kathy. Of all of my world travels, this was the most memorable trip. From sundowners on top of beautiful rock structures, to an extraordinary lakeside breakfast watching the sunrise to the thrill of watching a cheetah hunt and kill. Every moment of the trip was memorable. Kathy brings a breadth of experience and opportunity that few other African safari companies can provide. I cannot plan my next trip soon enough! Happy Travels! Asante.”
— Michael Wilcox
“I met Kathy back in the late 1980s. One day 5 friends began talking about taking a trip together and Kathy mentioned Africa. How could anyone say “no” to tagging along with Kathy, since she was/is a world traveler and traveled to Africa tons of times. Kathy said she loved planning the trip and managed it all, from phone calls and tons of emails. She asked us if we wanted to rough it, go glamping or a bit of both. She arranged the entire trip and Oh Em Gee, WOW!! That was THE trip of a lifetime! We traveled to Arusha, where we met up with THE BEST safari guide (father, brother & uncle) there is, Jadim George Luangila. This was an amazing trip filled with wonderful people, 100% white glove customer care, the most beautiful animal kingdom you will ever witness, along with the most gorgeous night skies.
When you get that desire to travel to Africa, it’s a MUST you call Kathy Harvey!”
— Lisa Goldman