Learn how best to work with movement and light as you frame dazzling herds of zebra, lolling lions, and a colorful spectrum of birds. Spend time with the Masai in their village and enjoy a rare chance to shoot portraits and photograph the traditional way of life of these iconic pastoralists. Head out on safaris, walks, and other activities designed to maximize photographic opportunities. Go on a photo shoot at a coffee plantation, and fill your lens with scenes of lush fields, bright coffee beans, and local culture. This expedition is rated as light; travelers should be in good health and comfortable sitting for extended periods of time. Excursions include safari drives in open vehicles on dusty, bumpy roads; nature walks on uneven terrain; and sometimes climbing stairs without handrails.
Accommodations
Our accommodations are selected for their exceptional quality, location, and character.
Expedition Team
Exciting East African Expert and an Expedition Leader will accompany this trip, and local guides join us along the way.
Transportation
We have arranged all of your transportation needs during your stay in Tanzania as specified in your trip itinerary. When spending time on your own, you may choose to visit a site that requires transportation. If this is the case, your Expedition Leader will happily recommend convenient transportation options.
Day 1
Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) this evening and transfer to our hotel.
- Accommodations: River trees Country Inn
Day 2
Drive to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its elephants, hippos, giraffes, flamingos, and tree-climbing lions. Get your equipment ready for our first safari this afternoon, and train your lens on giraffes or Cape buffalo against the stunning mountains of the Rift Valley.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodations: Plantation Lodge
Day 3
Rise early for a morning game drive, heading to the shores of Lake Manyara to photograph the numerous bird species and other wildlife that congregate here. Visit a coffee plantation this afternoon, and document the coffee production process and the culture of the local people.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodations: Plantation Lodge
Day 4
Travel into the Ngorongoro Highlands after breakfast for a very special opportunity to visit with a Masai community off the beaten path. With your camera in hand, witness an initiation ritual, and learn about this fascinating culture from the village chief and his wives. Capture the spirit of traditional song and dance, and enjoy time to work on portraiture and photographing daily life with these proud people. After lunch, descend 2,000 feet to the base of the Ngorongoro Crater, where volcanic slopes shelter almost 25,000 animals. Document the interactions of predator and prey; zoom in on birdlife from marabou storks to rainbow-hued lovebirds; and test your wildlife photography skills on elephants, rhinos, cheetahs, and more.
- Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
- Accommodations: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Day 5
Return to the crater floor at sunrise for breakfast and a morning photo safari. Take the afternoon to relax and look over your images. Listen to a talk by our National Geographic photographer, and ready your camera to catch the sun set over the crater this evening.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodations: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Day 6
Drive to the Olduvai Gorge, Louis and Mary Leakey discovered Homo habilis, one of the earliest members of the human genus. Take a private tour of the site and learn about recent finds before continuing west to Serengeti National Park. This afternoon, drive to our lodge in the central Serengeti, looking for lions, cheetahs, and leopards along the way.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodations: Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Days 7-8
Rise early for a morning game drive before flying to the northern Serengeti, and with luck, witness the dramatic river crossings of the wildebeest migration. Great herds of wildebeests and zebras eye predators warily as crocodile snouts break the surface of the Mara River. Stay at luxury tented camp and on morning and afternoon game drives, take in the region’s spectacular array of wildlife. On our last evening, gather for a candlelit farewell dinner in the bush.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodations: Sayari Camp
Day 9
After a final early morning safari, fly back to Arusha. Relax at our hotel before transferring to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to connect with your flight home.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch.
- Accommodations: Rivertrees Country Inn
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