Beyond The Known

What to Expect

This journey takes you through the baobab country of Tarangire, the Southern Highlands around Iringa, and the remote parks of Ruaha, Mikumi and Selous. Along the way we’ll stop to meet makers and communities, and visit places most itineraries skip. It’s unhurried, and I think a lot more rewarding for it. Come curious, bring good shoes and a sense of humour.

Destinations

Day to day Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Kilimanjaro

Soft landing. No heroics.

Welcome to Tanzania! You’ll be met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and driven to Arusha, roughly an hour away.

Settle in at Haradali Home, have something to eat and meet me for a short briefing about the days ahead. Tonight’s only job is to rest. The safari starts properly soon enough.

Where we stay: Haradali Home

Day 2: Visit Shanga

Beautiful things, made by remarkable people.

We begin with people, not animals. Shanga is a social enterprise near Arusha where artisans, many of them living with disabilities, turn recycled glass and other materials into beautiful glassware, jewellery and textiles.

Watch the glass-blowers at work, chat with the makers and take your time in the shop. What you buy goes back to the people who made it, so this is the one place where I encourage shopping without guilt. The rest of the day is free to rest before we head into the bush.

Where we stay: Haradali Home

Day 3: To Tarangire

Out of town and into baobab country.

After breakfast we drive south towards Tarangire, a journey of around two to three hours. You’ll stay at Randilen Tents in the Randilen Wildlife Management Area on the edge of Tarangire National Park. The land is run together with local Maasai communities, which means your stay supports the people who share this landscape with the wildlife.

After lunch we head out for an afternoon of game viewing among the ancient baobabs and open woodland that Tarangire is known for.

Where we stay: Randilen Tents

Day 4: Full day Tarangire

Elephants, baobabs and a very good picnic.

A full day in Tarangire National Park, famous for its big elephant herds and giant baobab trees. The Tarangire River draws wildlife from the surrounding country, especially in the dry season.

Keep an eye out for giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, lions and, with luck, a leopard asleep in a tree. Bird lovers will be well rewarded too. We’ll have a picnic lunch in the park and return to camp in the late afternoon light.

Where we stay: Randilen Tents

Day 5: To Iringa

A long road, with views to match.

Today is a long but scenic travel day as we leave the northern circuit and head south towards the Southern Highlands. The route crosses the central plateau, passing through the regional capital Dodoma before climbing into the hills around Iringa.

Expect around nine hours on the road, with plenty of stops for lunch and to stretch your legs. We’ll arrive at Iringa Sunset in time to put your feet up and enjoy the view.

Where we stay: Iringa Sunset

Day 6: Iringa cultural tour and pillars

Tanzania away from the parks.

Today we discover Iringa and its surroundings. We visit the Isimila Stone Age Site, where you can see tools used by early humans hundreds of thousands of years ago, as well as the remarkable natural sandstone pillars carved by erosion in a dramatic gorge.

Back in town we take a cultural tour to learn about the history of the Hehe people and everyday life here, visiting local craft workshops and markets where your purchases support local makers. It’s a chance to see Tanzania beyond the national parks before we head into the wilderness of Ruaha.

Where we stay: Iringa Sunset

Day 7: To Ruaha

Into the wild south.

We leave Iringa and drive west to Ruaha National Park, a journey of several hours that includes a stretch of unpaved road. Game viewing starts as soon as we enter the park, and we’ll arrive at Ruaha River Lodge, which overlooks the Great Ruaha River.

After lunch we head out on an afternoon game drive along the river, where elephants, hippos and many kinds of antelope come to drink.

Where we stay: Ruaha River Lodge

Day 8: Ruaha

Where the north meets the south.

Ruaha is one of Tanzania’s largest and wildest national parks, where the dry bushland of central Tanzania meets the wetter woodland of the south. That unusual mix supports a rich variety of wildlife that is rarely seen together elsewhere.

We’ll spend the day on game drives, with a chance to see lions, leopards, cheetahs and large herds of elephant and buffalo. Look out for greater kudu, sable and roan, which are easier to find here than in most other parks.

Where we stay: Ruaha River Lodge

Day 9: Ruaha

Quiet park, big sightings.

Another full day exploring Ruaha, visiting different parts of the park including dry sand rivers and open plains. Ruaha is quieter than many parks, which makes every sighting feel personal.

We’ll return to the lodge in the evening to relax and swap stories over dinner, with the sound of the river nearby.

Where we stay: Ruaha River Lodge

Day 10: Mikumi

Down from the highlands.

Today we leave Ruaha and drive east to Mikumi National Park, a long day on the road through Iringa and over the escarpment, with the landscape changing as we go. Allow six to seven hours, including stops.

You’ll stay at Stanley’s Kopje, set on a rocky rise with wide views over the Mikumi plains. We’ll arrive in time for you to relax and watch the sun go down.

Where we stay: Stanley’s Kopje

Day 11: Mikumi

Easy safari, rich rewards.

We explore Mikumi National Park, which is easy to get around and offers excellent wildlife viewing across its open floodplains. Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo and elephant are commonly seen, and lions are often found resting in the grass or on the road.

We’ll visit one of the hippo pools, a wonderful place to watch hippos and birdlife, before heading back to camp for a relaxed evening.

Where we stay: Stanley’s Kopje

Day 12: To Selous

A different kind of wild.

We drive south to Selous Game Reserve, one of the largest protected wildlife areas in Africa, a journey of around four to five hours. We’ll settle in at Impala Selous and have lunch.

In the afternoon you may head out on a first game drive. Selous’ mix of woodland, open grassland and river channels gives a very different experience from the parks you’ve already visited.

Where we stay: Impala Selous

We’ll visit one of the hippo pools, a wonderful place to watch hippos and birdlife, before heading back to camp for a relaxed evening.

Where we stay: Stanley’s Kopje

Day 13: Selous with boat

See it from the water.

Today includes a boat safari on the Rufiji River, a real highlight of Selous. From the water you can get close to hippos and crocodiles, and watch elephants and many kinds of birds along the banks, including kingfishers, herons and bee-eaters.

We’ll combine this with a game drive, so you see the wildlife from both the water and the land.

Where we stay: Impala Selous

Day 14: Selous

One last night in the bush.

A full day exploring Selous on game drives. The reserve is home to lions, elephants, buffalo, giraffe and one of Africa’s largest populations of African wild dog, along with plenty of hippos and crocodiles around the lakes and channels.

It’s our last night in the bush, so we’ll have a final sundowner and dinner at camp.

Where we stay: Impala Selous

Day 15: Depart

Until next time. Kwaheri!

After breakfast you’ll be transferred for your journey onwards. Depending on your travel plans, this may be a flight from Selous or a road transfer to connect with your departure.

It has been a privilege to share this journey with you. Safe travels, and come back soon.

Thank you for giving us a chance to be part of your safari experience in Tanzania

Includes & Excludes

Inclusions

Full board accommodation throughout the safari,
Exclusive use of safari vehicle with fridge and charging device
Service of professional English speaking Safari Guide
All park Entry fees
Crater fees
Domestic Flight
Drinking water in the car
Coffee and Tea in the car
All Airport Transfers

Exclusions

International flights
Any item for personal use such us telephone bills
Tips to safari guides Hotel staff and porters
Health / travel insurance
Masai boma visit and Olduvai Visit ( costs $ 50 per person)

About The Accommodations

1. Haradali Home – Arusha

Experience Tanzania Beyond the Role of a Visitor

A homestay offers something a conventional hotel often cannot: the opportunity to experience everyday life alongside a local family. Shared dinners, conversations with the people who make the home run, and food connected to the farm-to-table philosophy bring guests closer to the people and practices behind Tanzanian hospitality.

Staying here is an invitation to begin your safari through human connection — to learn, share and feel welcomed into a home rather than simply checking into a room.

2. Ngorongoro Haradali, Karatu

Discover What It Means to Be Rooted in a Place

Here, the farm-to- table experience connects the food guests enjoy with the land on which it grows. The property’s development also reflects the involvement of people from the surrounding community, making local participation part of its story.

Choosing to stay here means experiencing hospitality that values more than comfort: it recognises the importance of local people, locally grown food and a relationship with the surrounding community.

3. Queens Serengeti

Be Part of a Safari Story Led by Women

Queens Serengeti brings a women-in-business story into the heart of the wilderness. The experience highlights women’s participation and leadership in safari hospitality, giving guests another way to connect their journey with the people behind the destination.

Alongside the extraordinary wildlife of the Serengeti, staying here invites guests to recognise and support women’s roles in the tourism industry.

4. Ngorongoro Uzuri Hideaway, Karatu

Let Your Stay Contribute to a Greener Landscape

At Uzuri Hideaway, the connection between hospitality and the surrounding community extends to the land itself. The property embraces a farm-to-table approach and local participation, bringing together food production, community collaboration and environmental care.

Staying here offers a chance to experience the beauty of the highlands while connecting with a hospitality approach that values local involvement and care for the surrounding landscape.

Like what you see? , Let’s Go!

Sounds good? Now it’s time to start planning your Next Vacation to Tanzania.

Enquire now and a Travel expert will get back to you.

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