9-Day Active Tanzania Safari | Biking, Canoeing & Walking

A 9-day active Tanzania safari offers an immersive, high-energy, adventure-packed journey combining classic wildlife game drives with activities like mountain biking, walking, hiking, and canoeing in the Northern Circuit (Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro). This 9-Day Active Tanzania Safari often feature canoeing on Lake Manyara, walking safaris in Arusha National Park, or climbing the active Oldoinyo-Lengai volcano.

This 9-Day Active Tanzania Safari offers a unique take on the traditional northern Tanzanian itinerary, combining game drives with other activities such as walking, motorcycling, and canoeing at some of Tanzania’s top game-viewing sites. Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara, and game drives are a great opportunity to watch wildlife. With Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and the Serengeti all in close proximity, your safari is sure to be filled with wildlife sightings. If you want to explore the savannah in all its fascinating detail, ditch the 4×4 and hop on a bike, hit the trails, or hop in a canoe. Your knowledgeable guide will point out birds, insects, reptiles, and medicinal plants along the way. This is the best of all worlds: you can drive further in the vehicle, but you won’t see quite as much detail. On foot, you won’t get quite as far, but you’ll get to know Africa much better.

Tented camps with all the comforts of home await you after your first two nights at an Arusha resort. A spacious en suite bathroom with a hot water shower, a double bed with fresh cotton linens and enough room to stand up in your tent are standard amenities at each campsite. These camps have been selected for their minimal environmental impact and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. They are located in game-rich areas and provide easy access to the Ngorongoro Crater, where you can see the Big 5, the Serengeti Wildebeest Migration, and Lake Manyara, where you can see tree-climbing lions and large flocks of flamingos.

This is a land tour, so you and your driver/guide will go from place to place while you relax and take in the breathtaking views of the African Rift Valley. Amateur wildlife photographers and daring safari goers will love the itinerary and activities, plus there are chances to engage with local Tanzanian customs (such riding bikes to a community at Ngorongoro).

A Detailed 9-Day Active Tanzania Safari Itinerary

Day 1: A Riverside Retreat | 2 Nights

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha, a representative from the trip will be waiting to take you to the Rivertrees Country Inn. Rivertrees is the perfect spot to unwind after a long day on the road, situated an hour outside of town on the slopes of Mount Meru with distant views of Africa’s highest peak, Kilimanjaro. A sun terrace, pool, and free Wi-Fi are all available so you can stay in touch with loved ones back home. For those who like to get some fresh air and maybe even spot some monkeys or birds along the banks of the Usa River, the lodge offers a number of intriguing trails to choose from.

Day 2: Arusha National Park

You can spend the day adventuring in the neighbouring Arusha National Park if you get up early enough. Shockingly diversified for one of Tanzania’s smallest protected areas, Arusha is home to hippopotamia in its wetlands, monkeys and flamboyant birds in its woods, and grasslands browsed by antelope, buffalo, and elephants watched over by leopards and spotted hyenas. Your game drives in Arusha are enhanced with walking and canoe tours, giving you a unique perspective on the local ecology. After a day of exploring, you return to Rivertrees Country Inn for a delicious meal and another peaceful night’s sleep under fresh cotton sheets.

Days 3- 4: Lake Manyara | 2 Nights

Leaving Rivertrees after breakfast, you’ll drive to Lake Manyara, a popular destination in the Rift Valley known for its abundant wildlife. You can take a leisurely drive through Lake Manyara National Park in the afternoon before making your way to the south of the park to the charming Manyara Green Camp, a tented camp situated at the base of a waterfall. A double bed and baggage racks may be accommodated in your spacious tented suite, which also features an attached private bathroom. The following day, you’ll spend time in the national park. Start your day with a stroll along the lakeside. Then, go on a wildlife drive. As the sun goes down, it transforms into a spot-lit night drive, giving you the opportunity to witness the predatory beasts of Africa. At Manyara Green Camp, you can have a romantic candlelit meal as you head back to your tent.

Day 5: A Big 5 Safari | 1 Nights

The day starts with a game drive from the park followed by a treetop canopy walk. This is a great chance to spot birds, monkeys, and squirrels up in the jungle, where they are rarely seen. The next stop is the traditional Mto wa Mbu village, where you may go on a bike or foot tour before making your way to Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp, where you’ll spend the night. With its proximity to the road that descends into the Ngorongoro Crater, this stylish tented camp is an ideal starting point for a safari into the crater. The following day, you’ll be among the first cars to reach the floor of the crater.

Days 6-8: The Serengeti Savannah

If you wake up early enough, you can beat the crowds to Ngorongoro Crater and start watching the morning game before everyone else. It is not uncommon to observe the Big Five—lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard—during a single game drive in the Crater. Your three-night stay at Banagi Green Camp in the heart of the Serengeti begins after a picnic lunch. The breathtaking setting along the Grumeti River guarantees first-rate game viewing all year round. During the middle of the year, when the Wildebeest Migration comes crashing in, the area is at its most spectacular. Enjoy two days of morning and afternoon drives before retiring to your cosy tented suite for stargazing meals and solar-powered illumination.

Day 9: Farewell Tanzania

Your two-hour flight to Arusha Airport will bring this vacation to a close after breakfast at Banagi Green Camp. Upon arrival, you will be transported to the airport.

End of the 9-Day Active Tanzania Safari

Inclusions

  • Meals:
    Rivertrees Country Inn : Bed & Breakfast
    Wayo Manyara Green Camp : Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
    Ngorongoro Crater Camp, an A&K Sanctuary : Full Board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
  • All necessary permits, conservancy and park fees
  • All activities specified, including morning and evening game drives each full day on safari
  • 24/7 assistance and support during your trip

Exclusions

  • Your international flights to and from Africa + any related taxes
  • Any travel visas you require (though we help you with this)
  • Tips
  • Personal items (eg. travel insurance, souvenirs)