9 DAYS | 8 NIGHTS Tanzania Bird Watching Safari Experience
Tour Overview
Experience the true essence of Tanzania’s wildlife, landscapes, and avian diversity on this 9-day journey through the Northern Circuit. This safari is carefully curated for birding enthusiasts and photographers, offering immersive encounters with Tanzania’s extraordinary birdlife across highland forests, open savannahs, wetlands, and crater ecosystems.
From misty forest canopies to reflective lakes and vast plains, each day provides opportunities to capture vibrant colors, intricate behaviors, and dynamic natural compositions, leaving your portfolio enriched with unforgettable imagery.
Duration: 9 Days
When to go: All Year Round
FULL ITINERARY
DAY 1:
Arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO)
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be greeted by your guide and transferred to your lodge in Arusha for dinner and an overnight stay. Take the late afternoon to relax and enjoy the surrounding gardens, where your first encounters with local bird species such as weavers, sunbirds, and hornbills can be photographed in warm evening light, setting the tone for your birding journey.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Lodge / Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Full Board
Day 2:
Arusha to Tarangire National Park to Mto wa Mbu
After breakfast, depart for Tarangire National Park, a 1,360-square-kilometer reserve renowned for baobab-studded landscapes and diverse avian populations. Throughout the day, observe and photograph a variety of species, including lilac-breasted rollers, ostriches, starlings, and raptors gliding above the savannah.
Enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the wilderness before continuing to Mto wa Mbu, a vibrant village where you can photograph both the local lifestyle and the surrounding wetlands, home to numerous waterbirds and kingfishers.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Tented Camp / Lodge
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 3:
Mto wa Mbu to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
After a wholesome breakfast, journey from Mto wa Mbu to the Ngorongoro Crater rim, passing through dramatic landscapes and small villages alive with bird activity. Upon arrival, settle into your lodge with time for a late lunch.
The afternoon offers an opportunity for a guided walking safari along the rim, capturing sunbirds, turacos, and other forest-dwelling species in natural light. Focus on layered compositions combining birdlife, forest textures, and expansive crater views.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Tented Camp / Lodge
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 4:
Ngorongoro Crater
Rise early for a full day exploring the Ngorongoro Crater floor, one of the world’s most spectacular ecological havens. With a picnic lunch in hand, traverse grasslands, lakes, and woodland areas, photographing both birds and wildlife in their natural habitats.
Species of interest include flamingos, pelicans, ostriches, hornbills, and weavers, alongside zebras, wildebeest, and elephants. Afternoon light enhances textures across the crater, providing ideal conditions for dramatic wide-angle and intimate telephoto compositions. Return to the lodge on the crater rim for dinner and overnight.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Tented Camp / Lodge
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 5:
Ngorongoro to Serengeti National Park
After breakfast, depart for Serengeti National Park, a landscape of open plains, kopjes, and riverine forests that supports a remarkable diversity of birds. Spend the day photographing raptors, hornbills, starlings, and waterbirds, while also capturing wildlife in dynamic compositions.
Your guide will help identify the best vantage points for panoramic landscapes and close-up bird portraits. Evening return to the lodge allows for reflection and editing your day’s images.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Tented Camp / Lodge
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 6:
Full Day in Serengeti
Enjoy a full day of birding and photography across the Serengeti’s varied ecosystems. Capture species such as secretary birds striding across the plains, lilac-breasted rollers perched on acacia branches, and flocks of weavers in motion.
The morning and late afternoon light offers ideal conditions for photographing both birds and the broader savannah landscape, while the flat plains provide opportunities for creative compositions combining birds and large mammals. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Tented Camp / Lodge
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 7:
Serengeti to Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast and a morning birding drive, transfer to Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its diversity of avian life and iconic tree-climbing lions. Photograph flamingos reflected in the calm waters of the lake, fish eagles perched majestically, and hornbills in the forest canopy. Explore the forested trails for colobus monkeys, turacos, and sunbirds. This day offers a mix of wetland and forest birding, with the chance to experiment with reflections, patterns, and layered compositions.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Tented Camp / Lodge
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 8:
Lake Manyara Birding and Photography
Spend a full day at Lake Manyara exploring its diverse habitats. From early morning light over the wetlands to the afternoon glow in the forest, capture both resident and migratory birds, including pelicans, herons, kingfishers, and sunbirds.
Trails and viewpoints allow for both wide-angle landscape shots and intimate close-ups, highlighting behavioral details and interactions within the ecosystem. End the day with a leisurely sunset session overlooking the lake.
Where to Stay
Mid - Range: Tulia Boutique Hotel
Luxury: Mount Meru Hotel
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Where to Stay
Overnight: Tented Camp / Lodge
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 9:
Farewell from Lake Manyara to Arusha
Awake early for a final birding session at Lake Manyara, capturing the last magical moments of your photographic journey. After breakfast, return to Arusha, where rolling hills, village life, and scattered woodlands provide additional opportunities for environmental bird portraits. Arrival in Arusha marks the conclusion of your bird-watching safari, leaving you with a curated collection of images showcasing the richness, color, and diversity of Northern Tanzania’s avian world.
MEAL PLAN
Breakfast, Lunch
Tour Inclusion
- Pick up and drop in Arusha as per the itinerary
- Park entrance fee
- Full board accommodation while on safari
- Service of an English speaking driver guide
- Transport based on a 4WD Vehicle with open roof for game viewing
- Driver’s allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
- Game drives as per the Itinerary
Tour Exclusion
- Pick up and drop in Arusha as per the itinerary
- Park entrance fee
- Full board accommodation while on safari
- Service of an English speaking driver guide
- Transport based on a 4WD Vehicle with open roof for game viewing
- Driver’s allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
- Game drives as per the Itinerary
Price Per Person
|
Number of Person
|
Price per Person
|
|---|---|
|
PAX 2 |
$ 480 |
|
PAX 3 |
$ 460 |
|
PAX 4 |
$ 440 |
|
PAX 5+ |
$567 |
|
PAX 5+ |
$567 |
Tour Inclusion
- Pick up and drop in Arusha as per the itinerary
- Park entrance fee
- Full board accommodation while on safari
- Service of an English speaking driver guide
- Transport based on a 4WD Vehicle with open roof for game viewing
- Driver’s allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
- Game drives as per the Itinerary
Tour Exclusion
- Pick up and drop in Arusha as per the itinerary
- Park entrance fee
- Full board accommodation while on safari
- Service of an English speaking driver guide
- Transport based on a 4WD Vehicle with open roof for game viewing
- Driver’s allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
- Game drives as per the Itinerary
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