10 DAYS | 9 NIGHTS Tanzania Photographic Bird Watching Safari
Tour Overview
This carefully curated 10-day safari across Tanzania’s Northern Circuit offers photographers an unparalleled opportunity to capture the country’s extraordinary birdlife, iconic landscapes, and vibrant cultural heritage. From the mist-laden forests of Arusha to the golden savannahs of Tarangire, the mirrored waters of Lake Manyara, the endless plains of the Serengeti, the surreal shores of Lake Natron, and the dramatic Ngorongoro Crater, each day presents a unique visual canvas.
The itinerary is designed to balance avian photography with wildlife compositions and human interactions, highlighting Maasai pastoralists, Hadzabe hunter-gatherers, and other local communities in natural settings. With careful consideration of lighting, vantage points, and seasonal behavior, photographers are guided through scenes rich in color, movement, and narrative depth, ensuring a portfolio that tells the full story of Northern Tanzania.
Duration: 10 Days
When to go: All Year Round
FULL ITINERARY
DAY 1:
Arrival in Arusha
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 National Park
A short drive transports you into the verdant realms of Arusha National Park. Trails wind through dense cedar and camphor forests, where colobus monkeys leap between branches and sunbirds dart through sunlit patches, creating lively opportunities for action-focused photography. The Ngurdoto Crater rim offers expansive vantage points, framing lakes and forested valleys in morning haze.
At Momela Lakes, mirrored reflections of flamingos, cormorants, and herons transform water surfaces into surreal photographic canvases. Photographers can alternate between sweeping wide-angle vistas and intimate wildlife portraits, capturing the interplay of textures, colors, and atmospheric light that define the park.
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&4:
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire is celebrated for its majestic baobabs, vast elephant herds, and diverse birdlife. Early mornings illuminate the savannah in golden hues, ideal for photographing secretary birds striding elegantly across open plains, hornbills perched against vibrant skies, and raptors gliding with effortless grace above.
The juxtaposition of elephants beneath ancient baobabs provides dramatic scale, while scattered smaller birds add vibrant accents to the composition. Over two days, the park’s combination of expansive landscapes and intimate wildlife encounters offers versatile photographic opportunities, from grand panoramas to detailed, story-rich shots that capture life on the plains.
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:
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara presents a stunning mosaic of wetlands and forested slopes. Flamingos congregate in dense, mirrored flocks, reflecting vividly in calm waters, while fish eagles perch high with commanding presence, and lilac-breasted rollers flash brilliant color through the acacia canopies.
Forest trails reveal colobus monkeys, turacos, and sunbirds navigating filtered light, offering intimate portrait opportunities. The combination of water, woodland, and avian diversity allows photographers to craft layered, narrative compositions that balance foreground action with sweeping environmental context.
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&7:
Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti embodies Africa’s timeless grandeur. Wide, open plains stretch to the horizon, punctuated by acacia clusters and occasional kopjes. Over two days, photographers can capture a variety of birds against dramatic landscapes, as well as large mammals in dynamic compositions.
Migratory species, raptors, and resident birds provide constant opportunities for detailed action shots, while the endless vistas invite sweeping panoramic images at sunrise and sunset. This segment also allows for cultural encounters with Maasai communities, offering additional layers for narrative-driven photography. The interplay of light, wildlife, and landscape here creates cinematic, high-impact 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 8:
Lake Natron
Lake Natron is a surreal spectacle where alkaline waters shimmer with reflections of intense sunrise and sunset colors. Vast colonies of lesser flamingos move in choreographed patterns, resembling living brushstrokes across the lake’s surface. The nearby Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano rises sharply, adding scale and contrast to your compositions.
Photographers can balance sweeping landscapes, dynamic bird groupings, and intimate behavioral shots, creating images that are both dramatic and otherworldly. Attention to timing, perspective, and light transforms this extraordinary environment into a series of memorable photographic tableaux.
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:
Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater is a natural amphitheater teeming with life. Flamingos, storks, and sunbirds share the floor with zebras, buffalo, and lions, offering a rich tapestry of photographic subjects. Morning mist softens distant hills, creating layered compositions and depth in wide-angle shots.
Photographers can frame individual birds among reeds or incorporate larger mammals against sweeping plains, crafting images that blend intimacy with grandeur. The crater’s interplay of light, shadow, and movement ensures every shot conveys the unique drama and serenity of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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 10:
Return to Arusha and Departure
The final day provides additional photographic opportunities during the return drive to Arusha. Rolling hills, Maasai villages, and scattered woodlands offer compelling frames—from sociable weavers flitting between trees to raptors soaring overhead. The soft morning light enhances colors and textures, allowing for final narrative shots that encapsulate the diversity and richness of Northern Tanzania. Arrival at the airport marks the conclusion of this visually immersive safari, leaving photographers with a curated collection of images that capture the region’s birds, landscapes, and cultural heritage in exquisite detail.
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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