Senast uppdaterad: 2010-08-23
Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Kilimanjaro airport. Depending on your flight you will arrive on different times of the day. After arrival you purchase your visa. The cost is 50$. A taxi to Arusha will cost around 50$. Try to share. At the hotel you will meet your tourleader Hamisi.
Day 2
After breakfast by landrovers to Manyara National Park. The whole afternoon you will look for animals from your vehicle. What can be seen is never sure, but you will definitely see elephants, giraffes, hippos, baboons and antelopes of different kind and probably the famous treeclimbing lions of the Manyara. And a lot more.Day 3
After breakfast to Ngorongoro crater. This is one of the most famous national parks in East Africa and now also a world heritage site. During the whole day you will be watching animals. In additon to what you have seen last day you will now also see rhinos and big herds of zebras, buffaloes and antelopes. You will see flamingos and the extraordinary scenery from the crater rim. In the evening you will be back at your hotel. Day 4
After breakfast you will get a Swahili lesson, essential to feel at ease when you are travelling in Tanzania. After that you return, pass Arusha and up at a hotel by the foot of Mt Meru. On the way you will make a stop to visit a Masai boma just to learn about their traditions and way of life.Day 5
You get inside Arusha National Park. Start with a walking safari in company of a ranger. After completing formalities at Momella gate you start climbing mount Meru up to Miriakamba hut (2500). You will become a big party under the leadership of trained mountain guides. There will be one or two cooks and many porters to help you carry, to bring foodstuff and kitchen stuff. With some luck you will see buffaloes on the way. This is the reason why you will be accompanied by an armed guard. You will stay in rooms with four beds using your sleeping bag.
You are requested only to bring what is required to climb the mountain, nothing unnecessary. Rest you leave at your hotel. What you need during the day you carry yourself.
Day 6
To Saddle Hut (3500 m) where you will arrive for lunch. On the way you will see stands of beautiful lobelia, sunbirds and the change of vegetation from forest to moorland. If you intend to climb Meru the next day you have better climb to little Meru (3801 meter) for acclimatization.
Day 7
Today you have a choice. Either to climb the BIG Meru to the peak (4566 meter). Or you climb Little Meru.Day 8
Return to Miriakamba hut.Day 9
Return to Momella gate where you say goodbye to all the people who have helped you to climb Meru. Pick up luggage that have been left at the hotel. Bus to Same town.Day 10
By landcruiser to Chome village where you will stay with local families.Day 11
In the village, stay with the host family. Visit schools and the dispensary, etc.Day 12-13
Trekking in Chome National Forest Reserve in primary mountain rainforest. At the end of the day you return to Chome.Day 14
By landcruiser back to Same. Bus to Tanga.Day 15
By Ferry to Pemba island (Zanzibar). In case this connection has been cancelled you will fly. By Dalla dalla to a guest house situated in the north of Pemba Island. A dalla dalla is a small truck converted to bus with two benches under a roof. Supposed to take maximum 20 passengers, which means squeezing, but could be 30. This is not counting the cargo on the roof. The only means of transport on the island. On this tour we will generally hire our own vehicle, but we will let those who want to have the experience go with a public dalla dalla.
Pemba is the little known island north of Zanzibar. More poor, less developed compared to it´s famous neighbor. Costs are higher as communications are bad. You will see!
Pemba is hilly and green – really beautiful! Here most cloves in the world is grown and you realize this when passing a village by car. It costs 4$ a kilo.
Day 16-18
Stay in this small and basic guesthouse. Rooms are large with big beds. A family of four will be comfortable in one room. Running water is no problem, but there is no electricity. Only place to eat is in the guesthouse where they will serve the food you order. Fish and octopus will always be available. But no beer, like elsewhere in Pemba which is more traditional compared to Zanzibar. But no problem if you bring your own alcohol.The guesthouse is placed by the shore with less than 50 meters to the water. The shore is a mix of sand and rock and fine for swimming. From your house you have a breathtaking 180 degree view of the sea with it´s shade of blue changing with the clouds and the angles of the sun.
What to do during these three days? Besides relaxing and swimming there are several things to do.
- Walk across the peninsula through friendly villages to a long perfect sandy beach with no rocks. Takes one hour easy walk.
- Visit Ngezi forest a short walk from the guesthouse is a must. This is the only remaining natural forest on Pemba. You have to follow the trails as the vegetation is almost impenetrable. Many endemic species of flora and fauna. Keep a look for pythons. You may take a guide but are permitted to walk on your own.
- The guesthouse can organize a dhow to take you one km away only to a good place for snorkeling.
- One of these days the guesthouse will organize a full day tour for all of you with a big dhow to the famous Misali island. Here you will snorkel over the best coral reefs you can imagine. The island is unhabituated, but big enough to make an adventure of exploring the inland. You will bring food and have a long sailing home in the sunset. Just enjoy!
Day 19
In early morning we try to hire one of the few minibuses available and go all the way to Mkoani in south Pemba. The boat to Unguja island (Zanzibar) departs at 10 and you will reach Stonetown, capital of Zanzibar around 15. Day 20
Explore the interesting historical parts in this old town with its narrow streets memories of the trade in spices and slaves. Zanzibar is also a great place for shopping. Maybe you would also like to join a tour to see the cultivation of different spices.Day 21
Stonetown is well-connected with Dar-es-Salaam by a hydrofoil. Two hours only. Depending on your flight from Dar you will have the opportunity to choose between two different departures in the afternoon.This tour ends when you reach Dar-es-Salam. From here you can easily take a taxi to the airport for your return flight. In case you like to stay on, our tourleader will reserve a hotel for you.
