A lone Cape buffalo stands in a clearing, not twenty-five feet away. He raises his nose to catch your scent and stares at you with sullen, unblinking eyes. He watches your every move as his ears twitch to ward off the incessant flies.
Yellow-billed oxpeckers eat ticks and insects from his face, with another four pecking insects and seeds on the ground. The bull’s boss horns grow solidly together across the crown of his skull and curve forward to deadly, sharp points. They are massive and look to be forty inches from tip to tip.
The old bull’s enormous body is bald across the shoulders and rump, and his scarred, grey hide is covered with dried mud, caked to the stiff black hairs on his back and belly. You smell the hot, rank, bovine reek and hear his heavy breathing through a wet muzzle dripping with mucus.
Watching this dangerous nemesis, your heart pounds. The bull has been driven away by younger bulls and looks to be in a foul mood…
Are you ready to experience the circle of life?
Tanzania is one of the last few havens for discerning explorers who long for the freedom of an authentic African bush country.
Legendary Expeditions protects over two million acres of wilderness and has opened up rare portions for unscripted safari adventures.
Your pilot, Captain Ryan Outram, with Rift Valley Aviation, is at your beck and call. With extensive knowledge of the African bush, he will fly you to extraordinary places only an African bush pilot can deliver.
Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and be met by your owner guide. They’ll handle your luggage and escort you to Legendary Lodge, an Arusha luxury boutique hotel.
Your adventure begins in this timeless sanctuary within the tropical gardens of a historic coffee plantation in the foothills of Mt. Meru, Arusha. Your garden cottage offers a secluded haven to readjust from long international flights and multiple time zones.
Luxuriate in a 1-hour massage per person and relax fully in your new surroundings.
After a late breakfast, your morning flight is an extraordinary scenic flight around Mt. Kilimanjaro. You’ll see its waterfalls and the different climbing routes from above. Kilimanjaro is a mythical mountain that spews new and old myths from its volcanic core. The tales are part of the mountain’s mystique that we hope will never end.
Your flight continues to Little Chem Chem, an authentic vintage safari camp on Lake Burunge in a game-rich area.
Once settled into camp, plan on a sundowner game drive in their 30,000-acre concession. Delight in intimate encounters with herds of big tuskers and an abundance of carnivores and other wild game. Before returning to a magical, lantern-lit dinner of culinary perfection, you can choose a game drive, a walking safari, or a night game drive.
A 30-minute daily massage is included during your stay at Little Chem Chem.
Fly over Silale and Lormakau Swamps in Tarangire National Park to spot big elephant herds as the bush comes alive in the dawn’s early light.
Plan on a game drive in the concession afterward to photograph vast numbers of elephants from ground level.
A safari in Tarangire National Park is the best area on the “northern circuit” to see Tanzania’s highest concentration of elephants. The park includes over 495 bird species, including the martial and bateleur eagles. Wildlife viewing is excellent when animals congregate at the Tarangire River.
A bush walk with an armed guide starts your morning.
After lunch, be the star of your social media story and receive a photoshoot among big tuskers on the concession.
Ionic sundowner cocktails are always part of the safari, with gin & tonic at the top of everybody’s list due to their history with early settlers and big game hunters. The sun dips below the horizon, a masterpiece of brilliant colors and part of the mystique of the African bush.
After dinner, a night game drive shows a different side of safari. The wildlife’s eyes sparkle in the headlights and your adrenaline spikes with each carnivore sighting.
A morning scenic flight is over Lake Manyara and along the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater to Mwiba Wildlife Reserve Conservation Area. This area is remote, rugged bush country, the ultimate bush plane flying. You’ll fly over areas and see wildlife a safari vehicle could never access.
Mwiba Lodge is a secluded, sophisticated haven set among massive stone boulders overlooking a rocky gorge on the Arugusinyia River and the newest addition to the Legendary Expedition’s portfolio. A unique pool built on a rock outcropping overlooks the natural springs below, where wildlife comes to slake their thirst. The lodge has a fitness center, wine cellar, and spa.
Indulge in a 45-minute massage per person.
Explore the remoteness of Mwiba, starting with a morning safari. We’ll visit the Datoga and Hadzabe tribes to see the land through their eyes, an excellent cultural experience.
A late afternoon/early evening game drive takes you deep into the bush with sundowners in a remote, scenic location. Lions wake from their day-long nap and head toward the river for a long drink before hunting in the fading light.
All game drives and flights are on your schedule, which we discuss the evening before, along with the routes.
Take to the skies in the morning as Captain Ryan drops off the escarpment rim for a low-altitude flight skimming over the shimmering waters above Lake Eyasi’s flamingos and pelicans. Fly over hidden waterfalls, which are stunning from above, and after lunch at the lodge, rest up for a remote exploration of Mwiba Reserve by safari vehicle.
Make the most of this beautiful lodge with the rim-flow pool or a romantic jacuzzi overlooking the natural springs and wilderness below. Spend quiet time in the library or simply relish the gourmet dining as you savor the tales of your safari. Your sundowners are wherever you want them to be, perhaps a flight over the top of amazing rock kopjes.
A bush walk with an armed professional walking guide is one of the most authentic safari experiences ever, enabling close-up sightings, scents, and sounds to be heard on foot without distraction or interruption. You will learn about different wildlife habitats, territories, hiding places, hunting patterns, and tracking.
A night game drive after dinner offers a peek at nocturnal wildlife and carnivores. Hopefully, you can spot the elusive but beautiful bird called the nightjar.
A morning flight sweeps over the wildebeest migration for spectacular aerial photos. Permanent water holes in Mwiba provide habitats and refuges for many of Serengeti’s wild animals during the dry season.
Your flight continues to your next Legendary Expeditions property, Mila Tented Camp.
Perched on high grounds of western Serengeti, Mila is the epitome of an “Out of Africa” safari camp. Ideal for those seeking an exceptional tented experience, the camp’s prime location within the remote region of Nyasirori offers outstanding wildlife viewing year-round.
Serengeti Balloon Safaris sours above Serengeti’s ecosystem in the dawn’s early light when wildlife is more active.
After landing, you’re treated to a full English breakfast in the bush with sparkling wine. If you spot some cool wildlife action from the air, let us know, and we’ll head that way once we pick you up. Game drives are on your schedule…
A fun 3-hour flight starts at dawn over the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and along the top of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano, meaning “the mountain of God” in Maasai. Lengai is an active volcano located in the Gregory Rift, south of Lake Natron.
Captain Ryan flies along Lake Natron’s red volcanic waters, often described as having a desolate and lunar beauty. It is the most important breeding ground for millions of lesser flamingos worldwide.
The flight continues over northern Serengeti along the Kenya border and over the wildebeest’s river crossings for exceptional photo opportunities from the air.
The wild is yours to explore at your own pace on this last day, perhaps with a combination of game drive and flight over the Serengeti’s rolling hills. You can discover different wildebeest river crossings from the air, and we will head that way when you get back.
A scenic flight to Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro, and end at Kilimanjaro International Airport for your flight home.
*If you want to finish your holiday on Zanzibar Island in the Indian Ocean, we can discuss this with Captain Ryan. (Not included)
If your safari lodge or camp is sold out, we use a comparable property in location, price and services. Alternate dates are helpful.
Little Chem Chem is closed in April and May annually due to heavy rains. We’ll use a comparable property in the adjacent Tarangire National Park if you want these dates. Also, there are fewer people during this green season. It’s also the wildebeest’s rutting season. Why miss this?
Mila Tented Camp is closed from 6 January through 3 April 2024.
