11 days tour in Tanzania – Tourism with Impact

We will be picked up from Kilimanjaro Airport and drive through rural Tanzania to Momella, where we will spend the first night in the premium room at Hillside Retreat. Hillside Retreat is a beautiful lodge owned by the NGO. Very well looked after and with sustainable policies. We will take advantage of the day to rest or visit the surroundings with our guide. During our first dinner, we will meet Dr. Cornelia, the head of the NGO, who will help us choose the best plans for the next few days and will explain the latest developments of the NGO's projects in the area. It will be the ideal moment to meet an exceptional person who dedicates her time and money to the betterment of the community.

On this second day, we will be able to do some of these activities. 1) Visit families with very few resources and have the opportunity to sponsor a child. 2) Get to know the NGO's projects, see first hand how every euro we spend during our trip is destined to various social projects, education, medical services, etc. 3) Meet the children who go to the NGO's schools, spend the afternoon playing with them, bathing in the river or helping them with their homework. 4) In case we already have a sponsored child, we would take advantage of the day to spend it with him/her and his/her family. 5) We would hike around Arusha National Park until we reach a viewpoint located in the NGO's area. Learn about the culture and songs of the Meru dances while enjoying the sunset.

The third day in Tanzania will be our first day on safari and we will visit Arusha National Park. During the safari we will have the chance to meet wild animals and see why Arusha is famous for its rainforest, waterfalls, lakes and the Ngurdoto crater. On the way in our 4x4 vehicle we will pass the famous big tree.

In the morning we will climb Mount Mukuru from where we will see the immensity of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. This excursion is optional, as it requires an optimal physical condition. In the afternoon we will go to the schools to be with the children and participate in their activities. In the afternoon, we will have the opportunity to take our child home and see his or her family. If it falls on a Friday, one of the options is to visit the local Ngare Nanyuki market.

After breakfast we will drive to one of the most unspoilt Maasai areas in Northern Tanzania. Once we arrive, we will be welcomed by the Maasai who manage the Original Maasai Lodge. This lodge, owned by the NGO, is used to finance the social projects it develops in the area. Once at the Original Maasai Lodge, we can relax by the swimming pool, or watch the Maasai dance at sunset. We will sleep in the typical Maasai mud huts, but which have been adapted to western comforts, i.e. with electricity, bathroom and hot water. They are sustainable huts powered by solar energy.

On our sixth day in Tanzania, we will go with the Maasai and spend the whole day with them to see what their daily life is like in this area of northern Tanzania. We will visit the Bomas, the mud houses where they live and help them with their daily chores. After brunch, we will go to collect medicinal plants and slaughter a goat which we will eat later. We will learn how to create traditional Maasai jewellery and how to make the famous shoes that last for 5-8 years.

Sinya offers a unique experience in one of the areas less frequented by tourists. It is a reserve overlooking Kilimanjaro and bordering Kenya. It is one of the few areas where we can see the large male elephants, which live for more than 50 years and are characterised by their enormous tusks. It is also one of the few reserves where you can get out of your car and explore the region on foot. Sinya belongs to the Maasai region, where the locals still preserve ancestral traditions. They are friendly and are not exposed to commercial relations with tourists. It is considered one of the best places to learn about the tribe's culture and complements the Maasai Lodge experience very well. At night, we will sleep in the middle of the African savannah. Our guides will set up the tents, shower and toilet facilities so that we don't have to worry about anything but enjoying the scenery. We will have a cook and a Maasai warrior who will cook for us and welcome us in the middle of the savannah. We will be camped where Hemingway wrote his book "The Snow on Kilimanjaro".

We will get up early, have a coffee (or tea) and go to see more elephants. 3 hours later we will return to our campsite where we will have brunch ready for us. After brunch we will drive to the Original Maasai Lodge. Once at the lodge time for reading or relaxing by the pool. Before sunset we will do various activities and watch the sunset.

Today we will visit Tarangire National Park, located in the Manyara region. The river that crosses the region is a source of water for the animals, so the community of animals such as elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, lions is quite important. After the safari we will stay at the Maramboi Tented Lodge, from where we can still hear the animals in the wild due to its proximity to the animals. With a bit of luck we will be able to see them from our tent, or from the swimming pool while we have a drink.

In the morning, after breakfast, we will drive to the famous Ngorongoro Crater. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO protected area and is the largest dormant volcano in the world. The crater is considered one of the 7 wonders of Africa. Inside the crater we can see rhinos, gazelles, antelopes and other less beautiful animals such as hyenas... It is one of the areas with the highest population of lions, although they are not always easy to see. We will stay very close to the crater in a Ngorongoro Farmhouse, a small and exclusive hotel built in the middle of a 500 hectare coffee plantation.

Después del desayuno, nuestro guía nos llevará al punto acordado para continuar nuestro viaje o para volver a nuestra país.