Augustino Expeditions
Serengeti Balloon
Balloon Safaris /Hot Balloon Safaris / Serengeti Balloon Safaris
'Each day, at dawn on the Tanzania Safari in Serengeti National Park plains, a fortunate few enjoy the ultimate Tanzania safari experience. As the sun rises over the Maasai Kopjes, so does the Serengeti hot air balloon together with its fascinated passengers.' Your Tanzania balloon safari starts when you are collected from your lodge or special camp for meeting at Seronera Lodge or any of the central Serengeti National park accommodation at 5 a.m in the morning. Soon after 5 a.m in the morning you board the Land Rovers to be taken to the launch site, a journey of some 40 minutes duration, in time to witness the dawn and the inflation of the balloon. After a final pre-flight safety briefing you board for take off. The exact direction and duration of the flight depends on the wind and weather conditions of the day but the average flight time is about one hour. Part of the flight will be at an altitude of at least 1,000 feet for magnificent panoramic views of the plains; another part will be at tree top height for unique views of African wildlife. The balloons are equipped with 'whisper' burners to minimize the noise of the burns necessary to navigate the Serengeti balloon safaris. Periods of 'burn' are quite a small proportion of the flight so there are many intervals of complete silence. The flight is totally smooth and feels windless since the balloon is travelling at wind speed. The variety and numbers of animals and birds seen will vary with the time of year, conditions and luck but everything that is seen is from an original and exciting viewpoint. The pilot will land the balloon near one of the game trails and then share a champagne toast with you. The retrieve crew (who keep in contact with the balloon by radio) will arrive to collect you and pack up the balloon. The rest of the crew, after establishing the landing area for the balloon, will have set up the breakfast table under a tree in a convenient spot on the plains. A freshly cooked full English-style breakfast is served in an unforgettable setting and then, after receiving your certificate, you will be taken back to Seronera Lodge or other designated central Serengeti accommodation property and arriving about 9:30 a.m. You will have a rest and relax at the lodge while reading your novel or swimming in the lodge pool. After having your hot lunch at the lodge you will meet again your Tanzania safari tour guide for an afternoon game drive by a 4WD vehicle. The bottom line of having a game drive using a vehicle is to explore Serengeti National Park by land and experience the beauty of its plain and savannah vegetation let along the vast varieties of wildlife and birdlife that Serengeti is famous of. All the aspects of this Tanzania Serengeti balloon safari adventure combine to become an unforgettable memory - possibly the highlight of many passengers' safari! NOTE:b We will appreciate if you will let us know in advance that you need this package while visiting Serengeti National Park so we can book for your chance early possible.
'Each day, at dawn on the Tanzania Safari in Serengeti National Park plains, a fortunate few enjoy the ultimate Tanzania safari experience. As the sun rises over the Maasai Kopjes, so does the Serengeti hot air balloon together with its fascinated passengers.' Your Tanzania balloon safari starts when you are collected from your lodge or special camp for meeting at Seronera Lodge or any of the central Serengeti National park accommodation at 5 a.m in the morning. Soon after 5 a.m in the morning you board the Land Rovers to be taken to the launch site, a journey of some 40 minutes duration, in time to witness the dawn and the inflation of the balloon. After a final pre-flight safety briefing you board for take off. The exact direction and duration of the flight depends on the wind and weather conditions of the day but the average flight time is about one hour. Part of the flight will be at an altitude of at least 1,000 feet for magnificent panoramic views of the plains; another part will be at tree top height for unique views of African wildlife. The balloons are equipped with 'whisper' burners to minimize the noise of the burns necessary to navigate the Serengeti balloon safaris. Periods of 'burn' are quite a small proportion of the flight so there are many intervals of complete silence. The flight is totally smooth and feels windless since the balloon is travelling at wind speed. The variety and numbers of animals and birds seen will vary with the time of year, conditions and luck but everything that is seen is from an original and exciting viewpoint. The pilot will land the balloon near one of the game trails and then share a champagne toast with you. The retrieve crew (who keep in contact with the balloon by radio) will arrive to collect you and pack up the balloon. The rest of the crew, after establishing the landing area for the balloon, will have set up the breakfast table under a tree in a convenient spot on the plains. A freshly cooked full English-style breakfast is served in an unforgettable setting and then, after receiving your certificate, you will be taken back to Seronera Lodge or other designated central Serengeti accommodation property and arriving about 9:30 a.m. You will have a rest and relax at the lodge while reading your novel or swimming in the lodge pool. After having your hot lunch at the lodge you will meet again your Tanzania safari tour guide for an afternoon game drive by a 4WD vehicle. The bottom line of having a game drive using a vehicle is to explore Serengeti National Park by land and experience the beauty of its plain and savannah vegetation let along the vast varieties of wildlife and birdlife that Serengeti is famous of. All the aspects of this Tanzania Serengeti balloon safari adventure combine to become an unforgettable memory - possibly the highlight of many passengers' safari! NOTE:b We will appreciate if you will let us know in advance that you need this package while visiting Serengeti National Park so we can book for your chance early possible.
8 Days / 7 Nights Lake Manyara National Park / Ngorongoro Crater / Serengeti National Park
Day 1: Arrival Day
Arriving in Kilimanjaro International Airport from home and meet our representative. After greetings you will be transferred to the hotel in Moshi for hot shower and overnight at Impala Hotel in Moshi.
Day 2: Arusha Town - Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast you are met by our tour guide/driver, who will deliver a short safari briefing. You will be driving to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive with our picnic lunch. Upon your arrival Manyara you will be welcomed by the Great Rift Valley Escarpment view and fun makers' baboon at the entrance of Manyara in large groups. We will travel through the agricultural and fresh produce market town of Mto Wa Mbu, which is situated next to the entrance of the Lake Manyara National Park. The town is a souvenir hunters paradise, harboring thousands souvenir salesmen - ready to pounce at your slightest invitation. The Lake Manyara National Park is one of Tanzania's most dramatically located African wildlife areas, consisting of a massive but shallow soda lake (covering two-thirds of the park) at the foot of the Great Rift Valley's western escarpment. The park's varied habitat attracts a wide variety of animals; including one of Africa's densely populated of herd of African elephant, famous tree-climbing lions, as well as large flocks of flamingos, attracted by the algae in the lake. We will enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park and do two exciting morning and afternoon game drives, in search of the wildlife and birdlife that Manyara host along with a view of famous hot spring known as "Maji Moto". Late afternoon you will be transferred to Lake Manyara Hotel or Lake Manyara Serena lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Serengeti National Park
After breakfast depart for Serengeti National Park passing through Olduvai Gorge, the site of Leakey's family discovery of fossils of human and animal ancestors dating back to almost two million years. The Olduvai Gorge is a historical site of the world and has much history of the earliest human been and many more historical information that worth much to visit. You will have your picnic lunch on the way to Serengeti. Upon your arrival you will check in to the lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight at Serengeti Sopa / Seronera Wildlife Lodge or Serengeti Serena.
Day 4 - 5: Serengeti National Park - Full Day
In the morning after breakfast you will meet your tour guide for starting a game drive to Serengeti National Park for a full day game drive. Serengeti is the largest national park in Tanzania covering more than 14,000 square kilometers. The park is having numerous numbers of unique features and attractions among them include: The annual great wildebeest migration (whereby wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migrates from Serengeti National Park to Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and come back later in the year), the park is famous for its endless plains and the savannah vegetation that it owns, balloon safari and been the richest park full of wildlife and birdlife elsewhere in Africa. The park also supports many species of wildlife including Lion, African Leopard, African Elephant, cheetah, African Buffalo, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, topi, eland, water buck, hyena, baboon, impala, African wild dog and giraffe. The park also boasts about 500 bird species, including ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustard, crowned crane, marabou stork, martial eagle, lovebirds and many species of vultures. Your tour guide will therefore take you back late in the afternoon at your lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight in the lodge been Serengeti Sopa / Seronera Wildlife Lodge or Serengeti Serena.
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater
In the morning after breakfast you will meet your driver guide and been transfer to Ngorongoro crater gate with your picnic lunch ready for a full day crater tour, explore the crater which is famous for its great concentration of wildlife and birdlife. If you're lucky enough you can see a predator hunting a prey or any adventure of your life time that Ngorongoro crater has for you. Ngorongoro crater is famous for its different attraction which includes alkaline lakes, forest, and different vegetation, hot springs, different kinds of wildlife and birdlife and its landscape. Among the common wildlife in the crater includes; lion, leopard, zebra, elephant, African buffalo, warthog, hyena, wild dogs, the rare black rhino, wildebeest and varieties of migratory and resident birdlife whereby more than 350 different species have been recorded. In the late afternoon you will ascend the crater floor and been transferred to Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge / Ngorongoro Serena for hot shower, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Lake Manyara Nature walk
Leave after breakfast for nature walk Mto Wa Mbu Village lunch in the middle of banana farm later walk back to the lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Hotel or Lake Manyara Serena lodge.
Day 8: Arusha / Departure
After breakfast visit of a Masai Village, then drive back to Arusha. We will arrive in Arusha in the afternoon for shopping and other formalities or relaxing and resting in a day room. In the evening you will be transferred to the Kilimanjaro International Airport ready for flight back home.
Day 1: Arrival Day
Arriving in Kilimanjaro International Airport from home and meet our representative. After greetings you will be transferred to the hotel in Moshi for hot shower and overnight at Impala Hotel in Moshi.
Day 2: Arusha Town - Lake Manyara National Park
After breakfast you are met by our tour guide/driver, who will deliver a short safari briefing. You will be driving to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive with our picnic lunch. Upon your arrival Manyara you will be welcomed by the Great Rift Valley Escarpment view and fun makers' baboon at the entrance of Manyara in large groups. We will travel through the agricultural and fresh produce market town of Mto Wa Mbu, which is situated next to the entrance of the Lake Manyara National Park. The town is a souvenir hunters paradise, harboring thousands souvenir salesmen - ready to pounce at your slightest invitation. The Lake Manyara National Park is one of Tanzania's most dramatically located African wildlife areas, consisting of a massive but shallow soda lake (covering two-thirds of the park) at the foot of the Great Rift Valley's western escarpment. The park's varied habitat attracts a wide variety of animals; including one of Africa's densely populated of herd of African elephant, famous tree-climbing lions, as well as large flocks of flamingos, attracted by the algae in the lake. We will enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park and do two exciting morning and afternoon game drives, in search of the wildlife and birdlife that Manyara host along with a view of famous hot spring known as "Maji Moto". Late afternoon you will be transferred to Lake Manyara Hotel or Lake Manyara Serena lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Serengeti National Park
After breakfast depart for Serengeti National Park passing through Olduvai Gorge, the site of Leakey's family discovery of fossils of human and animal ancestors dating back to almost two million years. The Olduvai Gorge is a historical site of the world and has much history of the earliest human been and many more historical information that worth much to visit. You will have your picnic lunch on the way to Serengeti. Upon your arrival you will check in to the lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight at Serengeti Sopa / Seronera Wildlife Lodge or Serengeti Serena.
Day 4 - 5: Serengeti National Park - Full Day
In the morning after breakfast you will meet your tour guide for starting a game drive to Serengeti National Park for a full day game drive. Serengeti is the largest national park in Tanzania covering more than 14,000 square kilometers. The park is having numerous numbers of unique features and attractions among them include: The annual great wildebeest migration (whereby wildebeest, zebra and gazelle migrates from Serengeti National Park to Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and come back later in the year), the park is famous for its endless plains and the savannah vegetation that it owns, balloon safari and been the richest park full of wildlife and birdlife elsewhere in Africa. The park also supports many species of wildlife including Lion, African Leopard, African Elephant, cheetah, African Buffalo, Thomson's and Grant's gazelle, topi, eland, water buck, hyena, baboon, impala, African wild dog and giraffe. The park also boasts about 500 bird species, including ostrich, secretary bird, Kori bustard, crowned crane, marabou stork, martial eagle, lovebirds and many species of vultures. Your tour guide will therefore take you back late in the afternoon at your lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight in the lodge been Serengeti Sopa / Seronera Wildlife Lodge or Serengeti Serena.
Day 6: Ngorongoro Crater
In the morning after breakfast you will meet your driver guide and been transfer to Ngorongoro crater gate with your picnic lunch ready for a full day crater tour, explore the crater which is famous for its great concentration of wildlife and birdlife. If you're lucky enough you can see a predator hunting a prey or any adventure of your life time that Ngorongoro crater has for you. Ngorongoro crater is famous for its different attraction which includes alkaline lakes, forest, and different vegetation, hot springs, different kinds of wildlife and birdlife and its landscape. Among the common wildlife in the crater includes; lion, leopard, zebra, elephant, African buffalo, warthog, hyena, wild dogs, the rare black rhino, wildebeest and varieties of migratory and resident birdlife whereby more than 350 different species have been recorded. In the late afternoon you will ascend the crater floor and been transferred to Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge / Ngorongoro Serena for hot shower, dinner and overnight.
Day 7: Lake Manyara Nature walk
Leave after breakfast for nature walk Mto Wa Mbu Village lunch in the middle of banana farm later walk back to the lodge for hot shower, dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Hotel or Lake Manyara Serena lodge.
Day 8: Arusha / Departure
After breakfast visit of a Masai Village, then drive back to Arusha. We will arrive in Arusha in the afternoon for shopping and other formalities or relaxing and resting in a day room. In the evening you will be transferred to the Kilimanjaro International Airport ready for flight back home.
Ilkiding'a - Arusha Region TCTP
The following is on offer:
A visit to a local traditionally built household to get
an idea of how an extended family lives together
Traditional dancing: We can bring the dance to you or
you can bring the people to the dance.
A walk through coffee plantations and open fields where
potatoes, cabbages, maize, beans and other cash crops
are cultivated by the villagers.
A visit to a traditional healer, who is ready to answer
all your questions and give advice if needed a visit to
the craftsmen prepared by the Mainyoito Women’s Group at
one of the households
A visit to the primary school where money generated from
tourism as Development Fees is used to rehabilitate the
school
The pleasure of impressive viewpoints overlooking Arusha
town, hiking along narrow footpaths, crossing a canyon
and climbing small hills. You can take a half day tour,
full day tour or a 3 day south-west Meru cultural hike.
A fourth option is an 8-hour walking trip from Arusha to
the starting point, where you connect with the full day
tour.
The following is on offer:
Mto Wa Mbu Cultural Tourism Programme
Mto wa Mbu is situated on the way from Arusha to the national parks in northern Tanzania, just at the foot of the Rift Valley. Located on the way to Ngorongoro and Serengeti, it is an ideal resting place for most safari travellers. A visit to Mto Wa Mbu includes: A walk thought the farms in the green oasis at the foot of the Rift Valley - A climb to Balaa Hill from where you can see the whole town - A view into the culture of the many different tribes living in the area - A trip to the Miwaleni Lake and waterfall - Visit to development projects that aim at improving agriculture and start income generating activities for the farmers - Explanation about the irrigation system
Mto wa Mbu is situated on the way from Arusha to the national parks in northern Tanzania, just at the foot of the Rift Valley. Located on the way to Ngorongoro and Serengeti, it is an ideal resting place for most safari travellers. A visit to Mto Wa Mbu includes: A walk thought the farms in the green oasis at the foot of the Rift Valley - A climb to Balaa Hill from where you can see the whole town - A view into the culture of the many different tribes living in the area - A trip to the Miwaleni Lake and waterfall - Visit to development projects that aim at improving agriculture and start income generating activities for the farmers - Explanation about the irrigation system
