• Tanzania’s unparalleled game viewing
• Guaranteed window seats in safari vehicles
• Tarangire’s elephants and baobabs
• Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area
• Olduvai Gorge, site of world’s oldest prehistoric remains
• Vast game-filled plains of the Central Serengeti
• Exotic Zanzibar
• Stays in top-rated game lodges

Day 1: Depart U.S. for Arusha, Tanzania

Day 2: Arrive Arusha Upon arrival tonight, we transfer directly to our hotel.

Day 3: Arusha We meet our Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director and fellow travelers at this morning’s briefing about the journey ahead. Then we get our first taste of life on safari, as we set out this afternoon on a game drive in Arusha National Park, where we may spot waterbuck, zebra, giraffe, flamingos, monkeys, and more. In the distance, we may see iconic snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro, a dormant volcano and at 19,340 feet, Africa’s highest peak – and the highest freestanding mountain in the world. Inside the park, we see Mt. Meru, Africa’s fifth-highest peak at 15,000 feet. Tonight, we enjoy a welcome dinner together. B,L,D

Day 4: Arusha/Tarangire National Park We depart today for the two-hour drive to Tarangire, Tanzania’s 1,100-square-mile park known especially for its high concentration of elephants and for the many baobab trees dotting the savannah. We enjoy a game drive en route to our lodge, located within the park. After lunch and some time at leisure, late afternoon we enjoy another game drive in the park, where we may see zebra, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, giraffe, lion, leopard, cheetah, and of course, elephants. B,L,D

Day 5: Tarangire In store today: morning and afternoon game drives in this gem of a park slightly off the beaten path. Along with the abundant game, we’re sure to see some of Tarangire’s 550 species of birds, as well as the many termite mounds scattered amid the grass- and swampland here. B,L,D

Day 6: Tarangire/Ngorongoro Conservation Area This morning we depart for Ngorongoro, wildlife haven and homeland of the semi-nomadic Maasai people. We arrive in time for lunch at our safari lodge uniquely set on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, blending in so much with the landscape as to be invisible from the crater floor. This afternoon is at leisure; the views of the crater from our lodge, spectacular. B,L,D

Day 7: Ngorongoro Crater This morning we descend to the floor of magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO site and at 100 square miles the world’s largest intact and perfectly formed volcanic caldera. The unique biosphere here has remained unchanged for eons; towering walls encircle the crater’s floor which represents Africa in microcosm: grassland, swamps, lakes, forests, and some 25,000 mammals, including elephant, giraffe, lion, hippo, and zebra. Then we return to our lodge for an afternoon at leisure. B,L,D

Day 8: Ngorongoro/Olduvai Gorge/Serengeti National Park En route today to the fabled Serengeti, we visit 31-mile Olduvai Gorge. It was here in 1959 that anthropologist Mary Leakey discovered the 1.8-million-year-old skull of Australopithecus boisei – and revolutionized the study of human evolution. Part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Olduvai is considered the “cradle of humanity” and ranks as one of the world’s most important prehistoric archaeological sites for its rich fossils and early hominid remains. Then we visit a Maasai village before we continue on to Serengeti National Park, home to such plains dwellers as lion, cheetah, zebra, and wildebeest. The Serengeti, the Maasai’s “endless plain,” is Africa’s finest park, and we begin to see why on this afternoon’s game drive. Today’s safari outing concludes at our lodge, which we reach in time for dinner. B,L,D

Day 9: Serengeti In Tanzania’s northeast corner sits the vast Serengeti National Park, 5,700 square miles (equal in size to Connecticut), one of the world’s last great wildlife refuges, and the Tanzanian portion of Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve. Twice a year (Jan-Feb and Jun-Oct), some 1.3 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle migrate to new grazing lands, sparking one of nature’s most spectacular sights and the world’s largest migration. But the Serengeti’s plains teem with animal life year-round, as we’ll see on today’s game drives. B,L,D

Day 10: Serengeti We embark on more game drives today. We have the chance to see some – or all – of Africa’s “Big Five”: lion, Cape buffalo, elephant, rhino, and leopard, along with wildebeest, zebra, eland, gazelle, and other plains animals, and some 500 species of birds. B,L,D

Day 11: Serengeti/Zanzibar We fly this morning to tropical Zanzibar, Tanzania’s semiautonomous Indian Ocean archipelago with a colorful and storied history. Upon arrival today, we set out to discover Stone Town, Zanzibar’s capital, a UNESCO site, and East Africa’s only ancient town still functioning. A heady mix of Moorish, Middle Eastern, Indian, and African influences (though predominantly Muslim today), Stone Town boasts a labyrinth of narrow alleys lined with shops, homes, hidden courtyards, and extravagantly carved wooden doors, as we see on our tour. B,L,D

Day 12: Zanzibar A morning tour of a spice plantation reveals why Zanzibar is known as the “Spice Island” – its bounty of cloves, nutmeg, ginger, chilies, black pepper, vanilla, coriander, and cinnamon have found their way around the world for centuries. We return to our hotel in time for lunch on our own and an afternoon at leisure, perhaps to relax at the beachfront pool of our hotel. Tonight we celebrate our Tanzania adventure at a farewell dinner. B,D

Day 13: Zanzibar/Dar es Salaam/Depart for U.S. This morning we take a quick flight to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. Upon arrival, we will have a day room at a local hotel and an afternoon at leisure. After an early dinner tonight, we return to the airport for our flights to the U.S. B,D

Day 14: Arrive U.S. We arrive in the U.S. today and connect with our flights home.

B = Breakfast included L = Lunch included D = Dinner included

• Round-trip air transportation from listed cities; all flights within itinerary
• 11 nights’ accommodations in Superior First Class hotels and lodges
• 31 meals: 11 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 11 dinners
• Extensive game viewing and sightseeing as described, including all park entrance fees
• Mineral water while on safari
• Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
• Private safari vehicle transportation throughout your trip with guaranteed window seating
• Luggage handling for one bag per person
• Gratuities for local driver/guides, dining room servers, and airport and hotel porters
• $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)

2023 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $1,102, which are subject to change until final payment has been made.

Single travelers please add $895. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days before departure. All 2023 tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. cities may require a departure one day prior to the listed schedule above.

Business Class upgrade (subject to availability) on round-trip Trans-Atlantic flight:   $5,495 per person

2024 Tour Dates & Prices
including international airfare and all taxes, surcharges, and fees

Please call if your city is not listed or for land only prices. Prices are per person based on double occupancy and include airline taxes, surcharges, and fees of $1,102, which are subject to change until final payment has been made.

Single travelers please add $895. Your $475 deposit is fully refundable up to 95 days before departure. All tour prices above (excluding airline taxes, surcharges, and fees) are guaranteed.

Depending on flight schedules, certain U.S. cities may require a departure one day prior to the listed schedule above.

Business Class upgrade (subject to availability) on roundtrip Trans-Atlantic flight: $9,995 from BOS, ORD, JFK; all other cities $11,495

A visa is required for this tour. Odysseys Unlimited will provide information about visa requirements upon reservation.

Ernest Hemingway
Green Hills of Africa
Hemingway paints the true story of his ramblings on safari in this classic, exquisitely written tale of hunting around Lake Manyara, which includes some of the best writing on the land itself and original pencil drawings. Originally published in 1935.

Boyd Norton
Serengeti, The Eternal Beginning
Featuring 250 exquisite color photographs alongside Norton’s firsthand accounts of travels in Serengeti National Park, Kenya’s Masai Mara and Ngorongoro over a decades-long career.

Richard Estes
The Safari Companion
An invaluable encyclopedic guide to Africa’s mammals by a noted scientist, this perennial bestseller includes black-and-white drawings, an overview of each animal group and in-depth information. Written with the typical safari-goer in mind.

Chris McIntyre, Philip Briggs
Bradt Safari Guide Northern Tanzania
A compact, practical overview of the history, wildlife and attractions of the Serengeti and surrounding parks, including Zanzibar.

Ma Company (Tanzania)
Northern Tanzania Map
A colorful, hand-drawn map at a scale of 1:1.4 million shows popular game parks and reserves, including Tsavo, Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Kilimanjaro.

Ma Company (Tanzania)
Serengeti National Park Map
This detailed, full-color sketch map of the Serengeti ecosystem includes camps, lodges, watercourses, habitat and topography.

Quintin Winks
Culture Smart! Tanzania
This pocket guide introduces local customs, etiquette and culture.

Sharifa Zawawi
Say it in Swahili
A palm-size pocket guide to common phrases and expressions.

Uwe Skrzypczak
Wildlife Photography, On Safari With Your DSLR
Skrzypczak includes chapters on equipment, technique, composition and wildlife in this practical, beautifully illustrated guide, loaded with striking images of the wildlife of Ngorongoro, the Serengeti and the Maasai Mara.

Thomas Pakenham
The Scramble for Africa
Absorbing and meticulously researched, this in-depth history of the Victorian land grab in 19th century Africa includes excellent portraits of the egomaniacal personalities who overran the continent.

Shiva Naipaul
North of South, An African Journey
A sharp portrait of Africa, circa 1979. A brilliant and provocative observer, Naipaul meditates on the various peoples he encounters in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia. The best, most insightful thing we’ve read about race relations in Africa.

Peter Matthiessen
The Tree Where Man Was Born
A classic portrait of East Africa, enthralling in its detail on nature and daily life. Includes Maasai, Ngorongoro, the Kenyan highlands and Mathiessen’s field trips, safaris and adventures in the Serengeti.

Ole Saitoti
The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior
Bridging several worlds with tremendous grace, Saitoti looks back on his life among the Maasai, both as spokesperson for his tribe and as one of the first Maasai safari guides.

Beryl Markham
West with the Night
Beryl Markham evokes the landscapes, people and wildlife of East Africa in engrossing detail in this classic memoir of amazing adventures as a bush pilot in 1930s Kenya, a favorite.

Emily Ruete
Memoirs of an Arabian Princess from Zanzibar
Born Princess Salme in the Sultan’s court on Zanzibar, the author wrote this book for her children in the 1800s as a tribute to the island. It is rich in details of a long-lost way of life, recalling the time when the sultans reigned on Zanzibar.

Ernest Hemingway
The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Set in Africa, this collection of 10 prime Hemingway stories includes not just the famous title story but also The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber, a chilling masterpiece about an American couple on a big game safari.

Cynthia Moss
Elephant Memories, Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family
A tribute to the elephants in Kenya’s Amboseli National Park by Cynthia Moss, founder and director of the Amboseli Elephant Research Project. Moss writes with authority and verve about her favorite creatures.

Martin B. Withers
Wildlife of East Africa
This take-along guide to 475 common species of birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, trees and flowers of East Africa features full-color photographs with detailed descriptions on facing pages.

Charles Foley
A Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Tanzania
With tips on where to see each species, color photos and illustrations and distribution maps, this up-to-date field guide prepares the reader to spot more than 135 species of land and marine mammals.

James Kavanaugh
African Wildlife
A laminated foldout guide illustrating almost 150 species of African animals, designed for quick reference in the field.

Dale Zimmerman, Donald Turner, David Pearson
Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania
Ideal for the Serengeti, this field guide features 124 stunning color plates.

Adam Scott Kennedy
Birds of the Serengeti and Ngorongoro
Featuring a habitat-based approach to more than 270 bird species, this handy guide to fowl in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Speke Gulf includes 480 color photos and accessible text.

Jonathan Kingdon
Kingdon Pocket Guide to African Mammals
A conveniently compact edition of Kingdon’s gloriously illustrated Field Guide to African Mammals. The guide includes abbreviated information on identification, distribution, ecology and conservation status and 480 outstanding color illustrations and maps.