Tarangire Birding Safari

Duration: 5 nights

Bring your binoculars and join a Sanctuary Specialist Birding Guide on a luxury safari focusing on Tanzania's birding hot spots including Lake Duluti and Tarangire National Park. 

Day 01 - ARRIVE ARUSHA, TANZANIA

Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro you will be met by a Sanctuary Representative and transferred by private vehicle to our partner lodge on the outskirts of Arusha.  The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Serena Mountain Village Lodge is nestled in the heart of a coffee estate 15 minutes away from Arusha, with a view of Lake Duluti and Mount Meru.  Serena Mountain village is an imaginative recreation of a traditional African village.  The accommodation, thatched with banana stems, is made of 42 rondavels, including four suites. Each room has a private bathroom with shower.

Meal Plan:  Dinner

Overnight: Serena Mountain Village Lodge (partner hotel)

Day 02 - ARUSHA - TARANGIRE

This morning you will be met at the lodge by your specialist birding guide and transferred to Lake Duluti where you will hike under the forest canopy on the shores of the lake.  From this location you have the perfect opportunity to view both forest and water birds.  Keep those binoculars well focused in case you spot a Maccoa Duck on the water's edge.  You might also see a Peters' Twinspot, a Black-throated Apalis, or a Bar-tailed Trogon in amongst the canopy.  The hike usually takes around three hours and a reasonable level of  walking fitness is required.

After the hike, take a break to sit by the water's edge and enjoy a delicious picnic lunch. 

As you leave Arusha behind, enjoy a drive to Tarangire National Park where your luxury tented camp, Sanctuary Swala, awaits you.  The drive from Arusha to Tarangire is approximately 1 1/2 hours followed by a further 1 1/2 hours drive from the entrance to the park to the camp with plenty of game viewing opportunities en route.

Tarangire National Park, with all its varied habitats, offers you an endless selection of species to be spotted, from the possible sighting of a Long-crested Eagle to a Van de Decken's Hornbill,   This park is renowned for its elephant population that flood the park in their herds as they drink by the edge of the Tarangire River.

Tarangire is also home to approximately 550 bird species making it the ideal location for a birding safari in Tanzania.   Specialities include the Northern Pied Babbler, Slender Tailed Night Jar, Eastern Chanting Goshawk, Black-faced Sand Grouse, Coqui Francolin, Magpie shrike and D'Arnaud's Barbet.

As you arrive at Sanctuary Swala you will be greeted by your personal tent attendant and taken to your tent to freshen up before you get ready for your first safari sundowner.

Each of the twelve tents is shaded by tall acacia trees and is within sight of the well-frequented water hole.  Furnished with campaign chairs, comfortable sofas and en suite bathrooms, the tents at Sanctuary Swala are unashamedly luxurious but still close enough to nature to permit an exciting night under canvas.

The main dining area, deck and library are lifted on stilts around an enormous and ancient baobab tree, allowing guests a wide view of the grasslands of Tarangire. Animals come right up to the camp to drink at the water hole in front of camp and leopard is often spotted among the baobabs nearby.

As the sun fades, relax with a sundowner in hand as you watch the game stroll through camp and carry on with their daily activities.

Meal plan:  Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Swala

Day 03 - TARANGIRE

This morning, awake to the sounds of the bush as a steaming hot cup of tea or coffee is served on your tent's private deck.

Venture into the interior of the park, through Acacia woodland, to Silale Swamp and beyond for a full day of birding and game viewing.

The flood plains usually attract hundreds of elephants as they wallow in the shallow water that remains throughout the dry season.  If it has been a dry season the swamp will attract a large concentration of water birds and possibly vultures in search of a meal.

A variety of endemic bird species can be found around the edge of the flood plains including the Yellow Collared Love bird and the Rufous-tailed Weaver and Long-toed Lapwing.

Following your picnic lunch continue through the park looking for Kori Bustard, ostriches, hornbills and three species of guinea fowl.  An avid birder can easily see at least 50-100 new species on your first full day game viewing.

Return to camp to freshen up before meeting around the camp fire for a pre-dinner drink as you discuss the day's adventures.

Meal Plan:  Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Swala

Day 04 - TARANGIRE

This morning, you may like to put on your walking shoes for a safari on foot with an armed ranger and professional walking guide. Walking through the bush provides you with a chance to experience the beauty of the park from a different perspective.  Sanctuary Swala is one of the few destinations in Tanzania where walking in such a pristine environment is possible.  You will be walking through uneven terrain so comfortable, supportive walking shoes are a must and a reasonable level of walking fitness is required.

Return to camp where your hosts will greet you with a refreshing drink and a well deserved lunch.

This afternoon you have time to take a refreshing swim in the pool or relax on your private deck with a cool drink and gaze out of the waterhole and watch as the game lazily congregates in the shade to escape the midday sun.

As the afternoon progresses you may like to do an afternoon game drive.

The beauty of Tarangire will continue to unfold as you venture out into a landscape scattered with thousands of baobab trees - also known as the "upside down tree". Migratory wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, gazelle, hartebeest and eland can all be seen in addition to lion and leopard. During the dry season the concentration of wildlife in Tarangire is second only to the Serengeti ecosystem.

After dinner retire to the campfire this evening as you unwind under the starry night sky.

Meal plan:  Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Swala

Day 05 - TARANGIRE

Start your day by leisurely watching the bush come to life from the private deck of your tent.  Impala and dik dik often wander through camp on their way to the water hole before starting their day.

This morning you might like to visit the nearby Gijadebung School, located just outside Mwika Village.  The school is an initiative developed by Sanctuary Swala to educate children from the surrounding rural areas.  Visit Gijadebung and learn about the curriculum at a rural African school as you interact with the children during their class.  For those that are interested, there is also the opportunity to stop in Mwika Village.

Return to camp where another lovely lunch awaits you.

You may like to spend your last afternoon in search of raptors.  Over 50 species of raptors have been recorded in Tarangire, both resident and migrant, from the majestic Short-tailed Eagle to the double-jointed African Harrier Hawk.   Other interesting species that might be seen are African Hawk Eagle, Black-breasted Snake Eagle and possibly the Rupell's Griffon.

Enjoy a sundowner and snacks in the lounge or on the deck as the sun paints the camp's baobabs a dusty pink.

On your last evening under African skies, experience the wonders of a safari at night within the park.  As dusk falls, relax in the comfort of Sanctuary Swala's customised safari vehicle as you venture into the park transformed by night.  Search for nocturnal animals rarely seen by visitors as this is one of  only a few places in Northern Tanzania  where you can enjoy a safari by moonlight.  At night you may encounter an African wild cat, the elusive leopard or feel the round eyes of a bushbaby peering down at you as the moon rises into the sky.  With specialised lighting you will look for lion and hyena, as well as smaller creatures such as spotted genet, serval, bat-eared foxes, owls and nightjars.

This will be followed by a candle-lit dinner served under the stars with paraffin lanterns surrounding your table.

Meal Plan:  Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Overnight: Sanctuary Swala

Day 06 - DEPART ARUSHA, TANZANIA

Today you may choose to relax at Sanctuary Swala or venture out for one last game drive in the Tarangire before you mid-morning departure.  A Sanctuary representative will transfer you by private 4WD vehicle to Arusha and onto Kilimanjaro International Airport for your departure flight.

Meal Plan:  Breakfast

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