40+l Day Pack
A larger day pack for carrying personal gear, food, and water during the day. For ski programs, a pack with ski-carrying capability is recommended.
8
|
Trekking
|
3500.00
|
Novice
An 8-day Tanzania safari through Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Parks — four days of game drives among Africa's great wildlife, with nights at secluded safari lodges.
Day-by-day program overview.
Fitness, experience, and preparation.
Gear requirements for this program.
Meals and nutrition on the mountain.
Getting there and local logistics.
Booking, cancellations, and requirements.
Common questions, direct answers.
What climbers are saying.
Watch elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and buffalo across Tanzania's greatest game parks.
Game drives through the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire National Parks.
Return each evening to secluded, hand-picked safari lodges on the edges of the parks.
Watch bull elephants cross the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater and leopards lounge in the acacia trees of Tarangire on a safari through Tanzania's most famous national parks — one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth. Over four days of game drives we move among herds of Africa's iconic animals across the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire.
Each evening we return to the comfortable luxuries of secluded safari lodges set right along the edges of the parks we visit. Watching the sun set across the African landscape from the porch of a lodge is the perfect way to end each day. This safari pairs beautifully with our Kilimanjaro climb, but stands on its own as an unforgettable journey into the wild heart of East Africa.
RMI handles all the details — lodging, airport transfers, and safari logistics — and we stay at intimate, wonderfully run lodges hand-picked by our guides over many years. You explore the parks in pop-top Land Rovers driven by professional safari guides who know exactly where the wildlife will be.
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. was established in 1969 and is one of America's oldest and most-trusted guide services — the largest on Mt. Rainier and Mt. McKinley and a leader in guiding adventures around the globe. Our preparation handles the details for you, from lodging and airport transfers to safari schedules, so you can simply enjoy the experience.
During our time in Arusha and on safari, we stay at select lodges that are intimate, comfortable, and wonderfully run — hand-picked by our guides over the years as their favorites. Paired with professional local safari guides and well-run logistics, the result is a seamless, immersive journey into Tanzania's national parks.
The security and wellbeing of our guests are our highest priorities. Our experienced staff and trusted local partners bring decades of experience operating in Tanzania, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and richly rewarding safari. To learn more about RMI and our guiding philosophy, visit our About page.
After arriving in Arusha and a recovery day, we spend four days on game drives through Lake Manyara, the Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire National Parks, returning each evening to secluded safari lodges and camps before driving back to Arusha and flying home. We explore the parks in pop-top Land Rovers with professional safari guides, with a visit to a Maasai village along the way.
Arusha, Tanzania
4
Manyara · Ngorongoro · Tarangire
8 Days
Safari Lodges & Camps
Pop-top Land Rovers
Depart the U.S. Depending on flights and connections, travel to Arusha, Tanzania typically takes more than 24 hours; we strongly recommend flying from Amsterdam directly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO).
On your evening arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, your RMI Guide meets you and transfers the team by private vehicle to an enchanting hotel near Usa River. Overnight in Usa River.
A relaxed day to recover from the long flights. If a Kilimanjaro climbing team is returning, we celebrate their adventure together over dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Usa River.
We drive to Lake Manyara National Park, set at the base of the Great Rift Escarpment about 75 miles east of Arusha. Its groundwater forest and lakeshore support troops of baboons and blue monkeys, large numbers of elephant and hippo, and some 450 bird species — and, if we're lucky, tree-climbing lions. We lunch overlooking the lake before continuing to our first safari lodge.
Today we explore the Ngorongoro Crater, the largest unbroken caldera in the world and home to more than 30,000 mammals. Often called the "eighth wonder of the world," it offers some of the finest game viewing in Tanzania. We spend the full day on the crater floor before returning to our lodge.
Tarangire has more elephants per square mile than anywhere on earth and the highest concentration of dry-season wildlife outside the Serengeti/Ngorongoro ecosystem. We game-drive among its river valley, rolling hills, acacia woodlands, and giant baobabs, enjoying a picnic lunch in the bush before reaching our second safari camp.
After breakfast we drive back through Tarangire toward Arusha, stopping at a local market for last-minute souvenirs. We check into our hotel for the afternoon to clean up and repack, then after an early dinner transfer to the airport for our evening flights.
Continued flights and arrival in the U.S.
No climbing or trekking — open to all fitness levels; days are spent comfortably on game drives in pop-top Land Rovers.
No mountaineering experience or special conditioning required; readiness for international travel is what matters.
This is a low-elevation safari with no altitude concerns; the parks sit well below mountaineering elevations.
The Tanzania Safari is open to travelers of all fitness levels — there is no climbing, trekking, or technical activity involved. Days are spent comfortably in pop-top Land Rovers on game drives, with nights at safari lodges and camps. What matters most is a readiness for international travel, long flights, and the rhythms of days in the field.
This safari is an ideal complement to our Kilimanjaro climb, but requires no mountaineering experience or special conditioning. You should be comfortable with early starts, full days of game viewing, and the heat and dust of the African bush, and prepared with the recommended travel medications and immunizations for the region.
Recommended climbing experiences include:
Your climbing resumé should include:
No experience necessary.
Items marked with an Asterix (*) are considered mandatory prerequisites for this program.
Our guides have decades of experience training for alpine objectives, and we've done our best to put together relevant resources to help you with your expedition preparation.
Mountaineering is both an individual challenge and a team endeavor. Before any program begins, RMI works directly with prospective climbers to confirm that everyone joining a team is genuinely prepared for the demands ahead. Depending on the program, this may involve conversations with our office staff, a review of your climbing history, or feedback from guides and other climbers who know your abilities. The goal is straightforward: to ensure that every person on the rope belongs there. We ask that each climber hold themselves to the same standard:
The standards we set exist to protect everyone on the team. RMI holds all climbers accountable to them, and we take seriously our responsibility to build teams of people who are ready to be in the mountains together. RMI reserves the right to remove a participant from a program or send them to a lower altitude if our guide staff determines, in their sole discretion, that the participant is not physically, technically, or psychologically prepared or capable of participating, or for any other reason that may compromise the safety, health, or well-being of the participant or the group. In such cases, no refunds or credits will be issued, and the participant will be financially responsible for any additional costs associated with an early departure, including evacuation, transportation, lodging, and meals.
The Tanzania Safari requires only a light, simple kit — there is no climbing or trekking gear involved. The essentials are comfortable travel and casual clothing for warm days and cooler evenings, sun protection, an optional small day pack for game drives, and the recommended travel medications (including anti-malarials). Pack light and bring layers for the range of temperatures across the parks.
Most recommended items are available from our affiliate, Whittaker Mountaineering, and RMI guests receive a 10% discount on new clothing and equipment ordered from them. If you have questions about specific items, contact the RMI office directly. Note: as of June 2019, plastic bags are prohibited from entry into Tanzania.
Each RMI program includes a required personal equipment list built around the specific terrain, conditions, and objectives of the climb. Every item serves a purpose and supports safety, efficiency, and comfort in the mountains.
Guide Picks™ are examples that meet our performance standards and illustrate the type of gear we recommend. Each year, our partners at Whittaker Mountaineering survey our staff of 70+ guides to get a consensus on the best gear for the job. You do not need to purchase the exact item shown, but any alternative must offer comparable function and durability.
All listed items are required for the gear check. Final adjustments may be recommended by your guide based on conditions and team needs once the expedition begins.
Most of the required equipment is available for rent or purchase from our affiliate Whittaker Mountaineering. RMI climbers receive a 10% discount on new clothing and equipment items ordered from Whittaker Mountaineering.
We recommend you speak with your physician about which medications you should have for high-altitude climbing. These medications are only used in emergency situations, and if someone is showing symptoms of HAPE or HACE, our standard protocol is for immediate descent. We do not take any of these medications prophylactically, and please talk with your guide before taking medications.
We require each climber to have the following medications:
Broad spectrum antibiotics for respiratory and gastrointestinal problems like Azithromycin (250mg tablets).
Medications prescribed by a travel medicine doctor to prevent malaria in regions where the disease is present. Consult your physician well in advance of your program to determine if prophylaxis is necessary for your destination.
We recommend bringing a selection of clothing to wear while traveling, sightseeing and dining.
On the Tanzania Safari, meals are included as indicated in the itinerary — generally breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day at our hotels, lodges, and in the field, beginning with dinner on arrival. Apart from these, you are responsible for your own bottled water and personal drinks. Our lodges and camps are known for excellent, freshly prepared food.
Throughout the safari we dine at our hand-picked lodges and camps, where professional kitchens prepare fresh, high-quality meals — from hot breakfasts before the morning game drive to multi-course dinners back at the lodge. On full game-drive days, picnic or bush lunches are provided in the field.
RMI seeks to accommodate dietary restrictions where possible; please contact the RMI office in advance to discuss any specific needs.
This page covers the practical details you’ll want to review before your trip, including travel logistics, entry requirements, local considerations, and required policies. Taking time to understand these details ahead of departure helps ensure a smoother experience once you’re on the ground and focused on the climb.
Most travelers fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) near Arusha, either directly from Amsterdam or via London with a connection through Nairobi. Tanzania is ten hours ahead of Seattle and seven hours ahead of New York. Departing flights should be booked for the evening of the final day in Africa (Day 7).
A passport valid for at least six months beyond your return date is required, and U.S. passport holders need a Tanzanian visa — apply online through the Embassy of Tanzania three to six months before your trip. Carry a copy of your passport's first two pages separately and leave one with your emergency contact.
For current inoculation requirements and recommendations, consult the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anti-malarial medication is recommended for this program. Confirm current advisories and entry requirements with the U.S. Department of State.
Your travel insurance policy should include trip cancellation, trip interruption, travel delay, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses, and evacuation.
Navigating through the different options for travel insurance can be challenging. When purchasing Travel Insurance, here are a few items to consider:
In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment. Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans. For your convenience, we offer Travelex Insurance protection plans to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected.
For more information on the available plans visit Travelex Insurance Services or contact Travelex Insurance (800) 228-9792 and reference location number 47-0370.
The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Insurance coverages underwritten by individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company (NAIC #16535, state of domicile: New York). RETWEB
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance is travel insurance designed for adventurers, including the best evacuation and rescue services available.
Benefits are tailored for adventurers and include:
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance is powered by Redpoint Resolutions, a medical and travel security risk company. The Redpoint network covers the globe, making them uniquely equipped to provide elite rescue travel insurance. Travelex also provides travel insurance for this program.
RMI has partnered with Erin Rountree to provide travel planning support. Erin is an independent agent with extensive experience booking travel for adventure programs worldwide and understands the specific needs of RMI expeditions.
Phone: (208) 788-2870
Email: [email protected]
It is your responsibility to ensure that your travel insurance policy provides appropriate coverage for your specific program and activities. Review policy details carefully before purchasing, and confirm coverage well in advance of your departure.
All plastic bags are prohibited from entry into Tanzania; avoid packing plastic shopping, storage, or garbage bags. Toiletry "ziploc" bags that remain in your possession are permitted.
Tanzania has a warm equatorial climate. The best game-viewing seasons are January–February and June–September; the rainy seasons (April–June, October–December) bring greener landscapes but wetter conditions. Days are warm and dusty in the parks, with cooler evenings at the lodges.
Dress modestly and comfortably, and keep valuables discreet. Some bargaining is expected at markets. Ask permission before photographing individuals, especially at the Maasai village, and never photograph government or military property or personnel, including the airport.
The currency is the Tanzanian shilling, though U.S. dollars (crisp, clean bills) are widely accepted. We suggest bringing cash for personal spending, souvenirs, and tips. The Support Staff Tip Pool is suggested at $100 per person, and guide gratuities are at your discretion, typically 10–15% of the program cost.
The following policies are applicable for this expedition.
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. reserves the right to modify the land cost of a trip at any time before departure.
Deposit Payments: A non-refundable deposit payment of $1,500 per person secures your reservation.
Balance Payments: The balance payment is due 120 days before the start of your program.
*There is a 3% surcharge on all credit/debit card transactions.
Please clearly understand that mountaineering is inherently hazardous. Managing risk is RMI’s number one priority. Our guides manage significant hazards inherent in mountaineering, but they cannot eliminate them. Objective hazards include rockfall, icefall, avalanches, slides or falls by individuals and rope teams on steeper slopes, weather-related problems including cold, heat, high winds, and other unnamed dangers that can occur while climbing.
You are choosing to engage in an activity in which guided and non-guided climbers have been injured or killed. While those accidents are indeed infrequent, they may occur at any time and be out of our control. We ask that participants acknowledge the risks and hazards of mountaineering and make their own choices about whether or not to engage in this activity.
Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) does not tolerate harassment or mistreatment of our participants or employees. Inappropriate conduct under this policy may include conduct that creates a disrespectful, intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for a participant or employee. Engaging in such conduct is a violation of this policy.
RMI may consider conduct to violate the policy even if it falls short of unlawful harassment under applicable law. When determining whether conduct violates this policy, we will consider whether a reasonable person could conclude that the conduct created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or demeaning environment.
Violation of this policy may result in removal from a program, as well as refusal to provide services indefinitely. We place the utmost value on the safety of our participants and employees. Please report any incidents to RMI management.
All participants must be 18 years old at the time of registration.
RMI’s Photo Release outlines the terms and conditions for using your likeness in photographs, videos, or other digital media.
I hereby grant Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) or its affiliates permission to use my likeness in a photograph, video, or other digital media (“photo”) in any and all of its publications, including web-based publications. By granting permission, you allow RMI to utilize these media for lawful purposes.
Here are the key points:
RMI’s program schedule and itineraries are subject to change or adjustment based on a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to, route conditions, weather, group strength, terrain, or other environmental factors, and many other factors. RMI has complete discretion to change plans to accommodate any of these or other factors, including but not limited to, increases in program fees, changes to program schedule or itinerary, and changes to guides or staff, as necessary for the proper and safe conduct of the program. Once the program has started, the Lead Guide will decide on any changes to the itinerary, including ending the program early if the continuation of the program may compromise the safety, health, or well-being of the group.
We reserve the right to cancel any program due to inadequate signups, weather, route conditions, or for any other reason. In such a case, we will make every effort to reschedule the Participant on a different program date. If rescheduling is not possible, we will issue the Participant a refund for all program fees paid to RMI, less any non-refundable payments made on behalf of the Participant to secure any of the included land costs provided for this program, including but not limited to, hotel accommodations, transportation, transfers, tours, group equipment and food, permits, and local outfitter services, prior to the cancellation of the program. Additionally, RMI cannot be responsible for any non-refundable expenses the Participant incurred in preparation for the program (i.e., airline tickets, hotel reservations, rental cars, equipment purchases or rentals, etc.).
Once a program begins, there are no refunds or credits for weather-related cancellations or for a program that may end early due to weather, route conditions, or any other circumstances that may compromise the health, safety, or well-being of the group. Furthermore, if the Participant decides for any reason not to begin a program or discontinue a program at any time, no refunds or credits will be issued. The Participant will be responsible for all additional costs associated with an early departure, including but not limited to evacuation, transportation, hotel reservations, meals, etc.
Land Costs are provided as a package, and refunds or credits will not be issued for any unused meals, accommodations, group transportation, or other unused costs. Accommodations are based on double occupancy. A Single Supplement Fee will be charged to those Participants occupying single accommodations either by choice or circumstance. If you are willing to share a room, we will make every effort to pair you with another same-gender team member. We will match willing same-gender team members based on the order of registration date. If we are unable to match you with another same- gender team member, a single supplement fee will be charged. The availability of single accommodations is limited in most of the hotels where we stay, and single accommodations are not available while in the mountains.
The Participant understands and agrees that RMI assumes no responsibility or liability in connection with any travel and hospitality services provided to the Participant by other companies in connection with the program, including but not limited to, the services provided by airlines, hotels, rental cars, and transportation companies. In addition, RMI is not responsible for any act, error, omission, or any injury, loss, accident, delay, irregularity, or danger by a supplier of travel or hospitality services to the Participant in connection with the RMI program. The Participant will be responsible for all costs associated with any travel delays, missed connections, or missing baggage that requires additional arrangements (separate transportation, hotel accommodations, meals, etc.) to be made on your behalf for you or your baggage to rejoin the program.
The Tanzania Safari raises questions specific to a lodge-based wildlife safari. The answers below cover the parks and wildlife, the logistics, and how to prepare.
Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, and Tarangire National Park — three of Tanzania's premier game-viewing destinations, each with a distinct landscape and wildlife.
Herds of elephant, wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, and buffalo, plus predators like lions, cheetahs, and the elusive leopard, along with hippos, rhinos, baboons, and hundreds of bird species.
In pop-top Land Rovers driven by professional safari guides, which give excellent visibility and photography opportunities during game drives.
At intimate, comfortable safari lodges and tented camps on the edges of the parks, hand-picked by our guides — each evening you return to relax and dine in the bush.
No. The safari involves no climbing or trekking and is open to travelers of all fitness levels. Readiness for international travel and the recommended immunizations are what matter most.
Yes — the safari is designed to pair seamlessly with our Kilimanjaro climb, and many climbers add it as the perfect celebration after reaching the summit.
Climbers rated RMI with an average of 5 stars across 0 ratings
Reviews of RMI's Tanzania Safari capture the magic of Africa's great national parks — close encounters with elephants, lions, and leopards by day and the comfort of beautiful lodges by night. Guests consistently praise the expertly chosen camps, the skill of the local safari guides, and how seamlessly RMI handles every detail, whether the safari stands alone or caps a Kilimanjaro climb.
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