8 DAYS, 7 NIGHTS – MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK, SELOUS GAME RESERVE & HISTORICAL TOWN OF KILWA
DAY 1: DEPART TO MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK & AN AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE
Pick you up at the hotel in Dar es Salaam early morning at around 6:30 am, and then drive 5 – 6 hours to Mikumi. On arrival, get a hot lunch in one of the restaurant inside the park.
After lunch, go for an afternoon game drive until sunset. Back in the late evening for dinner, then check-in and spend the night at Vuma Hills Tented Camp (lunch & dinner included)
Mikumi National Park: During game drive at the park, you can see a rich variety of bird species, as well as large numbers of giraffe, buffalo and elephants. You may also be able to spot lions, leopards and African wild dogs. Likely to be seen animals include zebras, hippos, hartebeest, wildebeest, impala, warthog, eland and antelope.
DAY 2: A FULL DAY GAME DRIVE AT MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
After an early breakfast, go for a full day game drive across the Mikumi National Park with packed lunch boxes to once again enjoy and experience the abundant wildlife of the enormous Mikumi.
The Mkata river floodplain is an attractive point of the park where you can easily spot a large number of animals including elephants, buffalos, zebras, giraffes, wild dogs, and impala and spot a rich number of bird species.
Back in the late evening, get a hot dinner when you are ready and spend the night at Vuma Hills Tented Camp (breakfast, lunch & dinner included)
DAY 3: DEPART TO SELOUS GAME RESERVE (with an On-Route Game Drive)
After breakfast, depart to Selous Game Reserve (a 6 – 7 hours drive) with packed lunch boxes while crossing in the middle of the enormous Selous Game Reserve to experience its abundant wildlife, arriving at the camp in the late evening for your hot dinner and spend the overnight at Rufiji River Camp (breakfast, lunch & dinner included)
DAY 4: FULL DAY GAME DRIVE AT SELOUS GAME RESERVE
Early breakfast at 07.00 and then drive to the Selous Game Reserve. All day game drive in a specially modified safari vehicle with a professional guide, in which you should see and learn much about a large number of animals, including all the great favorites – lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra – and all the other major species including the now rare African hunting dog. Great variety of bird species, wonderful scenery, with varied topography: wetlands, dry grassland, light acacia forest and higher ground with long views to far-off mountains.
Packed lunch and time to rest. Your guide will select a location with shade and water nearby to watch animals coming to drink – a place with a clear view all round so that no predator can creep up unseen! Back to the camp by 6.30 for sunset and dinner when you’re ready at Rufiji River Camp (breakfast, lunch & dinner included)
DAY 5: EARLY MORNING WALKING SAFARI & AN EVENING BOAT SAFARI AT SELOUS GAME RESERVE
An early morning walking safari with a Bushman across the reserve’s environment to learn various histories (including traditional trees for medicines, various animals’ footprints and other small animals which you cannot see during the game drive). You may also be able to spot some animals heading to the river for drinking and hippos returning to their dwelling after their forage. Then back to the camp for breakfast.
Rest at the camp while enjoying the view of the great Rufiji River and animals coming to drink while waiting for your hot lunch in the afternoon.
In the evening, go for an evening boat safari through the Rufiji River. Here you can experience the aquatic life mostly crocodiles and hippos, also you can see some animals come for drinking, also you can see uncountable number of bird species since the reserve has over 440 known species of birds while enjoying an amazing reserve’s sunset. Back in the late evening for dinner and stay the night at Rufiji River Camp (breakfast, lunch & dinner included)
DAY 6: DEPART TO HISTORICAL TOWN OF KILWA
After breakfast, depart to Town of Kilwa (a 5 hours drive) with packed lunch boxes, arriving in the early evening. On arrival, check-in at the lodge, then relax and unwind at the beautiful beaches of the Indian Ocean while waiting for your hot dinner to be served, spend the overnight at Kimbilio Lodge (breakfast, lunch & dinner included)
DAY 7: ACTIVITIES AT THE HISTORICAL TOWN OF KILWA
After breakfast, catch a boat and depart to Kilwa Kisiwani which was the center of the Kilwa Sultanate, a medieval sultanate whose authority at its height in the 13th – 15th centuries AD stretched the entire length of the Swahili Coast. Kilwa Kisiwani has been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site along with the nearby stone town, Songo Mnara.
Kilwa first rose to power in the 11th century, part of the Swahili civilization which flourished in the context of Indian Ocean Trade. Kilwa is a very relaxed and accommodating coastal town, boasting brilliant beaches and historical cultural ruins. There is an attractive historical feel about the place, the town has a good number of old colonial buildings and crumbling remains of an ancient Oman buildings including ‘The Great Mosque of Kilwa’ – which serves a a congregational mosque on the island of Kilwa Kisiwani.
Back in the late afternoon, relax and unwind once again at the beach, while the dinner is served, and spend the overnight at Kimbilio Lodge (breakfast, lunch & dinner included)
DAY 8: DEPART TO DAR ES SALAAM
After breakfast, depart back to Dar es Salaam (a 5 – 6 hours drive), with lunch on the way arriving in the late afternoon, take you back to the hotel/catch your flight back home (breakfast & lunch included)
