Tanzania Active Safari Tour
9 days
8 nights
Activity Levels 1-3
Premiere Hotels
2025: Sep-Oct 2026: Feb, Jun, Oct-Dec
Serengeti Wildlife & Maasai Villages
Answer the call of the wild in Tanzania, where epic safaris, wild bike rides and guided hikes bring you face-to-face with lions, elephants and endless horizons.
Highlights
- Bike, hike and safari among a vast array of animals and scenery, with chances to photograph Africa’s legendary Big Five
- Connect with a land and its people during a Maasai village visit, interpretive walking safaris and a coffee farm tour
- Beneath a star-filled sky, safari along Lake Manyara in search of bat-eared foxes, African wildcats and leopards searching for prey
- Journey from the Ngorongoro Crater to the savanna of the Serengeti, extraordinary World Heritage landscapes
- Fly by private charter to luxurious wilderness lodges, where you can rejuvenate in tree house suites, sip sundowners al fresco and spot wildlife from the pool
This is a Special Departure. See Terms & Conditions.
Start/End Arusha
* Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Itinerary
Days 1-2
A bike ride in the beautiful Great Rift Valley kicks off your adventure • Walk the shore of Lake Manyara, a bird-watching haven • At night, spot bat-eared foxes and leopards searching for prey • Swim in our lodge’s mahogany-shaded pool or be pampered at its treetop spa • Join a nature walk in Lake Manyara National Park, where buffalo, giraffe and baboon roam • Relish dinner beneath a canopy of stars.
Nights 1-2
Magnificent tree house suites comprise this luxurious lodge, cradled in the boughs of a mahogany forest. (pool, spa)
Days 3-4
Embark on an adventurous ride past banana plantations, vibrant farming villages and a yellow-barked acacia forest • At our favorite hidden restaurant, sample an abundant variety of local Tanzanian food • Marvel at Lake Manyara’s breathtaking scenery, keeping a lookout for fauna grazing at the water’s edge • Bike in the lush Karatu region of the Tanzanian highlands, a prolific coffee-growing area • Sip sundowners and savor a farm-to-table dinner at our lavish abode.
Nights 3-4
The rich traditions of East African life infuse every aspect of this distinctive rustic luxury retreat, crafted on a former coffee farm and surrounded by ancient trees and organic gardens. (pool, spa)
Day 5
Safari inside the Ngorongoro Crater, a World Heritage site teeming with incredible wildlife and beauty • Hike the caldera’s forested rim for dramatic views of vast grasslands • Stargaze at our traditional safari camp.
Night 5
A classic luxury tented safari camp set among striking acacia trees on the crater's rim, a place where wildlife and scenic beauty are the central attractions.
Days 6-9
Reach the extraordinary Serengeti, home to spectacular game, via a chartered flight • Stay on the only private reserve to border the Serengeti and Maasai Mara National Parks • Explore wide-open savanna, forests and streams • Search for the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo • Join an interpretive bush walk, with chances to see herds of wildebeest and zebra • Visit a traditional Maasai village to learn about their unique pastoral heritage and culture • Take a moonlit game drive • Early risers enjoy one last game walk or safari in the Serengeti before a private charter flight back to Arusha.
Nights 6-8
Take in sweeping views over the vast Serengeti and Maasai Mara at this lavish camp, nestled in the remote Kuka Hills. (pool, spa)
What's Included
See moreStraight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the trip that's right for you. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
On this trip, we occasionally travel by 12- to 17-passenger turboprop plane to reach the exclusive hotels and activities this destination has to offer.
We stay one night at Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp, a comfortable property located on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. By staying in this ideal location, we’ll spend less time driving to the crater and will be among the first visitors in the crater in the morning, when wildlife viewing is optimal. The private tents have simple en suite bathrooms complete with the quintessential bucket shower experience and electricity. The tents’ canvas walls and doors means sounds may carry from other tents nearby, but they also also allow you to doze off to the peaceful sounds of the African night.
As wonderfully fulfilling as travel is in Tanzania, it’s not always easy. Our itineraries and Trip Leaders remove as many obstacles and inconveniences as possible, but keep in mind that this is a developing country, where even something as simple as crossing the road can be a challenge (watch out for that motorbike, cow or zebra!).
Pedaling a bicycle on rural roads in Africa is both a physical and cultural adventure that requires quick thinking, patience and humor. Due to the less-than-ideal and ever-changing cycling conditions on this trip, Backroads provides specially fitted mountain bikes with touring tires and upright handlebars to maximize your comfort and control along terrain that includes dusty dirt roads, rocky sections and trails through agricultural fields.
Hotels
World-Class Hotels
Our hand-selected Premiere hotels offer exceptional hospitality and experiences as special as the regions we explore.
Hotels may vary based on departure. Any variations will be displayed when selecting a departure under Dates & Prices.
Nights 1-2
Premiere Hotel
Magnificent tree house suites comprise this luxurious lodge, cradled in the boughs of a mahogany forest. (pool, spa)
Nights 3-4
Premiere Hotel
The rich traditions of East African life infuse every aspect of this distinctive rustic luxury retreat, crafted on a former coffee farm and surrounded by ancient trees and organic gardens. (pool, spa)
Night 5
*Deluxe Hotel
A classic luxury tented safari camp set among striking acacia trees on the crater's rim, a place where wildlife and scenic beauty are the central attractions.
Nights 6-8
Premiere Hotel
Take in sweeping views over the vast Serengeti and Maasai Mara at this lavish camp, nestled in the remote Kuka Hills. (pool, spa)
Gallery
Bikes
Ready to Ride
On this trip where Backroads custom titanium bikes are not available, we offer local bikes that are well suited for the terrain on our routes.
Included in your trip price
Dates & Prices
Dates & Prices
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations (if any) and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
Please Select a Group Size
Group size is required to show per-person pricing. Your group size can be approximate and can change.
