Travel-Learn Program

When: January 23, 2011 - February 02, 2011 (iCal)

Description

"It was outstanding in every way – very compatible group, well organized and well paced program. Tour leader, Drivers and Tufts Faculty were all excellent."

Travel on this 11-day journey through the wildlife frontiers of Tanzania, Africa’s premier safari destination. In one of Earth’s greatest natural dramas, the Great Migration, vast herds of elephant, wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and Cape buffalo roam the savannas, shadowed by magnificent lion, cheetah and leopard. Rivaling the grandeur of Tanzania’s wildlife is the panoramic sweep of its scenery. In the north, the snow-crowned summit of Kilimanjaro towers above the plains. In the Ngorongoro Crater, savannas, forests and wetlands are enclosed by the sheer 2,000-foot-high walls of the ancient caldera. An exclusive four-night Zanzibar Post-Program Option is offered to this legendary isle, historic center of the spice trade.

Cost

From $5,695, per person based on double occupancy.

Contact

For more information,contact Usha Nand Sellers Ed. D., Director Tufts Travel-Learn Program, at usha.sellers@tufts.edu or 617-627-5323..

Itinerary

Day 1 - U.S. Depart for Arusha.

Day 2 - Arusha, Tanzania

Arrive in Arusha, Tanzania, nestled at the foot of Mount Meru. We’ll meet our Travel Director and transfer to the KIA Lodge.

Day 3 – Arusha

Late this morning, attend a safari briefing. After lunch, we’ll depart on our first game drive which is in Arusha National Park. One of East Africa’s smaller sanctuaries, this scenic gem is noted for its birds and wildlife, diverse terrain and lush vegetation.

Day 4 - Arusha/Lake Manyara

Following an early lunch in the lodge, we’ll set out across the sweeping African plains for Lake Manyara National Park where we’ll check into the Lake Manyara Serena Lodge and join fellow participants this evening for a welcome cocktail reception, held poolside atop an escarpment overlooking the majestic Great Rift Valley.

Day 5 - Lake Manyara/Olduvai Gorge/Serengeti

At dawn, we will drive through Lake Manyara National Park in search of the great populations of brilliantly hued flamingo and hippo found in pools along the lake’s shoreline. Watch for troupes of baboon and blue monkeys scampering along tree branches of the ground-water forest. We are likely to see wildebeest and giraffe, but Lake Manyara’s most famous inhabitant is the lion, which climbs tree branches in search of a comfortable resting place.

Midmorning we’ll depart for Serengeti National Park, Africa’s most celebrated nature preserve, stopping en route at the Olduvai Gorge, famously known as the “cradle of mankind”. Here in 1963, Dr. Louis Leakey made his important discovery of the 1.8-million-year-old Homo habilis. Attend a lecture on human prehistory by a local expert on Olduvai Gorge and then gather for a picnic lunch. On arrival at the Serengeti National Park, we’ll check into the Serengeti Serena Lodge, selected for its proximity to the park’s largest concentration of wildlife. During our afternoon game drive, watch for the diverse fauna of this vast ecosystem.

Days 6 & 7 - Serengeti

During morning and afternoon game drives in the legendary Serengeti National Park, observe more than two million large animals on 5,400-plus square miles of savannas and woodlands. Trackless grasslands support an abundance of grazing animals: wildebeest, gazelle, topi, zebra and Cape Buffalo. The granite outcrops (kopjes) dotting the plains are favored by large cats, especially the lion and the sleek leopard. Expansive swampland attracts thousands of waterbirds, and some of the world’s best bird-watching is available here with more than 500 species identified so far. Weather conditions permitting, we may gain an aerial perspective of the Serengeti’s herds on an optional hot-air balloon flight.

Day 8 - Serengeti/Ngorongoro Crater

Following a morning game drive, leisure time, and an early lunch, depart the Serengeti for the Ngorongoro Crater, a remarkable sanctuary for 115 mammals and over 500 bird species. Accommodations are in the Serena Lodge, scenically located on the rim of the crater, where each room offers stunning views of the surroundings.

Day 9 - Ngorongoro Crater

Born from the collapse of a massive volcano over two million years ago, Ngorongoro Crater shelters an immense concentration of wildlife. The profusion of its game reflects the diversity of the habitats found on the crater floor: savannas, forests, swamps, salt pans and a freshwater lake. With abundant grass and a permanent water supply, the crater supports herds of grazing animals, who in turn attract lions, leopards and cheetahs.

Early this morning, we’ll board a four-wheel-drive vehicle and proceed 2,000 feet down the forested wall of the crater for a day of game tracking. Ngorongoro is excellent for viewing zebra, wildebeest, Cape buffalo, gazelle, lion, cheetah, leopard and bull elephant, and for spotting the rare black rhinoceros. In the Ngoitokitok Swamps, herds of hippopotamuses seek refuge from the midday sun. Observe some of the numerous species of birds such as ostrich, crowned crane, flamingo and other waders. We’ll gain a unique perspective on the diverse wildlife over a picnic breakfast in the crater.

The afternoon is at leisure to relax in the comfort of the lodge.

Day 10 - Ngorongoro Crater/ Arusha

After breakfast, we’ll depart for Arusha. En route, visit the Kibaoni Primary School on the edge of the Great Rift Valley where we’ll talk to schoolchildren and see the school’s library - the only primary school library in Tanzania. Most of its books were donated by visitors to the Great Rift Valley, and in support of our adopted motto, “making a difference” a contribution would be appreciated. Lunch will follow in the Arusha Coffee Plantation Lodge. Continue to the Kilimanjaro International Airport Lodge, where day rooms have been reserved. After dinner on our own, we’ll transfer to the airport and board our return flights.

Day 11 - U.S.

Our return flights to the U.S. arrive later today.

Zanzibar Post-Program Option

Complement our Tanzania experience with a special four-night extension to the fabled isle of Zanzibar, ancient gateway to the Indian Ocean and historical center of the East African spice and slave trades. Renowned for its lush, tropical landscapes and stunning beaches, this legendary island has been a magnet for merchants and explorers since the height of the Roman Empire. Today, its culture remains an alluring mélange reflecting the influences of the Omanis, Persians, Arabs, Indians, English, Portuguese and Africans.

Price and Itinerary remain tentative and subject to change

617-627-5323|usha.sellers@tufts.edu