Colorado Plateau Photo Tours
Tanzania Serengeti Safari
with Gombe, Uganda Optional add-on for Gorilla Trekking
(SOLD OUT)
SEPTEMBER 8–20, 2026 TANZANIA PHOTO AND CULTURAL IMMERSION TRIP
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 – 8th September 2026: Arrival in Tanzania
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you’ll be welcomed by Peter and your Legacy Exchange guide, who will provide a warm welcome and assist with luggage and customs. You’ll transfer to your first lodge, nestled near Usa River, where wildlife like peacocks and waterbuck roam freely. Settle in and enjoy your first taste of safari life. If time allows, take a short walk through the lodge grounds with your camera for an early warm-up session.
Lodging: Mount Meru Game Lodge
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 – 9th September 2026: Safari Briefing & Maasai Cultural Immersion
After a hearty breakfast, begin your day with a comprehensive safari orientation covering key photographic techniques, ethics, and camera setup. After lunch, transfer to Africa Amini Maasai Lodge, where a traditional blessing ceremony and immersive cultural activities await — including a walk with Maasai warriors, herbal workshops, and fireside storytelling under the stars.
Lodging: Africa Amini Maasai Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 – 10th September 2026: Arusha National Park & Daily Maasai Life
Start with a guided walking safari in Arusha National Park, capturing giraffes and zebras from a rare, ground-level perspective. Later, enjoy a short game drive through forests, lakes, and open plains with a short game drive to explore lakes with flamingos, dense forests with black-and-white colobus monkeys, then return for an afternoon of photographing Maasai life — from milking goats to fire-making and beadwork creation.
Lodging: Africa Amini Maasai Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – 11th September 2026: Journey to Tarangire National Park
Today’s scenic drive brings you to Tarangire National Park. After check-in and lunch at the lodge perched above the Tarangire River, head out for your first official game drive. This park is famed for its elephant herds and photogenic baobab trees, perfect for dramatic compositions.
Lodging: Tarangire Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – 12th September 2026: Morning in Tarangire, Evening in Karatu
Spend the morning photographing elephants, lions, and colorful birdlife bathed in the soft morning light across the southern plains of Tarangire National Park. After lunch, journey through the scenic landscapes of the Great Rift Valley, passing Maasai villages and lush highland farms. Arrive in the peaceful town of Karatu by evening, where you’ll enjoy a relaxed dinner and overnight stay at a charming lodge nestled in the hills.
Lodging: Ngorongoro Farm House
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – 13th September 2026: Sunrise & Sunset in the Ngorongoro Crater
Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater for an early morning game drive with ideal light for photography. Capture rhinos, lions, and hippos, then return for lunch and a photo review session. Head back into the crater in the afternoon for golden-hour wildlife shots.
Lodging: Embalakai Ngorongoro Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – 14th September 2026: Into the Heart of the Serengeti
Drive to the eastern Serengeti with a stop at Olduvai Gorge*, a legendary site in human evolution. Arrive at Serengeti Serenity Camp, nestled in the remote eastern plains, and venture out for your first Serengeti game drive, where light and motion combine for striking visual drama across the open savannah.
* Olduvai Gorge is a renowned paleoanthropological site located in northern Tanzania, East Africa, within the eastern Serengeti Plain. It is widely recognized as the "Cradle of Mankind" due to the significant discoveries of early hominin fossils and stone tools found there, providing crucial insights into human evolution. This is where Mary Leakey discovered the 1.75 million-year-old Homo habilis fossil and the 3.6 million-year-old Laetolu footprints.
Lodging: Serengeti Serenity Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 – 15th September 2026: Predators of Namiri Plains
Spend the entire day in Namiri Plains, one of the best locations in East Africa to photograph big cats. Cheetahs, lions, and leopards dominate these golden plains. Your guides will help with positioning and photo strategy for action sequences and behavior studies.
Lodging: Serengeti Serenity Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 – 16th September 2026: Scenic Drive to Kogatende – Northern Serengeti
Head north to the Mara River area, famous for dramatic wildebeest crossings. Arrive at Baobab Mara Luxury Camp and enjoy an afternoon game drive to scout migration herds and predators along the riverbanks.
Lodging: Baobab Mara Luxury Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days 10–11 – 17th–18th September 2026: The Great Migration Crossings
Dedicate two full days to photographing the world-famous wildebeest river crossings. Expect intense predator-prey interactions, fast-paced action, and dust-filled drama — all under the guidance of expert spotters and your photographic mentors.
Lodging: Baobab Mara Luxury Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12 – 19th September 2026: Scenic Bush Flight to Arusha & Departure
After breakfast, bid farewell to the Serengeti and board a scenic bush flight to Arusha. Upon arrival, enjoy a farewell lunch and the use of a dayroom at Mount Meru Game Lodge before your evening international flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Lodging: Dayroom at Mount Meru Game Lodge
Meals: Lunch
Duration: 12 Days, 11 Nights
Destinations: Arusha, Africa Amini Maasai Lodge, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Eastern Serengeti, Namiri Plains, Northern Serengeti (Kogatende)
Accommodation Standard: Luxury Lodges & Tented Camps
Transportation: 4×4 Photographic Safari Vehicles & Bush Flight from Kogatende to Arusha
Led By: Professional Wildlife Photographers BobCindy
Hosted By: Legacy Exchange Outfitters
Trip Highlights
Guided photographic safari with Bob
Exclusive cultural immersion at Africa Amini Maasai Lodge with ceremonies and daily life photography
Walking safari in Arusha National Park with ground-level encounters
Full-day game drives in Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, and multiple regions of Serengeti
Two full days at the Mara River to capture the Great Migration River crossings
Bush flight from Kogatende to Arusha with scenic aerial views
Evening mentorship sessions and photo reviews.
Deep connection to Tanzania’s culture and land through Legacy Exchange Outfitters
COST: $8988 Per Person (SOLD OUT)
$800 Single Supplement (SOLD OUT)
Inclusions
· All airport and ground transfers
· All accommodations as outlined (shared occupancy)
· All meals as indicated (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner daily)
· Exclusive use of 4×4 extended safari vehicles
· Domestic bush flight from Kogatende to Arusha
· Park entry, conservation, and concession fees
· Guided walking safari in Arusha National Park
· Cultural immersion program at Africa Amini Maasai Lodge
· Drinking water throughout the safari
· Dayroom before departure
Exclusions
· International flights to/from Kilimanjaro (JRO)
· Visa fees for Tanzania
· Tips for the guides
· Travel insurance (mandatory)
· Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks not included in meal plans
· Tips for guides, drivers, and lodge staff (tipping guidelines provided)
· Laundry and personal purchases
· Rental of photographic equipment if needed!
Colorado Plateau Photo Tours is licensed to operate in Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park (Utah), Everglades National Park, and the Federal lands in the SE Utah, Cedar Mesa area.
BOB MAYNARD • COLORADO PLATEAU PHOTO TOURS • Tel: 303.547.0807
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