The African Embassy Safaris Group Travel Tanzania

Hatari Lodge

in combination withNgorongoro Conservation Area

- a unique safari for 20 people and more -

*The minimum pax is 20 people for accommodation at Hatari Lodge (all double rooms). In case of more than 20 participants we cooperate with equivalent lodges and split the group.

Karibu Hatari Lodge_Arrival

Description:Hatari Lodge is situated at the northern edge of Arusha National Park. The Lodge, a unique luxury boutique hotel, consists of three buildings beautifully situated in acacia woodland allowing breathtaking views onto the Momella meadow, rich with wildlife as well as the view of the majestic Kilimanjaro. Hatari Lodge offers nine comfortably furnished rooms, each with an open fire place and a spacious bathroom. Every room has been lovingly furnished and decorated in a modern retro style. Giving tribute to the 60s and 70s – the era of “Hatari! The Movie“.

Activities:Today your flight arrives at Kilimanjaro International Airport. A representative of the Hatari Lodge meets you at the airport for a road transfer through the Arusha National Park directly to the Lodge.

*Accomodation at Hatari Lodge with full board (drinks are not included).

Halfday ActivityMomella Lakes & Canoeing

“Why is the lake so pink?” -

“Because there are thousand and thousands of flamingos spreading across the lake, their voices producing a sound that resembles a river flowing somewhere.”

Lake Natron is the sole breeding ground for millions of East African Lesser Flamingo. It is located in one of the lower points of the Great Rift Valley, in a primeval landscape with thorn trees and brush, near Tanzania's only active volcano, Ol Donyo Lengai, the “Mountain of God”, which occasionally spills lava rich in sodium carbonate into the lake, increasing its salt concentration. To the lesser flamingos, this raw harshness is paradise. The birds do not breed every year and only lay one egg that both parents take turns incubating. Their feeding, breeding and nesting habits depend on the abundant algae, a particular soda content, precise water levels and solitude. Their grey feathered chicks stay in the shallow waters in huge groups, under the watchful eye of a few adults, until they are able to feed themselves and fly. When this time has come, they leave Lake Natron and, in smaller groups, roam the vast lands in search of smaller alkaline lakes as their temporary home, among them the momella lakes - walking distance from Hatari Lodge!

Halfday ActivityMomella Lakes & Canoeing

Description:The area around the Momella Lakes, which is located in an altitude of 1400 m, extends over the north-eastern part of the Arusha National Park and is surrounded by green hills. Here you find lakes, surrounded by bush savanna and acacias. Several hollows were formed by the last eruption of Mount Meru, which have porous ground like a volcano, allowing water to come to the surface and offer enough water for the lakes. The biggest and also most interesting ones are the big and small Momella Lakes, together they covering an area of 4 km. Flamingos prefer the Small Lake because of the high amount of alkali.

Activity:After lunch you are driven to the Momella Lakes as a halfday activity. Get the chance to see hundreds of flamingos rising to the sky with their pink colour. You may also see hippos and giraffes and watch them in their natural habitat. The day ends with a drive to the viewpoint - Boma la Megi, where you enjoy a sundowner with a magnificient view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. We say good night to the last sunrays of the day, while enjoying delicious snacks and drinks.

Accomodation at Hatari Lodge with full board (drinks are not included).

Halfday ActivityHatari! Historical - Tour

Description:The history of Mt Meru is ancient. Momella has been part of it for the last 100 years. In 1906, Margarete Trappe arrived on an ox wagon from the coast. Her courage and pioneering spirit set the tone when she travelled the picturesque Meru-Pass, at which her new home - Momella - was situated. A big farm was created and built by the Trappe family where they kept cattle, horses and goats and enjoyed the surroundings and the abundant wildlife. The start of the First World War brought a cat-and-mouse game between Margarete Trappe and the English soldiers and earned her the nickname Iron Lady for her stubbornness, strength and courage as she scouted for Von Lettow Vorbeck in his “Ice Cream War” with Frederick Courtney Selous.

However fate was not kind to Margarete. Disowned and bankrupt, she returned to Meru and started rebuilding a new farm called Ngongongare or Yejo’s - her Maasai name. Financial survival was finally secured by the highly profitable trophy hunting when she became the first female professional hunter in East Africa. Fittingly her last tribute when she passed away in 1975 was paid by her beloved elephant herd as they gathered around her house in 1957 when she passed away.

Follow the tracks of Margarte Trappe and visit the house, where she lived in former times as well as the grave of this famous woman.

Halfday ActivityTulusia Waterfalls - Walk

Description:We provide a walking safari through Arusha National Park to the sparkling waters of the Tulusia waterfalls. We start our walking safari at the momella gate. Together with an armed ranger we go deeper and deeper into this mountain rain forest. We pass a clearing with buffaloes. Further on you may see colobus monkeys in the branches of the trees or little bushbucks whizzing through the thicket.

Reaching Tulusia waterfalls it's time for a rest. Enjoy the refreshing water playing around your feet! After this relaxing break we return home. Exotic twittering birds accompany our walk with their joyful singing. We arrive at momella gate again where we will be picked up by a Hatari representative and return to the lodge.

Description - Activity:The Momella Foundation was founded by Marlies & Jörg Gabriel, proprietors of Hatari Lodge in Momella and Shu’mata Camp in the Masai Steppe. By creating a luxury safari experience for travellers world wide Jörg and Marlies fulfilled a dream. But it became apparent that while they may be enjoying Momella, Momella was far from enjoying them. Situated in the idyllic and stunning Mt Meru region, the inhabitants are plagued by poverty and a lack of educational and vocational training. This was the initial reason for starting the Momella Foundation in order to give back to the community from which they derive their passion, love and livelihood.

The Momella Foundation is a non-profit organization, seeking to aid the region in eradicating poverty through creative programs. For the Momella Foundation the principal goal is sustainability, and goes far beyond mere social consciousness. The projects we run incorporate areas such as educational development, natural resource cultivation and protection, sustainable agronomy and empowerment of women. You can take a guided village walk with one of our staff members. You can visit our Watoto Momella Preschool. 25 children are taught bilingually (Swahili and English) according to the principles of Maria Montessori to prepare them for a rapidly changing world. You may also take a look at our Hatari Forest Garden Project where we implement the principles of sustainable agronomy. Additionally you can chat to our tailors at Mama Momella, whom we train to manufacture finest african clothes, which you can buy at the Mama Momella Shop.

Halfday ActivityMomella Foundation

Description:The highest point of Arusha Nationalpark is Mount Meru. With an altitude of 4566 m above sea level it is the fourth highest mountain in Africa and the second highest in Tanzania. Sometimes, during chilly months, Mount Meru is covered by a snowcrest. The steep back of the crater edge, from which only half is still existing, lies on the western park border. Nowadays Mount Meru is an extinct volcano, except of some steam holes, which are unique scenery for nature- and mountain climbers. The open cone, which is open to the eastern side, harbours a mountain rainforest with swept becks, refreshing water falls and jungle giants entwined by lianas.

Activity:We hike to the crater of Mt. Meru. On the way up we will pass through 3 different vegetation zones, starting from savannah, to forest and into dense jungle, reminiscent of landscapes in the movie “Lord of the Rings”. With the changing flora, there is also an alteration in wildlife species to be seen along the way. Upon reaching Kitoto Viewpoint, at an altitude of appro. 2500 meters, an armed ranger provides an escort on the final climb into the crater. After about two hours walk, the group returns to the vehicle and heads downhill again. Next to a picturesque waterfall, a traditional picnic awaits you to replenish burnt energy with a spectacular view of rolling plains and Kilimanjaro looming in the background. After lunch another short walk leads to the Tululusia Waterfall, cascading down and soaking those who venture too close to it.

Fullday ActivityMeru-Crater-Tour

Fullday ActivityNgurdoto Crater-Tour

“Studied deeply before I left home. About this beauty with bite – and learned to tackle attitude, aptitude, altitude – call it height! Mountains – the roof of Africa, Meru and Kilimanjaro, extinct volcanoes for years – massive, impressive giant miracles

that enchant our hearts with joy and fears!”

Desription:The Ngurdoto Crater is also known as “Little Ngorongoro Crater”. This beautiful part of the park looks like a stranded Ark in the middle of a jungle. You are driven around the Ngurdoto Crater, which has a diameter of 2,5 km, over a steep mountain line. From the crater edge you have an amazing view past tree giants, lianas and strangler figs into the crater. Over half of the crater ground is covered by swampland. The Ngurdoto Crater is famous for the animals found inside the crater.

Activity:On this day we suggest a half day game drive within the Arusha National Park to the Ngurduto Crater. You will have a great view of Mt. Meru's rock formations. Inside the “little Ngorongoro Crater” we find buffalos, warthogs and giraffes and occasionally also elephants which regularly come to graze. The drive to the crater is followed by a stop at the legendary viewpoint once frequented by Margarete Trappe and later also Hardy Krüger and Jim Mallory. The trip continues to Ngongongare Springs at the heart of the national park, followed by a game drive crossing the “little Serengeti” and Mgoda Pass. We return to the Lodge in time for a sundowner and later on dinner.

Fullday Activity Ngurdoto Crater Hiking

“And that's how it happened, at night , in total darkness. They were sleeping nearby the fire on the ground holding each other softly.

The first thing he heard was the rattle of Saida and first he thought she was speaking to him while dreaming. Then there was this

breath over his face and this pain when fingerlong fangs cutted into his neck and his face. And then his lower jaw broke . Just for

a glimpse he had open his eyes and saw something huge and black with amber-coloured eyes. ...”

The story tells about the legendary Gurumico, who according to the Meru and Maasai wanders around the Ngurdoto Crater. But we don't have to fear about, there will be a ranger to accompany our tour. Since a hundred of years no human being could walk in the crater. Our guests are now exclusively allowed to enter the crater floor. The legend of Gurumico is just one out of many fairytales about the Ngurdoto Crater. Margarete Trappe, known as the white hunter and owner of the Trappe farm once discovered the crater while she was following the tracks of an obviously huge elephant bull. When she saw him and his impressive figure she could not shoot him and was therefore rewarded with the sudden appearance of Ngurdoto Crater.

*Please be aware of an additional payment of 50 USD for this exclusive hiking tour!

Fullday Activity Ngurdoto Crater Hiking

Activity:After breakfast we drive to the crater to meet our ranger first. We hike down to the crater floor

where we find a landscape of swamps and marhes. Suddenly the wide open fields of the crater arrange themselves in front of our eyes. We see lakes with huge rushes hosting nearby passing

buffaloes and warthogs. If we are lucky today we may also get a glimpse of Babu, a foreign elephant bull who enjoys his retirement on the Crater floor.

Description:Stretching for 50km along the base of the rusty-gold 600-metre high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as “the loveliest I had seen in Africa”. The compact game-viewing circuit through Manyara offers a virtual microcosm of the Tanzanian safari experience. From the entrance gate, the road winds through an expanse of lush jungle-like groundwater forest where hundred-strong baboon troops lounge nonchalantly along the roadside, blue monkeys scamper nimbly between the ancient mahogany trees, dainty bushbuck tread warily through the shadows, and outsized forest hornbills honk cacophonously in the high canopy.

Activities:The Plantation Lodge is situated near the city of Karatu in the Ngorongoro Crater. This exclusive lodge will be your host for your stay. Aftyer breakfast at Hatari Lodge you'll be driven to Manyara National Park which is famous for the flamingos as well as the tree climbing lions. The next day you will enjoy the Ngorongoro Crater and it's beauty during a full day game drive.

*Accomodation at Plantation Lodge with full board (drinks are not included).

The African Embassy Safaris_Group Travel_Lake Manyara

The African Embassy Safaris_Group Travel_Ngorongoro Crater – Tour

Description:Ngorongoro Crater is part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In 1959 it was appointed as a conservation area. It is the biggest, unbroken volcano crater in the world, with a surface of 259 km² and an altitude of 600 m on the volcano walls. The volcano would be bigger than the Kilimanjaro, if hadn't erupted causing the inner part of the volcano to sink in. The Ngorongoro Crater offers one of the best possibilities in Tanzania for observing all the different animals in this area. It is one of the few places, where you can find the endangered black rhinos.

Activities:We have an early morning departure after breakfast from Plantation Lodge with picnic lunch to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. On this day we visit the Ngorongoro Crater. Here you will see dormant and active volcanoes, archaeological treasures, rivers, forests, lakes, grass and sand dunes, the area around the crater offers you a wide selection of different fauna and flora. A traditional picnic awaits you at lunchtime, after which you continue with your game drive at the crater and later drive back to the lodge for dinner and overnight. Tomorrow you'll be driven from the lodge to the Manyara Airstrip for your flight onwards.

*Accomodation at Plantation Lodge with full board (drinks are not included).

The African Embassy Safaris says “Kwaheri”_Departure

If I were able to live my life anew, in the next I would try to commit more errors. I would not try to be so perfect, I would relax more, I would be more foolish than I’ve been, in fact, I would take few things seriously. I would be less hygienic, I would run more risks, take more vacations, contemplate more sunsets, climb more mountains, swim more rivers. I would go to more places where I’ve never been, I would eat more ice cream and fewer beans, I would have more real problems and less imaginary ones. I was one of those that never went anywhere without thermometer, a hot water bottle, an umbrella, and a parachute; if I could live again, I would travel lighter. I was one of those people who lived sensibly and prolifically each minute of his life; of course, I had moments of happiness. If I could go back I would try to have only good moments. Because if you didn’t know, of that is life made: only of moments: Don’t lose the now. (Jorge Luis Borges)

After breakfast you will be transferred to the Manyara Airstrip where you will meet your flight either to the Indian Ocean for further holidays or back home.

We wish you a comfortable return flight.

Tutaonana!