Duma Explorer offers safaris to many areas in Northern and Southern Tanzania, as well as luxury excursions to beach destinations such as Zanzibar.
Please contact us at info@dumaexplorer.com for a customized itinerary. As with any safari or mountain trek, Duma Explorer only combines groups at the clients' request.
Duma Explorer offers two different safari lodging options: tented camps and lodges, and adventure camping. The two accommodation types can be combined and vary in comfort level and price.
During all safaris, you will be traveling in Duma-owned vehicles with Duma-trained staff. We take great pride in maintaining our vehicles to avoid any mechanical problems and glitches.
All vehicles are equipped with comfortable seats, full-view windows, and open roofs for game easy game viewing. Each person is guaranteed a window seat, and Duma only combines safari groups at the client's request, offering a private safari experience.
For details on pricing, please visit our Pricing Details page.
Not sure what to bring on a camping safari? We've put together detailed camping and lodge packing lists.
We have a number of itineraries available so you can get an idea of what your holiday will be like. Please visit the sample itineraries page for more information.
If you would like to create a custom safari, read through our destination descriptions and let us know which parks you would like to visit. Please click on each destination area to jump to detailed descriptions: Northern Tanzania destinations; Southern Tanzania destinations; Beach destinations.
NORTHERN TANZANIA DESTINATIONS:
Lake Manyara National Park lies 130 kilometers outside of Arusha town and encompasses Lake Manyara and its surroundings. Visit the park's five different vegetation zones including groundwater forest, acacia woodland, open areas of short grass, swamps, and the lake's alkaline flats. You'll encounter more than 350 species of birds and view baboon, warthog, giraffe, hippopotamus, elephant and buffalo. If you're lucky, you'll catch a glimpse of Manyara's famous tree-climbing lions.
Often called the eighth wonder of the world, Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera in the world, and is one of the only places in Africa you can view every member of the "big five" (rhinoceros, lion, cheetah, leopard, elephant and buffalo) on a single game drive. Unique to Ngorongoro, indigenous tribes are permitted to live in the conservation area and local Maasai graze their livestock on the crater floor in harmony with nearby herds of buffalo and wildebeest.
Serengeti National Park, the largest of the northern safari parks, is renowned for the abundance of wildlife. The Serengeti is mostly grassland plains and acacia scrub dotted with rock outcrops known as kopjes, which serve as both hideouts and lookouts for many species of animals. Many clients visit the Serengeti during the gregarious procession of millions of wildebeest and zebra in their search for water and food. The famous migration offers excellent opportunities to view animal behavior as well as the chance to see a kill. More about Serengeti National Park...
The often overlooked Arusha National Park offers some of the most breathtaking scenery in Northern Tanzania. Arusha National Park includes Mount Meru, and game highlights consist of giraffe, cape buffalo, elephant, zebra, flamingo and hippo. Several primate species including black and white colobus monkey, Syke's monkey and vervet monkey thrive in the tropical forests. The patient ornithologist will be rewarded with the chance to spot elusive forest birds such as Hartlaub's Turaco. We can organize guided bush walks, too.
Tarangire National Park is famous for its giant baobab trees as well as the thousands of elephants and giraffes feeding along the banks of the Tarangire River. Tarangire is home to the largest termite mounds in Tanzania, some of which reach up to fifteen feet in height.
Amani Nature Reserve, once the largest botanical gardens in Africa, is located in the Usambara Mountains approximately 50 kilometers northwest of Tanga. View endemic animals, flowers and plants. It is a must see for visitors interested in botany or entomology, or for those seeking a peaceful place to rest and hike for a few days. More about Amani...
Saadani, Tanzania's newest national park, is the only park in Tanzania that offers wildlife viewing and beautiful beaches in one location. Saadani includes the Wami River delta, and it is possible to take boat trips up the Wami River to view hippos, crocodiles and many species of birds and mangroves. Very few tourists visit Saadani, making it an excellent destination for those who want to view animals in their natural state and have a private safari experience. Game highlights include lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and giraffe, along with several species of antelope.
Lake Natron is off the beaten track with many attractions including a river walk with two waterfalls, a hike across a soda lake with flamingos, and a trek up Oldonyio Lengai, an active volcano. Oldonyio Lengai is located in the heart of the Great Rift Valley and has erupted fifteen times in the past century. A challenging hike to the top of the "Mountain of God" offers an opportunity to view molten lava. Visiting Lake Natron also allows clients to meet traditional Maasai women and children as well as purchase their handmade jewelry.
The Uru Waterfalls are approximately a thirty-minute drive from Moshi town on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. The 50 meter waterfalls is one of the hidden treasures of Kilimanjaro Region and offers tourists the opportunity to hike through coffee farms, interact with local children and enjoy a spectacular view. Tourists stop at the Uru village government office before the trailhead to pay a fee which goes into the village development fund.
Mkomazi Game Reserve lies just south of the Kenya border in the shadows of the Pare Mountains. Although in some seasons it is difficult to spot game in Mkomazi, its dry savannah is one of the best spots to bird watch in Northern Tanzania. There are over 400 bird species and virtually no tourists or safari vehicles, even during peak safari season. The reserve is also home to the Mkomazi Rhino Project, a conservation effort that is reintroducing black rhinos and African hunting dogs to the area. Game highlights include the rhinos, hunting dogs, elephants, zebra, ostrich and several species of antelope. Extended walking safaris are possible in Mkomazi ranging from a few hours to a few days.
Cultural tours can be arranged in Arusha and Kilimanjaro Regions. One key destination is Lake Eyasi, home to members of the Hadzabe tribe. These offer a view into the traditional life of tribes living in the area and include lunch as well as guided day hikes.
SOUTHERN TANZANIA DESTINATIONS:
Udzungwa Mountains National Park, a tropical forest located in Morogoro Region, has been identified as one of the top 24 global biodiversity hotspots by Conservation International. The park is home to two endemic species of primates as well as many endemic plants, insects, and forest birds. The park was recently gazetted and many species within the park have yet to be identified. The miles of foot trails in the park allow visitors to take a break from the car and hike to beautiful waterfalls.
Ruaha National Park is famous for its spectacular, untouched scenery and the Great Ruaha River. Unlike parks in northern Tanzania, Ruaha receives few visitors and thus is one of the few wildlife sanctuaries in which animals are viewed in their natural state. The park is 13,000 square kilometers and has one of the largest elephant populations in Tanzania as well as many hippopotamus and large crocodiles. There is also a chance to view the rare Sable.
Mikumi National Park is a park rarely visited by tourists. There are many species of birds in Mikumi as well as large resident populations of giraffe and elephant. Mikumi National Park is mostly miombo woodland with gently rolling hills. There are several lookout points from which the client can view the park in its entirety.
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