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THE BEST OF TANZANIA NATIONAL PARKS
& 6 days of relaxing in the heart of the Indian Ocean
At Zanzibar Islands, The Garden of Eden
(Amsterdam, Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Central & Western Serengeti National Parks & Zanzibar (Unguja Island)

Customized Safari & Tour Program
Personally escorted by Hamdy Nossair
18 Days / 17 Nights
June 8 – 25, 2007

Air schedule, Flights numbers, departures and arrivals are subject to change without notice.

FLYING & DRIVING TIMES:
From / To Destination and Comments
Air & Driving Time

Denver to Minneapolis by Air
2.5 hours

Minneapolis to Amsterdam by Air
8.5 hours

Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro (Arusha) by air
8.5 hours

Arusha to Tarangire National Park (by Land rover)
(Hour and half on a dirt road) 2.5 hours

Tarangire Park to Ngorongoro National Park (by Land rover)
(All on a dirt road) 5 hours

Ngorongoro Nat’l Park to Central Serengeti National Park (by van)
(All driving time on a dirt road) 4 hours

Central Serengeti to Western Serengeti
(All on dirt road) 3 hours

Serengeti to Arusha (Kilimanjaro airport) (BY AIR)
1 hour

Arusha / Zanzibar (BY AIR)
1hour and 30 minutes

Zanzibar to Dar El Salaam (By air)
25 minutes

Dar El Salaam to Amsterdam
8 hours

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY:
Day 1 Fri Jun 8
DENVER / MINNEAPOLIS (USA) / AMSTERDAM (HOLLAND)
Depart from Denver (DIA) to Minneapolis airport to connect with your non-stop flight to Amsterdam (Holland) on board (North West & KLM Airlines). Overnight on board the plane. Dinner & Breakfast served en-route.

Day 02 Sat Jun 9
AMSTERDAM (Holland)
AM: arrive Amsterdam (Schiphol International airport) in Amsterdam where you will be met by an HLO representative assisted through formalities and then transferred to your hotel for overnight.

Day at leisure. Optional tours will be suggested.

Day 03 Sun Jun 10
AMSTERDAM / KILIMANJARO (Arusha, Tanzania)
AM: Breakfast at the hotel followed by your transfer to Amsterdam Schiphol International airport for your 10:30AM flight to Kilimanjaro Airport in Arusha (Tanzania).

Eve: Arrive Kilimanjaro airport where you will be met and transferred to the luxurious Arusha Coffee Lodge: Surrounded by endless acres of berry-laden coffee bushes of Tanzania’s largest coffee plantation, Arusha Coffee Lodge lies like an elegant Victorian steam liner becalmed in a cool and peaceful sea – her welcoming lights and roaring fires beckoning. It’s located on the edge of Arusha, 5 minutes from the airport.

Each of the 18 plantation houses has been lavishly furnished and features a split-level living area and a private deck. Guests can enjoy an extensive evening restaurant menu, a spit-roasted lunchtime grill or the comfort classic menu featuring everyone’s favorites in the safari bar. The lodge also boasts a coffee shop, patisserie, hair and beauty salon, a range of boutique shops and galleries, all set around the swimming pool.

Arusha Coffee Lodge provides a sublime setting for the start or end of any safari. Dinner & overnight. BB, D

Day 04 Mon Jun11
Arusha / Tarangire National Park
AM: After buffet breakfast at the lodge, our safari adventure will start by boarding our 4X4 safari land rovers and our excitement begins by driving to Tarangire National Park (known for its Baobab trees, Oryx, Elephants, Wildebeest, Giraffe and Impala). Arrive Tarangire where we are spending the next two nights at Tarangire Sopa Lodge.

Lunch, followed by our Afternoon game drive.

Late afternoon, return to the lodge for dinner & overnight. BB, L, D

Day 05 Tue Jun12
Tarangire
Full day game drive in Tarangire National Park with lunch break at the lodge. B, L, D

Day 06 Wed Jun13
Tarangire / Ngorongoro
Game drive in Tarangire continuing to Ngorongoro where the animals of the crater can be approached at very close quarters giving you wonderful photographic opportunities! Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera in the world surrounded by steep hills rising 610 meters from the floor. Arrive at Serena Lodge, home for two nights. Overnight B, L D

Day 07 Thu Jun14
Ngorongoro
This morning descend into the morning mists to the floor of the 2,000 foot deep crater for game viewing at it’s best in the world’s largest natural zoo! Your accommodations provide breathtaking views of the crater floor far below and spectacular game viewing. Picnic lunch will be provided on the Crater floor. Overnight. B, L, D

Day 08 Fri Jun15
Ngorongoro / Serengeti (Serena Lodge)
After breakfast view game as you once again cross the vast Serengeti plains on your drive from Ngorongoro Crater. Stop to visit Olduvai Gorge then continue driving through the seemingly endless Serengeti plains viewing the dramatic scenery and numerous animals indigenous to the area during your morning and afternoon game drives. Arrive at Serena Lodge. Overnight. B, L, D

Day 9 Sat Jun16
Serengeti (Serena Lodge)
AM: Optional Serengeti hot air balloon: For those who choose to take the hot air balloon option (approximately $450 per person), you will have a choice of three mornings to schedule this optional activity.
The view is so different from the air, sometimes so high you can see for hundreds of miles in every direction.
Pass directly over vulture nests in acacia tortillas, float silently over the Seronera river watching hippos yawn and seeing Giraffe, Waterbuck, Buffalo and Cats. Upon our landing, you will be congratulated with Champagne and full English breakfast cooked on the balloon burner.
Morning and afternoon game drives in this leading park of Tanzania are dominated by grassy savannahs that appear to stretch to infinity. Granite outcrops rise from the swaying sea of grass giving families of lions and leopards an elevated view from which to survey their surroundings, teeming with wildlife all seemingly relaxed but always alert for approaching danger. Three million large mammals live in total freedom including (the big five) Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Buffalo. Overnight. B, L, D

Day 10 Sun Jun17
Serengeti (Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp)
AM: Optional hot air balloon over Serengeti
Drive to Kirawira luxury tented camp in the western Serengeti (about 60 miles) game viewing en route. After lunch game drive around Kirawira near Grumeti River which is filled with big game animals such as Lion, Buffalo, Cheetah, Giraffe, Baboon, Gazelle, Wildebeest as well as abundant bird life. Overnight. B, L, D

Day 11 Mon Jun18
Serengeti (Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp)
AM: Optional hot air balloon over Serengeti
Full day game drive in western Serengeti with lunch break at the camp. Overnight. B, L, D

Day 12 Tue Jun19
Serengeti / Arusha / Zanzibar
AM: Transfer to Grumeti Airstrip for your private charter flight to Arusha. Arrive Arusha where you will be met and transferred to the Impala hotel for lunch. After lunch proceed to Arusha airport for your hour and half flight to Zanzibar.

PM: Arrival on legendary Zanzibar. The name conjures up images of pirates and explorers, palm-studded white sand beaches and smells of exotic spices. This peaceful island is a fascinating melting pot of Arabic, Indian and African cultures. It was the ancient trading port of the sultans of Oman in the 19th century.

The historic city of Stone Town is a medina: the only one of its kind south of the Equator. Carved doors and balconies decorate the houses, which are made of coral stone. Inland, the island is a garden of Eden offering the most exquisite tropical species. Our time here will take us from pristine beaches to the narrow streets and bustling markets of Stone Town. You may choose to scuba dive, snorkel, swim, or just relax at Serena Inn where you will be spending the next three nights. Serena Inn: All rooms overlook the azure waters of the Indian Ocean. This stunning property is set in two historic seafront buildings that have been masterfully restored. 51 air-conditioned rooms, all facing the ocean. Seafront restaurant, bar, and spacious and secluded swimming pool. Arrive Zanzibar where you will be met and transferred to Serena Inn. Overnight. BB, L

Day 13 Wed Jun 20
ZANZIBAR (Full day tours)
AM: breakfast, followed by your departure for a half-day tour of historic Stone Town where history appears to stand still. Our tour includes visits to the House of Wonders, the Palace Museum (People's Palace) National Museum and the Arab Fort. It is a fascinating look at the essence of Zanzibar. You will see Zanzibar's bustling fish and vegetable market, winding alleyways, ornately carved and studded doors, two cathedrals and countless mosques!

A visit to the site of the former slave market site at Mkunazini rounds off an insight into Zanzibar's huge history and vibrant culture. Stone Town has some excellent gifts shops with plenty of souvenirs and handicrafts to choose from.

Lunch will be provided at Blues restaurant.

After lunch, we will continue our adventure for a half-day spice tour in Kizimbani. The history of Zanzibar would be incomplete without seeing the cloves and many other spices, which brought the Sultans of Oman and the beginnings of the infamous slave trade.

The tour starts with a visit to the Livingstone house, followed by stops at the ruins of the former Palace of Sultan Barghash at Maruhub, the Persian baths, and afterwards into the villages. Spices can be seen in the plantations just outside and our tour includes opportunities to dazzle the senses with fresh spices and tropical seasonal fruits like mangoes, bananas, pineapple, jack fruit, coconut, breadfruit, dorian, ramboutants, mangoustine, avocados, star fruits, and cocoa,

A detailed description is given about a variety of spices, cinnamon, cardamom, lemongrass, ginger roots, cloves, turmeric, nutmeg, pepper and different kinds of oils and their uses in cooking and cosmetics. Visitors will be fascinated by the sheer number of spices produced and their incredible value for many ailments. This is also the cheapest place to purchase spices and spice oils. Return to the hotel for overnight. BB, L

Day 14 Thu Jun 21
ZANZIBAR / UNGUJA ISALND (70 mile)
(Please note that Zanzibar island is locally referred to as UNGUJA to differentiate it from Pemba island to the North. Both islands of Pemba and Zanzibar (Unguja) are together known as Zanzibar Islands)

AM: Depart for tour to Mangapwani caves and slave chambers.
Tours to the unspoilt West coast always end up at Mangapwani beach, a sleepy fishing village on the Western part of Zanzibar island. It is the former hiding place for most of the slaves shipped outside after the abolition of slavery in 1873. You will be able to see the traditional ways of life in action. This area of Zanzibar has few but some fantastic beaches and nearby coral reefs, which are ideal for diving and snorkeling. After the village visit, we will proceed to see the old cave once used by slaves to fetch water followed by a brief stop at the Slave chambers.

It is reputed to have been discovered in the early 19th century by a slave boy working on the estate of Hamid Bin Salim El Harthy, a wealthy Arab plantation owner. The boy found the entrance whilst searching for a goat, which had fallen into the cavern. As a source of fresh water, the discovery was a blessing and from that day Hamid’s slaves regularly collected water from the pool for use on the estate.

Following the abolition of slave trading in 1873, Arab merchants were resentful of what they saw as British interference. Black-market prices for slaves shot up and a thriving illicit trade developed, aided at sea by loopholes in the treaties and the inability of the British to effectively patrol the whole of the Indian Ocean. On land the trade was more difficult to conceal. These Slaves Chambers were constructed by Mohammed Bin Nassor Al-Alwi, an important slave trader of the time, to hide slaves in transit from the mainland to the Zanzibar plantation and export further a field.

The cave consists of two of rectangular pits, dug from the coral limestone and originally covered with coral rug, laid on mangrove poles. A sunken pathway provided a concealed access to the beach.

BBQ lunch is served at the beachfront restaurant overlooking the Indian Ocean.

PM: After lunch we will proceed to Breezes beach Club to spend the next three nights. BREEZES BEACH CLUB (Pure Paradise): is one of the most romantic of the large resorts in terms of décor, service and style. It’s also ideally situated on the east coast of Zanzibar (Unguja), so endless white beaches, shady palm trees and a dazzling blue ocean lie in wait.

The 70 rooms are situated in lush, palm-lined gardens a short distance from the beach. All are air-conditioned with en-suite bathrooms. The resort has four restaurants. In the evenings Salama provides a four –course table d’hote or a themed buffet with local entertainment. For something more elegant and exclusive Makuti restaurant offers a candle-lit a la carte menu specializing in seafood (think fresh lobster platters and catch of the day). For lunch Breakers is conveniently located under the palms on beachfront. Breakfast is a hearty buffet at Salama and afternoon tea and cakes are served in the lounge.

Enjoy exotic cocktails in the Pool Bar during the day. At night, the Safari Bar, decorated with spice tables and animal-print safari chairs, offers a relaxed atmosphere. Its open until the last guest leaves. Conference facilities, Entertainment room, fitness center, floodlit tennis court, a swimming pool and water sports center. Exclusively at Breezes Beach Club you will find the first SPA to open its doors on the island of Zanzibar. The FRANGIPANI SPA offers a variety of messages, therapies and treatments in a beautiful tranquil setting. Overnight. BB, L

Day 15 Fri Jun 22
BREEZES BEACH CLUB
AM: Buffet breakfast. Enjoy some or all of the following activities offered by the Breezes Beach Resort (Some are free and some are not):

Daily activities:
Enjoy the resort large swimming pool.
Fitness center: with aerobics, dancing lessons and massage rooms
Floodlit tennis court.
Full water sports: including windsurfing, canoes, pedal boats, sailing, snorkeling and boat trips.
A dive school
A game room with table tennis and darts
Bicycles for hire.

OR
Choose - as an optional excursion - a visit to the Mangrove Swamp at Chwaka Bay, which can be reached by a small road leading inland from the back of Bwejuu village (Where our hotel is located). Local guide will take you through the maze of channels and rivers in the swamps. Being able to stroll through the shallow rivers looking at this uniquely adapted plant and its ecosystem, there is also a good chance of seeing a wide variety of crabs that live in the mud-banks amongst the tangle of roots.

OR
Choose a local fisherman who will take you out on trips beyond the reef, to sail over the coral in crystal clear water and to dive, snorkel or to fish in the traditional fashion.

OR
Just relax on the beach, watch the world go by. Fishermen in sail boats and children on pushbikes. Some women, in bright patchwork kangas sit cross-legged on the beach, separating the coconut husk for making coir rope.

Day 16 Sat Jun 23
BREEZES BEACH CLUB
AM: Breakfast at Breezes Beach Club.

Day at leisure OR enjoy all the activities mentioned above.

Overnight at Breezes Beach Club. BB, L

Day 17 Sun Jun 24
ZANZIBAR / DAR EL SALAAM
AM: Breakfast at Breezes Beach Club.
Transfer to Zanzibar Town for a morning final shopping. Lunch on your own.

Later afternoon: You will be transferred to Zanzibar Airport for your very short flight to Dar El Salaam (Tanzania). Arrive Dar El Salaam where you will be met and transferred to have dinner at Movenpick hotel.

After dinner: You will be transferred to Dar El Salaam international airport for your KLM flight to Amsterdam.

Day 18 Mon Jun 25
Amsterdam / Minneapolis / Denver
AM: Arrive Amsterdam, proceed to international departure to connect with your flight to Minneapolis then to Denver and welcome back home.

HLO TOURS / FOCUS TRAVEL CLUB

SAFARI INFORMATION & REQUIREMENTS
The Best Of Tanzania National Parks
June 8 – 25, 2007

TO ALL GUESTS:
Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your entry to Tanzania on June 10, 2007, and that it has a minimum of 4 blank pages (If there is insufficient space in the passport, your entry might be denied) to enable the entry visa to be issued.

SUGGESTED LUGGAGE LIST:

1. Good quality sunglasses – preferably polarized
2. Sun hat
3. Golf-shirts, T-shirts and long-sleeved cotton shirts
4. Shorts / Skirts
5. Long trousers / slacks
6. Good walking shoes (running / tennis shoes are fine)
7. Sandals
8. Swimming costume
9. Warm winter jersey (Sweater)
10. Camera and plenty of film
11. If you wear contact lenses, we recommend that you bring along a pair of glasses in case you get irritation from the dust
12. BINOCULARS – ESSENTIAL (Night vision binoculars are not essential but highly recommended)
13. Malaria tablets
14. Moisturizing cream & suntan lotion
15. Insect repellent with DEET
16. Basic medical kit: aspirin, Imodium…. etc
17. Tissues (Wet Ones)

• Most of the safari camps are unfenced and dangerous animals can (and do!) wander through the camps. Many of the animals and reptiles you will see are potentially dangerous. Attacks by wild animals are rare. However, there are no guarantees that such incidents will not occur. None of HLO Tours can be held liable for any injuries caused during an incident involving the behavior of wild animals
• Please listen to the camp staff and guides. The safety precautions need to be taken seriously and strictly adhered to
• Don’t go wandering off on your own without a guide – even to your rooms. After retiring to your room at night, don’t leave them
• Observe animals silently and with a minimum of disturbance to their natural activities. Loud talking on game drives can frighten the animals away
• Never attempt to attract an animal’s attention. Don’t imitate animal sounds, clap your hands, pound the vehicle or throw objects
• Please respect your driver – guide’s judgment about proximity to lions, cheetahs and leopards. Don’t insist that he take the vehicle closer so you can get a better photograph. A vehicle driven too close can hinder a hunt or cause animals to abandon a hard-earned meal
• Litter tossed on the ground can choke or poison animals and birds and is unsightly
• Never attempt to feed or approach any wild animals on foot. This is especially important near lodges or in campsites where animals may have become accustomed to human visitors
• Refrain from smoking on game drives. The dry African bush ignites very easily, and a flash fire can kill animals
  
  Have a wonderful, educational visit and enjoy the living wild.

For more information, contact Ellie Leinaweaver.