Guests enjoying Masai dance at sundowner

8 Days Tanzania cultural Tour

Discover the authentic Tanzanian culture through our meticulously organized Tanzania Cultural Safaris. This immersive journey takes you on a captivating exploration, including visits to the Chaga tribes, Masai tribes, and Hadzabe bushmen tribes.

Nestled around Lake Eyasi, small groups of Hadzabe bushmen create a unique cultural tapestry. Their language, echoing the click languages of other bushmen in the Kalahari, showcases the diversity of Tanzania's indigenous communities. Despite facing serious threats to their small population, especially during the period of Julius Nyerere's Ujamaa policy, the Hadzabe resisted forcible settlement policies. Today, many of their children have never encountered modern amenities such as doctors or schools, as their traditional lifestyle sustains all their needs.

During the safari, you'll witness the simplicity of their bush homes, where the tree canopy or a natural cave serves as their shelter. Living entirely off the land, they rely on hunting, predominantly targeting small antelopes and baboons. In the rainy seasons, the migration of gazelles and antelopes from the Ngorongoro or Serengeti provides them with a bountiful harvest. While trophy hunters in the past have attempted to curtail their "illegal" hunting activities, the Hadzabe continue to maintain their traditional way of life in harmony with the bush.

Day 1: Arrive- Olpopongi Masai Village

Arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport. Drive to Olpopongi in the West Kilimanjaro region, 74 kilometres from the airport taking us through the beautiful outback of West Kilimanjaro. Depending on the season, you can see game like zebras and elephants. On a clear day, you will have amazing views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru. We arrive at Olpopongi Maasai Village a group of Maasai where the Village Chief welcomes you with refreshments.

Overnight at the village. Full board meals.

Day 2: Olpopongi Masai Village

After breakfast, we go on a walking safari where your guide will explain the past and contemporary life of the Tanzania Maasai. Get more information about the culinary culture of the Maasai while sampling a traditional tea (chai) prepared on the wood fire. A tasty lunch with a variety of local food highlights will end the activities inside the village.

Maasai warriors will guide you along their paths and explain typical medicinal plants, extraordinary trees, tracks, and the local wildlife. Also learn to use local tools, hunting techniques, and fire preparation as part of your bush excursion. At sunset, a group of Maasai men and women will gather around for a traditional singing & dance performance. A great BBQ buffet at the campfire will provide you with an unforgettable evening under the starry sky.

Overnight at a private Maasai house with traditional beds. Full board meals.

Day 3: Olpopongi Masai Village- Tengeru Village

After breakfast, depart for Tengeru for a day of cultural tour. In the village, there are two primary schools. One is for handicapped children and the other is a teaching practice primary school.

You have the chance to play with the kids and get to know their way of life. We also visit an old stone quarry site developed after WWII where more than 100 refugees from Poland were brought to Arusha. Most of them died of malaria and influenza and were buried in this area. In the evening, we drive back to Arusha for accommodation and overnight at Mount Meru Hotel. Full board meals.

Day 4: Monduli Juu Cultural

After breakfast, we depart from Arusha with picnic lunch boxes and drive to Monduli. We start walking from there through a forest where an armed ranger will be guiding us. Buffalos, Elephants, and other wildlife can be seen in this forest. After lunch, we proceed to the summit of Monduli Mountain and enjoy the great views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru.

Overnight at Enguik Village. Full board meals.

Day 5: Lake Eyasi – Cultural Interaction

After breakfast, we traverse the rough road to Lake Eyasi, another soda lake in the Rift Valley. We arrive in the afternoon for a cultural interaction with the Tatoga tribe (a very interesting tribe). Our Tatoga guide at the village will lead the tour. We explore the dry and rugged landscape area on foot, which is still inhabited by a small group of bushmen: the Hadzabe or Watindiga. These tribes still live in bands, hunting with bows and arrows; gathering roots, tubers, and wild fruits, just as how humans did to survive 10,000 years ago. Another interesting tribe in this area is the Datoga (also called the Barabaig or Mang’ati). Initially, they were exercising a lot of rivalry over grazing land with the Maasai tribe.

Overnight at Kisimangeda Tented Lodge. Full board meals.

Day 6: Lake Eyasi – Ngorongoro Conservation Area

We start early in the morning for a hunting tour with the bushmen then back to the lodge for breakfast. Afterwards, we depart for Ngorongoro Crater seeing wildlife en route. You’ll stop briefly at one of the viewpoints on the rim of the crater to enjoy it splendid views.

Overnight at Selected Lodge. Full board meals.

Day 7: Masai Village Visit- Olduvai Gorge

Drive to the Masai village with an optional stop- over at Olduvai Gorge – a famous historical site for a visit. A resident anthropologist will give a lecture about human evolution and life in this place 20 million years ago.

Overnight at selected lodge on the rim of the crater. Full board meals.

Day 8: Mto wa Mbu - Arusha

After breakfast, drive to Mto wa mbu for a cultural tour. Mto Wa Mbu Village has a very active cultural program that seeks to show visitors the traditional way of life of the villagers through various activities and also a range of community projects that are in place. You can visit top spots in the area, taste Tanzanian foods, and experience authentic cultural interaction. There are several excellent walking, hiking, and biking tours offered in the village ranging in length from a couple of hours to a full day. In the afternoon, we drive back to Arusha.