Tour Schedule

Travel Dates:  May 21-June 5, 2017

Over the Course of two weeks we will partake in the following activities.

Amsterdam - Arusha, Tanzania
Depart on group flight from Chicago (ORD) to Amsterdam, where we will connect with flight to Tanzania.
 

Arusha, Tanzania  
Amsterdam – Kilimanjaro:  Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be met by your hosts and transferred to the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge located in Usa River on the outskirts of Arusha’s main town.  Snack upon Arrival. Overnight Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge five evenings. www.ngurdotomountainlodge.com

Poli Village 

A visit nearby Poli village, meet local community leaders, and learn about development projects going on in this village.  We work alongside villagers to assist them in accomplishing a much needed improvement to their village. We’ll return to the lodge for lunch, and perhaps return to the village if necessary. We’ll also visit the Usa River Primary School, where Andrews planted bushes during its last visit.

Ngorongoro Crater 

We then move on to our accommodations for the next two evenings. Nestled on the brink of Ngorongoro Crater's soaring eastern rim, Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge offers comfortable accommodations with especially convenient access to the Crater. It’s also the only lodge on the eastern Crater rim offering sunset views, Generously sized picture windows are abundant throughout the Lodge; the dining room, lounge, swimming pool, gardens, and guest rooms are all situated to take maximum advantage of the stunning Crater vistas below. www.sopalodges.com

We depart after breakfast for an early morning game drive, taking a picnic lunch with us so we can spend a full day in the Ngorongoro Crater.
NGORONGORO CRATER  Although the crater is small compared to other nature reserves, it is truly one of the wildlife wonders of the world, due to the amazing diversity and quantity of animals living on the crater floor, almost 2,000 feet below its rim. All of the ‘Big Five’ (elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo and leopard) and most of the plains wildlife can be seen here. The crater is one of seven World Heritage Sites designated in Tanzania, and it is the world’s largest unflooded caldera. Visiting the crater is a memorable experience; while only 100 square miles in total, it offers six distinct habitats: acacia forest, swamp, short - grass, long grass, riverine and woodland. Each habitat attracts a variety of animals.

This area is also the world’s first multi-purpose land use experiment, combining tourism, research, archeology, wildlife management, grazing rights and farming. The rim of the crater sits at 7,800 feet in altitude, and the floor descends to 5,000 feet above sea level. The crater is home to almost 30,000 animals in an area naturally enclosed by the slopes of the volcano and is a great location for viewing black rhino and huge old bull elephants.

 

Serengeti
Over the next few days we will spend time in the Serengeti. We will visit with a maasai village and spent a few days on game draives. We will lodge at the Bougainvillea. Named for the lush green hedge walls of Bougainvillea shrubs that define its borders, Bougainvillea Safari Lodge is a medium sized lodge with real garden charm. Nestled between verdant farmlands and the highland forests near the little town of Karatu. www.bougainvillealodge.net

Serengeti and Karatu

We will begin the long drive home.  Spending a few days travelling and and continuing game drives. On Sabbath we will worship at Adventist Church service, and visit school. Lunch at the lodge. There would be time today to visit Cultural Heritage Center and art museum. Relax at the lodge in the afternoon.
 

Mon June 5: Chicago

Arrive Chicago (ORD) approx. 2PM