Home to the largest unbroken caldera in the world, the region offers diverse landscapes, extinct volcanoes and varied wildlife. A scenic walking safari here takes you away from the crowds and allows you to immerse yourself in the beautiful highlands, smelling the red-baked earth and scanning the bushes for signs of action.
My 10-day walking safari takes me from Lake Manyara’s shores, around the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and through the vast Serengeti with its herds of zebra and wildebeest. Accompanied by expert guides, the aim is to experience remote bushland on a mobile safari, meeting local tribes and encountering true cultural interactions along the way.
My journey begins just outside the bustling town of Arusha at the charming Rivertrees Country Inn. Sprawling across ten acres of fertile greenery, this former coffee farm still retains the nostalgic air of a well-loved homestead. Nestled in the foothills of Mount Meru, elegant rustic cottages are dotted along the river. Combining unpretentious comfort with subtle accents of style, there’s a genuine sense of warmth here, encouraging guests to take a moment of calm before the real adventure begins!
"We spot a multitude of animal and bird life before scrambling up a large granite rock for sundowners, watching as the cloud formations light up with the last of the setting sun."
Exploring Manyara National Park
Day two arrives and it’s an early morning pick up and transfer to Lake Manyara. We cycle the last 20 km through friendly villages to the National Park Gate and our first camp – Manyara Green Camp – located on the banks of the Endabash River at the bottom of a huge waterfall. The camp consists of eight en-suite eco tents set on raised platforms with cosy beds, stylish interiors and a deck to relax on.
After a comfortable night, we rise for breakfast around the fire, feasting on homemade muesli, platters of fruit and freshly made pancakes, plus eggs, bacon and fried tomatoes. Accompanied by our ranger and well-trained guides, we set out along the shallow Lake Manyara, teeming with flamingo, hippo and plains game. A herd of galloping zebra shy away from us, splashing through the briny water, as we reach the sulphurous bubbling hot springs. On returning to the camp, the ever-smiling team of staff are on hand to dispense gin and tonics and a warm bucket shower.
Walking the rim of Ngorongoro Crater
We journey up to the Ngorongoro Highlands and spend the night in comfort with hot water bottles tucked into comfy beds. As the sun floods through the bearded lahai trees, we set off on our crater rim hike.
Unlike the 4×4 drives that take place on the crater floor, our hike takes us through dense forested paths where Maasai herdsmen lead their cattle to water in the clear cold streams. We eat a picnic lunch overlooking the gorgeous crater views before descending through the forest to the open plans, broken only by Maasai thatched roofs peeping out of the grasses.
Whilst spotting larger animals such as zebra, buffalo, hippo, lion and leopard is extremely exhilarating, walking safaris are also about discovering the tiniest creatures and plants that make up the ecosystem. From fascinating insects emerging from their papery cocoons on passing bushes to brilliant-hued birds and towering red termite nests alive with activity, every step taken passes something wondrous and amazing.
After a second day of walking along the crater, we travel into the vast Serengeti to our final walking camp, set beneath the giant kopjes.
Photos:(©Wayo)
Discovering the vast Serengeti
A fabulous walk the next morning takes us onto the far-stretching plains. We have a picnic brunch on a kopje with eland grazing nearby and plenty of birds and agama lizards to watch.
A long line of zebra steadily stream past on their way to meet the larger herds already gathering on the horizon, lured by the scent of rain. Walking at a steady pace we pass through groves and get out onto the plains with hyena skulking in small depressions and giraffe grazing on the acacia and balentis.
The sun gets stronger and we finally spot camp in the distance. Welcome cold drinks greet us on arrival and lunch is served beneath shady trees as we spot different birds darting above. We all take time to catch up on reading and writing before enjoying an evening stroll to watch the sun lowering in the sky. We spot a multitude of animal and bird life before scrambling up a large granite rock for sundowners, watching as the cloud formations light up with the last of the setting sun.
Hot water for showering awaits us back in camp before dinner is served beside the crackling fire, accompanied by the spine-chilling grunt of a male lion pacing through his territory in the near distance.
You do not have to be ultra-fit or active to enjoy a walking safari – some days you don’t even need to walk anywhere if you don’t feel like it. Wildlife will come and go in front of camp so game viewing can also happen from the sofa! Take this journey at your own pace and soak up the remote beauty of the Serengeti.
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