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About the experience
Join our native indigenous hosts on a life-changing eight days journey to participate and observe Maasai and Hadzabe traditions and culture in Northern Tanzania. Space is limited for this precious opportunity to learn from and interact with one of the world's last hunter-gatherers people who live from nature. You experience a lot of singing and dancing Maasai's ancestral songs, sharing Maasai and Hadzabe peoples rich culture, hunting with the Hadzabe and collecting wild honey from Baobab trees, reconnecting with nature and expanding consciousness for environmental healing.
This expedition is planned and provided by the Maasai and the Hadzabe themselves. They open their homes to show you their unique culture, traditions, and customs. Your guides are the Maasai and the Hadzabe who live in harmony with nature and wild animals, so they are the best guides to take you on a safari in the Ngorongoro Crater. This is the most authentic and sustainable way to explore African nature, wildlife and indigenous cultures in Tanzania.
The Maasai have adopted a revitalized approach to preserve their culture in modern times. Their way of life is deeply rooted in traditions that have been practiced in the same way for hundreds of years. This stay is a great privilege to learn from the Maasai and from the earth they have a close relationship to. On this trip, you can experience the balance and harmony between people and the environment and to share collective indigenous wisdom.
The Hadzabe, are hunter-gatherers who live only in Tanzania, in Lake Eyasi. There are estimated to be around 1300 Hadzabe people living in Tanzania. They are living a hunter-gatherer existence that is little changed from 10,000 years ago. The Hadzabe men hunt animals using three different kinds of bows and arrows. The Hadzabe women gather roots and tubers by digging sticks, and men hunt game and collect natural wild honey found in the trees. Every evening the Hadzabe set up a fire and gather around it to tell stories and sing. This is an intimate adventure deep dive inside the Maasai and Hadzabe cultures.
Highlights
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This is an authentic and real-life experience. Live close to the Maasai and Hadzabe families and observe and participate in their traditional life in the savanna
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Learn about bush medicine, plants and traditions of healing in the most beautiful African nature
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Enjoy candlelight dinners every night under the African sky full of stars
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Sleep 5 nights in a tent in the African wild. Hear the nocturnal sounds of the African wild.
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Gather around the campfire to hear stories and singing with our indigenous hosts
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Visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area that is UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy a full day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater.
The itinerary
DAY 1. Arrive at Kilimanjaro
We pick you up from Kilimanjaro airport when your flight arrives. We transfer to a 3-star Lodge in Arusha. Dinner and overnight in a lodge. (D).
DAY 2. Arrive at your Maasai boma in Ngorongoro
After breakfast, we’ll head to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area which is about 4 hours drive. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact caldera from a long-extinct volcano. There are certain places in the world with undeniable energy, the power to stir our emotions, inspire reflection, or fill us with a sense of peace, and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of these places. We have a rare opportunity to stay in a Maasai boma (extended family unit) in Ngorongoro. In the afternoon, enjoy the welcoming ceremony of the Maasai and enjoy a bush walk with the warriors. You can many wild animals on foot, which makes it incredible to walk in Ngorongoro. In the evening we have our bush dinner in the boma under the African sky. (B, L, D).
DAY 3. Meet the Maasai spiritual leader
Today we have the honor to meet the Maasai spiritual leader and medicine man, laibon inside the Ngorongoro. Laibon tells about Maasai mythology and indigenous knowledge. You can ask questions and share thoughts with the laibon. We learn how Maasai use bush medications and traditional plants for healing with holistic balance. After meeting with the laibon, we go to the Maasai warriors secret bush camp that has views to take your breath away. From the bush camp, you can see Serengeti plains and the most stunning nature of Ngorongoro highlands. We have dinner and stay overnight at the bush camp. In the evening, you can sing and dance with the warriors. (B, L, D)
DAY 4. The Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast, we say goodbye to our Maasai hosts and we head to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact caldera from a long-extinct volcano. Ngorongoro is home to about 26,000 wild creatures who live within the safety of the caldera walls. You can observe elephants, black rhinoceroses, leopards, buffalo, zebras, warthogs, gnu (wildebeests), Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles, and the densest population of lions in the world. We have a picnic lunch in the crater. After finishing our game drive we drive towards Lake Eyasi where the Hadzabe live. We enter remote savanna where are no roads until we find our Hadzabe family. We set up our tents next to Hadzabe's huts. Dinner and overnight in our camp. (B, picnic L, D).
DAY 5. Live with the Hadzabe
The Hadzabe are hunter-gatherers who live only in the Lake Eyasi region of Tanzania. There are estimated to be around 1,300 Hadzabe people living in Tanzania. They are living a hunter-gatherer existence that is little changed from 10,000 years ago. The Hadzabe men hunt animals using three different kinds of bows and arrows. As well as wild meat, the Hadzabe women gather roots and tubers using digging sticks, and men collect natural wild honey found in trees. After an early breakfast, we join the Hadzabe men for a hunting and harvesting trip. The Hadzabe look for giant Baobab trees that have wild honey to harvest. We return to our Hadzabe camp for late lunch. Have a rest before we join the Hadzabe women to gatherer Baobab fruits and tubers. In the evening after dinner, we sit around a campfire to hear Hadzabe songs and stories. (B, L, D).
DAY 6. Live with the Hadzabe
We spend the whole day with the Hadzabe exploring their unique lifestyle that sacred ecology that contains a belief in the Earth as a living organism. We join the men on hunting trips and women gathering trips. During the hottest time of the day, we go inside a small cave to rest and hear Hadzabe songs and stories. You can observe and participate in the Hadza way of life that is built on reciprocity and respect with nature. In the evening, we enjoy our last bush dinner around a campfire. (B, L, D).
DAY 7. Mto Wa Mbu
Early in the morning, you have the last chance to go harvesting wild honey with the Hadzabe men. After hunting and harvesting trip, we have lunch at the camp. Then we say goodbyes to our Hadzbe hosts and we head towards Mto Wa Mbu village (that means river of mosquitos). We stay overnight in a 3-star lodge. Now you can have a shower! Dinner together in a local African restaurant. (B, L, D).
DAY 8. Kilimanjaro Airport
After breakfast, we drive you back to Kilimanjaro airport when your flight departures. (B).
Travel details
Time
You can book this trip anytime. We can also tailor it to your wishes and craft it to your needs and budget for shorter or longer stays. The itinerary is one example; we can tailor a dream trip according to your interests.
Location
Nearest airport: Kilimanjaro International airport (KIA), Tanzania
We will come to pick you up from Kilimanjaro airport or Arusha. All our locations are far away from the touristic route. There are no roads and electricity, and it's a remote and beautiful African wilderness..
Accommodation
You sleep either in the African wilderness or in indigenous villages, which means a Maasai, Datoga, and Hadzabe homestead. You are accommodated in a comfortable tent (single share). We provide you all the camping supplies, including a trekking bed and a blanket.
There are no shower facilities, but you can have a bucket of warm water to wash yourself every day. Our bathroom is a hygienic portable trekking toilet.
Food
Your food is prepaid in the bush by a Maasai chef. Tasty African food is made of traditional and fresh local ingredients. If you have a special diet, let us know in advance. We are happy to cater to all kinds of different diets.
You have safe filtered drinking water at all times. We also serve coffee, tea, sodas, and other local drinks. We avoid using plastic water bottles to conserve nature.
Price
Ask for price details. The price depends on how many people travel and how long you want to stay.
Impact
Our unique trips are managed and guided by the indigenous Maasai, Datoga, and Hadzabe hosts. They get the economic benefit and fair salary for hosting you in their home. Also, every trip contributes to a wider social mission. Learn more here
How my trip benefits the Maasai and the Hadzabe?
This trip is planned and provided by the Maasai and the Hadzabe themselves who get fairly paid for being hosts, guides, chefs and drivers.
We support broader Maasai and Hadzabe communities by investing in their health care. When you book this trip, one Maasai family gets health insurance that covers free treatment in local dispensaries and hospitals. We also support the Lake Eyasi Health center that provides free medical services for the Hadzabe. Your trip changes someone's life for the better.