Home2026 TSC Fall Expedition Tanzania

Texas Ski Council Expedition

TANZANIA

OCT 30 - NOV 9, 2026
2026 Texas Ski Council Fall Expedition to Tanzania.

This is a Reciprocity Trip and our members can register with Texas Ski Council clubs (link below).

TSC Trip VP: Keith Zimmerman (kdzspm@att.net)

Tanzania Luxury Safari Expedition

Experience Africa at its most majestic—without sacrificing comfort. From five-star city elegance to luxury tented lodges deep in the Serengeti,
this curated journey blends world-class accommodations, expert-guided safaris, and special events designed exclusively for our group.

Join Texas Ski Council | Tanzania 2026 clubs on an action packed 9 day circuit!

Luxury Accommodations

Gran Meliá Arusha – Urban Oasis at the Foot of Mount Meru
Your first two nights are spent at the Gran Meliá Arusha, a five-star haven where Tanzanian charm meets international sophistication.
Set amid a lush coffee plantation, this resort features a world-class spa, outdoor pool, and sweeping views of Mount Meru. Savor fine
international cuisine, fresh local coffee, and a warm African welcome that sets the tone for your journey.

Ngorongoro Farm House – Rustic Elegance in the Highlands
Perched on a 500-acre coffee estate near Ngorongoro Crater, the Ngorongoro Farm House offers a serene blend of farm-to-table dining,
cozy cottages, and stunning highland views. Relax by the pool or enjoy a massage after your safari adventure through Tarangire or
Ngorongoro’s wildlife-rich landscapes.

Melia Serengeti Lodge or Lahia Tented Lodge – The Heart of the Wild in Comfort
In the Serengeti, stay where the wilderness meets refinement. The Melia Serengeti Lodge delivers modern luxury amid endless plains, with
panoramic decks, an infinity pool, and eco-conscious design that connects you to nature. If group capacity requires, the Lahia Tented Lodge
offers the same exceptional experience—luxurious tented suites with private verandas, en suite baths, and unmatched views of the savanna.

Signature Events & Experiences

Welcome Sundowner – Celebrate your arrival at the Gran Meliá Arusha rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Mount Meru, live Afro-fusion music, and a Tusker & Texas-style BBQ fusion.
Farewell Gala – Dine under twinkling lights in the Shanga Secret Garden at Arusha Coffee Lodge, featuring a locally inspired grill menu, open-air ambiance, and live jazz trio.
Daily “Brush Breaks” – Enjoy our signature coffee stops with fresh bakes during morning game drives—a delightful pause in the adventure.

What’s Included:

All accommodations and meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
All transportation and transfers (including airport), unless marked optional
Park fees, taxes, and VAT
Private 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser with English-speaking driver-guide
Guided game drives in Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro Crater
Mineral water and soft drinks during safaris

Optional Post-Trip: Zanzibar Beach Escape (Nov. 9–12)

After your safari adventure, unwind on the spice island of Zanzibar. Spend four days in a 4-star beachfront resort where turquoise waters meet historic charm.
Optional excursions include Stone Town’s cultural tour, spice farm visit, dolphin swim, snorkeling, or cave swimming with turtles.

Traveler Responsibilities & Additional Costs

Your Tanzania Safari Expedition has been carefully designed to include nearly every detail for a seamless, worry-free experience.
The following items are not included in the package price and are the responsibility of each traveler:

Travel Documentation & Health Requirements

Single-Entry eVisa – $100 USD
Apply online through the official Tanzania Immigration and e-Visa Portal at least two months prior to departure (recommended by August 25, 2026).
Vaccinations & Health Precautions
Please consult your healthcare provider or travel clinic for personalized guidance on vaccinations. Link to the current CDC vaccines and health recommendations
Medical & Evacuation Insurance
Mandatory travel insurance policy that covers emergency medical care and evacuation services while in Tanzania. Travel insurance information Let's Unpack Travel Insurance

Packing & Luggage

Soft-Sided Duffel Bag Required
Hard suitcases are not permitted due to space limitations in safari vehicles and small regional flights.

Day 1-2 -- Arusha Gran Melia Arusha Hotel

This is where our begins and your safari starts. We begin by spending some time in Arusha, the lively gateway to northern Tanzania’s safari circuit. Arusha, nestled between Mount Meru and expansive coffee plantations, the city offers a vibrant mix of cultures, colorful markets, and warm East African hospitality. Spend time exploring its bustling streets, enjoying local restaurants and cuisine, or simply experiencing the vibrant atmosphere before heading into the wild.

For the first few nights, you’ll unwind and relax at the Gran Meliá Arusha Hotel, an elegant urban oasis where luxury meets Tanzanian charm. Wake to the aroma of freshly brewed local coffee, take a dip in the sparkling pool, and enjoy sweeping views of Mount Meru from the rooftop terrace. Arusha is everything you look for in an urban pit stop as you begin your journey to discover Tanzania wonderful wildlife and beautiful landscapes.

Day 2 -- Optional Activities & Experiences

• Day Hike to Mt. Kilimanjaro via Marangu Route
• Maasai Market & Art Gallery
• Snake Park
• Horseback Wildlife Day Ride
• Visit to Arusha Giraffe Centre
• Welcome Party (All Guests)

Day 3 -- Tarangire National Park
(Ngorongoro Farm House or Farm House Valley)

This morning, you will travel to Tarangire National Park for a game drive with a picnic lunch. Later in the evening, you will continue to the lodge.

Tarangire National Park is one of Tanzania’s finest, centered on the life-giving Tarangire River, which provides a permanent and reliable water source during the dry season. This attracts an incredible diversity of wildlife and creates some of the best game-viewing opportunities in the country. Expansive views of wooded savannah stretch in every direction, offering breathtaking panoramas.

Leaving the bustle of Arusha behind, the journey winds through rolling hills and rural villages before opening into the vast landscapes of Tarangire. Here, towering baobab trees cast deep shade across golden grasslands, and herds of elephants move with quiet majesty through the river valleys. Keep your eyes open for lions basking in the sun, cheetahs scanning the plains, and flashes of zebra, wildebeest, and giraffe. Seasonal swamps and the winding river ensure that each game drive offers new discoveries and unforgettable encounters.

Your home for the night is the charming Ngoronoro Farm Lodge (reference alternative accommodations), let your imagination soar with the birdsong, and enjoy the excellent service. The Farm House lies off the road that wanders across the beautifully green highlands between Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater. Supremely comfortable beds, warm hospitality, and farm-fresh meals offer a pleasant sanctuary after the day’s adventures. From your veranda, listen to the soft chorus of evening crickets and distant calls of wildlife—a gentle prelude to the wild encounters still to come.

Day 4-6 -- Serengeti National Park

You won't find many better national parks in Africa than the Serengeti. The heartbeat of wild Africa—with endless golden plains where life unfolds in its most primal form. From the open deck of your safari vehicle, watch as wildebeest herds ripple across the horizon, lions stalk silently in the tall grass, and giraffes sway gracefully under a setting sun. Game drives here are never the same twice; every turn offers a new drama in this living wildlife theater.

You'll be tempted to sit outside your safari tent and Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp and just soak up the passing parade of animals. This camp has large spacious well-spaced tents that blends modern comfort with the romance of classic safari style; the perfect setting for stargazing. Excellent meals and a nightly campfire beneath the endless spray of stars, after a day of adventure, unwind with a sundowner in hand as the sky blazes pink and gold over the savanna.

UNESCO World Heritage-listed Serengeti National Park will almost certainly be one of the highlights of you safari. That's partly because of the wildlife: one of the best places anywhere to see lions, leopards and cheetahs. There's also a good chance you'll see elephants, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest, buffaloes and spotted hyenas and much more.

Day 4 Drive to Serengeti National Park
(Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp)

Arise early this morning for your drive to the Serengeti with picnic lunches. Your drive will take approx. 4-5 hours as you climb the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment, drive through the crater highlands, along the rim of the Ngorongoro crater before descending onto the vast plains of the Serengeti for afternoon game drive. One of the world's last great wildlife refuges, the Serengeti, stretches between the Ngorongoro Highlands and Lake Victoria. The name comes from the Maasai word siringet, meaning 'endless plains'. The Serengeti's 14,763 square km's contains about three million large animals, many of them taking part in seasonal migrations, unparalleled in nature.

Day 5-6 -- Full Day in the Serengeti
(Melia Serengeti Lodge)

Spend the day exploring the vast plains of the Serengeti, home to the legendary “Big Five.” To maximize your game-viewing time, you may choose to take a picnic lunch into the park and enjoy a meal surrounded by the endless savannah before returning to your lodge later in the day.

Each year, triggered by the rains, the Serengeti hosts one of nature’s greatest spectacles: the Great Migration. Over 1.3 million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle move in a relentless cycle in search of fresh grazing lands. This incredible movement of wildlife not only defines the boundaries of Serengeti National Park, but also links together a larger ecosystem that includes Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and the Maswa Game Reserve.

In a corner of the Serengeti that sees plenty of wildlife but not too many people on safari, Melia Serengeti Lodge is an excellent base for exploring the park. The luxury rooms have wood floors and floor-to-ceiling glass to take in the astonishing views.

Day 7 Ngorongoro Crater, Acacia Farm Lodge
(Ngorongoro Farm House)

Today’s game drive will be unlike any other as you explore one of Africa’s most dramatic safari destinations — the Ngorongoro Crater. Your first sight of Ngorongoro Crater is likely not one you'll easily forget. Stretching 12 miles from one side to the other, it has one of Africa's most beautiful natural features. Descend to the crater floor in search of the “Big Five,” surrounded by the towering, forested crater walls that create breathtaking backdrops for your wildlife encounters. Within the crater for one of the most concentrated wildlife experiences on Earth: elephants lumbering through fever trees, rhinos grazing in the distance, and flocks of flamingos painting the lakeshores pink. Within its rim, vast herds of zebra and wildebeest graze while lions bask in the sun. Here, lions and hyenas hunt wildebeest and Grant's gazelle within sight of elephas and black rhinos. At dawn, the endangered black rhino can often be seen retreating into the crater’s forests after grazing on dew-soaked grasses. Just beyond the ridge, the Maasai continue their centuries-old traditions, herding cattle and goats across the green pastures alongside the abundant wildlife.

Journey through the Lerai Forest in search of elusive leopards before emerging onto open plains where wildebeest and zebra graze, watched carefully by cheetahs and lions. Ancient bull elephants may wander past your vehicle, while further afield black rhinos roam the grasslands and hippos wallow in shimmering pools. A picnic lunch inside the crater allows you to maximize your time in this extraordinary natural wonder.

After a day immersed in nature’s masterpiece, retreat to Ngorogoro Farm House, a tranquil haven set on the slopes of the crater's outer wall, between green hills and steep forest that climb into the clouds. Tanzanian hospitality, and farm-to-table cuisine create the perfect atmosphere to relax, reflect, and savor the day’s adventures. In the cool evening air, listen for the distant calls of nocturnal wildlife—a reminder that you are still deep in Africa’s wild heart.

Day 8 -- Arusha
(Grand Melia Arusha Hotel)

Today, it is time to return to Arusha, carrying with you unforgettable memories of your safari adventures. A scenic drive brings you back to the city, where you will enjoy an overnight stay. Some extra time in Arusha is a fine way to rest from life on the African road and enjoy the comforts of city living. In the evening, gather with your fellow travelers for a Farewell Party — a chance to share stories, laughter, and reflections on the extraordinary journey you’ve experienced together.

After days on the open savanna, Arusha offers a gentle reentry into the rhythms of city life—without losing the magic of Tanzania. Your stay at the Gran Meliá Arusha Hotel is pure comfort. Overlooking coffee plantations and manicured gardens, the hotel offers spacious rooms, fine dining, and a serene poolside perfect for unwinding. In the evening, savor panoramic views of Mount Meru as the sun dips below the horizon—one last breathtaking reminder of the landscapes that have framed your journey.

Day 9 -- Kilimanjaro Airport
(no accommodations)

Your safari in Tanzania may be ending, bringing you to a close of your time is this remarkable country, but the memories will linger long after you board your flight home. After breakfast in Arusha, you’ll transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport, framed by sweeping views of the surrounding plains and, if the skies are clear, the majestic peak of Mount Kilimanjaro itself. As you take off, the vast African landscape stretches out beneath you—a final reminder of the beauty, wildlife, and wonder you’ve experienced over the past nine days.

Your tour comes to a close, leaving you with many fond memories of most wonderful times!

Zanzibar Post-Trip Extension
Additional cost, registration will be separate

An Optional 4-Night Zanzibar Post Trip is being offered, depending on interest.

Extend your stay in Tanzania with 4 additional days in Zanzibar– Tanzania and soak up the sun and explore it's
cathedrals and mosques while discovering the essence of the historic city. You'll be staying at the Blue Bay Hotel or The Royal Zanzibar Beach Resort. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are inclusive for this extension.

Zanzibar Post Trip - Mandatory travel insurance required by U.S. Embassy in Tanzania - est $44

Thanks for visiting!

*Price quoted is per person, double occupancy. Single supplements extra. May not include airfare, lift tickets, ski rentals, or meals other than specified. All details of this trip, including final costs, are subject to change. DISCLAIMER: Weather factors, airline industry changes, fuel costs, acts of God, business mergers, security threats, and other factors are all outside of our Club's control and may impact this trip itinerary and final costs. Please contact your trip leader for detailed information on our limited refund policy. We encourage everyone signing up for this trip (or any Los Amigos trip) to purchase Travel Insurance. Los Amigos is not responsible for any loss, injuries or illness incurred on any trip.