Maasai
Encounter in Tanzania
 This
adventure provides a unique opportunity to study and film/photograph/record
the traditional people and wildlife of the Maasai Steppe in Tanzania,
East Africa. Our base is the Mkuru
Camel Camp (pictured right) located in a wild and remote region
of the Maasai Steppe (northern Tanzania) between Mount Meru and
Mount Kilimanjaro.
A
unique itinerary is planned - see below- and all events are of course
optional should you wish to have a rest day or do your own thing.Highlights
include a camel trek, a day trip to the Tarangire National Park,
a visit to a baboon cave used for Maasai ceremonies and climbing
the pyramidal hill Ol doinyo Landare for spectacular views.
 Accommodation
will be in shared safari or camping tents on wooden platforms (sleeping
2, 3 or 4 - see more pictures of the camp and Maasai village at
the bottom of this page). This is a relatively remote region of
Africa and we will have the camp to ourselves with a local chef,
drivers and other staff to look after us. But you will have to accept
you will probably have to share a tent (unless you book as a twosome).
Food will be freshly and simply prepared. Hot showers are available
daily and toilets are of the pit-type but with western seats and
private wooden cubicles (see photo at bottom of page). A fair amount
of walking in the heat is involved so you must have a fair degree
of fitness, although we always have vehicle back-up for emergencies.
Photos
from the previous Masai Encounters - November
2005 - November
2008
See below for films from previous trips
Itinerary
 Day
1
London Heathrow to Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta) Kenya Airways KQ 101
Take off 1900 (Recommended flight)
Day
2
Am: 0630 arrive at Jomo Kenyatta, Nairobi.
0800 Precision Air 6724 from Jomo Kenyatta, Nairobi to Kilimanjaro
airport.
0850 Met at Kilimanjaro airport by four-wheel drive cars. Change
money at the airport. Transfer to Kia Lodge (10 minutes) for breakfast.
Drive to Mkuru (2 hours)
Lunch in camp
Unpack, relax and explore the camp. Before dinner there will be
a short meeting to introduce the group and discuss the week’s activities.
 Day
3
Walk from Camel camp to Mkuru Training camp (1.5km)
Lecture about the Oikos projects in the area:
- Economic development and environmental rehabilitation of Maasai
pastoral areas in Arusha and Meru District.
- Bringing Energy Services to Tanzania Rural Areas.
- Improvement of the water supply and development of Water Master
Plan.
- Conservation of the natural resources of the northern area of
Mt. Meru with two projects:
1 Maasai Women Empowerment Programme
2 Mkuru Community Based Tourism Programme
Lunch.
Lecture about Maasai culture
Visit to Maasai Boma in the late afternoon when normally all livestock
return to their Boma. Walk back to camel camp.
Day
4
Climbing the pyramidal hill Ol doinyo Landare for spectacular views.
Lunch at the camp.
1300 drive to Tarangire
National Park (3 hours drive) with a brief game drive in the
park en route to Tarangire Safari Lodge where we will have dinner
and overnight.
 Day
5
Morning and afternoon game-drives in Tarangire with lunch in the
lodge. You may wish to rise early and have a game-drive before breakfast,
returning to the lodge for a late breakfast before resuming activities.
Depart the park mid-afternoon and drive back to Mkuru Camel Camp.
Tarangire Park is the greatest concentration of wildlife outside
the Serengeti ecosystem. Wildlife you are highly likely to see include
elephants, lions, wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, impala, hartebeest,
eland, oryx, gerenuk, kori bustard, ostrich, ground hornbills, lovebirds
and many more.
Dinner at camp.
Day
6
Walking safari to Baboon cave.
Lunch at the camp.
Visit to Mkuru dam. Walking in Mkuru area and, with the help of
some Maasai, choose and buy goats for the special Maasai dinner.
Traditional Maasai dancing with Nyama Choma prepared by young Morani.
 Day
7
Full day camel safari. You will visit the different life style of
Meru people and learn about the colonial time listening to the history
from the local meru living now in the houses of colonialists.
Day
8
Visit to Mzee Elias Boma, traditional healer of the Mkuru village.
Visit to Cultural Boma (MWA Project is a special place where the
cooperative of about 120 mamas of Mkuru is selling traditional Maasai
handcraft).
Afternoon: Visit at the Mguru (a natural amazing archeological place
where Maasai of Mkuru are collecting water, 2-3 hours walking).
Day
9
Final day of film, photography, exploring and interacting with the
Maasai.
Day
10
Am: Pack
Lunch in camp
Depart for Arusha for shopping and early dinner
Travel to Kilimanjaro airport for 1940 flight to Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta)
2030 arrive Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta)
2350 Kenya Airways KQ 102 to London Heathrow (suggested flight for
those returning directly to London)
Day
11
Arrive London Heathrow 0545
Personnel
 Team
Leader: Piers Warren - (pictured right with Isaya Chaquet)
Principal of Wildeye - conservationist, writer, photographer and
teacher of wildlife film-making. Founder of Filmmakers
for Conservation, Executive Producer of wildlife-film.com
and Editor of Wildlife Film News. Author of Careers
in Wildlife Film-making and Go
Wild with Your Camcorder - How to Make Wildlife Films.Through
Wildeye, Piers leads wildlife tours and training expeditions around
the world
Isaya
Chaquet - Village leader, chief of the Maasai local guides
and Mkuru Camel project coordinator
Ahimidiwe
- Mkuru Camel Camp manager
Mzee
Pello - Chief of one of the Maasai villages we will be
visiting
Mzee
Elias - Mkuru traditional Maasai healer; very well known
throughout the Maasai steppe.
Travel
Information
Visas:
Required for Tanzania:
From UK: Cost UK£38. For a visa application form download
via
www.tanzania-online.gov.uk/visa.html
From US: Cost US$100. For a visa application form download via www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org/tzevisa.html
(Note - if you
are leaving Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi to see the city, or
taking an extension in Kenya, you will also need a Kenyan visa)
Immunisations:
Check with your health clinic and Fit
for Travel or MASTA (www.masta.org).
Advised to be in date for; Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid Fever, Hepatitis
A.
Malaria:
Protection recommended - check with your health clinic
See Travelpharm.com
for travellers' medication and health supplies
Insurance:
You are legally required to arrange your own travel insurance.
Dates:
Dec 2010/Jan 2011 (not confirmed)
To be informed of future courses please add your email address in the column on the right to receive Wildeye Bulletins.
Costs:
UK£1,500 or US$2,200 per person (not confirmed) - includes
all local travel, accommodation and full board, activities, park
fees.
Does not include international flight to Kilimanjaro, first
breakfast and final dinner in Arusha, alcoholic/soft drinks, tips
for Tarangire Safari drivers/guides.
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