Montero

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A dense herd of wildebeest moving across open Serengeti grassland to the horizon.

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Grand Montero Expedition

Two weeks that takes in the northern parks, the mountain, the heritage coast and the islands, with every sector itemised. The point of the length is the rest days: nowhere on this journey do you move two nights running.

Request a quote See the itinerary
Duration14 days / 13 nights
RouteSerengeti · Kilimanjaro · heritage · gems · coast
PaceVaried by design
Best monthsJune to October, or January to February
From$18,000pp sharing

About this journey

Fourteen days taking in the northern parks, the mountain, the heritage coast and the islands, with every sector itemised. The point of the length is the rest days: nowhere on this journey do you move two nights running.

Best months. June to October, or January to February. The long rains in April and May would compromise at least three of the five sections.

Pace. Varied by design. Gentle throughout, with active options you can decline.

Who this journey suits

You have a fortnight and you want Tanzania rather than a corner of it.

This is a significant anniversary, a retirement, or the trip you have been putting off.

You would rather have rest days built in than a longer list of places.

You want every sector priced separately, so you can take one out.

Highlights

  • Five nights in the Serengeti and the crater, with no single-night stops
  • The mountain from Moshi, including the scenic flight along the glaciers
  • Stone Town and the heritage coast, properly guided
  • Tanzanite, graded and explained, with the export paperwork handled
  • Four nights on the coast at the end, when you will want them
  • Every internal flight and every fee itemised in the proposal

Route

Stops on Grand Montero Expedition
StopNightsWhy
Arusha1 nightArrive and start fresh.
Tarangire2 nightsBaobabs and elephants.
Serengeti3 nightsOne camp, no moving.
Ngorongoro2 nightsRim, and the crater floor on a full day.
Moshi2 nightsThe mountain, the coffee and the scenic flight.
Stone Town1 nightThe heritage half day, on the way to the coast.
Zanzibar coast2 nightsNothing scheduled.

How the journey flows

Every point below is a real place at its real coordinates. The coastline is simplified — this is a route diagram, not a survey map.

Schematic map of Tanzania showing the route for Grand Montero Expedition. The same route is listed as text beside this map. Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO)ArushaTarangireSerengetiNgorongoro CraterMoshiMereraniStone TownNungwi, north coast Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO)ArushaTarangireSerengetiNgorongoro CraterMoshiMereraniStone TownNungwi, north coast
  • Light aircraft
  • Private 4×4

In order

  1. Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO)Arrive
  2. ArushaPrivate 4×4
  3. TarangirePrivate 4×4
  4. SerengetiLight aircraft
  5. Ngorongoro CraterLight aircraft
  6. MoshiPrivate 4×4
  7. MereraniPrivate 4×4
  8. Stone TownLight aircraft
  9. Nungwi, north coastPrivate 4×4

Flights and bush aviation

If you have not flown in a twelve-seat aircraft off a grass strip before, this is the part worth reading twice.

Flight sectors on this journey
SectorIn the air AircraftNote
Tarangire → Serengetiabout 60 minLight aircraft—
Serengeti → Ngorongoro-area stripabout 50 minLight aircraft—
Arusha or Moshi → Zanzibar (ZNZ)about 2 hScheduledEvery sector is itemised separately in your proposal.

What to expect either end

Aviation practicalities
LuggageOne soft bag of about 15 kg (33 lb) plus a small day bag on bush sectors. Soft is a requirement, not a preference — the baggage compartments are shaped, not boxes, and a hard case will not go in. The allowance is set by the operating carrier and we verify it for your sectors before you pack. Subject to confirmation.
Where a hard case goesInto store in Arusha, Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, and back to you at the end. Routine and included.
BoardingA short ladder or a step onto the wing. Assistance is routine and manual: no aisle chair, no ambulift, no jet bridge. A powered wheelchair needs a separate conversation about weight, battery type and cargo-door size.
Delays and weatherNormal, especially in the rains. We never connect a bush strip to a same-day international departure, and nor should anybody else.
WeightsOperators ask for each passenger's weight before the flight. It is a load sheet calculation, not an indignity, and it is not optional.
The operatorFlights are flown by carriers licensed by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority. We have no contracted carrier yet, so no operator is named on this site. The operator for your sectors is named in your written proposal, before you pay.

No airline is named on this site. Several carriers fly these routes under Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority licences, and we have no contracted relationship with any of them yet. Naming one here would imply a partnership that does not exist. The operator for your sectors is named in your written proposal, before you pay anything. (subject to confirmation)

Day by day

A starting point. Every day here can be moved, shortened or removed — open one to read what it holds.

  1. Day1 Arrive at Kilimanjaro WhereArusha OvernightLodge near the airport Meals D

    Met at the aircraft. Dinner, and the fortnight walked through properly — it is a long itinerary and the time spent on it now saves a week of emails.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  2. Day2 South to Tarangire WhereTarangire OvernightTented camp Meals BLD

    Two hours on tar, then park track. Afternoon along the river.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  3. Day3 Tarangire, all day WhereTarangire OvernightTented camp Meals BLD

    A full day, with lunch back at camp. The baobab country is at its best in the late light.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  4. Day4 Fly into the Serengeti WhereSerengeti OvernightTented camp Meals BLD

    About an hour in the air, against eight by road. Afternoon drive from camp.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  5. Day5 Serengeti, all day WhereSerengeti OvernightTented camp Meals BLD

    Out early, back for the heat, out again at four.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  6. Day6 Serengeti, all day WhereSerengeti OvernightTented camp Meals BLD

    The second full day from the same camp. Balloon, if you have booked it.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  7. Day7 To the crater rim WhereNgorongoro OvernightRim lodge Meals BLD

    Fly or drive to the Ngorongoro area and up to the rim. Colder, higher, and worth a warm layer.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  8. Day8 The crater floor WhereNgorongoro OvernightRim lodge Meals BLD

    Down early, before the vehicles bunch. A full day rather than a half, so that you get the quieter afternoon.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  9. Day9 East to Moshi WhereMoshi OvernightLodge Meals BLD

    About five hours with stops, or a flight. Moshi is at the foot of the mountain and it is where we are based, so the next two days are on home ground.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  10. Day10 The mountain and the coffee WhereMoshi OvernightLodge Meals BL

    The scenic flight along the glaciers if the weather allows, and the coffee smallholdings on the lower slopes.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
  11. Day11 Tanzanite, then fly to the coast WhereStone Town OvernightSmall hotel in the old town Meals BD

    A morning with a licensed dealer and a cutting workshop in Arusha or Moshi, then the flight to Zanzibar. You land in a different climate.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
    • Classic tented camp — an example of this standard.Classic tented campTwin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
  12. Day12 Stone Town WhereZanzibar coast OvernightBeach villa or small hotel Meals BL

    A guided heritage morning — the former market site, the cathedral, the old town — then out to the coast for the last three nights.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
    • Beach property or private villa — an example of this standard.Beach property or private villaSea-facing doubles; villas have three to six bedrooms.
  13. Day13 The coast, unplanned WhereZanzibar coast OvernightBeach villa or small hotel Meals B

    Nothing is scheduled. A dhow at sunset, a spice farm, or the same chair all day.

    Where you would sleep this night

    Described by standard, not by name: we do not name a property we have no agreement with. Your written proposal names the actual place, and the photographs here are examples of the standard rather than pictures of it. Power, water, wifi and access for each standard.

    • No photograph on fileLodgeTwin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
    • Stone Town merchant house — an example of this standard.Stone Town merchant houseTwelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
    • Beach property or private villa — an example of this standard.Beach property or private villaSea-facing doubles; villas have three to six bedrooms.
  14. Day14 Home WhereZanzibar Overnight— Meals B

    About an hour to the airport from most of the coast. International departures from Zanzibar, or a short hop to Dar es Salaam.

Where you would stay

Open any of these for rooms, power hours, hot water, Wi-Fi and the honest access position.

Classic tented camp

Classic tented camp

Canvas rooms on a solid raised floor, with a proper bed, an en-suite bathroom and hot water brought to you or heated on demand. The standard of the Tanzanian safari circuit, and far more comfortable than the word “tent” suggests.

Where
Inside the parks and conservation areas, usually 12 to 20 rooms.
Rooms
Twin or double, with a few family units. Mosquito netting over the bed as standard.
Power
Solar, typically with limited hours. High-draw sockets are rare. If you travel with a medical device, we confirm the power hours at each property in writing before anything is booked.
Hot water
Hot water heated on request or on a schedule, not continuously.
Wi-Fi
In the mess area at some camps, not in the rooms, and often not at all. Treat it as absent and be pleasantly surprised.
Access
Varies enormously. Some camps have level decking from the vehicle to the bed; most have two or three steps. None has been measured by us, so none is confirmed step-free.
Sustainability
Solar power and grey-water handling are usual, though no property on this site has been audited by us.

Amenities

  • En-suite bathroom
  • Hot water, usually on request
  • Solar lighting
  • Charging point in the mess tent
  • Laundry, daily
  • Full-board dining
  • Bucket or pressure shower

Described by style, not by name. We do not name a camp, lodge or hotel we have no agreement with — that would be a public claim about somebody else's business. The specific properties held for you are named in your written proposal, with their access detail, before you pay anything.

Lodge

Lodge

Solid-walled, with a roof, a proper bathroom and usually a pool. Warmer than canvas, which at 2,300 m on the Ngorongoro rim matters a great deal.

Where
Crater rim, park gates, and the highland towns.
Rooms
Twin, double and family rooms. Ground-floor rooms available at most.
Power
Mains, usually with generator backup. The most reliable power of any accommodation type here.
Hot water
Continuous hot water.
Wi-Fi
Usually available in public areas and sometimes in rooms. Slow but real.
Access
Ground-floor rooms are available at most. Roll-in showers are rare and none is confirmed by us. Rim lodges are often built across a slope on several levels, which is the real obstacle rather than the room itself.
Sustainability
Varies widely, and no property on this site has been audited by us.

Amenities

  • En-suite bathroom with continuous hot water
  • Mains electricity
  • Heating or a fireplace at altitude
  • Swimming pool at many
  • Laundry
  • Full-board dining
  • Room safe

Described by style, not by name. We do not name a camp, lodge or hotel we have no agreement with — that would be a public claim about somebody else's business. The specific properties held for you are named in your written proposal, with their access detail, before you pay anything.

Stone Town merchant house

Stone Town merchant house

A converted nineteenth-century merchant house in the old city: carved doors, high ceilings, a roof terrace, and the call to prayer at dawn. Atmospheric, and that atmosphere is made of staircases.

Where
Inside Stone Town, mostly on lanes closed to vehicles.
Rooms
Twelve to twenty rooms, no two the same.
Power
Mains. Cuts are common and most properties have a generator.
Hot water
Continuous hot water.
Wi-Fi
Available, usually in public areas and rooms.
Access
Not step-free, and we are not going to find a form of words for it. Three and four storeys with no lift, narrow stairs, and lanes outside that are uneven coral stone with thresholds. We plan around Stone Town rather than through it.
Sustainability
Reuse of a historic building is the strongest environmental case these properties have, and it is a real one.

Amenities

  • En-suite bathroom
  • Air conditioning
  • Roof terrace restaurant
  • Wi-Fi
  • Mains electricity
  • Breakfast included

Described by style, not by name. We do not name a camp, lodge or hotel we have no agreement with — that would be a public claim about somebody else's business. The specific properties held for you are named in your written proposal, with their access detail, before you pay anything.

Beach property or private villa

Beach property or private villa

Either a small beach hotel of twelve to twenty rooms, or a whole house with its own staff. For a party of four or more the villa is usually both better and cheaper per head.

Where
Zanzibar north and east coasts, Pemba and Mafia.
Rooms
Sea-facing doubles; villas have three to six bedrooms.
Power
Mains, with generator backup at most properties. Cuts are common and brief.
Hot water
Continuous. Solar-heated at many properties.
Wi-Fi
Generally good by Tanzanian standards, and variable.
Access
Ground-floor rooms are common; roll-in showers are not. Sand between the room and the sea is the real barrier, and a beach-capable chair can sometimes be borrowed. Not confirmed at any property.
Sustainability
Varies. Several coastal properties run desalination and solar, subject to confirmation.

Amenities

  • En-suite bathroom
  • Air conditioning or ceiling fans
  • Pool
  • Mains electricity
  • Wi-Fi
  • Beach access
  • Half or full board, or self-catering

Described by style, not by name. We do not name a camp, lodge or hotel we have no agreement with — that would be a public claim about somebody else's business. The specific properties held for you are named in your written proposal, with their access detail, before you pay anything.

What it costs

Indicative $18,000 – $28,000+ per person sharing, by season and standard. No price on this site has been approved, and nothing here is a quotation.

Indicative price per person sharing, by season and group size
Season123–45–67+
PeakJuly – October, 20 Dec – 3 JanOn requestOn requestOn requestOn requestOn request
ShoulderJanuary – February, June, NovemberOn request$18,000indicativeOn requestOn requestOn request
GreenMarch – May (long rains — we will say if it is a bad week)On requestOn requestOn requestOn requestOn request

Per person sharing, US dollars, two people unless stated. Excludes international flights. A single traveller pays more and a larger group pays less per head — we will tell you how much before you ask twice. No figure here has been approved: see what it costs.

What moves the price: season, how many of you there are, whether you fly or drive the long sectors, and the standard of camp. A single traveller pays more; we will say how much before you ask twice.

Access and comfort

Each line is either confirmed by our own measurement or it is not. “On request” means we will plan and cost it and nobody has measured it yet.

Access provision on Grand Montero Expedition
ProvisionStatusDetail
Hoist-fitted vehicleOn requestOn request for the mainland sectors, quoted separately. Easiest around Moshi, hardest in the Serengeti.
Step-free camps and roomsOn requestAssessed sector by sector. Some are achievable; Stone Town is not, and the access brief will say so.
Light-aircraft boardingPartialSeveral sectors. A ladder or wing step; a powered chair needs a separate conversation about weight and fit.
PacingPartialThis is the gentlest fourteen-day itinerary we can build: no two consecutive moves, and a rest half-day in each section.
A single blanket access claimNot offeredFourteen days across five regions cannot be described in one line, and we will not try. You get a brief per sector.

We do not ask for a diagnosis — only for what you need. How we plan accessible journeys.

The detail

What is covered, what it involves on the ground, and the changes people most often ask for. Open whichever you need.

What is included, and what is not

Included

Private 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof and a professional English-speaking driver-guide, for your party alone

Accommodation as described, on a full-board basis

All park, conservation and concession fees

Airport and airstrip transfers, met at the aircraft rather than at the kerb

Bottled drinking water in the vehicle

24-hour local support while you are in the country

All internal flights, itemised sector by sector

Ngorongoro Crater descent permit

The Kilimanjaro scenic flight, weather permitting, with one rescheduling attempt

Guided heritage morning in Stone Town, with entry fees

Tanzanite dealer and cutting workshop visits, with no commission to us

Not included

Balloon flight over the Serengeti (about $600 per person — subject to confirmation)

Any gemstone purchase, and its export certification

Diving and boat charters on the coast

International flights, visas and travel insurance

Tips, premium drinks and personal expenses

Optional activities such as a balloon flight, unless listed above

Emergency medical evacuation cover — strongly recommended, and not something we currently provide

Practical detail
Practical detail for Grand Montero Expedition
ItemisationGuide section 10 calls this the flagship with itemised inclusions, and the proposal does exactly that: every flight, fee and night priced on its own line so you can remove one.
Light-aircraft luggageOne soft bag of about 15 kg on the bush sectors. Hard cases are stored in Arusha and rejoin you on the coast.
AltitudeNgorongoro rim about 2,300 m for two nights. Everything else is lower.
Dress on the coastMajority Muslim. Beachwear on the beach; covered shoulders and knees in Stone Town and the villages.
MalariaPresent on every sector of this journey. Take clinic advice early enough to start the course.
PaceNowhere do you move two nights running. That is the single decision that makes fourteen days a rest rather than a march.
Ways to personalise this journey

The changes people actually ask for, with what each one does to the shape of the trip. Prices for these are quoted in your proposal, not here.

Balloon flight over the SerengetiAn hour at dawn, weather-dependent, booked well ahead.
Extend the coast to five nightsSixteen days. The commonest change and the one we would make first.
Swap tanzanite for the southern parksNyerere and Ruaha instead of the gemstone morning, which adds two days.
Private photographic vehicle for the SerengetiBeanbags, no shared hatch, and a guide briefed on light.
A second rest day in MoshiThe scenic flight is weather-dependent; a spare day makes it far likelier.

This itinerary is a draft. It is written to real logistics but has not yet been checked by a guide who works this circuit, and no price here has been approved. Treat every figure as indicative until we confirm it in writing.

Questions about this journey

Is fourteen days too long?

It is long, and the rest days are what make it work. An itinerary that moves every night for a fortnight is exhausting and we would not sell it.

Can we take a section out?

Yes, and the proposal is itemised so you can see exactly what comes off the price. Most people remove either the tanzanite morning or the heritage half day.

Why is the price range so wide?

Because $18,000 and $28,000 buy different camps, and because season moves the same itinerary by thousands. The proposal prices one version, not a range.

Is this suitable for a wheelchair user?

Partly, with real planning, and the honest answer varies by sector. Stone Town is the hard limit. We would build you a brief per section rather than give you one answer.

What if a flight is cancelled?

There is slack built into the schedule for exactly that, which is why there are no single-night stops. If a sector is lost we rebuild the days on the ground and refund what was not used.

If this one is not quite it

Journeys that share a region or a style with this one, and the background reading for the places on the route.

Bush & beach Sanctuary & Spice Escape 9 days / 8 nights · Serengeti · Zanzibar Bush & beach Ultimate Safari & Zanzibar Spice Island Escape 10 days / 9 nights · Tarangire · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Zanzibar Photography Professional Photographic Safari Circuit 9 days / 8 nights · Tarangire · Serengeti · Ndutu · Ngorongoro

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