Tanzania: The Primal Rhythm of the Wild

September 2027

(Contact me to be notified when dates are released.)

In the cradle of humanity, your nervous system remembers how to rest.

This journey to Tanzania is not just a sightseeing trip; it is an immersion into life’s original way of being.

Modern life is defined by artificial urgency. The Serengeti is defined by primal rhythm. Here, nothing rushes, yet everything gets done.

This is a return to your roots. For 11 days, we step out of the frantic pace of the modern world and into the wisdom of the present moment. We will witness the majesty of the big five and spend time with ancient tribes who still live in total harmony with the land.

We use this environment—where nature is undeniably in charge—to help you surrender the need for control and shift from force to flow.

On This Personal Growth Adventure, You Will:

• Witness Animal Intelligence: Spend 9 days in world-class parks and preserves. We don’t just check animals off a list; we observe slowly, learning from the patience of the leopard and the community of the elephant. Seeing this primal order helps quiet the chaos of the modern mind.

• Expand Your Human Narrative: Spend time with the Chagga (farmers), Hadzabe (hunter-gatherers), and Datoga (warriors) tribes. By witnessing ways of life that have thrived for millennia without modern technology, you gain a powerful perspective on what is truly essential for happiness.

• Immerse Yourself in Awe: Safari is the Swahili word for “journey.” We explore the outer landscape to facilitate an inner one. The sheer scale of the savannah triggers the biological awe response, which lowers cortisol and expands your sense of possibility.

• Harmonize with the Wild: Practice qigong and meditation daily, often in the open air, harmonizing your energy with the untamed world around you.

• Return with a New Baseline: Though you leave the bush, the bush never really leaves you. You will return home with a visceral memory of what natural rhythm feels like, along with a somatic toolkit to help you access that calm even in the midst of a busy life.

Your Adventure, Day by Day (DRAFT Itinerary):

Day 1-2 ~ : Travel to the Kilimanjaro airport and spend the night of the 4th at Stella Maris, a hotel in the nearby town of Moshi. Transportation to the hotel will be provided.

Day 3 ~ (B/L/D): Today, we recover from our travels with a local day tour immersing ourselves in local culture and landscape. After breakfast, we’ll head out to nearby Materuni village and visit a local COFFEE PLANTATION to experience the entire process of making coffee, from harvesting, shelling, roasting, grinding, brewing, and drinking. We’ll also do a moderate two-hour hike to the beautiful MATERUNI WATERFALL. We’ll spend time after our return in conversation about compassion and learning a bit about qigong. Dinner at Stella Maris.

Day 4 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation, followed by breakfast. Today will be a full-day trip taking us to MKOMAZI RHINO SANCTUARY and NATIONAL PARK. In the past 50 years, Africa’s black rhino population has been reduced by 96% due to poaching. Though the sanctuary has been in place since 1951, tourism was actively launched in 2021, and proceeds support the rhino protection and breeding program. This park is home to an array of wildlife, including more than 20 species of mammals and over 400 species of birds. We’ll stop for dinner on our way back to Stella Maris.

Day 5 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation followed by breakfast. In the first half of the day, we’ll explore TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK which is home to diverse landscapes across nine vegetation zones. This park hosts the largest concentration of breeding birds in the world and is home to herds of elephants. It is a fabulous location to begin our wildlife exploration in Tanzania. After a half-day exploring this beautiful park, we’ll drive to Ngorongoro Forest Tented Lodge on the slopes of the Ngorongoro Crater. If time permits we’ll do a bit of meditation or qigong before dinner.

Day 6 ~ (B/L/D): Rise for an early breakfast and departure. We’ll travel about two hours to LAKE EYASI, where we’ll visit two lesser-known Tanzanian tribes. First, we’ll meet the HADZABE—considered by some experts to be the oldest continuing ethnicity in the world. These hunter-gatherers have changed very little in 10,000 years and use a clicking-based dialect. Next, we’ll meet the DATOGA, who also boasts a lengthy history. Skilled farmers and master iron craftsmen, the Datoga are known for their arrowheads and other metalwork. We’ll find a place for a picnic lunch then return to the Ngorongoro Forest Tented Lodge, and depending on our arrival time we’ll have time in the afternoon for qigong or a forest walk.

Day 7 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation, followed by breakfast. Today, we’ll set out to explore the vast expanse of the SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK. On our way into the park, we’ll visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site OLDUVAI GORGE, and spend some time in the “Cradle of Mankind,” one of the most significant paleontological sites in the world, reflecting evidence of human inhabitation as far back as 1.9 million years ago. After our visit to the gorge, we’ll continue into the Serengeti, looking for wildlife, and arrive at our tented camp, Embalakai before dinner.

Day 8 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation, followed by breakfast. Today is a full day of SERENGETI WILDLIFE VIEWING. We’ll depart our tent camp in the morning with the intention of exploring the southeastern section of the Serengeti. Our driver/guide is continuously in touch with other guides in the park, coordinating a search for active wildlife sightings. As with yesterday, we’ll be out all day, but find some time during the day for a picnic lunch and some qigong so we can harmonize directly with the beautiful and expansive plains around us. We’ll return to our tent camp around sunset for dinner and an evening of relaxation.

Day 9 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation, followed by breakfast. Today is a full day of SERENGETI WILDLIFE VIEWING. We’ll depart our tent camp in the morning with the intention of exploring the Moru Kopjes region of the Serengeti. Our driver/guide is continuously in touch with other guides in the park, coordinating a search for active wildlife sightings. As with yesterday, we’ll be out all day, but find some time during the day for a picnic lunch and some qigong so we can harmonize directly with the beautiful and expansive plains around us. We’ll return to our tent camp around sunset for dinner and an evening of relaxation.

Day 10 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation, followed by breakfast. Today we’ll head to the northern part of the Serengeti and spend time along the Mara River in hopes of seeing the WILDEBEEST MIGRATION. The seasonal migration is the movement of vast numbers of the Serengeti’s wildebeest, in company with large numbers of zebra, and smaller numbers of impala, Thompson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, and eland. As with yesterday, we’ll be out all day but may find some time for qigong so we can harmonize directly with the beautiful and expansive plains around us. We’ll spend the night at a mobile tent camp, Mara Heritage Kogatende Camp in the northern region of the Serengeti.

Day 11 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation, followed by breakfast. Today we’ll continue to explore the Kogatende northern region of the Serengeti, once again hoping to sight the WILDEBEEST MIGRATION along the Mara River. The wildebeest migration provides an excellent opportunity to view predators feasting on prey. As with yesterday, we’ll be out all day but may find some time for qigong so we can harmonize directly with the beautiful and expansive plains around us. We’ll spend a second night at the Mara Heritage Kogatende Camp.

Day 12 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for meditation followed by breakfast. Today we head southward through the SERENGETI back toward the Ngorongoro region. Although we’ll be out all day, perhaps we’ll find a quiet spot to do some qigong during the day. The diversity and multitude of wildlife species in this huge protected area are unrivaled anywhere on the planet. In fact, Serengeti is the Maasai word meaning “endless plain, ” and on that plain lives a vast array of wildlife. We’ll return to Ngorongoro Forest Tented Lodge in time for dinner and an evening of relaxation.

Day 13 ~ (B/L/D): Rise early for breakfast. Today we’ll head out to the NGORONGORO CRATER. The caldera of Ngorongoro marks the ancient walls of a collapsed volcano, which was probably once the size of Mount Kilimanjaro. The crater’s rim is 7,500 feet above sea level, the highest altitude we reach on our trip. Because of a permanent supply of water and a precise balance of predator and prey, most of the wildlife remains here year-round. After a half-day of wildlife viewing, we’ll depart the crater and head for Kilimanjaro Airport in preparation for our night flights home.

Note: All the photos on this page were taken by me on similar safaris. They’re realistic examples of what you may find on this journey.

Included in Your Tanzania Spiritual Adventure Tour:

• Daily instruction and facilitation of meditation, qigong, and conversations about self-acceptance, compassion, and joy. Engaging with this content is an integral part of this spiritual tour. If you are not interested in meditation, heart-opening conversation, and qigong, different tours are available to you via other companies.
• 9 days in parks or reserves
• 2 days experiencing local cultures
• All ground transportation for the duration of the tour
• Lodging for 11 nights primarily in locations selected for their beautiful natural settings: two 3-night stays, two 2-night stays, one 1-night stay
• 33 meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day other than your arrival day in Tanzania
• An English-speaking Tanzanian driver/guide, passionate about the local landscapes, culture, and wildlife
• Entrance fees for all parks and activities
• Amazing wildlife sighting opportunities
• An opportunity to interact with members from at least three ancient indigenous tribes
• A guaranteed small group, with 12 guests maximum, which means a more personalized and intimate retreat experience
• The itinerary is subject to modification based on weather and the needs of the group

The Little Bits Not Included:

• International airfare to Tanzania
• Alcoholic beverages or sodas, items of a personal nature
• Driver/Guide gratuity $18-22 per day, Tour Operator gratuity $10-12 per day, Lodge Tip Box $3-5 per night stayed; consider using local currency equivalent at the lodges
• Tanzanian visa

Spiritual Tour Facilitator Amy Pattee Colvin:

In the fall of 2015, I attended a meditation retreat in Machu Picchu. One day, a local shaman joined us for a blessing ceremony. When it ended, he placed a seed in my hand, told me to bury it where I sat, then gave me a specific directive: “Look for the plant when you bring your own group here.”

For months, that seed of an idea quietly germinated. It eventually sprouted into the international tours I lead today.

Traveling with me is different from a standard vacation. We don’t just look at the landscape; we harmonize with it. You will practice qigong and meditation daily, using the wild beauty of the land to interrupt your stress patterns and help you shift from force to flow.

I guide these journeys with a toolkit built from two worlds: the grounded lineage of over 30 years of Taoist practice, and the rigorous, science-backed protocols of Stanford University’s Compassion Cultivation Training.

Investment & Registration:

Investment: USD $TBD per person based on double occupancy. Limited single occupancy is available for a $TBD supplement.

Sometimes it seems that the costs of going on an African Safari are exorbitant. However, a surprisingly high portion of the costs flow to the game parks and reserves we’ll visit. In general, tours with lower fares do not spend as many days in the parks and reserves. I feel that spending time with the animals in their protected spaces is an essential part of this spiritual tour. Additional fees go to visiting the local Hadzabe and Datoga tribes. The fees help the Tanzanian government ensure that their homelands are preserved and protected. I aspire to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience at a competitive rate.

• Space is limited to 12 guests. Ensure your spot by placing your deposit now.
• A deposit of $1,000 is required to reserve your space, with the balance due by TBD. Payment plans are available. Please inquire if necessary.
• If you register as an individual, you will share a room with another person of the same gender.

Cancellation Policy:

• Your deposit is fully refundable until 6 months prior to departure. After that, it may be transferable to another tour.
• I highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance, which covers emergency medical treatment, evacuation, and trip cancellation.

To register email me at amy@ amypatteecolvin.com.

Food budget is roughly $550 per person