TANZANIA spiritual Adventure tour

Explore the Wilderness & Wildlife of Tantalizing Tanzania

Dates September 3rd – 15th, 2023

This Tanzania spiritual tour uniquely blends exploration of some of Tanzania’s best wildlife areas and landscapes with meditation, qigong, and heart-opening conversations.

We’ll slow down our busy minds, open our hearts, and embrace joy and peace. We’ll explore and practice tools to take home and use long after the retreat is over.

• Spend 9 days traveling in parks and preserves, viewing wildlife, taking the time to learn their habits and habitats.
• Spend 2 days exploring cultural aspects of Tanzania, visit with members of the following tribes: Chagga—known for their farming and enterprising work ethic, Hadzabe—descendants of Tanzania’s aboriginal population relying to this day on daily foraging and hunting, Datoga—known as fierce and stealthy warriors. You’ll learn about ways of life far different than your own.

• Explore your inner and outer world on a transformative journey. Safari itself is a Swahili word for journey, and you’ll experience cultural, natural, and wild experiences cultivating an appreciation for nature and new purpose and lease on life.
• Practice qigong and meditation daily, often in beautiful outdoor locations where you can freely harmonize with the energy of your surroundings.
• Immerse yourself in the inspiring landscapes and ancient cultures of Tanzania, creating memories you can visualize long after you’ve departed for home.

Your Awe-Inspiring Tanzania Spiritual Adventure Tour Itinerary:

Day 1-2 ~ September 3rd – 4th: 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 ~ September 5th (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 ~ September 6th (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 ~ September 7th (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 ~ September 8th (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 ~ September 9th (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 ~ September 10th (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 ~ September 11th (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 ~ September 12th (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 ~ September 13th (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 ~ September 14th (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 ~ September 15th (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 to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu led by my long-time teachers, Leong Tan and Meg McLaughlin. A local shaman joined us one of our days in Machu Picchu. During the blessing ceremony, he handed me a seed to plant after the ceremony finished. He said to look for the plant when I brought my own group on a retreat to Peru.

For many months that seed of an idea quietly germinated and eventually sprouted into the development of meditation and qigong tours worldwide.

You’ll practice meditation and qigong daily, steep yourself in beautiful landscapes, step out of your daily routine, and immerse yourself in positive ways of thinking and living. I’m excited to share these concepts with you while we actively explore stunning landscapes and cultures.

This spiritual tour to Tanzania creates an opportunity for you to connect to the divine within and harmonize with the energy of the natural world.

I’ll share with you all I’ve learned in nearly 30 years of Taoist meditation, as well as the wisdom garnered from becoming a certified facilitator of Stanford University’s Compassion Cultivation Training.

I look forward to spending time with you! If you have any questions, please click below to set up a time to chat, or email me at amy@amypatteecolvin.com.

Investment & Registration:

Investment: USD $5295 per person based on double occupancy. Limited single occupancy is available for a $1080 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 June 1st, 2023. 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