Your journey begins at a classic safari lodge on a golf and wildlife estate, set in the shadow of Mount Meru, where the African wilderness unfolds in whispers and wonder. Time slows—lunch under the canopies, an exciting horse ride through sunlit grasslands, and sundowners as the sky burns gold. Each day draws you deeper into the heart of the bush: riding along ancient game trails, past herds of giraffe and buffalo, following the footsteps of legendary explorers like Margaret Trappe. You’ll sleep beneath a ceiling of stars, wake to the call of monkeys, and trace the wild curves of a land rich with memory and magic. By the time you reach the park gates on the final day, the adventure will have etched itself into your heart — a tapestry of hooves, laughter, stars, and silence.
Terrain / Areas we cover on the safari
Arusha National Park is a hidden gem in northern Tanzania, nestled in the shadow of majestic Mount Meru. Unlike the vast savannahs of the Serengeti, this park offers a more intimate, enchanting wilderness — a mosaic of misty forests, sparkling lakes, rolling hills, and ancient craters. Here, giraffes move gracefully through highland clearings, colobus monkeys swing from fig trees, and flamingoes gather like blushing petals along the shores of the Momella Lakes. It’s a place where the air is cool and fresh, where the clouds of Mount Meru roll in and out like a breathing sky, and where every turn of the trail whispers a story of wild beauty and quiet magic.
The Iron Lady | Margaret Trappe
This safari follows ancient trails of Margaret Trappe, affectionately known as the “Iron Lady.” She was a pioneering spirit and one of East Africa’s first female professional hunters. In the early 1900s, she carved out a life of courage and grace in the wild highlands of Tanzania, where she lived at the foot of Mount Meru. Riding her beloved thoroughbreds, Comet and Diamond, Margaret was known for her extraordinary bond with horses and her deep respect for the land. Her life was a story of adventure, resilience, and unyielding passion for the African bush. To this day, her legacy lives on in the trails she rode and the spirit of freedom she embodied.
MOUNT MERU RIDE | DAY 1,
Upon arrival at the lodge, guests are welcomed and shown to their accommodations, with time to settle in and refresh after the journey. A leisurely lunch is served, offering a taste of the local flavours and a chance to relax in the serene surroundings. Afterward, a safari briefing is held, where the guide introduces the upcoming adventures, shares important safety information, and answers any questions. In the late afternoon, guests set out on a scenic horseback ride across the resident wildlife estate, on the foothills of Mt Meru and on a clear day with beautiful views of Mt Kilimanjaro. As the sun begins to set, head back to the lodge for sundowners in a picturesque setting, allowing guests to take in the golden African light with a drink in hand. The day concludes with dinner, rounding off a perfect introduction to the safari experience.
MOUNT MERU RIDE | DAY 2,
The day begins with a refreshing wake-up and a hearty breakfast at the lodge, preparing guests for the adventure ahead. After breakfast, there’s a scenic 30-minute drive to the edge of the park where the safari horses await. Once mounted, the journey into the heart of the park begins, riding alongside buffaloes, giraffes, and other wildlife that roam freely along the narrow game trails skirting the eastern slopes of Mount Meru. The ride weaves through canopy forests and open glades, offering ever-changing views and thrilling wildlife encounters. Midway through the day, there’s a pause for a relaxed lunch beneath the shade of a lone tree—an idyllic break in the wild. The afternoon ride continues deeper into the park, with the light softening and the landscape growing quieter. As evening approaches, the group arrives at the mobile camp, an exclusive and comfortable setup in the wilderness. The day ends with sundowners, followed by a delicious dinner under a canopy of stars, surrounded by the sounds of the African night.
MOUNT MERU RIDE | DAY 3,
Day three might begin with the distinctive wake-up calls of colobus monkeys echoing through the trees, gently stirring guests from their sleep. After a hearty breakfast at camp, riders mount up and set off toward the iconic landscapes where the classic film Hatari was shot, starring John Wayne. The morning ride winds through scenic terrain filled with wildlife—giraffes gliding through the treetops, buffaloes grazing in the open, and waterbuck, bushbuck, and warthogs scattered throughout the brush. By midday, the group returns to camp for a well-earned lunch, followed by time to rest and enjoy a peaceful siesta in camp. Later in the afternoon, guests climb into safari jeeps for a classic game drive toward the Momella Lakes, where sundowners are served. With luck, there will be sightings of hippos, flamingoes and a variety of stunning water birds against the backdrop of a colorful African sunset. The drive ends just as darkness falls, returning to camp for a relaxing dinner under the stars. As night settles in, guests drift to sleep with the possibility of hearing the haunting calls of leopards in the distance.
MOUNT MERU RIDE | DAY 4,
The last day begins with an early breakfast at camp, as the group prepares for a final morning in the wild. After eating, riders head out to explore the remote bushlands of Mount Meru, following historic trails once used by the legendary “Iron Lady,” Margaret Trappe. This ride pays tribute to her legacy, where she used her favorite thoroughbreds, Comet and Diamond, you trace her path through this untamed landscape. With luck, today may offer a glimpse of elephants moving quietly through the trees—a powerful finale to an incredible journey. The ride concludes at the park gate in the late morning, where the adventure draws to a close, hopefully leaving guests with unforgettable memories of a truly authentic African safari.
Please note that this itinerary serves as a guideline. Changes may occur due to the movement of game, weather conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances. Any adjustments made will always be with the safety and best interests of the safari experience in mind.
About Arusha national park
The entrance gate leads into shadowy montane forest inhabited by inquisitive blue monkeys and colourful turacos and trogons – the only place on the northern safari circuit where the acrobatic black-and-white colobus monkey is easily seen. In the midst of the forest stands the spectacular Ngurdoto Crater, whose steep, rocky cliffs enclose a wide marshy floor dotted with herds of buffalo and warthog.
Further north, rolling grassy hills enclose the tranquil beauty of the Momela Lakes, each one a different hue of green or blue. Their shallows sometimes tinged pink with thousands of flamingos, the lakes support a rich selection of resident and migrant waterfowl, and shaggy waterbucks display their large lyre-shaped horns on the watery fringes. Giraffes glide across the grassy hills, between grazing zebra herds, while pairs of wideeyed dik-dik dart into scrubby bush like overgrown hares on spindly legs. Although elephants are shy in Arusha National Park, and lions absent altogether, leopards and spotted hyenas may be seen slinking around in the early morning and late afternoon. It is also at dusk and dawn that the veil of cloud on the eastern horizon is most likely to clear, revealing the majestic snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro, only 50km (30 miles) distant.
But it is Kilimanjaro’s unassuming cousin, Mount Meru - the fifth highest in Africa at 4,566 meters (14,990 feet) – that dominates the park’s horizon. Its peaks and eastern foot slopes protected within the national park, Meru offers unparalleled views of its famous neighbour, while also forming a rewarding hiking destination.
Passing first through wooded savannah where buffalos and giraffes are frequently encountered, the ascent of Meru leads into forests aflame with red-hot pokers and dripping with Spanish moss, before reaching high open heath spiked with giant lobelias. Everlasting flowers cling to the alpine desert, as delicately hoofed klipspringers mark the hike’s progress. Astride the craggy summit, Kilimanjaro stands unveiled, blushing in the sunrise.
Margarete Trappe
Africa’s greatest huntress - “Jeyo”... Mother of the Masai
“If, as children, we were thrilled by Buffalo Bill we should have been still more spellbound by Mrs. Trappe’s adventures, the adventures of the fearless woman with her two legendary horses, Comet and Diamond, and her two inseparable Alsatians. Like a phantom she would suddenly appear, like a phantom she would vanish; as intimate with wild beasts as though they were tame, she was venerated and feared by the locals like a supernatural being. The dark spirit of Africa with its spells and witchcraft, its magic, symbolism and ritual furnish a background against which such a figure almost assumes a mystic significance. On this ride with Kaskazi Horse Safaris your ride in Arusha National Park, which is where Margerete lived until she passed away in 1957. On the ride we follow her old hidden pathways through the bush where this legendary lady rode on her two loyal thoroughbred mounts, always accompanied by her two Alsatians.
Margarete Trappe arrived on an ox wagon 1906 from the coast. Her courage and pioneering spirit set the tone when she travelled the picturesque Meru-Pass, at which her new home - Momella - was situated. A big farm was created and built by the Trappe family where they kept cattle, horses and goats and enjoyed the surroundings and the abundant wildlife. The start of the First World War brought a cat-and-mouse game between Margarete Trappe and the English soldiers and earned her the nickname Iron Lady for her stubbornness, strength and courage as she scouted for Von Lettow Vorbeck in his “Ice Cream War” with Frederick Courtney Selous.
However fate was not kind to Margarete. Disowned and bankrupt she returned to Meru and started rebuilding a new farm called Ngongongare or Yejo’s - her Maasai name. Financial survival was however finally secured by highly profitable trophy hunting after she became the first female professional hunter in East Africa. Fittingly, her last tribute was paid by her beloved elephant herd as they gathered around her house in 1957 when she passed away. Margarete’s son Rolf leased the property to Paramount Pictures as the setting for the classic movie “Hatari”, starring John Wayne and Hardy Krüger.
Mrs. Trappe’s tales would fill an entire volume and this is not the place in which to tell them. All the same I cannot resist mentioning one episode, the one which marks the end of her wartime activities; it is such a charming story. At that time the German defense forces had been compelled to withdraw into the interior. Under cover of darkness and forest, Mrs. Trappe had slipped through the British lines and delivered two large transports of cattle and provisions to General von Lettow. But a large convoy of horses led by tired German farmers had been surrounded by the British; there was scarcely a hope of getting it through. Then Mrs. Trappe with her crew had taken over the whole operation. With the help of an alleged deserter she had misled the British as to the direction she had taken, had driven the horses through forests and over mountains where no one had dreamed it possible to find a way, and, without losing a single one, had brought them through the British lines.
Now she could do no more and was anxious to return to her farm where her three small children awaited her impatiently. She rode straight into the middle of the nearest British headquarters and gave herself up. A British Captain questioned her. A British General busy with his papers at a nearby table glanced across her now and again. The hearing dragged on. There was not much she would say. “You know, Mrs. Trappe, that you will have to be interned,” said the Captain finally. “Mrs. Trappe will remain at liberty,” the General stated, looking up from his papers. The hearing continued. “You will have to leave your horses here,” said the Captain. Mrs. Trappe declared that she had promised General von Lettow to shoot the horses sooner than to surrender them to the British. “Mrs. Trappe will keep her horses,” said the General. Then they came to the arms. Here, certainly, there was nothing to be done. Mrs. Trappe was obliged to leave them and to undertake to bring along any ammunition in her possession.
She brought the ammunition on the following day. When the British officer opened the chest in which the cartridges were packed, he also found a little box of silver rupees which Mrs. Trappe had forgotten to take out. The British officer picked up the coins; all of them had a hole through the center. “What is the meaning of this?” he enquired curiously. “I shot those in a pistol-shooting contest,” Mrs. Trappe replied. “You must show us how you could do that,” said the General once again joining in. Three coins were placed upright on a board. They were hardly visible. Mrs. Trappe raised her pistol, took a swift aim and fired quickly once, twice, thrice. All three coins had been hit dead center. The General plunged his hand into the box of rupees. “Send these coins home to your wives,” he said to the group of officers who were watching, “and tell them your experiences here with a German woman.” Then, turning to Mrs. Trappe: “You are a good sport and a brave woman.” He shook hands. “You may keep your weapons.” He smiled and took his leave. Mrs. Trappe kept her weapons and her horses. She rode home and settled down to look after her children and her huge farm. “
From “MLA an African game paradise” by Maximilian von Rogister
The adventure has come to its end and reality is waiting around the corner. Safari ends for this time...