KRNS

Have booked safari for Oct. in Tanzania. Driving throughout but reading about rough roads haas me wondering if we should fly between any lodgings. Our itinerary is:

1 night Arusha
2 nights Tarangire TreeTops
1 night Lake Manyara Serena
2 nights Serengeti Serena
2 nights Migration Camp
1 night Ngorongoro Serena
1 night Arusha
then to Rwanda for 2 gorilla treks then whole day in Nairobi for 10pm flight back to New Jersey. Any thoughts or suggestions welcome. Thank you.

eyedigress

if cost isn't an issue, you should fly. much more enjoyable, more time to relax and/or do game drives and you get to see the parks from a different perspective.

lifelist

From Arusha to Tarangire and to Ngorongoro, the roads are all paved, so it's fairly smooth. I believe the road to TreeTops is dirt, however, and probably bumpy.

The road from Ngorogoro to the Serengeti are all dirt. I didn't think the road between Naabi Hill gate and Ngorogoro was all that rough, though dusty. The roads in the Serengeti can be rough, but you're game driving most of the time, so you're not going very fast.

A lot of people drive one way, and then fly the other way. For example, on my trip, we flew into the Serengeti, met our guide there, and then drove back from the Serengeti to Ngorogoro to Tarangire and then back to Arusha. This way, we didn't have to cover the same road twice.
I don't have my notes with me, but I think the flight was something like $300 pp.

hguy47

I agree with lifelist. If possible, put the Crater stop in between Manyara and the Serengeti, and then fly back to Arusha from the closest airstrip to Migration Camp.

atravelynn

Your only fly options are into or out of the Serengeti. I like the suggestion of driving in, then flying out. Going in you are excited about what's to come and can interact with the guide, asking questions. At the end, you may be ready to move on to the next part of your trip as efficiently as possible.

sandi

The drives between Arusha, Tarangire and Lake Manyara are on paved road. Once inside the park at Tarangie, Tree Tops is outside the park, but an easy enough drive even if on dirt. The Serena at Manyara is right off the main road.

The drive then to Serengeti is fine up to the Ngorongoro Crater, but then it's game drive to the Serena inside the park; likewise, game drive on park roads to Migration Camp.

On the day you depart Migration, it will be game drive back thru the park and not arrive till mid to late-afternoon. You might want to consider flying from Migration (either the Klein's or Lobo airstrips) to Lake Manyara. This is the closest airstrip to Ngorongoro. Here you can have another guide/vehicle meet you for stay at Ngorongoro/Serena and crater visit; then drive to Arusha last day before heading to Rwanda.

To avoid having another guide/vehicle, if you could modify the routing so you visit Ngorongoro before heading into the Serengeti, you'd then only fly back from Migration Camp to Arusha.

Arusha
Tarangire
Manyara
Ngorongoro
Serengeti
Fly to Arusha

ShayTay

Ditto to Sandi and the others' suggestions of slotting the Crater in between Lake Manyara and the Serengeti, then fly out to Arusha.

climbhighsleeplow

It is NOT true that the only flying options are to/from the Serengeti!

There are now scheduled flights from Arusha to Tarangire and to Manyara and beyond. It makes good sense for many itineraries. But with Treetops being far outside and far away from the airstrip driving makes sense.

Traveling back to Arusha to go to Rwanda is not always the best option. You can fly from an airstrip in the Serengeti straight to Kigali with Coastal Air. Once you add up the costs of the Arusha overnight, transfers, etc the cost difference may not be that great.

$$ vs. time. Since you did not specify a budget I think it is best to give you all the options.

sandi

FYI! The flight, as CHSL suggests (good idea, I forgot), cost is about $600/person one/way - Serengeti/KGL, departs about 1pm, flight time a bit over 1/hr, but there's a 1/hr time difference in Rwanda.

Dana_M

I was going to post the link to the Coast schedule from Eben's site until I read his response.

I checked into costs in the opposite direction. KGL-JRO per Kayak on Kenya Airways was $324 when I checked, versus the $600-$630 on Coastal, depending on where in TZ you are headed (Seronera, Manyara, etc.) The flights I looked at stopped in Nairobi, so staying a night in Arusha becomes necessary. While that saves some expense due to both the less expensive air fare and less expensive Arusha lodging, I'd lose a safari night. In the opposite direction, I think the time loss would be even greater.

I agree with the others that suggest putting the Crater after Manyara and before the Serengeti. You could then either drive or fly to the Serengeti, although I don't personally know how far the Serengeti camps you mention are from the Crater. I think you can also fly from the Crater, but when I was there several years ago I had to land at Manyara and drive to the Crater. I then flew to the Grumeti airstrip, but I don't recall which airstrip we flew out of. I think the Crater airstrip is questionable, depending on whether, but I don't know. Others can probably give better advice than I. From the Serengeti you can fly to Kigali, without going back to Arusha.

KRNS

Thank you for your suggestions. If I make no changes would I be sorry? How long are drives between our lodgings, esp. ngorongoro to Arusha? Thanks again.

Bill_H

<b>How long are drives between our lodgings, esp. ngorongoro to Arusha?</b>

Ngorongoro to Arusha isn't too bad, maybe 2.5 - 3 hours from the entrance (end of paved road). We usually stay at the crater our last day and have time to do an early game drive and breakfast at a picnic area, then are out by 11:30 or so.

Manyara to Serengeti Serena is probably your longest drive, 5-6 hours.

KRNS

Thanks, Bill for times. I'll see what Good Earth says about changing Ngor. crater before Serengeti and price to fly out of Serengeti to Kigali. May not be able to get accommodations for 4 with changes and since I'm treating my husband and 2 adult (alas, unmarried) sons to this trip, I'd be responsible for flight which may be too expensive. I've already gone way over budget from what was in an IRA account. Thank you all again for your responses!

Karen

sandi

Ngorongoro - from your lodge to Lk.Manyara - about 2.5/hrs
Lk. Manyara to Arusha - about 2.5/hrs

So figure min 5/hrs Ngo/Arusha.

Still depends on time of day, traffic (vehicles, bikes, carts, herds of cattle, people) and, of course the weather. If on a Sunday, can be shorter, as less traffic overall.

andybiggs

As much as I like flying, your schedule isn't too bad for driving. If it is your first trip to Tanzania, I think driving is a great option to see just how everything is laid out. After all, a safari means a journey, and sometimes the journey is half the fun.

atravelynn

Scheduled flights to Manyara and Tarangire from Arusha now? Lots more options. I don't recall those drives being all that long though. Not enought to prompt me to fly.

The only drive that got a bit long was the one to the Serengeti from Manyara. Also I've gone from Tarangire to the crater and that was pretty long.

But if you make no changes KRNS, you'll still have a great trip and be $600 per person richer.

Dana_M

But Lynn, it isn't $600/person cheaper, because KRNS is going back to Arusha, then flying to Kigali from there. Well, from JRO I imagine. And that's probably at least $300.

But, KRNS you are still probably saving close to $300/person X 4 = $1,200 by driving both directions.

I agree driving is part of the adventure. You will have a great time whichever you decide.

Lynn-Coastal flies Kigal-Arusha (and reverse) for $650, with numerous intermediate stops along the way such as Manyara, Seronera, Grumeti, etc., and the price depends on what portion of the flight you're taking. Arusha-Manyara, for example, is $75, to Seronera it's $175. It's Kigali that makes it expensive (ie $630 from Manyara, $600 from Seronera, $530 from Grumeti), but part of that expense is offset by the fact that you have to fly to Kigali from somewhere.

KRNS

Think I'll leave things as they are. I just didn't know how long drives were. Doesn't seem too bad and sights along the way. Thanks so very much everyone!
Karen

atravelynn

Here is a link with all sorts of drive and fly times. Oddly Manyara to Serengeti how a different trime from Serengeti to Manyara, even though the kms are the same. Maybe because you'd normally do a regular game drive in Manyara first before heading out.

atravelynn

http://safari.go2africa.com/africa-t...avel-times.asp

Link is here.