I have stayed at Chada and Greystoke and both were absolutely fabulous. I dont know anything about Katuma but the pro's of doing Greystoke and Katavi together are that they are sister camps, you probably have some of the same in the group doing the same rotation and transportation can be seamless. Chada is smaller, intimate and very relaxing. Certainly not over the top but a very mellow relaxing camp with excellent guides and the wildlife in August should be great. Greystoke is every bit worth the experience. The other camps in the area are fine but Nothing compares to the Greystoke accomodations and experience. I would not hesitate to return to Greystoke for its staff and facilities. Pricey yes---but when you are that remote its worth the extra spend. Their guides are the ones who's radios are tapped by the other camps to locate the chimps. Its a terrific contrast with Katavi. Make sure you go boating on the coast at Greystoke on their old wooden boat---its remarkable and so is the coast. You've picked some great remote locations and you won't go wrong! Best of Luck.

"Pricey yes---but when you are that remote its worth the extra spend. Their guides are the ones who's radios are tapped by the other camps to locate the chimps."

That is an advantage.

What a lovely trip. Mwagusi is still my favorite camp in the Ruaha – though you should check the guide situation closer to the time as guiding can be a bit hit and miss depending on whether Chris is in camp and who he has hired recently. In Katavi I would also look at the Foxes camp - http://www.tanzaniasafaris.info/Katavi/intro.htm - which personally i prefer over Chada and is somewhat cheaper. For Mahale you can not go wrong with Greystoke

We stayed at the Mbali Mbali camps, Katuma in Katavi and Kungwe in Mahale. Each camp was well-run with expert guides and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend either one. Kungwe's main "chimp guide" Sixtus was exceptional! Their camp is located between the Flycatcher and Greystoke camps and their strategy is to be the last visitors with the chimps because of the one-hour time limit; with no one waiting in line behind you, you will probably get more than one hour. When we were there in September, the chimps came into camp twice and guests from the other camps were coming to Kungwe to see them.

Interesting tidbits ShayTay. Very helpful!

ShayTay, I was looking at a posting you made in April saying that you were going to be staying in Authentic Tanzania's "Authentic Camp" in Ruaha. Could you please tell me what it was like. Great info about Katuma and Kungwe Beach Lodge.

This was AT's first foray into this type of seasonal camp. The location was great, as was the small size of the camp, but they have some operational issues that they need to address. There were no charging points at the camp, something that we were not aware of in advance. It turns out that they had the equipment on order from South Africa, but it hadn't arrived, yet. One of the camp staff took my batteries over to the ranger station and stayed with them until they were charged up. There was nothing to drink at the camp except for Coke, Sprite and bottled water. This was apparently a miscommunication between AT's management and the guide, who was supposed to have told us that and let us shop in Iringa for wine, G&Ts, etc. I addressed these and other issues with David Barker and I think that they will have all the wrinkles worked out by next season. AT was supposed to have had a similar camp in Mikumi, but when they arrived in August to set it up, the park management decided not to let them in, even though they had booked it well in advance. AT really had to scramble to get alternative lodging, which they did at their expense. We stayed at Vuma Hills Camp, which was nice. I really enjoyed Mikumi (lots of eles, good waterhole viewing, etc.) and would recommend it for those travelers who might want to travel by road from Dar through Mikumi to Ruaha. I always enjoy going through the countryside and seeing the villages, farmland, and the everyday life going on around us. We even passed by what appeared to be a Masai funeral procession.

Shaytay, did they refund any money on the AT Ruaha camp since, presumably, you had prepaid for services you didn't receive?

LAleslie, I wouldn't say that we didn't receive any prepaid services. It was just that they had to do some work-arounds, such as for charging the batteries. Drinks weren't part of the included price and we managed to get a few bottles from the store at the ranger station.

Phew, that's good. Go on safari without wine, the horror!

... or G&Ts. Sundowner didn't care much for the G&S (Gin and Sprite.) The tonic finally arrived our last night.

ShayTay, what were the tents like at the Ruaha camp? We plan to spend four nights there and want to be comfortable. I can't imagine a safari without gin & tonic, with lime even better!

Raelond, the tent setups were fine. Here is a link to some photos:
http://www.authentictanzania.com/authenticwildernesscamps.htm
The "stretcher beds" are cots with a small mattress on top. I personally could have used a bit more padding, but I have back problems. None of the other travelers mentioned having any problems with them. If you'd like to contact me directly about any issues, you can e-mail me at divedive99 at aol.com. Then, you can contact David Barker at AT directly and confirm that any problems we may have experienced have been corrected.

Ah, yes, G&Ts, a fine tradition on safaris everywhere...

LAleslie I think I read that you used Expert Africa for your Southern Tanzania trip. How did you find their pricing compared to other companies? I, like you have been to Botswana (2006) and am going to Egypt this March.

Raelond,
Their prices were excellent. In fact, we had another England-based agency price out the same itinerary. Their quote was considerably higher. When we quoted them EA's price (without naming the agency) they couldn't believe it. They worked for days trying to bring down their price to match, but couldn't. They kept insisting we must have been getting some special insider's rate. We didn't.
I was impressed with two things about EA: one, they never suggest a place they haven't been. (We assumed English agencies know this area of Africa better than American ones.) Two, EA agents don't work on commission. Ellie, our contact, really seemed to know her stuff. And their Web site is highly detailed. But the proof is in the pudding, so we'll see when we get there.

As an England based Tanzania specialist i would agree that UK tour operators tend to know their stuff backwards, and certainly in this market, most of us are charging less than rack rate – so the price that you would pay would be less than that of booking with the lodges direct. In the UK there are 3 main players in Tanzania – Expert Africa, Tanzania Odyssey and Africa Travel Resource

I am now considering adding a few days in Selous or Tarrangire. Which park would compliment Katavi and Ruaha?

Personally i would recommend the Selous - much easier to combine with ruaha / Katavi as it is effectively a stop off on the way back to Dar. As well as walking it will also offer you boat safaris which you would not get in Tarangire.
I would look at Lake Manze tented camp (about $400 pp pn) or Selous Safari Camp (about $600 pp pn)

Yes, Selous would make sense to do with the other southern/western parks. What we did was drive to Mikumi, then drove on to Ruaha. From there, we flew to Katavi. That might also be an option. Mikumi is bisected by a major road, but we saw lots of wildlife there, especially elephants. We also enjoyed the drives through the countryside and villages. If you plan to fly everywhere, however, then Selous might be a better choice because of the river.

Climhighsleeplow (Eben) indicated he thought Beho Beho in the Selous was fantastic. I'm glad, since that where we decided to stay. It's not on the river, but is at a cooler elevation (though I'm not sure how hot it will be there in August), with great views, and away from the other camps, which are mostly on the river. Also our agent thought it had top flight guiding.

I have stayed at them all - and Beho Beho is definitely the nicest lodge in the Selous - though at $875 pp pn it is not cheap (though there is a 4 for 3 deal going on at the moment.) Great rooms, great guiding and a very private location. Boat trips they do on a nearby lake since it is not a river fronting camp

Tanztourop,

Since you've stayed at lots of places, what would you say offers best wildlife viewing for the best price, if luxury did not matter for:

Mahala
Katavi
Ruaha

That's assuming someone was going to all 3 in one trip in Aug or Sept.

Thanks!

Personally think the joy of all the southern Parks is that they offer good game viewing without the crowds. In a sense of absolute numbers then nothing really beats the Serengeti when the migration is there, but it is hard to escape the hoards in the north and you are far more restricted on what you can do (ie generally no walking etc)

Of the 4 parks in the South / West:

Mahale is great but only for chimps (and a great beach!) – it is not a safari location as such

Katavi is wonderful in the summer months – especially good for buffalo and lion (and thus lion hunting buffalo), though Tsetses can be a pain. Given the cost of getting there it is easily the most private of the parks and I have had some amazing safaris in Katavi

Ruaha I love as it has the big African vistas and scorched earth which people tend to associate with an African park. Great game, especially if you use one of the more established camps which are in a better game area than the new-comers.

Selous is the most touristy of the parks, especially in recent years as more and more lodges have opened there – even Serena are there now. But with the Rufiji river running through it is a great contrast to the other parks. No cheetah, but good lion and pretty good for wild dogs too

Obviously hard to say much about them all in a couple of lines, my advice would be to combine them all as they are all so different (money permitting !)

Thanks for your comments, TTop. May I call you TTop?

My question of "what offers the best..." was entirely too imprecise.

I should have asked what camps/lodges/accommodations offer the best wildlife viewing in each of these parks for the price, if luxury does not matter.

What do you think of Flycatchers for good locations, good guiding, and good pricing?

Tanzaniatouroperator, thanks for all the great info. I have now decided to go to Selous, Ruaha, Katavi and Mahale. What do you mean by "if you use one of the more established camps" in Ruaha. What camp(s) would you recommend in Selous.

Lynn I have decided against using Flycatchers. I may have to go late July/early August or late September/early October as the school district I work for is looking at changing the school calendar for 2011 and I may be teaching come August 15 of that year.

No problem.
For best game in Ruaha I would look at Mwagusi which is in a great game area (as opposed to say Jongomero which is more luxurious but has worse game). For Selous I have had great game in all the camps so no great preference from a game perspective – however I would stay at Beho Beho (especially since they are offering a 4th night for free) since it is such an amazingly wonderful lodge. Unless of course you want a river frontage then I would look at Selous Safari Camp or Sand Rivers Selous.
And at Katavi I prefer the cheaper Katavi Wildlife (Foxes camp) vs the more expensive Chada (nomads camp) as it is in a much better game area (the herds tend to be where Katavi wildlife camp is situated)
I don’t know if you want to see video of all these lodges and areas, but if you do please see http://www.tanzaniaodyssey.com/video-console/tanzania-odyssey-video.htm
Hope this helps !

Right across from Foxes Wildlife Camp in Katavi is the Flycatchers camp and "just around the corner" facing the plains is Katuma Camp, where we stayed. Katuma was well run and quite nice... huge tents. They have a resident ele that came for a visit while we were at lunch one day. We ducked under one of the tent platforms as Freddie walked by. I had never been that close to an elephant while on foot before! You certainly get a better perspective on the size of an elephant that way.

Raelond, I hope you are given some firm dates so you know when to travel and when not to.

Thanks TTOps and ShayTay for the info.

Of the two periods that you list, Raelond, I'd pick the late July/early August timeframe. We were there in September and the camp managers thought that Katavi and Mahale were better in August... not as hot, then, either. It reached 100 degrees some afternoons and would only get worse towards October.

TTop, that video of all the camps is fantastic, and much more helpful than glossy brochure pix.

pleasure - we do find that these videos help clients decide which camp and area to go to. These are all videos taken by us on a crap camera (we are clearly not video professionals !) but it does give a good idea and is far more real than a brochure shot !

Thanks ShayTay. I wonder how the game viewing would be in July.

I should think it would be really good. Predator Biologist was there in May, I believe, and had great sightings even that early in the season. The chimps in Mahale might be higher up in July as compared to August, though.

Does anyone else have an opinion about Katuma Bush Lodge in Katavi and Kungwe Beach Lodge in Mahale versus Chada in Katavi and Greystoke in Mahale?

Quote Atravelynn

"Pricey yes---but when you are that remote its worth the extra spend. Their guides are the ones who's radios are tapped by the other camps to locate the chimps."


They would tell you that wouldn't they. The park guides are the ones with the information and monitor the Chimps position along with the Japanese research scientists, this is then radioed to all camps not just Greystoke!
What a load of nonsense.
Flycatchers is by far the best value for money.

Katuma also sends out their own tracker and monitors the chimps' location, which is radioed back to Sixtus the guide. I think he is one of the most knowledgeable guides in Mahale. I don't know about Flycatcher's or Greystoke's guides. The guides are important in not only leading you to the chimps, but also in their understanding of the chimps and also their relationship with the rangers and researchers.

Load of nonsense, gotcha, duckduck. Thank you.

But looks like Katuma sends out their own person. Do you think that's an advantage? Kind of like your own chimp concierge.

Just wondering. I'm sure Raelond is too.

That's good Lynn - you made me laugh!

Hiya, we have stayed in Mahale & katavi on several occasions.. Katuma is a great camp! dont know much about the other camps so cant help there...
In Mahale, we have always stayed at Kungwe Beach Lodge, it was recently refurbished (again) and is really stunning, the tents are simple, but comfortable with everything you need.

The managers and staff are great & the food really good too

I agree with ShayTay on the guides though, at Kungwe Sixtus is their head guide & he is fantastic. He has a passion for the chimps and have trekked them for over 8years, he is highly respected even by the neighbouring camp guides & the rangers.
Together with their tracker that they send out each day, they dont only trek the chimps but as he as been in the Park for so many years, he also seems to understand their behaviour & movements very well.
I also believe this same company is also opening a new lodge in Serengeti this year & because of that have huge discounts on their rates for all their camps for 2010 - we are hoping to go again late July..
Hope this helps!

Duck Duck

Let me explain my experience to give you perspective since you have editorialized it as "nonsense". When I was there and staying at Greystoke, our guides were literally followed by another camp which created a very tense situation. When our guides up the mountain sent us one way off we went and three minutes later they were right behind us.There is definitely no sense of comraderie between the different camps. The "Japanese Scientist" wasn't there that week but there was a previous group that had been there a month before and said the "scientist" was invasive, annoying to the chimps and an overal train wreck. Hardly practicing the type of research that we could be proud of. When we climbed the hill, our guides were followed and indicated that they have been so for months. They send a few people up the hill early in the morning for tracking and don't rely on anyone. Back to the question--if you have the money there is no better lodge in the area than Greystoke. Unparalleled accomodations and a stunning beach location. Take a cruise on their boat or go fishing or stroll the beach. You can't go wrong with the location period for any of the camps. But the experience at Greystoke cannot be duplicated.

Hold on, everyone.

Unless anyone here has actually stayed at more than one camp in Mahale (on more than one occasion) you are hardly an authority on the place and the lodging!

Having stayed at more than one camp in Mahale, I can give you a few facts:

1. The chimp experience takes up about 2-4 hours each morning depending on their location at your hiking time. There are many hours left to fill each day so you have to consider this when choosing a camp.

2. Often you may reach the chimps early but then you have to wait in line as another group or two may be ahead of you. This eats up time hence the 4 hours guestimate above.

3. Chimps can be found anywhere. They are not always in a single group so you may run into two males on a path while on your way to see a bigger family. So you stop and do your hour with the two chimps while other trek groups may be with other chimp groups.

4. Chimps move fast! Trek group 1 finds a family and after 15 minutes the chimps run off uphill at a pace that is too fast to keep up. So the chimps run into trek group 2 who happens to be on their way to the first sighting! What does trek group 2 do? They watch until the hour is up or until trek group 1 shows up and then as a courtesy will back off so trek group 1 can finish their hour.

5. I had wonderful sightings (at the waterful for example) on a day when all the trek groups had a tough day. No one could keep up with the fast moving chimps and our group decided to go swim at the falls when suddenly the whole family of chimps showed up while we were in the pools! They surrounded us and it was as if the tables were turned. They were watching us instead. A wonderful day with clear views of the whole family on the rocks!

6. On another occasion the chimp family followed us all the way to camp almost. We could not get rid of them! In all we must've had about 3 hours of chimp sightings that day!

7. My point is, the experience is not static and it is rather random. Regardless of who has trackers and who has the best guides, etc, much of the experience cannot be scripted. It is a matter of luck and being at the right place at the right time.

8. Slower trekkers may dictate who arrives at a chimp sighting first. Also camp location versus chimp location. If the chimps are towards the river mouth (near the hippos), then coming from Flycatcher camp will take a long time to reach them. If the chimps are near the waterfall or research station then Greystoke will have a longer hike.

9. Staying at the most expensive camp does not guarantee better sightings nor a better chimp experience. I experienced that first-hand. But there are other factors that make a camp better than others - Mahale is very hot and you have many down hours each day. The more expensive camps are certainly more convenient and may have more activity options. It depends on what you want.

10. I found the two local rangers who guided me while staying at a cheaper camp to be very good. They were eager to share their knowledge of the chimps and had no axe to grind with any camp or guide. It wasn't about which camp is tracking and which camp is not. It was just about the chimps and the forest and I learned a lot.

11. Do not underestimate the role of the camp managers. A few years ago one of the expensive camps had a manager who were, let's say, a bit abrasive... I will leave it at that. So your experience miles may vary depending on the camp manager at the time of your visit.

12. Lastly. Take what you read in internet forms with a grain of salt. The amount of nonsense out there is unbelievable.

See my map here: http://www.go-safari.com/Mahale/mahale.htm
Note, I saw chimps in areas other than my map indications. That was just an example.

Agree with climphighsleeplow about the chimps & the trekking. Have stayed in Mahale over six times, and have seen this on many occasions. One particular time at Kungwe one member of our group stayed behind at camp.
That day we trekked the chimps for over 7hours (this was in early July) and only got to see 4 chimps. Then the camp called in by radio to say there were over 12 chimps in camp! She got to watch them, on her own, in the camp for over 2 hours! eventually all groups from Greystoke, Kungwe and Flycatchers were racing to the camp to see the chimps... just another example of how the tables can turn.

But I still must say, I have also stayed at Greystoke (only once though) I still prefer the guides from Kungwe - they seem to me more knowledgable.. but,at the end of the day each has their preference and its all about how much money you are willing to spend.
At either camp you will get a great chimp experience, good food & the staff are all friendly.
I have to say though, that just to have a nicer room, (& alcohol included versus no alcohol inclusive) I cannot find a good reason to pay the price at Greystoke if i can have the same experience at one of the other camps at half the price!

Thanks for the personal experiences.

raelond, dont know much about Ruaha (except that is is really stunning & def worth the trip!) so cant help there.
Katavi - as mentioned by everyone above there is Nomad, Flycatchers, Foxes & Katuma (one other I cannot remember the name!)
Choosing wont be too complicated, game viewing in Katavi is great & think you will have a good experience with either of the guides from the above camps.
Flycatchers - have good prices, but here were talking basic
Foxes & Katuma - these two camps compete very close & this might be difficuilt to choose.. Foxes I think have very good rates but Katuma's tents are bigger & nicer! & dont think there is a huge difference in price here
Nomad - high end so this you would probably choose if you can afford the prices!!

Although Foxes offers fligts also, they dont have a camp in Mahale so in the end it would work out better for you to choose between Fly, Katuma, Nomad.. (not sure though if flycathcer will be open this season as this camp did not open last)
Mahale is beautiful and a must for the trip - unforgetable experience.
With regards to the chimps, I can assure you, you are going to get a great trek & experience at either of the 3 camps in this park - Fly, Kungwe or Greystoke.
All of these have good guides & go out with Park Rangers who know these chimps like the back of their hands.
Everyone will ofcourse vouch for their favourite, which is great, but like mentioned, the chimps move over large areas & they move fast - the trekking is random & can happen to be a good or bad sighting with either of their guides.

Now here I also want to add - this is not ALWAYS the case during June/July as then the trekking is tough, as the chimps are not that vocal as food is scarse, then its up to the trekkers & guides to decide where to look & to go. There is very experienced rangers that assist with ALL guides in the park, but people mentioned here like Sixtus from kungwe - he is really good at reading their travelling patterns & this is where the difference comes in...
Nomad - like mentioned, high end and here you definitely get what you pay for, but trust me - you pay!!
Kungwe - Mid range good service & staff & 1 very good guide!
Flycatcher - Basic, but also good staff & a great manager

At the end of the day, Katavi & Mahale is beautiful and you will have a great time, no matter where you stay, its all up to just how comfortable you want to be, and much you are willing to pay!

One other thing - flights..
If you book at Nomad, they also arrange your flights Katavi & Mahale, but dont have schedules to Ruaha.
If you book with Mbali Mbali (Katuma & Kungwe) they can also arrange your flights Katavi & Mahale not Ruaha
If you book Flycatchers, or another camp in Katavi & fly at Mahale, you need to check on the flights here as sometimes Flycather clients come into Mahale on different days so you might end up with a night extra or short,,, you can always book your accom with them & the flights with someone else.
Foxes also does flights Katavi, Mahale and also to Ruaha but here I am not sure if your gonna pay Private or Shared charter prices, perhaps check on that as you can save more with the shared..
Which ever camps you decide to stay at, you can always book seperate flights with either of the above, perhaps enquire.
Hope this helps!

"Flycatchers - have good prices, but here were talking basic"

Can we talk about their guiding? That's what matters to me.

An "extra night" at Mahale so 3 chimp visits are possible might work out perfectly.

These extras or shortages are known at the time of booking, though, right? Not after you are there and suddenly your itinerary changes due to flight changes? Am I correct?

If you stay in Katuma and Kungwe, you can still stay in Ruaha and reach them without any trouble. We flew from Ruaha to Katuma, onward to Kungwe, then back across Tanzania to Dar, stopping in Katavi and Ruaha (two places in Ruaha, as a matter of fact.) There are enough flights to get you to any camp at any park and you don't have to be staying in the air carrier's camps to do so.

travel_kbl, you noted "(not sure though if flycathcer will be open this season as this camp did not open last)" Are you talking about the 2009 season? Their camps were open in both Katavi and Mahale (saw them both with guests in attendence.)

Atravelynn, I think Flycatchers safaris originate in Arusha. Most of the other air carriers/camps operate out of Dar and go across southern Tanzania through Ruaha, etc. I don't know if one or the other origination point is better, other than there are more international flight options into Dar than there are to Kilimanjaro Airport.

Yes, the guiding is important. We had great guides and experienced camp managers at both Mbali Mbali camps (Katuma and Kungwe.) As previously noted, Sixtus at Mahale was an excellent guide and seemed to think like a chimp, anticipating their moves. He also understood their communications and translated them for us.

I appreciate all the feedback. I think Katuma in Ruaha and Kungwe in Katavi are the camps I am most interested in. I would spend 4 nights at Mahale which should give me 3 chimp treks. I think the experience at Mahale will be amazing regardless of where I stay.

Kungwe and Katuma look good but I just read disturbing information on Tripadvisor about the camp owners. Search for the posts from user noexpert. Apparently they also own a big hunting company with concessions in Tarangire behind their Tarangire River Camp.

I will not book with them.

According to the camp managers, Mbali Mbali's owners are trying to transition out of the hunting business. If the photo safari camps do well, then no more hunting.

I kind of like the Arusha starting point for Flycatchers and would see it as a plus.

Thanks for sharing that important distinction.

Mbali Mbali is setting up a camp in the Serengeti and also owns Tarangire River Camp, so they are doing the same wuth their air carrier Zantas (out of Arusha.) They have a Selous camp planned, as well, so they may expand their routes to include all those points.

gilsomenni, I have been looking for 2days now and cannot find a post from noexpert where there is disturbing info on the above 2 lodges mentioned.And which has immediatly convinced you to write on this site not to book with them..
Forgive me for being naive, perhaps give us the link so we can also see what it is you heave read?

Gilsomenni I would also like to know more about the "disturbing information" you are referring to.

Does anyone have thoughts about Lake Manze Camp or Sand River in Selous.

I do not know how to post links here but just search for hunting or hunting tours in Tanzania on Tripadvisor and you can read all about it. The posts are recent and look legitimate but please form your own opinions.

I have afeeling that you are omitting a very nice kind of accomodation found these parks, The bandas they avery very nice , i used them when i was on safari very nice and i have pictures

Some questions for you Kisinger:


1. In Mahale, did you go chimp tracking from the bandas several times and were you given an equal priority in viewing the chimps as those staying at the high end accommodations?

2. Were the bandas self catering or was there a kitchen staff or did you travel with a chef?

3. If you flew there, was there transport to the bandas in Mahale? For the other S. Tanz camps, if you flew there, how was guiding arranged?

4. In Mahale, were you able to do anything on the water from the bandas? Some places offer snorkeling, maybe kayaking?

5. In Katavi and Ruaha, how would you describe the location of the bandas for wildlife viewing?

6. Was there a ground operator you worked with and how was the guiding provided by that ground operator?

7. As a solo traveler (willing to join a group) who would be going for 12-16 days on the ground, what suggestions would you have for me to incorporate bandas as my lodging in Mahale, Katavi, Ruaha?

Thanks Kisinger and please add anything else about your S. Tanz trip that you think would be helpful. I'm sure others would appreciate your comments too.

Please include any photos of the accommodations and your overall trip. You can put in a link to any photo site--Kodak Gallery, Snapfish, etc.

Staying at the Babdas is far much better i think because the tracking is done by the ranger on duty at the bandas who is answerable direct to the park authorities

When we arrived with MV.Liemba in the morning we were met on arrival by the Tanapa boat that our outfitter had booked, we were transfered to the park offices for parkfees payment and then later transfered to the bandas.

We had a freeday to relax abit as it wasnt nice time then to go for the tracking and had to go to the beach

The next morning we went for the tracking with the Tanapa Guide who am sure had information of where they are and when we were at the watching site i saw how preveledged we were even those from the exensive accomodations came later to where we were as i think those guys who keep watch of where the chimps have over night at last give information to the park authorities who told our guild where to exactly go and where they are heading. We stayed in Mahale 4 Days and we in all 3 Days we attempted saw them even to an extend we decieded to do the Nkungwe hiking

The bandas are not self catering, we bought food in Katavi and carried to the bandas, given utensils at the bandas and we have staff whom we could hire for our cooking or even sometimes cooked our own food



We didnt flew there we used the strategic Mv. Liemba (A much-loved feature of Lake Tanganyika is the MV Liemba, which has been ferrying passengers and cargo up and down the lake once a week for over eighty years. Originally christened the Graf von Götzen (after a former governor of German East Africa), the 1300-tonne steamship was constructed in Germany in 1913, then cut apart and transported by train from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma in the early stages of World War I, where she was reassembled for use as an armed troop transport. In June 1916 the ship was bombed by Belgian aircraft but escaped with light damage. However, when the British took control of the Central Line Railway the following month, the Germans scuttled the ship at the mouth of the Malagarasi River south of Kigoma rather than have her fall into enemy hands. The Graf von Götzen remained submerged for eight years until, following an unsuccessful effort by the Belgians in 1921, the British finally salvaged the vessel in March 1924 and renamed her the MV Liemba, after the lake's original name.
Any journey on the MV Liemba (or the MV Mwongozo for that matter) is a memorable one – gorgeous sunsets over Congo's eastern highlands, and the frenetic activity that erupts in the port villages along the way whenever the ferry arrives: the ferry drops anchor offshore, with passengers, luggage and cargo carried to and from land in small lighters, invariably eliciting chaotic scrambles as people jostle to get on or off.)we arrived in the morning and we were met by Tanapa boat and tranfered to the bandas so the guiding was organised by our outfitter through the park authorities


We did snorkerling and the other activities are also sold from there

I am sure of the Bandas in Katavi which are situated in a place just afew Kilometres from the park headquaters, The Building are just very excutive, sefcontained and catering is self also here
there is an option where you can pay for the meals and you get the meal from the chef's resinding here, in our case we paid to the chefs and got our three meals daily

We went through a ground operator Lipi Adventure company that was in 2007, i knew this operator through travel forums thats bootsnails here is the link below
http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/07-07/why-i-should-keep-quiet-about-the-mahale-and-katavi-national-parks-of-western-tanzania-africa.html

The guiding was exceptional, i requested Hussein to join us to make this safari doable and it went excellent, i can still see they are doing well in the western circuit as i can see in this forum some one Jacos went recently and he was seccesiful at last
http://www.fodors.com/community/africa-the-middle-east/doing-the-serengeticrater-in-tanzania-is-it-overkill-to-do-masai-mara.cfm

Am sure you cant get joiners in Mahale and Katavi, this places are unique may be Ruaha, what i saw is people whom they came together from the original dastination and not people hooking up from Tanzania

Am not so much used to posting pictures in forums you can may be send me an email i can attach them for you
here is my e-mial
vaughnkisinger957@googlemail.com

I hope my information will be useful to you

Regards
Kisinger

Thank you for the detailed response Kisinger!

"Am sure you cant get joiners in Mahale and Katavi, this places are unique may be Ruaha, what i saw is people whom they came together from the original"

Thanks for this realistic observation. That's a problem when you are one person who is not comfortable doing a solo self drive.

When I search for low cost group trips to this region I always come up empty handed.

How nice your trip worked out so well!

My own personal experience based on a Sept 2011 trip: Flycatchers was terrific.

"• travel_kblon Jan 31, 10 at 9:20am

Flycatchers - have good prices, but here were talking basic"


I'm not sure what more I would have wanted at Flycatchers--The tents were spacious, 9 x 12 sturdy tents with attached ensuite western loo and shower that had warm flowing water upon request. Warm water was delivered in a pitcher each morning. Warm water all the time in Mahale. Comfortable bed, not a cot. Great food. Friendly and attentive staff. My guides--the most important part of the trip--were wonderful. Location was wonderful.

Nothing was lacking in my opinion.

Oh yeah, one more thing...I doubt any other camp can match the Q-tip supply of Flycatchers. There were 50-100 of 'em in a nice little dispenser at all the camps. My ear canals never were so clean!

In all seriousness, I loved Flycatchers.