TucanCosta2009

As I plan a Safari for a 10 day trip in August time frame (first 2 weeks) I wonder if I should just stay in Tanzania in the Northern Serengeti and skip Masai Mara for expense and logistics or not. Should I just add more nights in N. Serengeti and other places like crater and Tarangrie areas?

Thoughts anyone?

Marija

We were in the Maasai Mara and the Northern Serengeti in early September and the game viewing was MUCH better in the Mara, though we enjoyed both. I'm so glad the wise Fodorites told us to go to the Mara. That's one of the best pieces of advice I've gotten on fodors!

Patty

You'd have to spend a good part of a day to travel from the Serengeti to the Mara or vv so I'd probably stick with one country if you only have 10 days. Have you considered just Kenya?

TucanCosta2009

Patty - To answer your question we have not just looked at Kenya probably because of the places and names are more familiar to me for Tanzania. Right or wrong that is what I was looking at.

When I said 10 days I meant excluding travel days from USA and out so that is 10 in country just to clarify. I will we could all just cross the border - it would be so much easier then back tracking etc.

TucanCosta2009

I was wanting to say I wish we could border cross to make it easier. Sorry about that. Not even spell check would have helped me out with that one.

sandi

Tanzania, the northern Serengeti, with few properties and those that are mostly in the lux-category, is more expennsive than the Mara. For early August, I'd stick with a Kenya itinerary.

TucanCosta2009

Sandi do you mean as Patty suggested an entire Kenya safari or adding Mara?

sandi

Can't provide specific answer unless you let us know what your preliminary thoughts are?

- Are you considering either Tanzania or Kenya?

- Are you planning Tanzania and wanting to know whether you should head to N. Serengeti or to the Mara?

Just better to provide as much info in initial post, so we know posters thought process.

atravelynn

10 days in Africa in August

Kenya only

1 NBO area--Sheldrick, etc

2-3 Samburu--variety of accommodations

4-5 Mt. Kenya--Sweetwaters

6 Nakuru--Lion Sarova Lodge

7, 8, 9, 10 Maasai Mara--variety of accommodations

I am looking at something similar for Aug of the following year.


Tanzania and Mara

1 Arusha National Park--variety of accommodations

2-3 Crater--I prefer Sopa

4 Serengeti Seronera area--variety of accommodations

5, 6 No. Serengeti (maybe add another night here if you stay only 1 night in crater) mostly mobiles or tented camps

7 Fly back to JRO and fly to NBO

8, 9, 10 Maasai Mara


Only Tanzania

1 Arusha National Park--variety of accommodations

2-3 Tarangire--variety of accommodations

4 Manyara (not at its peak but helps with driving. Hippo pool is always good--variety of accommodations

5 Serengeti Seronera area--variety of accommodations

6, 7, 8 No. Serengeti (maybe add another night here if you stay only 1 night in crater) mostly mobiles or tented camps

9, 10 Crater--I prefer Sopa


Is there a reason you prefer to travel to TZ over Kenya? Are there certain animals you wish to see? Is the migration a must for you?

TucanCosta2009

atravelynn - Some great ideas for me. I agree with about 1 day in Lake Manyara area and another 2-3 days in Tarangire at Oliver's or there was another I had in mind. For Crater I was targeting Sopa and could see no more then 2 if I were going to do Tanzania.

Sandi we are looking at catching some phase of the migration. I think the name recognition of Serengeti and crater were what triggers to mind Tanzania. I never did consider a Kenya only but am now thinking about it.

If I do go to Masai Mara area it will be for a min of 3 days just because of the hassle factor. My real preference is 10 min days in country and up to 12 if budget will allow.

Goals are big 5 and other animals as well - we like all kinds. No beaches, no villages, just the animals is what I am after on this 1st and probably only Safari.

atravelynn

If you could eek out 12, that's a 20% increase in time and then you could do:

Tanzania and Mara

1 Arusha National Park (probably flying or driving from NBO)--variety of accommodations

2-3 Tarangire

4 Crater

5 Serengeti Seronera area--variety of accommodations

6, 7, No. Serengeti

8 fly back to JRO and I think you can get to NBO that night, if not early the next day

9 10 11 12 Mara

For Big 5, the tricky ones are rhino and leopard.
Rhino are in the crater in TZ and Nakuru and Sweetwaters (almost a sure thing there) in Kenya and live near other accommdations in the Laikipia area of Kenya.

Leopard can be anywhere but seeing them is unpredictable. Probably Seronera part of Serengeti is best bet. Sometimes in the Mara. Samburu is pretty good.

The most variety of animals would be a Kenya safari that included Samburu for the unique northern species of zebra, giraffe, ostrich, and a couple of antelope; Sweetwaters for chimps (not wild, Jane Goodall sanctuary) and rhino; and Aberdare for Colobus monkeys, maybe even a Giant Forest Hog.

cary999

FWIW, if <b>all</b> of the big five are what you want, go to Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa. (As lynn mentions, rhino and leopard are a bit tricky in Kenya and TZ). Specifically, camp MalaMala, Sabi Sand Reserve, is one of the favorites around here.

Your first safri, right?
For my first safari (2005) to Africa I told my travel agent I wanted to see - the big five, up close and personal, and often. MalaMala worked for that big time.

If you already know this and want to go to Kenya, well, never mind. . . .

regards - tom

TucanCosta2009

Well if we don't see the Big 5 it isn't the end of the world. Its a goal I have. If we see a lot of other animals and some predators in action then I will be happy. Heck being on Safari sure beats the hell out of working so any moment in the trip beats the alternative hands down.

cary999

We've been to Kenya once, Sept 2006, five nights at Little Governors Camp, Maasai Mara. Loved it want to go back. Saw a lot of animals, but no leopards nor rhino. Which was ok. The cheetah, lions, wildebeest crossing and more, more than made up for that. Here's my Fodors trip report if you'd like - http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...4&tid=34881694
(Also includes Kruger, MalaMala and Zambia. Kenya was/is last).

One of the things I like most about Kenya, Maasai Mara, is its classical African grassland savanna terrain. Like in the movies. While South Africa Sabi Sand is the more rough "bushveld" terrain. Although still open and fine for game viewing.

Being on safari not only beats the hell out of working it also beats the hell out of retirement !!!!! Well, except for the rigors of getting there and back

regards - tom

sandi

With the exception of the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, you can get much the same game experiences in Kenya and with August being migration-time in the Mara... I'd stick manly with Kenya. You can arrive Kilimanjaro (JRO) Tanzania and depart for home from Nairobi (NBO) Kenya, as:

Assuming a mostly driving itinerary to keep costs down; flights only for the longest distances.

Day 1 - Arv Kilimanjaro/JRO for - o/n in Arusha
Day 2 - Drive to Tarangire - elephant experience, predators, other game and baobab landscape - o/n
Day 3 - Tarangire - o/n
Day 4 - Drive to Ngorongoro; afternoon crater tour - o/n
Day 5 - Ngo - morning crater tour; drive to JRO; fly to Nairobi (JKIA) - o/n
Day 6 - NBO - sightseeing in morning; drive to Nanyuki for stay at Sweetwaters; Jane Goodall Chimp sanctuary; night game drives - o/n
Day 7 - Drive to Lake Nakuru; flamingoes, other birdlife, rhino sanctuary - o/n
Day 8 - Drive to Masai Mara - o/n
Days 9 & 10 - Masai Mara - o/n
Day 11 - Drive or Fly to NBO; day-room; transfer to JKIA for homebound.

This would be a private safari throughout, own vehicle/guide.

Can't guarantee the leopard, but most everything else is a good bet. Hope this helps.

MyDogKyle

We had 10 days in Kenya followed by 10 days in Tanzania, but if I was forced to choose between the 2 and had only 10 days total, I would choose Kenya. In that amount of time we saw a greater variety of landscapes and animals. I love rhinos, so seeing them close-up in both Sweetwaters and Lake Nakuru was a highlight. We did see one rhino in the Crater too, but it was very far away on the crater's slope. For the time of year we were there (late Sept/early Oct) we chose to concentrate on the Mara and skipped the Serengeti.

Having said that, I like Sandi's latest suggestion a lot, if you want to keep the Crater in there and see some of both countries. And I loved Tarangire, especially for elephants. This looks like a good solution, if you don't mind the expense of the transportation between countries and the extra visa costs.

Patty

I agree that you'd likely see a greater variety of species on a northern and southern Kenya itinerary vs a northern Tanzania only or northern Tanzania and Mara itinerary.

TucanCosta2009

These are all great suggestions and I am so very appreciative of them. Thank you everyone for your time and advice. Sandi I am liking the last itinerary you sent. This may be a great compromise to my dilemma

sandi

There are so many options, but with limited time you have to decide what are the "must sees" vs "I'd like" along with when traveling. As the saying goes... "can't fill a 5/lb bag with 10/lbs of stuff" (that's not the real last word of the saying, but you get the drift) Glad to help!

spassvogel

I would like to add the leopard sightings close to TALEK gate in the Massai Mara were exceptionally good - not only one year but 3 in a row.
Furthermore there is an almost "resident" leopardess close to Kicheche Mara camp which has been raising her litters there for 4 consecutive years now.
Rhino is excellent in Meru where they gave a black rhino sanctuary. White rhino can be visited also close to Kicheche Main camp!

www.kicheche.com

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Happy Planning!

SV