Serengeti and Ngorongoro in late September?

Old Jun 5th, 2000, 07:35 AM
  #1  
anna
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Serengeti and Ngorongoro in late September?

We are planning a safari to Tanzania in late September/early October. We are a bit unsure though if this is really a good time of year to visit these game reserves? We would love to hear from anyone who visited the parks at that time of year. Any recommendations on where to stay would also be appreciated.
The tour operators we've spoken too so far uses the Serena Lodges or the Sopa Lodges and I think they're of a good standard,but we would like to try out some luxury tented camps as well if there are any in the area.

We've heard that Ngorongoro can get very crowded with minibuses as well and we would like some input whether the same is true of the Serengeti.
 
Old Jun 5th, 2000, 12:42 PM
  #2  
Louise
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Hello - I will try and be a little bit of help to you. We visited Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti in early February. In the Serengeti the migration was there but according to my "Africa's Top Wildlife Countries" book, the migration north begins in May or June. So, in the September/early October time frame you will not see the migrating animals. As to the crater, yes, it can get very crowded. We stopped for lunch around a small lake and there were 35 other vehicles full of tourists doing the same thing. Might not be as bad the time of year you are considering. For accommodations we stayed at the Serengeti Serena and the Ngorongoro Sopa which were both quite lovely. The only tented camp we stayed at was in the Masai Mara and was very nice - I am sure there are some in Tanzania but cannot give info on that. Anything else I might be able to help you with please let me know.
 
Old Jun 6th, 2000, 04:44 AM
  #3  
Myriam
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We have been to Masai Mara (Kenya) early Oct. We have seen lots of game because it had been very dry in the months before. Stayed at Mara Sopa which was OK but also stayed at Amboseli Serena / Nairobi Serena which were better.
 
Old Jun 6th, 2000, 06:58 AM
  #4  
marilyn
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Anna, we were in serengeti in October last year...it was a great time...right before the rains...we stayed at Sopa Lodges which were very nice...but if you want an incredible tented camp experience, try the Serena run Kiriwira Camp..it was absolutely incredible...very luxurious, fabulous food, perfect location...can you believe a cherry wood four poster bed in a tent? Beautifully outfitted bathroom (also cherry wood), etc. etc. I could have stayed there our whole trip...sitting on the veranda of our tent, at sunrise, looking over the serengeti...an almost spiritual experience. if you want more info, post another message.
 
Old Jun 6th, 2000, 07:13 AM
  #5  
anna
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Marilyn,I would love to hear more about your trip! You said you went in October. Did you feel that you were loosing out on game viewing due to a lack of wildlife? I've had so many travel operators tell me that I should either wait until Spring or go further south in Tanzania(Selous and Ruaha)
The Kiriwira Camp I've read about and it is supposed to be spectacular.But,once again,a couple of travel operators adviced me not to go there other than in June when the migration passes by. What's your view?
 
Old Jun 6th, 2000, 07:49 AM
  #6  
marilyn
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i don't know if we were lucky or what...but we saw plenty of game...perhaps there is more at a different time of year, but we were certainly not disappointed in any way...we started our safari at Kiriwira and then traveled on to Serengeti Sopa and then to Ngorongoro Sopa...what we found fascinating was the difference in landscape, plants, etc. in all three places...there were about 30 in our group for the first part of the trip...80 in the last part...we were all in 6 passenger jeeps...it did get a little congested at times (when something special was spotted...then it seemed every tourist jeep in the serengeti descended on the site!) but very often, our jeep and maybe one or two others was all we saw...it may have had something to do with the special interests of our co-passengers...we were fortunate enough to have a woman who is a docent at the Wildlife Way Station here in California and who is very knowledgeable about birds...so we stopped a lot to look and try to figure out what we were looking at! My only regret is that I missed the safari into Ngorongoro (the Tanzania Trots caught up with me...don't forget to take the Pepto Bismol and Lomotil)...my husband went, though, and was stunned by the quantity of wildlife...and the beauty of the crater floor.
Have a wonderful time...it really is the trip of a lifetime.
 

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