Booking with Good Earth?
Jun 27th, 2005, 11:42 AM
#1
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Booking with Good Earth?
we just put a deposit for our trip to Kenya/Tanz with GoodEarth. For those who've traveled with them before, can you tell me what happens next? Out trip is not till NOvember 2005, but I would like to have some physical evidence of our bookings. Do they send you anything by mail? They said we'll have to sign a liability release form. Do we get anything before we leave, or only once we get to Africa? Also, does anyone have any guides they can recommend?
If anyone is curious, here's our itinerary for a private safari:
Nov 10-leave NYC, fly to London
Nov 11 - fly London - Nairobi on BA. Get in late (9pm) and go to Hilton.
Nov 12 - fly to Masai Mara to Little Governor's Camp. Stay 3 night
Nov 15 - Fly back to Nairobi, meet with driver and drive to Amboseli. Stay at Tortilis Camp for 2 nights
Nov 17 - drive to Tarangire. Stay at Tarangire Safari Lodge 2 nights
Nov 19 - drive to Ngorongoro crater and overnight at the Serena (Ngoro)
Nov 20 - drive to Serengeti (stop by at Olduvai) to Migration Camp. Stay 3 nights
Nov 23- fly back to Arusha.
From there, our group splits up (there are 5 of us). 3 are going abck to Nairobi and fly back to US. and two of us are catching an afternoon flight from Arusha to Zanzibar. We haven't booked the Zanzibar portion yet. Looking at staying 3 nights either at Matemwe Bungalows or Matemwe Beach Village and 1 night at the Dhow Palace.
Nov 27 - transfer to Dar. Fly from Dar to NY on BA through London.
Cost for safari portion (everything from Nov 12, excluding the night at the Hilton) and ending in Arusha was $3190 per person. Flight are FF miles. Zanzibar extra.
If anyone is curious, here's our itinerary for a private safari:
Nov 10-leave NYC, fly to London
Nov 11 - fly London - Nairobi on BA. Get in late (9pm) and go to Hilton.
Nov 12 - fly to Masai Mara to Little Governor's Camp. Stay 3 night
Nov 15 - Fly back to Nairobi, meet with driver and drive to Amboseli. Stay at Tortilis Camp for 2 nights
Nov 17 - drive to Tarangire. Stay at Tarangire Safari Lodge 2 nights
Nov 19 - drive to Ngorongoro crater and overnight at the Serena (Ngoro)
Nov 20 - drive to Serengeti (stop by at Olduvai) to Migration Camp. Stay 3 nights
Nov 23- fly back to Arusha.
From there, our group splits up (there are 5 of us). 3 are going abck to Nairobi and fly back to US. and two of us are catching an afternoon flight from Arusha to Zanzibar. We haven't booked the Zanzibar portion yet. Looking at staying 3 nights either at Matemwe Bungalows or Matemwe Beach Village and 1 night at the Dhow Palace.
Nov 27 - transfer to Dar. Fly from Dar to NY on BA through London.
Cost for safari portion (everything from Nov 12, excluding the night at the Hilton) and ending in Arusha was $3190 per person. Flight are FF miles. Zanzibar extra.
Jun 27th, 2005, 12:02 PM
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Hi -- We have booked with them too. Maybe call Narry at their toll-free number and ask him, if you want confirmation in writing other than e-mail?
BTW, we arrive at Migration Camp on the day you leave.
BTW, we arrive at Migration Camp on the day you leave.
Jun 27th, 2005, 12:06 PM
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Yes, i've been speaking with Narry (doesn't everybody
? ) and he's the one who told me about the release form. just wondering if there's anything else.
Just out of curiousity, what is the rest of your itinerary as we'll be there around the same time? do you mind posting how much it was?
thanks
? ) and he's the one who told me about the release form. just wondering if there's anything else.Just out of curiousity, what is the rest of your itinerary as we'll be there around the same time? do you mind posting how much it was?
thanks
Jun 27th, 2005, 01:43 PM
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Sure:
1 nt Kia Lodge
Flight Arusha-Serengeti
3 nts Migration Camp
2 nts Ikoma Tented Camp
3 nts Serengeti Serena Lodge
1 nt Ndutu Lodge
2 nts Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
1 nt Gibbs Farm en route to Lk Manyara
2 nts Swala Tented Camp (Tarangire)
Day room Kia Lodge prior to flight home
Grand total: $3,945 per person for 15 nights.
The price for your itinerary seems good as well.
We were also considering Tarangire Safari Lodge at one point but ultimately decided to splurge and stay at Swala, since it will be our last two nights. In between our first 3 nights at Migration & our last 2 at Swala we wanted a mix; all of our other accommodations are pretty mid-range I think.
Following a recent negative review of Ikoma we are considering substituting Mbuzi Mawe instead which would be a bit more, but haven't quite decided.
We did a lot of research and comparative pricing prior to booking so have my fingers crossed. Others who went with Good Earth had good things to say.
Obviously hoping to catch the migration at the time we're there!
1 nt Kia Lodge
Flight Arusha-Serengeti
3 nts Migration Camp
2 nts Ikoma Tented Camp
3 nts Serengeti Serena Lodge
1 nt Ndutu Lodge
2 nts Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
1 nt Gibbs Farm en route to Lk Manyara
2 nts Swala Tented Camp (Tarangire)
Day room Kia Lodge prior to flight home
Grand total: $3,945 per person for 15 nights.
The price for your itinerary seems good as well.
We were also considering Tarangire Safari Lodge at one point but ultimately decided to splurge and stay at Swala, since it will be our last two nights. In between our first 3 nights at Migration & our last 2 at Swala we wanted a mix; all of our other accommodations are pretty mid-range I think.
Following a recent negative review of Ikoma we are considering substituting Mbuzi Mawe instead which would be a bit more, but haven't quite decided.
We did a lot of research and comparative pricing prior to booking so have my fingers crossed. Others who went with Good Earth had good things to say.
Obviously hoping to catch the migration at the time we're there!
Jun 27th, 2005, 01:51 PM
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that's the plan with Migration camp! hopefully we'll see some migration. if not, i won't be heartbroken. I'm sure there will be so many other interesting animals to see! I like your itinerary - this was a big debate for us. All Tanzaniz or include Kenya. In the end, we went with combo as it's our first trip and I'm sure we'll be back for some more in-depth exploration.
Tarangire Safari Lodge is our way to offset the more expensive parts of the trip, like Migration Camp, Governor's camp, etc.
Tarangire Safari Lodge is our way to offset the more expensive parts of the trip, like Migration Camp, Governor's camp, etc.
Jun 27th, 2005, 05:52 PM
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That's exactly what I thought when I saw your itinerary. Govs is supposed to be fab, and bookending it with Migration sounds perfect.
BTW, we debated about whether to include Kenya in this trip too and ultimately decided (partly due to the fact that we're travelling a bit later in Nov than you are) we'll do a separate "Kenya-only" trip, and do Maasai Mara and Amboseli then. Prob at least a couple years away unfortunately though....
BTW, we debated about whether to include Kenya in this trip too and ultimately decided (partly due to the fact that we're travelling a bit later in Nov than you are) we'll do a separate "Kenya-only" trip, and do Maasai Mara and Amboseli then. Prob at least a couple years away unfortunately though....
