psupam

Would appreciate any comments on our itinerary, lodgings, etc to Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar.
Day 1 - Arrive Nairobi, Safari Park hotel overnight
Day 2 - Flight to Masai Mara, Mara Simba Lodge
Day 3 - Masai Mara, Mara Simba Lodge
Day 4 - Flight to Nairobi, transfer to Arusha, Mountain Village Lodge
Day 5 Lake Duluti, Lake Manyara, Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
Day 6 - Serengeti, Serengeti Serena Lodge
Day 7 - Serengeti, Serengeti Serena Lodge
Day 9 - Olduvai Gorge, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
Day 10 - Back to Arusha, flight to Zanzibar, Serena Inn Stone Town
Day 11 - Serena Inn Stone Town
Day 12 - Serena Inn Stone Town
Day 13 - Flight to Nairobi, Return to US

It looks like 9 game drives. I count an all day game drive as 2. They priced this @ 3,800 USD per person through Africa Safari Direct. Part of this is shared; however, some of it is private. We are friends travelling together and we would kill each other if we were alone for that whole time so we requested a shared itinerary. This is our first time to Africa and don't know when we will be back so trying to experience alot.

Thanks for any comments.

stakerk

what time of year are you going?
moving around quite a bit, I would spend an extra night in the Mara and cut something in Tanzania.

Suggest get some other quotes for same itinenary. I suggest African Serendipity, Roy's, Southern Cross, and Eastern and Southern.

Kevin from California

sandi

It's Sept in your heading.
As with Kevin, you're doing too much running around and not enough time where you should be.

The Mara deserves at minimum 3/days during Migration.

On Day 4 - Flight to Nairobi, but how to Arusha? Drive or Fly? If drive you won't be down there till late afternoon.

I'd visit Tarangire (instead of Lk. Manyara) as they have a mini-migration here with lots of elephants.

And, if going to ZNZ, 3/dy in Stone Town maybe overkill where it's hot/humid with tight fitting building, narrow roads, most for walking only; visitors here choose this for R&R after bumping around the roads while on safari (2-3/days) and 1/day Stone Town.

You're traveling high season, so prices will match, but if this is much a set itinerary (for a portion shared with others) don't know how much modification you can do.

But, would definitely add another day in the Mara and take time from ZNZ, especially in Stone Town.

Good luck.

aby

hi psupam

i agree to the others' suggestions
in other words - why not reconsider Serengetti ??
The action would be at Mara the northern part of the same ecosystem.
Skip Serengeti, save driving, time (& maybe some disappoitment)

aby

MyDogKyle

I can't give you first-hand experience since I have not been on my safari yet, but I have recently spent a lot of time planning a September 2007 trip to Kenya and Tanzania. Based on what our operators suggested, I agree that you should add more time to the Mara if you can. Our Tanzania operator (Green Footprint) also suggested we spend time in Tarangire that time of year rather than the Serengeti, since more of the "action" is likely to be in the Mara and we'll be there earlier in the trip. There are other posts on this board that seem to back these suggestions up.