ddlovestravel

Hi --- I'm brand new to this forum but have been reading some information, opinions, etc. I want to go to Tanzania in June and have a friend who traveled with 2Afrika (NOT go2Afrika or other like names -- note spelling of Afrika) http://www.2afrika.com/
She recommends them but I would like to get other feed back, since their prices seem to be lower than some I have seen. Anyone else travel with this company ?

atravelynn

Here is the good, bad, and ugly on 2Afrika.

June is a good time for Tanzania.

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34916328

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34690692

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34645330

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34663305

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34662967

ddlovestravel

atravelynn:
thanks for the notations of earlier posts for 2Afrika ! It is soooo hard to know when you are getting a good travel agent, etc. I have looked at the info you referred to --- still hope there may be some newer inputs on this company ! Nice to know that June is a good time to go also. Thanks

atravelynn

Other agents that have been used successfully by Fodorites

These are Tanzania specialsits...
Green Footprints
Thomsons

Africa Specialisits that do frequent Tanzania trips...
Good Earth
Eastern & Southern Safaris. They did have and may still have an ad on Fodors
Africa Adventure
ATR (Africa Travel Resource)

Geelong2007

If you havent yet decided on an operator go and buy a guide book to Tanzania choose a few from those that are reccom. in that book and email them your itinerary
then post it on this board for input and ideas about pricing, lodges etc

sandi

June is a good time to visit Tanzania, but space is booking quickly. Not to rush on a decision for a tour operator, but something of which to be aware.

Looked at the 2Afrika Tanzania itinerary, where they indicate Lobo Lodge. For travel in June, this lodge is not in an ideal location. As suggested, post whatever itinerary/ies you are considering so comments/advise can be given.

Calo

Sandi, I assume you mean that space is booking quickly for June 2007, not June 2008?

ddlovestravel

Sandi ---- why do you say Lobo Lodge is not good location for June ?

the itinerary is at http://www.2afrika.com - the affordable Tanzania Safari and am considering the June 10 date. I have checked other operators and 2Afrika seems to have the best prices for a 13 day trip.

Geelong2007

check to make sure it is exactly what you want as it seems to be only 8.5 days of actual safari the rest is travel time
Lobo Wildlife Lodge is a bit further than Seronera about(80kms) but is nice
however the wildlife in large number is not always there

atravelynn

I’m sure Sandi will respond to your Lobo question, but here is one more opinion.

In June you want to be further west to see the migration. Lobo is in the north. Seronera would be better than Lobo because the central region of the Serengeti is never bad. Ikoma is northeast I believe and not a good location for June.

Here is an explanation and a diagram of the migration
http://www.africadreamsafaris.com/na...serengeti.html

http://www.ultimateafrica.com/Wildebeest_migration.html

The other shortcoming of the itinerary is only 1 night in Tarangire. That seems to be a rush and lots of road driving to spend only one night for Tarangire game driving.

The rest of the itinerary looked fine. It is good that three nights are allotted to the Serengeti, but they are not positioned well. The lodges/camps in the path of the Serengeti migration cost more, so housing you away from the action is a way for 2Afrika to cut costs.

sandi

Yes, June 2007, not 2008.

Lobo is located in the northeast area of the Serengeti, which is better positioning in late Oct - November/early-Dec.

Wildlife Lodge would be the best in the Serengeti/Seronera area; Ikoma would be the alternate, a bit northwest of Seronera, but if the herds move early can be in/around here.

Early June game can be anywhere - zebras can be south, wildies can be in central... some may be moving west. Remember, the zebra lead the herd, eating the higher grasses; then come the Wildies eating the lower grasses... and the Tommies/other antelope follow. Of course, the predators not far behind.

As to 1/dy only Tarangire - for early June this is okay as the grasses are still high which can make it difficult to see smaller game. Elephants and giraffe should not be a problem. But they do show a morning game drive the second morning before heading out to the Crater.

Upon arriving NBO, you have a road transfer to Arusha, Tanzania, so be prepared for a ^+/hr drive before your actual safari commences at Tarangire (2+/hrs from Arusha).

2Afrika offers a good package with air included. Just have to hope they don't make surprised changes prior departure or once in country.

sandi

>>Upon arriving NBO, you have a road transfer to Arusha, Tanzania, so be prepared for a ^+/hr drive before your actual safari commences at Tarangire (2+/hrs from Arusha).<<

... that should read "prepared for a 6+/hr drive....."

atravelynn

ddlovestravel

Does your trip have to include Lobo? I saw three Serengeti accommodations in the itinerary. Lobo would be the least desirable of the three. Do all of the June departures stay at Lobo Lodge? (Lobo is a beautiful lodge and I enjoyed my stay there, but the location is not ideal in June). I believe I saw 3 departures in June. Maybe the June departures do not stay for at least some of your Serengeti nights.

With or without the airfare, the 2Afrika price would be really hard to beat, as you mentioned. It may be worth it to you to sacrifice the best location in the Serengeti for the savings.

The later you go in June, the better the game viewing in Tarangire, because it will be further from the rainy season and more grass will be eaten.

For the Nairobi-Arusha transport, I noticed 2Afrika offered a flight as an alternative to the long road journey. You can compare their subsidized air prices to those on kayak.com and see they are about 60% the true cost. I've done the group shuttle and it was fine.

ddlovestravel

Well --- I have to thank each of you for your replies ---- guess I need to do some more research. How is one supposed to know all this info if you have never been there? I was basically going with the advice of a friend who went this same trip/same company last June and loved it. Maybe you don't miss what you don't know might be better. I also wasn't sure I can afford one of the higher priced companies at this time. We had already planned on taking the option of flying from Nairobi to Arusha and also probably going a day early in order to rest before the actual safari starts. We don't sleep well on planes. As far as changing the itinerary, can you do this --- I assumed it was set by the company and that was that, since we werent' paying for a private safari ! ? I guess what I really need to know - all in all - is this a bad deal from 2Afrika and is it a bad time of year. We were thinking about the 10 June trip because that fits our schedule better ?

sandi

2Afrika provides good prices for their offering.

You just need verify with the company at which lodge you'll be staying in the Serengeti - Lobo, not being the place to stay during June.

atravelynn

“Maybe you don't miss what you don't know...” That is so true and Africa delivers in such an amazing way that even a below average trip would be thrilling.

The extra day plan is a good one, especially if you know you don’t handle night flights well. See if 2Afrika can do it for you. That is not an unusual request.

This itinerary is not a bad deal, just not ideal, if you are at Lobo in June. Those prices are really really low and if you find a trip that stays 3 nights at a better location in the Serengeti, you will pay more.

Even at Lobo in June you will see animals just not the quantity you will elsewhere. Luck is also a factor and you could be very lucky at Lobo.

The later dates in June would be slightly better, but if June 10 fits, then go with it. Notice the price of the trip escalates just slightly as you get later into June. Pricing is a good indicator of best time to go.

rsnyder

We three used 2Afrika for trips to East Africa in 2002 and 2004. If you do a search on my name you should be able to find report at least on the 2004 Tanzania/Kenya one. I will be glad to send electronic copy of one from 2002 and even 2004 if you email me at [email protected]
For both trips to Tanzania we were very pleased with 2Afrika (and Predators Safari Club, their on the ground provider based in Arusha) particularly as we had the same guide both years. It was interesting to note how weather (rains or timing thereof)changed conditions. In 2002 we lucked right into the migration with the basic safari. Two years later practically to the same week in June we missed the migration but still saw plenty of wildebeast and even more elephants and giraffe than in 2002. Still both trips were exciting and different in their own way. In our planning we too noticed costs were quite a bit different than other companies we checked (and also saw vehicles at same lodges as ours, etc). Whether or not we had extra good fortune with 2Afrika as to arrangements (staying with our itin/agenda) or whatever but would travel again with them. We did not use them in 2005 for safari to southern Tanzania as Foxes of Africa was more direct and why add another middleperson, so to speak, to the process. And for trip we have slated for this coming June we again went with Foxes for northern Tanzania as well as easier to deal with just one company. Enjoy the planning but don't tarry too long as accommodations for June might be difficult to come by given the increase in interest in East Africa. Dick

purple

Date: 10/05/2006, 10:46 pm
Jambo everyone We just returned from two weeks in Tanzania and Kenya. This was my dream trip that I have wanted since I was 10 years old. About 40 years of dreaming. Three years of saving and 1 1/2 years of Planning. Was it worth it? If the best would be a 10 and my expectations would be a 15 then I would say this trip was a 20. And one of the reasons was because of the best trip planner I have ever dealt with. I contacted Roys's Safari for a quote on an itinerary and they handed me to Sandy from Africa Serendipity. At first I was doubtful because I wondered why Roy's would hand me off to someone else. So I checked her out and she was legit. So then the endless e-mails back and forth began. And I mean in the beginning, endless. This trip was too important to me, to not ask a million questions. Let me tell you Sandi answered them all and almost immediately. And I would ask long detailed questions about each accomodation, how long it would take to drive from one place to another, what we should wear, tipping, etc. Anything you can think of I asked. Because I normally plan all of our trips myself and handing over to someone else was something that was hard to do. Sandi would answer my questions usually that day, or the next day. She answered them on the weekends, on Holidays. So I decided to go with her because of the attentiveness and the GREAT customer service she gave us. So I sent in my first deposit and thought, well that is probably the end of the great service. But no. She continued one whole year to answer any questions I had and towards the end I sent her 3 pages of last minute questions. All of them she answered with great detail. Many times my husband would read the e-mails and say to me 'I would have told you to go to hell months ago' because of all of the questions. Her suggestions on what parks to visit, how many nights, to do some inter flying instead of all driving, the differences in the lodges/camps were right on the money. Not that she told me where to stay, but she gave me choices and helped with those. She made me feel like I was her only customer. So, in my opinion, if you are ever looking for a trip planner to help you with your first safari or your 5th, she is the person/company to go with.

atravelynn

Purple,
Bet you liked the lilac breasted rollers! Hope you can also post a trip report. Glad everything went so well and the Africa Serendipity and Roys came through in a big way for you.

dd,
Here's Dick Snyder's report from 2004.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34512619

ddlovestravel

ok --- thanks again for all the replies I received on my question about 2Afrika and traveling in June to Tanzania. If anyone else has anything to add, plase do so. Otherwise, considering I don't have travel miles to use and still want to go to Africa, and since 2Afrika has been recommended to me by a friend who went last year, and they are less expensive than some of the others (even if they go to more exciting areas) - I have to go on my gut feeling here! I've had good correspondence with the company so far !

Another question, any recommendations for travel insurance, as far as companies that is, I know I need it.