Input requested (please) on Tanzania trip
 

Hi. We are first time to Africa travelers and would love some input on the itinerary suggested to us. It'll be 4 of us (me,hub,2 children in their 20s) on a private tour in March.
Day 1- Arusha activities......Serena Mountain Village
Day 2- Drive to Lake Manyara. Afternoon game drive, dinner,optional evening drive.....Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
Day 3- morning drive in Manyara NP. Drive to Ngorongoro Serena Lodge in time for lunch,then guided walk along rim...overnight here
Day 4-full day in crater w picnic...dinner and overnight same place
Day 5- drive to Serengeti Plains (visit Olduvai en route). Arrive camp for lunch,aft game drive, dinner.......Lemala Ndutu OR Asilia Dunia (?? Which is best)
Day 6- game drives....stay same as above
Day 7- morning game drive. Drive to Central Serengeti, arrive at camp in time for lunch,afternoon game drive, dinner......Lemala E-wajan OR Asilia Olakira (?? Again question which to choose)
Day 8- game drives and stay at same as above
Day 9 -hang out a bit then fly back to Arusha for transfer out

What think? Staying at the Asilia Camps is about $1000 more per person....is it worth it? Note: I tend to be a "high maintenance " person. Won't label my family but let's say they aren't far off. Many thanks in advance for comment.

Day 1- Arusha activities......Serena Mountain Village
********Consider a walk and canoe in Arusha Nat Park. The guided canoe trip on Small Momella Lake was enchanting and very safe in stable canoes with life jackets. The walking/canoeing is a nice alternative. Still allows ample time for driving through the park in search of your first wildlife, including black and white colobus monkeys and flamingos on the lakes.*******.

Day 2- Drive to Lake Manyara. Afternoon game drive, dinner,optional evening drive.....Lake Manyara Serena Lodge
*******I’d do the optional eve game drive. Could be a bust or could be very exciting. Won't know unless you go. Nice opportunity for something different.********

Day 3- morning drive in Manyara NP. Drive to Ngorongoro Serena Lodge in time for lunch,then guided walk along rim...overnight here

Day 4-full day in crater w picnic...dinner and overnight same place
***********I like Sopa Lodge because of the advantage the crater access road used by just a few lodgings. But not sure if driving there would cut your time for a walk along the rim. If it’s just a short stroll along the rim, then timing probably would work. Do check on that.******


Day 5- drive to Serengeti Plains (visit Olduvai en route). Arrive camp for lunch,aft game drive, dinner.......Lemala Ndutu OR Asilia Dunia (?? Which is best)
*********Do not know which is better. It also depends on what you define as better. But I do know that IF you did Lemala Ndutu AND you chose Lemala, which has a tented camp at the crater which also uses that crater access road, there might be additional savings. Although Lemala is probably more expensive than either Serena or Sopa.

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION, what time of year are you going? This is a good itinerary Dec-about end of March, not the best for other times.*************

Day 6- game drives....stay same as above

Day 7- morning game drive. Drive to Central Serengeti, arrive at camp in time for lunch,afternoon game drive, dinner......Lemala E-wajan OR Asilia Olakira (?? Again question which to choose)

*****Do not know which is better. Again, depends on your requirements.****

Day 8- game drives and stay at same as above

Day 9 -hang out a bit then fly back to Arusha for transfer out

What think? Staying at the Asilia Camps is about $1000 more per person....is it worth it? Note: I tend to be a "high maintenance " person. Won't label my family but let's say they aren't far off. Many thanks in advance for comment

**********For $1000 per person, I’d probably go with the other options. Lemala is very reputable. In fact, I have chosen Serengeti tented options that are less expensive than any of these because to me it is not “worth it.” What is worth it to me is an excellent guide and good location. (Not that these are a poor locations. They are good for Dec-late March.)

With regard to high maintenance, can you elaborate on your expectations? Regardless of which places you stay, if your needs/expectations cannot be met, the trip will fall short. Over all, this looks like a good trip for green season travel staying at very nice places. Most families would have a trip of a lifetime doing this.

OP is traveling end-March going into the 'long' rains of April if they don't start before. Prices do come down a bit by mid-March at most properties.

Overall good itinerary, and agree with Lynn's comments. However, Lemala Ewanjan is considered to be in the Central Serengeti - good; BUT Olakira is not, rather in the Ndutu area. Whereas, the Dunia camp is located in the Southern Serengeti. Seems agent got these locales confused.

At Ndutu, your options then would be Lemala or Olakira; at South and/or Central Serengeti it would be Dunia or Lemala Ewanjan.

While the Asilia Camps are higher priced, if you consider as Lynn mentions using the Lemala Camps (Ndutu and Ewanjan) along with that at the Crater, you'd probably get a discount. However, the Lemala Camps will all be the same, except maybe for the one at the Crater.

So it'll be your decision whether you'd prefer the discount and same-ole, same-ole with Lemala or some difference with a mix of camp groups.

Oh yes, I see March.

Lynn and Sandi. Many thanks for your comments. Yes, its early March and indeed, this will be a trip of a lifetime. Will clarify on the Serengeti camps. Kind regards.

Its 80% lets hope the guide will hit 20% for the trip to fabulous.

Rather than disrupting your game drives by going to lodge for lunch have the place you stayed at provide a box lunch, which is usually included in the cost of your stay.. The parks all have picnic. I just returned from a Tanzania safari.