Just back from Tanzania - recommendations

Old Feb 14th, 2009, 09:29 AM
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Just back from Tanzania - recommendations

Hi all. My husband and I are back from Tanzania. I want to thank all of you who were so helpful in my planning. We had the trip of a lifetime. I thought I'd share some information about the vendors we used, as recommendations were so important to us in planning the trip. In case you don't want to read it all, below you will find information on:

1. Kilimanjaro and Thomson Safaris
2. Tontu Safaris and the Serengeti and Ngorongoro
3. Arusha hotels and Arusha National Park
4. Chimpanzee tracking in the Mahale Mountains and the Kungwe Beach Lodge.

My husband ventured to Africa first and climbed Kilimanjaro with Thomson Safaris. Although he admits the cost was a bit high, every detail was attended to. The guides and porters on the mountain were excellent. The trip went off without a hitch. He highly recommends them for those interested in a Kili climb.

I joined him when the climb was over and we went on a three night/four day safari with Tontu Safaris. I can't say enough about how much we enjoyed the safari. Tontu is still a young and fairly unknown company. Two friends, John and Ernest, decided to venture out on their own. Today, they have 10 vehicles and years of guiding experience. It was very reasonably priced and allowed us to customize our trip. We had John and his vehicle to ourselves. John's agenda was that we have the time of our lives. His knowledge of the animals, plants and local culture were invaluable. And his eagle eyes and strategic driving got us photos of animals we will treasure. We went to the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti and stayed in the Sopa Lodges in both locations (also very nice). Because were were interested in meeting some people and learning about the culture, John arranged for us to spend time with local tribespeople in Manyara and to visit a Masai village. He was also incredibly helpful in other ways (airport transfer, finding us an a different hotel in Arusha from the one I had booked on my own, and keeping my husband's climbing gear while we were in the Mahale Mountains. We were sad to say good-bye to John. As he said, "We are like family now." His partner, Ernest (in Dar),worked with us over email to make our plans. He is also really lovely and very helpful. He drives in parks closer to Dar while John takes the northern circuit. I didn't realize at the time, but we could have asked for anything (any locations, any kind of accommodations), and they would have made it work. We saved a bundle by booking directly with them (rather than using a US tour company). If interested, you can find more at www.tontusafaris.com or you can email Ernest at [email protected].

Between safaris, we stayed at the Charity Hotel. Upon driving there, I was a little worried, as one of the streets looked a little dicey. It's a little gem, tucked away behind secure walls with its own little courtyard garden, very clean rooms, good food, and helpful staff. Our first night in Arusha, we stayed at the Impala. It is a very fine hotel but I prefered the Charity. If interested, you can get information at [email protected]. Thomas Masangura is the manager and is a really lovely guy.

After Safari, we went to the Mahale Mountains and stayed at the Kungwe Beach Lodge. It is hard to describe how amazing the trip was. First, for "tented" camping, Kungwe is really quite luxurious. We ate on the beach each night. Our hosts, Natalie and Jonathon, and all of the incredibly dedicated staff saw that we never wanted for anything. The food, accommodations, views, and staff could not have been any better. And then there is the chimp viewing. My mistake was not booking more time there (only three nights) but we still got to visit with the chimps and got some fantastic photos. I worked directly with Mbali Mbali/Kigoma Hilltop Hotels to book both the airfare (on Zantas) and the hotel. They were extremely helpful. I'm not doing Kungwe or the Mahale Mountains justice in my description. It's hard to put into words. The daily hikes were a fabulous workout, the chimps were spectacular, the lodge and the beach allowed me to relax more than I ever have in my life. Although not an inexpensive trip, it was well worth it. And, just to note, I saved a fortune by booking directly with Mbali Mbali (rather than going through a U.S. tour vendor).

When we left the Mahale Mountains, we returned to Arusha and stayed at the Mt. Meru Game Lodge. It's a really neat place with a small game preserve right outside your cabin door. The staff, accommodations, and food were lovely. It was a real treat. We spent a day in Arusha National Park. Although some said it could be a let down after having been in the Crater and on the Serengeti, it is a lovely little park. We saw several animals we didn't see elsewhere and a collection of 50 giraffe in one spot. In retrospect, I would probably have tried to tack on Tarangire at the end of our trip (rather than the park) as it is not far from Arusha and would have given us more elephant viewing (something I really wanted).

So, that's our trip. We posted some photographs on the Kodak website, if you are interested. The link is provided at the bottom of the posting.

Thanks again to all who helped us plan our trip. This site is amazingly helpful. I'm not sure I would have wired money to Tanzania if not for your assurances that it would all work out.

We went to Tanzania thinking we'd go once so needed to take in everything budget and time would allow. We were only there a couple of days before we started talking about our next visit.

That's about it. Hope

http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLan...localeid=en_US
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Old Feb 15th, 2009, 04:06 PM
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Many thanks for your report, Hope. I was especially interested in your comments about Mahale and Kungwe Camp. I plan to be there in September. From your photos, it looks like you had good luck with your chimp trekking.
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Old Feb 15th, 2009, 06:16 PM
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Thanks for the report esp on Mahale. I'm considering adding it to my Sept trip as well but the price of going solo is making me hesitate a bit.
Will look into Kungwe.
Thanks!
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Old Feb 15th, 2009, 08:02 PM
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Thanks for the report. Sounds like a great trip and I was interested in your observations on Mahale.
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Old Feb 16th, 2009, 01:16 AM
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Hi Hope

I am so glad you had a wonderful time in Tanzania and thanks for your very kind comments which I have emailed to Jonathan and Natlie.

I am not going to advertise here but as the other people on this blog have said they are already coming to Kungwe, there is a special being offered for this year if you would like to take advantage of it.

Thanks again Hope!
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Old Feb 16th, 2009, 05:46 AM
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Thanks for the report and recommendations.

How many trips into Arusha Nat Park did you do?
How many chimp treks did you do? Did Mbalimbali arrange the flights to/from Mahale?

Lynn from Mbalimbali did you see the Mahale Dining Room shot? Put that on your website!

You have a wonderful photo gallery from the trip with some unusual shots.

The chimp siblings shot should be sent out by their parents for a Christmas card. Nice dik dik picture. Giraffe in the sunset was lovely. Were your giraffe photos from Arusha, where giraffe are supposed to be abundant? Way to go on the porcupine and the fantastic peek-a-boo bushpig pic. I need the story on those two shots? Where were they taken?

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Old Feb 16th, 2009, 06:50 AM
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Hope,
Thank you so much for your posting. I very much enjoyed reading about your trip, and seeing your photos-absolutely beautiful!. My husband and I are leaving for Tanzania on March 6 and we have a similar itinerary. This will be our first trip to Africa ... If you have a moment I would love to know what you packed (and maybe what you wished you packed!). I understand it is very hot in Tanzania right now. Many thanks, Kirsten
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Old Feb 16th, 2009, 02:13 PM
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bookmarking
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Old Feb 16th, 2009, 03:33 PM
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And I hope you did not put yourself in danger for the ostrich face closeup.
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Old Feb 18th, 2009, 12:35 AM
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Very useful report, thanks for sharing. Sounds like a really wonderful trip!
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Old Feb 18th, 2009, 12:42 AM
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PS Enjoyed the photos, especially the lion cub in the tree, the porcupine, the tortoise, the views of Mahala and, of course, the chimps!
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Old Feb 18th, 2009, 06:23 PM
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Hi all. I've been away from my PC for a bit. Sorry to make you wait for replies. So glad you enjoyed the pictures. I'm far from a professional but got a new camera for the trip (Canon SX10IS) and it is smarter than I am. It has a 20 times zoom so, no, I was in no danger of getting so close to the ostrich.

As for your questions/comments...

Shay Tay, we had a fabulous time chimp trekking. I just can't say enough about that trip. Although the chimps did not cooperate one day (went high into the mountains where we couldn't get to them), we still got lots of viewing. I would love to have had more time with them.

jmartmd, Hopefully you saw Lynn's posting. I'd get in touch with her and see what kind of deal they are offering. I know single accommodations are expensive, but I also know you'll have a great time. The people, the place and the animals are not to be forgotten.

Atravelynn. We went to Arusha National Park just one time, for four hours. We had some time to kill before departing for home. It's a very nice little park with load of animals. We saw about 50 giraffe in one spot. We got a lot of shots there but I think the ones on the Kodak site were from the Serengeti. The porcupine was in Arusha and the bushpig was in Mahale. I got so incredibly close (with the blessing of our guide) and she was completely chilled out. We did four chimp treks while in Mahale with two really excellent days of viewing. One day the alpha male jumped out of a tree, skimmed my back and my husband's back with his hand, encircled another man in our group and pounded the ground before running off to be with his female of choice. It was amazing! Mbali Mbali took care of booking the flights with Zantas for us. We wired our deposit to the Kigoma Hilltop Hotel and paid the balance at the Zantas Air Terminal. From the many helpful emails I received from both Mbali Mbali and Zantas staff, it is clear that they work together closely. We had a six seater to Mahale. I loved it...My husband, well, he's not much of a flyer even on a jumbo jet.

Kiki033, I packed super light because I knew we would be going to Mahale and there is a limit to baggage weight. I had my small camera bag and a carry on bag and that's all I took. I took advice from others on this site and the advice was incredibly helpful. You may want to search out packing advice from others as well. I was there for 12 days. It was between 75 and 85 every day. It rained just a little bit each day, just enough to cool the air and keep the dust in check. I took 3 pairs of lightweight cargo paints. Some people like the zip-offs. I don't like the zippers but the materials is the same. We got really muddy in Mahale. The lightweight pants can be washed out and dry overnight. I took two short sleeve wicking t-shirts and two safari shirts (one long and one short-sleeved). I took a few pairs of hiking socks, a few pairs of underwear, one pair of sandals and my hiking shoes. I also took a fleece and rain jacket. I tend to get cold all year round so both were essential for me. Both were very necesary in Mahale. One pair of pajamas and one wrinkle free outfit for dinner. Other than a load of over the counter medications that I didn't use (thankfully), that's about it. I wish I had taken two long-sleeved safari shirts because you really should hike in Mahale with long sleeves. Someone recommended panty-liners and I have to say that was a brilliant recommendation. We did my husband's post-Kilimanjaro laundry at the hotel but it was expensive (about $30 for a small load). The type of clothes I took, I could just rinse out wear again the next day. I hope that helps. I got my hair cut short for the trip, as I was determined to leave my hairdryer and make-up at home. It was a real treat to get away from the daily routine. I took a head lamp, which came in handy for night-time reading. I also took a mobile battery charger for my camera and charged my batteries while literally on safari. I hope that helps. Oh, I did use my Bonine for motion-sickness nearly every day. I get car sick in a car so the safari vehicles, boats and planes would have done a real number on me. Bonine is great...no sickness and no sleepiness. Have a wonderful trip!

I hope I answered everyone's questions. Lynn at Mbali Mbali, please do extend my sincere thanks to Natalie and Jonathan and all of the staff. We felt so comfortable there, like we were hanging out with old friends around a campfire. I will recommend Kungwe Beach Lodge and the Mahale trip to anyone even remotely interested in travel to Africa.

Thanks, Hope
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Old Feb 19th, 2009, 12:12 AM
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Thanks Hope - I have emailed the entire posting to all of the Zantas and Mahale staff. It's really great to get positive feedback!
We are now on a countdown to the new chimpanzee blog (covering Mahale and Gombe groups). There will be the entire family tree(s) with a pic and a bio of each chimpanzee, plus a weekly update of their lives. We are very excited about his new website and I'll keep all of the chimp fans posted!
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Old Feb 19th, 2009, 05:30 AM
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Hi Lynn. I look forward to the blog. It will keep me up to date on the chimps until we can get back there some day. Thanks for forwarding my feedback to the staff. Although they made it look effortless, it was clear to me how hard everyone involved in our trip worked to make it an amazing experience for us. We really appreciate it. Thanks for your help along the way too (clarifying the closing dates). Take care! Hope
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Old Feb 21st, 2009, 09:09 AM
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Dear Hope,

Thanks for your great report and for all the packing advice. I loved your photos.

gruezi
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 01:03 PM
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Thanks so much for your feedback on backing. You mentioned that you took a mobile battery charger. Was this for a digital camera? I would love to know the make and model of the charge. Thanks, Kirsten
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Old Mar 4th, 2009, 07:21 PM
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Hi Hope,

I just got a chance to check out your photos... lovely! I read that you used the Canon SX10 IS. I'm thinking of getting that camera for my next trip. Did you find the electronic viewfinder to be a problem? When I checked the camera out, I found it to be a bit disconcerting to use, after using an SLR. Also, I noticed a bit of "noise" in some of your photos. Do you know if it was because you were using a higher ASA, such as 800? I've read that this can be a problem above ASA 400.
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Old Mar 9th, 2009, 07:29 PM
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Hi Shay Tay. Sorry to not get back to you sooner. Did you make a decision about your camera yet? I love the Canon SX10 IS. I have no experience with an SLR so am not sure what it is about the viewfinder that may be disconcerting. I got some guidance from another contributor to this site and think the noise you see in some of my photos was from the ASA. It was late in the day and there was a heavy cloud cover, just before a storm. I should have allowed for that. As a consequence, some of my lion photos suffered. Live and learn. I will have to return to correct for my mistakes. That said, I had no photography experience, let alone wildlife photography experience. I have to credit the camera for some of the really amazing shots we got. I'm a big fan of this camera and found the viewfinder very easy to use. I had a bit of a challenge locating my subject if I had the zoom extended, but got used to that fairly quickly. Let me know what you ultimately decide. If you decide on the Canon, I got a great deal at Broadway Photos on the web...much cheaper than anywhere else and fairly quick service. Take care, Hope
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Old Mar 9th, 2009, 07:40 PM
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Hi Kirsten. Sorry, I missed your question about the battery charger. It's a Digicom Rapid Batter Charger for either NI-MH or NI-CD batteries. I got it on-line at onlybatteries.com. I am sorry to say that I cannot recommend the vendor. I ordered a package of rechargeable batteries and a charger that would allow me to charge in the car and using an electrical outlet. One set of the batteries is dead and the electrical cord doesn't work. That said, I found charging my camera batteries in the car while on safari to be wonderfully convenient. My husband and I were alone with our driver so there was no competition for his cigarette lighter and he was happy to have us use it. I'd go to RadioShack or some place where you can get some advice. Good luck! Hope
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Old Mar 9th, 2009, 07:43 PM
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Happy you had good luck with Broadway Photo but extremely low rating from internet users -
http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Broadway_Photo

regards - tom
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