Need help planning Tanzania Safari
 

We are a group of 8. The four men will be hiking Kilimanjaro with "Team Kilimanjaro" and the four ladies will be taking a six day safari while the men hike.

None of us have ever been to Tanzania before. Here is a proposed safari itinerary. I would love any input that you can offer. We are looking for a mix of semi-luxury and luxury accommodations as well as a mix of lodges and tented camps.

Arusha to Tarangire Game drive. Afternoon transfer to Karatu for overnight. Visit to Maasai village. Overnight at Gibbs Farm

Via Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serengeti, with game drives en route. Overnight at Serengeti Tented Camp – Migunga

Game drives in Serengeti. Overnight at Seronera Wildlife Lodge

Morning game drive in Serengeti. Afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro Crater rim. Overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge

Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for game drive. Afternoon transfer to Karatu for overnight. Overnight at Gibbs Farm

Lake Manyara game drive. Afternoon return to Arusha.


I am very interested in your opinions on th proposed lodging.

What a great outing for what looks like 4 couples.

When are you going? What month?

None of the men wish to do any safari activity after the climb? To me, that's a mistake.

To recap your itinerary

Day 1
Arusha overnite upon arrival I assume, though you did not state it

Day 2
Arusha to Tarangire (2.5 hours) Game drive in Tarangire, where you'd want at least 3 hours, I would think, then drive to Gibb's Farm (about 2 hours). Plus a Maasai Village. I'd inquire where the village is.

Most itineraries allot at least one full day (usually a 4 hour am and a 3 hour pm drive minimum) to Tarangire. I've spent several days here and enjoyed it and am planning 3 days on my next trip. This is a good park for elephants. The time of year you are going will make a difference as to how much time you'd want to spend in Tarangire and how easy it is to see the eles. But few itineraries have only a several hour visit to this park.

Gibb's Farm has nice lodgings on a coffee plantation with outstanding freshly harvested and prepared food.

Day 3
I don't know about Migunga personally, but it seems you are staying at Miguna Forest Camp after a day in the World Heritage Site of the Ngorongoro Crater. Don't know about this camp. I personally like Sopa Lodge (where I've stayed) or the more intimate, upscale Lemala camp (where I have not stayed) at the crater due to their own access road into the crater.

Now I see you are going into the crater later. So that means you are probably at Migunga at Lake Manyara. In that case I don't think it makes sense that you'd be visiting the crater and Serengeti and staying in Lake Manyara. Unless you shoot into the very southern part of the Serengeti and then head back out to Manyara. That would be odd.

<b>Maybe Day 3 should read: Day in Lake Manyara and overnight Migunga.</b>

Day 4
Assuming you are coming from Migunga at Lake Manyara and heading to the Seronera part of the Serengeti, that is about 5 hours. I liked Seronera Lodge a lot, especially for its location. It is a big lodge and of average luxury. I cannot believe you would spend only 1 night here. Two nights in the Serengeti is the minimum in any itinerary. If any safari provider is suggesting one night in the Serengeti, I'd question their competence.

Day 5
Morning game drive in Serengeti. Then drive about 3 hours to crater. (After having arrived in the Serengeti only the night before? Again, no that can't be.) Serena Lodge is very nice. As mentioned above I like Sopa or Lemala.

Day 6
Morning in crater--great.
Back to Gibb's--fine, if you really wanted to enjoy that charming location and its food.

Day 7
Morning in Manyara--nice idea before return to Arusha, but if you are visiting Manyara here, then I am really confused about Day 3.

This seems like too many one night stays and too much rushing around.

Once it is clear (1) what month you are going and (2) what sort of animals you'd like to see and cultural interactions you'd like to have, then an itinerary can be created that makes the best use of your days. But this is not it.

We are going at the begining of July. The men will be doing a one day game drive after their climb. Yes we are staying in Arusha overnight upon arrival.

Based on our early July visit, how much time should we allow in Tarangire?

I am not sure about day three either. As for animals, I think we would like to see zebras, lions, elephants, rhinos, giraffes and hippos.

I agree that this itinerary seems too rushed and too many one night stays but I do not know enough to be able to put together a more reasonable itinerary. Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated!

Awfully confusing, I must say.

Consider instead:
Day 1 - From Arusha, 4/hrs to Ngorongoro; afternoon crater tour - o/n Sopa Lodge
Day 2 - Drive to Central Serengeti (there's little if any space available in the West at this time, where the migration will likely be located, but it's only 2/hrs to the west from here and you can do this as a full day out on the plains - o/n Serena or Wildlife Lodges, Kati Kati/Medium or Mbuzi Mawe Camps
Day 3 - Central Serengeti; game drives in Central or to West - o/n Serena or Wildlife Lodges, Kati Kati/Medium or Mbuzi Mawe Camps
Day 4 - Game drive south(6+/hrs) to Lake Manyara (it's doable, if long but you'd never make it nor is it advisable to try for Tarangire); afternoon game drive - o/n Migunga or Kirurumu Camps
Day 5 - Drive 2/hrs to Tarangire; all day game drives - o/n Safari Lodge, Sopa Lodge, River, Maramboi or Kikoti Camps
Day 6 - Game drive out/thru Tarangire on way to (2.5/hrs) Arusha, meet up with the fellas!

You can have a stop at a Masai Village most anywhere along the route; at Manyara there is Mto-wa-Mbu with ethnically diverse tribes living together.

At least you don't have all those 1-nighters, 2-1/2 days in the Serengeti, and a bit more time at Tarangire where there is a mini-migration between July-Oct.

Much will depend on availability when it comes to lodges/camps at all locations, as this year they're booking up quickly. Good luck!

July is a good time. Do you know where the men are going on their one day safari outing?

Sandi's itinerary makes sense and putting Tarangire as late as possible is a good idea. If Gibb's Farm was a place you really wanted, since it appeared 2x on your previous itinerary, you could stay there for the night of Day 4. But then you might not have time for a Lake Manyara game drive too.

If you were interested in adding one flight, that cuts down some driving, but costs a bit more. You could do:

1 Fly on the daily scheduled flight from Arusha to Central Serengeti and have your guide meet you there.

2 Central Serengeti, driving west or north if needed. If you planned on a full day with a lunch box, that would give you max flexibility.

3 Drive to Crater (3 hours or so) and afternoon crater visit

4 Drive 2 hours to Lake Manyara with morning and afternoon visits. Lodging at Migunga, Kirurumu, or Gibb's

(days 5-6 same as if it were all driving--copy and pasted from driving suggestion)

Day 5 - Drive 2/hrs to Tarangire; all day game drives - o/n Safari Lodge, Sopa Lodge, River, Maramboi or Kikoti Camps

Day 6 - Game drive out/thru Tarangire on way to (2.5/hrs) Arusha, meet up with the fellas

Maybe you are all doing some other activities in other parts of Africa besides these 6 days. But if not, I would urge you to spend some more time together on safari after the climb.

1. Spend some days together in Tarangire (that might mean the ladies would spend more time in the other locations, which would work well and make for a more leisurely trip.)

2. Go to one or to a variety of parks in Southern Tanzania (which is my plan for 2011). Mahale, Katavi, Ruaha, Selous

3. West Kili is an option and the guys would be right there. Maybe that's where they are doing their one day safari. If you like to ride horses, there are some places in West Kili that offer horseback riding safaris. No personal experience.

4. Head to the Maasai Mara in Kenya.

5. Go to Zanzibar, which has beach options. No personal experience.

Have a great time.

Thank you. Many things here to consider.