shadow12

Has anyone had personal experience/heard of others camping in the North Circuit Tanzania during late April-early May? We would like to camp in tents and have some concern in the Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Lake Esyai area. Any thoughts? We would appreciate any input. Thanks.

shadow12

oops spelling error- Lake Eyasi

sandi

Well, April/May are the "long" rains and though wet isn't a certainty, and the Lk. Eyasi road may even be impassable, if "camping" (on the ground in sleeping bags) only you can decide whether this will be comfy. During this time, I'd prefer to be in a real bed (off the ground*), whether a tented camp or lodge. Your choice.

*depending on whether this is budget camping or semi-lux where with the later, outfitter can provide beds/cots... inquire.

canadian_robin

We camped our way along the Northern Circuit and through the Mara Triangle in August 2009 and did experience some rain in the Mara - always late in the day, fairly light, and usually not lasting more than an hour or two. The roads in the Mara Triangle became remarkably slick very quickly, making driving a little more difficult, even in a 4x4. We didn't experience rain in Tanzania, so I am not certain what heavy rain would do to the roads on the Northern Circuit, although the roads there are more gravel than mud. We camped in a roof-top tent, and since the rain seemed to come more in the early evening, we simply delayed putting up the tent until after the rain had stopped. We cooked our dinner under the canopy that came with the Land Rover, so we were able to stay dry. On a couple of days, it was so warm that we simply shed our clothes and walked around the campsite...ahem...naked! It was warm enough that it was quite pleasant! Such is the freedom of camping on those wonderfully isolated special campsites! If the rain had been more prolonged or heavy, camping would have been more difficult, but certainly not impossible. If I were going to camp at that time of year, I would insert frequent stays at tented camps into my itinerary, with the thought that it might be necessary to do laundry a little more frequently. Robin

aby

Hi
you need a bit of luck

Although Eyasi area is quite arid and gets very little rain,
i've seen a flooded and evacuated camp with mattresses drying in the sun... the camp was a temporary one put up by one of the big companies with nice big tents and real beds (luxury camping)

At Ngorongoro area, i witnessed in May a really bad road situation with trucks stuck on the main road around the caldera.
the relatively short Sopa road took over an hour to drive
on two other occasionms there was no problem

i know very well the roads in Mara during this season, especially in certain areas of "blackcotton soils" etc' (Mara Shikar lodge used to send a tractor to help visitors on the main road to the lodge)
In Serengeti i've been during April-May only in the Seronera - Serena - Sopa area with no big problems (though once a Landcruiser had to be chain-pulled out a "wallowing" site)

Some special campsites are really fantastic

aby

shadow12

Thanks for all your responses. My teenage son and I do not mind "unforseen adventures" along the way...that said, I do not want to be in rain/wetness that we miss out on wildlife, etc...and all we remember is being drenched. We have vacationed in Florida during the wet season for the last 15 years (end of Aug) and one cannot go outside during the torrential thunderstorms/rains and hurricanes. Camping there-at that time- would be impossible! So we are just trying to get a sense of the "Long Rain" season.

The two of us sleep anywhere and drop toilets, bucket showers would be alright... the lodge and luxury camps are a steep step to comfort. My son will have come off a 10 week volunteer orphanage stay in Arusha followed by a 7 Day Kili trek to be joined by "yours truly" for the 11-12 day Northern Circuit Safari. Right now we are thinking of continuing on after to Kenya-Maasai Mara , Lake Nakura/Navaisha and Gorilla Trek in Rwanda. (14-18 Days)

canadian_robin

We did the opposite of what you are proposing - we started in the Mara and then crossed the border into Tanzania and drove the Northern Circuit, ending in Arusha. We camped most of the time, but stayed at the occasional tented camp, so that we could have a hot shower and wash the linen. In case you haven't seen my report and photos, the link is below.

The Mara would be a great addition to your itinerary. Just be aware that, since the recent (July 2010) incident near Little Governor's, where a camper was shot and killed on a special campsite in the Mara Triangle, campers are required to have an armed guard with them (at night) on the campsites in the Mara. For a complete description of the incident, see www.maratriangle.org. Click on "know" near the top and then "monthly reports" and then follow the links to July 2010. I don't mean to frighten you with this info, but you should go in with your eyes open.

Here is the link to our trip report and photos from our 2009 Mara and Northern Circuit camping trip. We plan to repeat the trip in 2012, starting in Arusha and heading north to Kenya from there.

http://bert-and-bin.smugmug.com/Trav...38901400_BHybf
Robin

shadow12

canadian_robin: Thank you so much for the heads up/eyes open. We will need to separate our Tanzania-Kenya trip in 2 parts. The first 2 weeks will be just my son and myself.

We will be met by DH and perhaps another son after our Tanzania portion. (meet in Nairobi?) This second portion: 14-18 days will have us adventure into Kenya and hopefully a Gorilla Trek in Rwanda. So the 2 weeks in Tanzania I thought would be great to "rough it" or camp. My real concern was camping during that time period (April 25- May 5) as I understand it is the Long Rains.

Thank you canadian-robin for your inspiring trip report and photo link. Figure we can/want to do this trip just like that before I forget where I parked my teeth. (This is exactly what I have imagined for my son and myself.) We intend on hiring a guide/driver for the Tanzania portion. Sleeping under the stars and awakening to smells and sounds will be part of the experience. Camp food is always interesting too.

canadian_robin

Your are most welcome! Unfortunately, those types of (robbery) incidents seem to becoming more common in the Mara, to the extent that we are wondering if we will include the Mara in our repeat visit. I can't help but think that when we need an armed guard to keep us safe at night, it is time to go elsewhere. That being said, the migration was spectacular and I would hate to give up the Mara. We loved the special campsite (Maji Ya Ndege) in the Mara Triangle where we spent six nights, but cringe when we realize that it was the special campsite just to the north of us where the shooting occurred. Such a tragically random act - as you will have read, it was the popular tented camp, Little Governor's, that was the intended target.

We debated adding a trip to Rwanda onto the end of our Kenya/Tanzania trip but, in the end, eliminated that part due to cost. We might consider adding it on to the next trip.

I am not certain that I would have wished to undertake our self-drive during the long rains. While we are no strangers to camping in heavy rain, it would have made the journey a bit more difficult. I guess instead of dust we would have had to contend with mud. My main concern, however, would have been the driving conditions. The roads in the Mara became remarkably slick, even after just a light shower, and we weren't even in the area of the notorious blackcotton soil.

I absolutely agree with your approach that sleeping under the stars and the sounds/smells are an important part of the experience - that is why we enjoy those special campsites so much. Happy planning! Robin

sandi

If I recall, Robin did allow for an occasional lodge or tented camp along the way... not all was "camping" as you seem to be seeking. Sometimes it's nice to have a more permanent structure and a real shower. Also, Robin... being the adventurous one (it sure wouldn't have been me), did a self drive safari thru Kenya and Tanzania, rather than hiring vehicle/guide to get them around.

Working with a reputable ground operator providing vehicle and guide should be well prepared for driving during the "long rains" but even the best of them can get caught up in mud and/or black cotton soil and need to call in those that can extract them.

canadian_robin

I chuckle when I think of how we became self-drivers - quite by accident, really. When we arrived in Cape Town for a year in 2004-2005, the first trip I organized for us was to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. As many of you know, Kgalagadi is very much geared to self-drivers and self-catering, so that is how we visited. We rented a 4x4 and drove from Cape Town. We saw no guided groups in the park, so we assumed what we were doing was the norm - and it is, for that park. As a result, I went ahead and organized the rest of the year's trips on that basis. We were quite astounded to discover, when we explored further north, that we were the exception. By the time we realized it, we were already hooked on self-driving, the special campsites and that roof-top tent...and so it continues.

Sandi is quite correct - we always insert a few stays at tented camps and lodges in our itinerary, and we do look forward to them. It gives us a break from cooking, allows us the luxury of hot shower, enables to wash the bed linens, and provides us with the opportunity to interact with the guides - we learn so much from them. Much as I love the roof-top tent and the isolation of the special campsites, I certainly wouldn't want to camp every night of the trip, given that we usually venture out for 4 to 6 weeks at a time. Even we have our limits!

I think you are wise to use a guide in Tanzania during the long rains - the roads may well be a wee bit of a challenge. I wouldn't want that worry hanging over my head for the entire trip. Robin

shadow12

We have travelled throughout Europe, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Africa, Central America where we can get by with English. Venturing off to places where English is not the pre-dominant language PLUS the Bigger Mammals adds different flavours to our safety.

Only being 11 Days..my son and I figure we can stand our own smells and "whatever" as long as we can sponge bathe ourselves. (not for the other's sense of physical comfort but only for oneself) I actually have no use for a hair dryer/iron/etc. -although my 4 kids may jest for their defense.

canadian_robin: we too as a family of 6 (from Toronto, Canada) ventured off from Jo Berg (2001) to just outside of Kruger..stayed in tree forts for 7 nights...LOVED it. Your Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park sounds fascinating. Strange how events play out.

After 12 days I will welcome creature comforts...Hot Shower. That said: I do not want to trade the creature comforts for creatures/adventures. My youngest son will only have this one window of time.