Northern Circuit Tanzanian Safaris - Please give me links to your photogallery!
 

Okay, I am starting to get very excited about Tanzania which is just 16 short weeks away for me!

(I never get sick of repeating my itinerary, as it makes it feel more real rather than imagined)

Moivaro Coffee Lodge (2)
Manyara Tree Lodge (2)
Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (2)
Olduvai Camp (1)
Nomad Masek (2)
Nomad Piaya (2)
Mbuzi Mawe (2)
Zanzibar Serena (2)
Palms Zanzibar (3)

I would really appreciate it if I was provided a link to anybody's photogallery who has done the Northern Circuit. I really don't know know yet what to expect in terms of landscape and wildlife as my prior experience is completely limited to Southern Africa. I will do a search on PBase, but I know there are probably some great photogalleries right from other Fodorites.

Thanks! :)

Roccco, http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePh...favorites=true

Thanks for the links Jazz Drew and RSnyder. I am really starting to get a good feel for East Africa.

It will be quite a culture shock to go from Zambia to the wide open spaces of the Serengeti! I cannot even imagine seeing herds of zebra that are in the hundreds or thousands and herds of wildebeest in the thousands or tens of thousands. I am really looking forward to the cheetahs and, as always, I love seeing lions.

Other than in the Ngorongoro Crater, should I expect to see any rhinos?

Thanks.

I've always enjoyed Andy Biggs' website. He leads the Photography Trips for Thomson Safaris.

www.andybiggs.com

Michael Reichmann has a write up of a safari he did with Andy. There are some good pictures and tips:

http://luminous-landscape.com/locations/tanzania.shtml

I also purchased a couple of Reichmann's DVD journals. The latest one has a long segment on photographing in Tanzania on safari. It was pretty good and should give you an idea of what to expect.

Supposedly, there are black rhino in the Masai Mara, so they may move from time to time into the Serengeti, but I wouldn't count on seeing rhino outside the Crater, where they are generally guaranteed, although sometimes at a distance. We saw rhino in the Crater, but from no closer than 100 yards or so.

But even without the presence of rhino, the Serengeti is the world's most magical place -- it truly is awe inspiring. I really need to plan a return trip, but my next two trips to Africa are planned -- Tunisia (this December, which I just planned) and South Africa (Hluhluwe and Kgalagadi next July). Maybe I can get back to Serengeti in December 2006, but that's when I was hoping to get to New Zealand.

Hi Roccco - yet more photos of the Northern Circuit for you to look at.
Let me know what you think.

http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=jrsfo4y...0&y=1ku7g2

By the way; although the North undoubtedly has the "must - do's", both Ruth and I preferred the more remote Ruaha National Park. The scenery is simply stunning and the wildlife, whilst not on the Serengeti scale, is well worth the journey, particularly the birding.
ENJOY!

GovernorPhil,

I completely do agree with the fact that the northern parks are a must do, but me and my family also preferred a southern park, namely Selous, for the same reasons you mention.

Governor Phil,

I believe you and your wife have also been to Zambia, correct? If I remember right you were there last Emerald Season. Would you say that the Southern Part of Tanzania is more like South Luangwa than it is like the rest of Tanzania?

I am locked into this itinerary and I do consider each of the locations must see locations but there will be plenty of future trips. Eventually, it is my intent to market safaris that will combine Zambia with Tanzania, especially the Southern parks of Tanzania.

Rocco,

My faves for the Northern circuit were definitely Tarangire and the Serengeti--Serengeti was head and shoulders above the other parks. Like micjor (?) we hit the Crater after the Serengeti, so altough it's incredibly unique, it was a tiny bit of a letdown. Your itinerary "builds up," so I don't think you'll be disappointed.

While you're there, why don't you figure out an easy way for people to do both the Serengeti and Ruaha on the same trip without wasting days?

Oh, and try to figure out how to combine Southern Circuit with gorilla trekking, too, why don't you? Okay? ;)

photos from July 2004

landscapes and more

http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePh...0106&&