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OAT - Safari Serengeti
Is there anyone on this board who has been, or is planning to go on the OAT - Safari Serengeti? WE have made several trips with OAT and have always been very happy with all details.
We leave on May 30th for a overnight in Amsterdam and then on to this wonderful adventure. Just thought I would see if there are any lurkers or previous travelers who had comments about this trip. |
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I just checked out the OAT itinerary and here are some comments.
It’s nice you spend time in Arusha. I want to include it on my next Tanzania visit but have missed it so far. The itinerary mentions Lake Manyara and talks about the Lake Manyara area, but you do not go there. That’s not a big problem, but the wording could be deceptive and make you think you do stop in Lake Manyara, which is a frequent destination. You may be overlooking it but you are in Tarangire, where you take your drives. I’d even question if some text was inserted in error because the narrative states, “We stay for two nights at the classic tented camp at Maramboi, overlooking Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley escarpment.” But the Accommodations are listed as Lake Burunge Tented Camp. I am not familiar with these accommodations, but it looks like two different places to me. Just a warning for you to check it out. Lake Manyara or Tarangire in early June will both be fairly decent for game but not outstanding, so either place is ok. How nice you stay in tented camps, whichever ones they are. I’ve never heard of that place near thecrater. Perhaps it is owned by OAT. It would be nice if you had a view of the crater from Tloma Lodge as most of the common lodging choices do overlook it. I'd ask if it has a view. If not, oh well. Four nights in the Serengeti in a private tented camp is very good. But it is important to know where that camp is if it is permanent or where it will be in June if it is mobile. You’ll want to be in the western part of the Serengeti to try to see the migration. If the camp is in Central Serengeti, that area has good game year round due to the water supply, but you really want some days in Western Serengeti in early June. |
Just found this old thread...
From the OAT website re Tloma Lodge: "Located in the Ngorongoro Highlands, this 500-acre working farm is situated along the scenic slopes of Ngorongoro Crater and includes many gardens along with an on-site 15-acre coffee plantation." I've never heard about such working farms in Ngorongoro Conservation Area. My guess: it's the Karatu area, maybe the same property as Ngorongoro Farmhouse. |
According to my contacts at Kibo Guides, Tloma Lodge is also called "Little Farmhouse", so you are correct that they are affiliated. I'll be at the Farmhouse soon and perhaps can take a look at Tloma. Also, they have a new tented camp in the Tarangire area called Lake Burunge Tented Camp. It overlooks the lake and, in the dry season, guests can enter Tarangire through a nearby gate, rather than going up to the main entrance. It's constructed much like their other camp, Maramboi. The camps and the Farmhouse are actually owned by Tanganyika Wilderness Camps. As with Kibo, one of the owners is Willy Chambulo, a great guy.
I have a few photos that Kibo sent me of the Lake Burunge Camp on my photo website, if anyone is interested: http://sharontaylor.smugmug.com. |
ShayTay, do you know if OAT Private Tented Camp is also run by Kibo/TWC? Some kind of "Little Simiyu"?
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We have signed up for the Kenya and Tanzania trip for September 08. Do you have any feedback and highlights from your trip?
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The OAT Kenya/Tanzania trip has a different safari outfitter in Tanzania (Rangers, I believe) than OAT uses for their Safari Serengeti trip (Kibo Guides.) They stay at some of the same properties, however. I think they use Pollmans in Kenya.
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ozpfen, I went on the OAT Kenya & Tanzania trip in 2006, if you have any questions. Or you can read my trip report, (search for Ann's Adventures in Africa, or look in the East Africa Index.)
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