sandi

7-8 days safari vs 4-5?
Which country/ies?

With up to 3/weeks, 4-5/days is rather ridiculous... and then what? Of course, if South Africa you can spend time in Capetown, or self-drive the Garden Route. However, if Botswana, Kenya or Tanzania, you don't have the advantage of a 'city' to spend more than a day or two.

Why not post a summary of the itineraries being proposed and then we can comment. Where visiting, how many days, where staying (lodge/hotel/camp), etc., cost (we don't need the 'detail' of particular days activities, ie, descriptions of parks/reserve/city, unless there are 'options.

atravelynn

Is 4-5 enough?
Heck no

Saskadventurer

Thanks for the responses.

We're plannning to go only to Tanzania. Here's an outline of two of the tours we've been sent.

One tour: 9 days on safari (Manyara, Ndutu,Serengeti National Park,Ngorongoro, Tarangire,Arusha National Park), 6 days in Zanzibar (Nungwi, Stone Town), an arrival day and a departure day

Tour two: 4 days (Tarangire,Serengeti, Ngorongo, Lake Manyara), 4 days (Stone Town, Nungwi) an arrival day and a departure day

sandi

Tour two - 4/days to visit Tarangire, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Manyara - NO WAY. That's 1/day each not taking into consideration transit between each. You'll slit your wrists!

On Tour one - 9/days where you can cover most... I'd prefer Tarangire over Manyara and if insufficient time, omit Arusha NP. And, depending on time of year, whether best to be at Ndutu or in the Serengeti.

Saskadventurer

Thanks, Sandi. We are now looking at going in Feb. of 2013. We can add a few days if we want to.

sandi

February is ideal for Tanzania and the 'calving' of wildebeest in the Ndutu area. If needed to add a few days, you can certainly cover

- On arrival, Arusha - o/n
- Arusha NP - o/n
- Tarangire (2nts)
- Manyara/Karatu (1)
- Ndutu/Serengeti (3-4)
- Ngorongoro (1-2)
- Arusha, fly to ZNZ (remaining days)

Above all driving and suggested number of nts. And, you can choose to visit Ngo first, then Ndutu and fly back from there to Arusha.

You certainly have sufficient time to plan for next year and get the accommodations you wish.

Austin2010

you budget is quite tite for the number of days you want but if you could atleast give camping a chance. Some local mobile operators in Botswana use en-suite tents and stretchers you wont sleeep on the ground like you are saying.. i know quite a few companies in Botswana that deals with camping safaris...its AFRICAN EXCURSIONS (whom i did about 3 tours with them for 3 consecutive years and their e-mail address is [email protected]) their is Delta cruisers..Afrika Calls and Mosu Safaris you try those

Saskadventurer

Hello all. Thanks for all your advice. Now I have some specifics and would like opinions.

Real Adventure Tours suggest 1 day in Arusha Nat. Park, 2 days in the Serengeti, 3 days at Lake Manyara and 3 days at Ngorongoro, then 3 nights in Stone Town and 3 nights in Nungwi Beach. The price for 4 people is $4860 pp. Most of the accommodation is in lodges, a few nights in tents.

Duma Explorer suggests 1 day in Arush National Park, 2 days in Tarangire, 2 days central Serenget, 3 days southern Serengeti,1 day Lake Manyara, 1 day Ngorongoro. The accommodations are mostly tents, a couple of nights in lodges, then 3 days in Stone Town and 3 days in Pongwe. Cost is $4220 for 4 people. Both of these are private tours.

I'd love a response about the itineraries and from anyone who has travelled with either of these companies. I realize that the accomodations differ so the price comparison isn't quite true but these are the companies I've been most impressed with thus far.

ShayTay

Forget the first itinerary! The second one is better, but you could also skip Lake Manyara and add a night in the Serengeti. I hope that's not the order in which the safari would be done. I don't think you could get to the central Serengeti from Tarangire in one day. The Crater would be the logical stop in between the two. Also, I don't think you need 3 nights in Stone Town; I'd suggest 2 at the most. Pongwe is my favorite place in Zanzibar and is a good choice. Are you flying back from the Serengeti? If not, then you may have to stick with the Lake Manyara stop, putting it in after the Serengeti. Most flights to Zanzibar leave from Arusha or JRO mid-afternoon, so you'll need to be closer than the Serengeti unless you're flying back. Can you post the exact itinerary?

Saskadventurer

Thanks, Shay Tay. This is it.

Day 1: Arusha to Lake Manyara National Park. Game drive overnight Rhotia Valley Tented Camp
Day 2: Serengeti overnight Nasikia Central Camp
Day 3: Serengeti overnight Nasikia Central Camp
Day 4: Southern Serengeti overnight Serengeti Savannah Camp
Day 5: Southern Serengeti overnight Serengeti Savannah Camp
Day 6: Southern Serengeti overnight Serengeti Savannah Camp
Day 7: Transfer to Ngorongoro overnight Sopa Lodge
Day 8: Crater game drive overnight Tarangire River Camp
Day 9: Tarangire full day overnight Tarangire River Camp
Day 10: Tarangire to Arusha Airport. Fly to Zanzibar

Saskadventurer

I may have misled the RAT itinerary as I am ignorant of Tanzania's geography. As I gave the specific Duma one, I thought I'd also post The specific Rat itinerary.

Day 1: JRO – Marangu – Capricorn Hotel
Day 2: Marangu – Arusha – Arumeru River Lodge
Day 3: Arusha – Manyara – Kirurumu Tented Lodge
Day 4: Manyara – Lake Eysi ( visit Bushmen)– Tindiga Tented Camp
Day 5: Lake Eysi ( Bushmen hunting and gathering exercise)- Karatu -Bougainvillea Safari Lodge
Day 6: Karatu – Ngorongoro – Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Day 7: Ngorongoro (Olduvai Gorge)– Ndutu – Ngorongoro Wildreness Tented Camp
Day 8: Ndutu – Ngorongoro Wilderness Tented Camp
Day 9: Ndutu – Central Serengeti – Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Day 10: Serengeti National Park – Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Day 11: game viewing in Serengeti = Seronera – Nungwi Beach
Days 12 - 14 Nungwi Beach – Doubletree Resort ( Deluxe See Front Room)
Day 15 –17: Nungwi – Stone Town – Mtoni Marine (Palm Court Room)
Day 18: Stone Town – Zanzibar Airport

ShayTay

Yes, I definitely prefer the Duma itinerary. This one would work for a February timeframe. If it's at a different time of year, then you'd want a different location than the southern Serengeti (Ndutu area.) The itinerary has mostly tented camps, which I think are best on a safari, plenty of time in the Serengeti, and is laid out in a logical order.

The RAT itinerary really makes no sense. Marangu is east of the airport and even east of Moshi, while Arusha is in the opposite direction from the airport. Unless you're climbing Mt. Kili, it doesn't make sense to go there. You waste Day 2 getting back to Arusha. I've visited the Hazabe ("Bushmen" on their itinerary) and unless this is something you REALLY want to do and are in good enough shape to keep up with them on a hunt, I'd skip that. On Day 7, you'll spend a half day in the Crater, stop by the museum at Olduvai Gorge, then head on to the Ntudu area. That means that you'll most likely arrive at the camp just before sunset. Your only full day of game viewing in that area will be Day 8, but this is the area that the Migration will most likely be in. On Day 11, they show you going from the central Serengeti/Seronera to Nungwi Beach on Zanzibar. The only way you can do that is to fly back to Arusha. Is that included in your price? The Duma itinerary can be done entirely via road transfers, but the RAT itinerary cannot.

Be aware that there are actually two airports near Arusha, Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO), the international airport about 40 kms east of Arusha and the domestic Arusha Airport (ARK) just south of town. Depending on which airline you're flying to Zanzibar, you could be leaving from either one. You'll need to make sure that you arrive at the correct airport in plenty of time to make your flight to Zanzibar (ZNZ).

Saskadventurer

Thanks, Shay Tay. The flight was included in the RAT program and Duma quoted $195.00 for the flight, is willing to book it, and get us to the airport.

I really appreciate the feedback. I tried to find maps that showed the areas but was not very successful. I know we'll spend lots of time in a vehicle but I hope of that time is spent viewing game, not getting from one place to another.

We'd like to do the spice tour, the prison island tour, the Jozani forest tour and probably a Stone Town tour. Are 2 days in Stone Town enough?

sandi

Both the Spice Tour and Jozani are outside of Stone Town. You can actually do the Jozani stop on the way to the beach resort as most are in that direction.

As posted here and on TA, just too many 1/nighters and zig-zagging with the RAT and that stop in Marangu makes no sense whatsoever.

I can well understand that you feel you may never be back, but you maybe trying to do too much. This isn't the west where roads are in descent condition... not so in Tanzania, but for small sections, where you'll be spending more time in transit than game viewing.

And, as ShayTay mentions, do you really want to visit the Hadzabe and be running around with them and being offered a 'taste' of the bird or monkey they hunted down. This is not to dissuade people to visit, but except for enjoying a stay on the lake front, this stop is often best for kids or agile youngsters.

Other info was provided you on TA.

ShayTay

When you say that Duma offered the flight at $195, what flight is that? From Tarangire, you don't need to fly back to Arusha. It's only about a 2.5 hour drive on good roads. Even if you're flying from JRO rather than the Arusha Airport, that's just one more hours and you'd have plenty of time to make your flight to Zanzibar.

Yes, two days in Stone Town should be enough. I'd suggest going on to Pongwe first and spend 2 or 3 nights there. On your way back to Stone Town, you can do a morning Spice Farm tour. Have lunch at Mtoni Marine north of ST, then do an afternoon tour of ST. I like to stay at Tembo House, which is on the waterfront, but not as expensive as the Serena. The next day, you can go over to Prison Island for snorkeling and to see the giant tortoises. It's usually just a half-day trip, so it's possible to visit the Jozani Forest that afternoon. Jozani is southeast of ST, while Pongwe is northeast, so Jozani is not really on the way to or from Pongwe. After spending your second night in ST, use the next morning for your final shopping excursions. Are you flying out from Dar es Salaam? Most flights such as KLM depart quite late, so I'd suggest having your outfitter fly you over to Dar from ZNZ early to mid-afternoon and have you transported to a day room in town. Our group is scheduled for the Harbourview Suites this year and I've also stayed at the Slipway. This gives you an opportunity to rest up and have dinner before you leave. I suggested the earlier afternoon flight because traffic in Dar at rush hour is horrible! You'd want to beat that traffic getting to your dayroom.

sandi

Believe it's a drive from Tarangire to Arusha airport for flight to ZNZ. The fare is about $200/pp one way. Flight departs ARK 12:30-12:45, arriving ZNZ 1/hr later.

Saskadventurer

Thanks for all the excellent advice. Duma is certainly seems to be the better choice. The flight I mentioned was to Zanzibar.

We might not do all the tours in Zanzibar; we'll play that by ear. I gather it will be very hot and humid while we are there. Is Pongwe still a good choice as it has no AC? We're from a very dry area but if it usually cools down at night or there is a breeze off the water, we'll be fine.

Will the safari be humid too?

I plan to fly home from Dar es Salaam. Shay Tay, thanks for the advice about when to fly and about the day room. We've had late checkouts before but never a day room. What a good idea.

Another question, we'll be flying from Canada. What's the best way to get to Tanzania - through Europe or the U.S.?

sandi

As to need for a/c - many of those who have stayed at Pongwe said it was fine without as there is a breeze and with ceiling fans, good enough. Not sure whether this holds true during Feb when the temps can be in the 90s or higher and humidity not that much less or even the same. When we visited in June... the nights didn't cool much, as happens when on the mainland.

But in the end, it's a personal choice and mine is 'a/c, or I don't stay' Not keen waking up on wet sheets, especially from a gal who rarely sweats.

The mainland will be hot, rarely humid, and nights/early mornings will be a few degrees cooler and comfy for sleep. Though some years, at minimum, some lodges/camps did provide fans.

KathBC

Should you decide you need a/c as I did last June, check out Mchanga Beach. It's a bit pricier however I found most places with a/c were.

www.mchangabeachlodge.com

It's absolutely stunning!

KathBC

Re Fights from Canada to Tanzania, I flew British Airways thru London and stopped both ways for a few days to visit friends.

Next time think I'll look into return flights Vancouver to London with one carrier and then a separate return flight for the Africa portion. Seems London has more carriers and deals to Africa, altho sandi could respond best to that.

Where in Sask would you fly from? It may even be worth while flying to Toronto then a Toronto to London package and then seeing what airline has the best rate for a London Tanzania return.

Something to think about anyway.