Recommendation Lodging/Locations for Tanzania Trip
 

Our trip will be taking place from February 6-13, 2011. It's a short time to go but our original and final destination is Johannesburg.

My idea (I don't actually know where everything is in relation to each other) is to stay 1 night each at Lake Manyara and the Crater. Maybe do a walking/hiking safari in the Crater?

What are the best things to see at Lake Manyara? My sister went years ago and said she mostly saw zebras, giraffe, and elephant. She said it wasn't as good as the Crater for viewings but I also don't have the idea they had the best guide either.

Then I'm thinking 4-5 nights in the southern Serengeti for the wildebeest birthing season and "I need more cheetah"! We saw a few in Kenya but I want to see A LOT of them (not high numbers but quality sightings so I can watch them easily).

Here's one proposed itinerary I've received:
1-Jambo Campsite/Ngorongoro Farm House
2-Campsite in Seronera/Serengeti Sopa Lodge
3-Campsite in Seronera/Serengeti Sopa Lodge
4- Campsite in Sereonera/Serengeti Sopa Lodge
5-Simba Campsite/Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge

Comments/suggestions/opinions/feedback welcome!

The proposed itinerary you've provided has you situatied in the Central Serengeti. Ideally for February, you want to be in the Southern part of the Serengeti ecosystem in the part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area known as Ndutu. It will be difficult for you to find accommodation in Ndutu for Feb at this late date, which could be why your proposed itinerary has you staying in a less ideal area.

Lake Manyara is a beautiful park with a mosaic of different habitats that support a wide variety of wildlife and vegetation. It has something like 400 bird species! You can do the park easily in 1 day.

It is common for people to spend 2 nights at the Crater; one upon arrival and the second after your crater tour. You could consider leaving Lk Manyara and driving to the crater for an overnight rather than spending a night at Lk Manyara. Then you are poised for an early decent into the crater the following morning.

You <i>cannot</i> hike in the crater, although there are crater rim walks you can do.

Have fun with the planning.

Ndutu will probably be fully booked, but might still be possible (wasn't there another fodorite that got accomodation there in Olakira quite last minute?)
Alternative could also be Piyaya camp. I stayed at both Olakira (Ndutu) and Piyaya camp in february, and the migration was early that time and already closer to piyaya than to ndutu...

The accommodations and/or campsites are fine, but for those in Seronera. This probably due to fact that for February which is right around the corner is fully booked in the Ndutu area. You can ask about a public campsite in/at Ndutu or if by some miracle there's a "special" campsite in the area. All, of course, dependent on your budget.

Olakira is nice, but will be at a higher cost; likewise would be Piyaya Camp.

Try LMTC ? Cheaper than Olakira...not sure what you will get this late, though.

TP ... duh! LMTC? is?

Lake Masek Tented Camp
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...p-feedback.cfm

Nikao - Thought so, but OP probably wouldn't have.

yeah you're right... figured you knew what it was, but I didn't so curious little me looked it up and thought id share with the OP indeed :)

Any thoughts on the Serengeti Savannah Camp, Exclusive Serengeti Mobile Camp (EMC), Ndutu Lemala Camp? I have been given a rough estimate of how much more each of these places cost than say, Ndutu Lodge, but am unsure what the high season cost of Ndutu Lodge is.

Thanks for all the suggestions thus far!

I've stayed at a couple of EMC camps in the Serengeti. They were very good, in terms of the tents and dining. I think you'll find that they are less expensive than Lemala, for example. They are owned by Tanganyika Wilderness Camps, who also own Lake Masek Tented Camp, which is a high-end permanent tented camp in the southern Serengeti.

@ Shaytay- thanks for the first hand recommendation!