Philipsburg

Hello, I've been lurking on the forum for a while and it has helped me plan our honeymoon trip to Tanzania for February 06. Please review the attached proposed itinerary I received from the operator (Roys Safari) I think we are going to use. I know some may think it's a lot of safari, but we love nature and game viewing is our #1 priority. Does the timeframe in each park seem ok? How about the accommodations? I think we might want to consider removing one of the lodges and replacing if with another tented facility. In particular, I was thinking of changing Ndutu Safari Loged with a tented camp in the Southern Serengeti or Ndutu area. (It does not have to be a luxury tent camp...are there any mobile camps that will be following the migrations? I'd imagine that would be very special) Please give me your suggestions on a camp and any other advice you may have. Thanks in advance for all your help! This is a very useful forum.

Day 1) Arrive Kilimanjaro International Airport, meet upon arrival, overnight
The Impala (B&B basis)
Day 2) Depart Arusha for Ngorongoro Crater, afternoon Crater floor game-
viewing, overnight Sopa Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 3) Morning Crater floor game-viewing, afternoon crater rim hike overnight Sopa Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 4) Depart Ngorongoro for Ndutu, afternoon game drive, overnight Ndutu
Safari Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 5) Full day Ndutu, morning and afternoon game drives, overnight Ndutu
Safari Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 6) Depart Ndutu for Serengeti National Park, afternoon game drive,
overnight Serengeti Sopa (B/L/D)
Day 7) Full day Serengeti, morning and afternoon game drives, overnight
Serengeti Sopa (B/L/D)
Day 8) Depart Serengeti for Lake Manyara National Park, afternoon game drive,
overnight Kirurumu Tented Camp (B/L/D)
Day 9) Morning game drive in Manyara, afternoon Forest Hike), overnight Kirumuru Tented Camp (B/L/D)
Day 10) Morning game drive in Manyara before departing for Tarangire National
Park, afternoon game drive, overnight Tarangire Safari Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 11) Full day Tarangire, morning and afternoon game drives, overnight
Tarangire Safari Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 12) Depart Tarangire for Arusha, afternoon Ngresi Village visit, transfer
to Kilimanjaro International Airport for outbound flight. End of services

Leely

I will let the many helpful experts comment on the details of your itinerary, but I wanted to say it's NOT too much safari.

p.s. We loved the Serrengeti best, and I could never be bored there. Have a great time.

Leely

Serengeti. Typing too fast with my ungainly fingers.

atravelynn

Philipsburg

Looks like a great Tanzania trip! Roy's can do a mobile safari for you in the Serengeti, if you'd prefer that. It might be a nice addition to your other accommodations.

The Manyara forest walk looked intriguing. Has anyone done that? You'll have to report on it when you return.

It is a lot of safari (but never too much), allowing you to fully enjoy the areas you are visiting.

Bet you can't wait.

Philipsburg

Yeah, I thought about substituting nights 4 & 5 at the Ndutu safari Lodge with one of Roys mobile safari camps but the cost would probably go up around $200 per person per night.(this surprized me) This would add about a total of $800 to our trip. Would that be worth it for two nights? Are there any other tent options? What is the Ndutu Safari Lodge like? Thanks for all the help!

atravelynn

There is Kusini Camp, to the east of Ndutu. I have not stayed there. No personal experience with Ndutu either.

Try doing a search on these. I recall forum comments on both accommodations from those with first hand experience.

For two nights of mobile safari, I don't think I'd spring for an extra $800.

climbhighsleeplow

I stayed at both Kusini and Ndutu.

Ndutu is a nice lodge with both standalone cottages and "stable-like" rooms. I stated before that I have a love-hate relationship with Ndutu. We enjoy the cottages but not the "stable" rooms at the very left as you face the lounge from the fire pit. Somehow I always end up in the depressing stable rooms! It is a small lodge but not really intimate.

The dining room is OK and they have a comfortable lounge area with genets running on the rafters catching the moths!

It is very popular in Jan-Mar with all 32-odd cottages filled but in an excellent position to spot the migration. Tour groups tend to take over the lounge and fire pit areas leaving couples and singles a bit stranded. Nevertheless it's worth a stopover.

Be aware that it is NOT in the Serengeti and that your driver will be relunctant to enter the Serengeti unless it is on your itinerary (and you paid the park fees).

Kusini is a different experience. Sanctuary lodges employ experienced camp managers with interesting and varied backgrounds and you will be welcomed with smiles and warm hearts.

It is a long drive to get there but so worth it! The larger camp has several tents around a kopje from where you can enjoy the scheduled sundowners on cushions while watching the sunset. Little Kusini is new and a bit more exclusive just around the corner.

The tents at Kusini are far apart and can be unnerving if you are worried about things that make noises at night. You will hear hyenas and so on, and they always seem very close! Ask for a tent closer to the dining room if you get nervous!

Hope this helps!

sandi

Ndutu is a rather basic lodge with not that many rooms, but its position is good for the migration. Kusini Camp is a good option, small and intimate and well managed, but more expensive. There is also Serengeti Camp which is a semi-permenent camp which sets up yearly based on where the migration actually appears (some years it's in South East, others between South East and Central). Serengeti Camp and other alternatives can be found at:

http://www.kirurumu.com/

these are the same people providing your accommodations at Lk.Manyara.

Hope this helps.