This is great info Patty - Thank you. I will add them to the list of companies I want a price from. I wonder why I have not seen their name mentioned on this forum before (probably did but wasn't paying enough attention).

We watched TALL BLONDES this weekend and now my husband is all worked up about Giraffe Manor, and he decided two weeks was not long enough, so now I can stretch things out to three weeks. Don't know what this will do to our budget yet (ouch)but it sure makes the planning a bit easier - not so much rushing around. Actually he wanted to throw in Cairo as well, but I told him to save it for the next trip.

I'm sending out my itinerary this week for prices. Reading the countdown postings sure makes me jealous. Our dates are going to be June 19 - July 6, 2006 - that is if the airlines cooperate.

***TARANGIRE***

It was suggested that although lovely, Tarangire Tree Tops Lodge was a very long drive from Amboselli, and the roads were very bad. Has anyone had any experience here?

What about Kikoti?
Tarangire Safari Lodge?
Mawe Ninga?
Swala Camp?

Swala is prbably the most expensive, right?

Are Kikoti and Tree-Tops comparable in price and comfort?

I am starting to get answers to my emails and it just gives me more questions.

Thanks
csuss

csuss - Long is a relative term. Remember you're in Africa and there are limited options other then flying. But lying from Amboseli to Tarangire is not one of them unless in a circuitous route and costly.

The drive from Amboseli to the Namanga boarder crossing is about 1-1/2 hrs.; another 1+ hrs to Arusha where you can stop for lunch, stretch your legs, freshen up. From Arusha to Tarangire is about 1-1/2 to 2-hrs. Once you reach Tarangire and enter the park, you're on safari. So depending on where your lodge/camp is located, this can add maybe 1-hr - some camps are located inside the park, others outside.

So Long is relative - there are longer routes that visitors take - e.g. Amboseli to Ngorongoro - very very long, often not arriving till sunset. Likewise from the Ngorongoro to the Western or Northern Serengeti - also very very long - but much of these are safari/gameviewing along the way.

Unless you are flying into/out of all your parks/reserves (and here you maybe limited to those with airstrips nearby), there is going to be driving, but the scenery is interesting; you pass small villages; not boring at all. And by the time you reach Tarangire you're on safari again.

Remember, everyone has their own ideas of what "long" is. Think of how many hours you spend in your vehicle and on the roads in your hometown on any given day? Some City folks (myself included) may think that is "long" and ridiculous. It's all relative. You're in Africa - not back home - comforts and conveniences are just different.

Thanks Sandi.

One thing I find difficult to tell - when an operator is trying to be helpful, and when they are just trying to steer you toward one of their properties.

I did do an awful lot of research on camps in other partks, but didn't really do much on the Tarangire camps, so I would still like to know anyone's opinion on the other choices.

csuss,
You've probably come across these sites already but in case you haven't, they have good pics and descriptions of some of the camps you listed with location maps -

http://www.africatravelresource.com/...rangire/00.htm

http://www.africadreamsafaris.com/lodges/tarangire.html