Hello,

After not making it to Africa last May/June, we are now planning our honeymoon there for May 26, 2008 and leaving on June 6, 2008 (10 days).

My fiance insists on some beach time so we will start the trip in Zanzibar or other island/beach for 3 days. Any suggestions on where to go/stay?

Most importantly is how to spend the remaining 7 days on Safari! My thoughts are in central serengeti for the first 3 days (maybe the serena) and the final 4 days in the Masai Mara (possibly at olonana).

Any thoughts on how to maximize a budget of $3.5k to $4k each (including airfare from the states) to make this the very best safari?

Thanks in advance?

Hi,
i recomend serena inZanzibar/orLamu and serengeti and in Maasai mara the olonana/also consinder Mara Sarova,and also a one day at the L/Nakuru the flamingo santuary.
If you take reputable Local safari operators with your budget then you will experience paradise treat as their rates are competative and quality personalised service.
Hopes you secure the best deal to realy experience the very best safari.

As you'll be traveling end May, I suggest you get the safari in first. The prices will be low season, whereas by June 1, they go into peak-season rates.

Realize after wedding you'd like to relax, but the beach properties, even in June will be less than those on safari.

However, considering that air from the East Coast to Tanzania is at minimum $1200-$1400/person, your budget will be tight.

Thank you both for your responses.

Sandi - you bring up an excellent point regarding starting our honeymoon with a safari to take advantage of the lower rates.

Will we be able to view any part of the migration in the central serengeti at the end of May?

One of the operators we are working with has us staying in Shompole for 3 days and the Olonana for 3-4 days. Our thinking was to take advantage of more luxury camps during the mid-season (lower rates) in Masai Mara.

Is it possible to get accommodations on par with the Olonana & Shompole in the Serengeti (for the Migration) with the same rates?

Given your budget and the amount of time you have, I'd stick with one country. If you try to combine the Serengeti and Mara, the flights between the two will cost a significant portion of your budget. Similarly, flights to/from Shompole will add to your costs and even in low season, it's a pretty expensive camp. Olonana has good low season rates. Did you already receive a quote for the Olonana/Shompole combination and found that it fits within your budget?

Patty,

We did receive a quote from imagine Africa that included Olonana, Shompole and Fumbu Beach Lodge in Zanzibar. With all internal flights and the international flights for about $600 over our max budget of $4k. We were hoping with a little tweaking we could get it down to $4k. How we would tweak it, is still unknown…

Any thoughts?

Is there something on par with the Olonana in terms of accommodations and rates that we can take advantage that will save us money over Shompole?

Should we stay in Masai Mara the whole seven days, possibly even at the same camp (Olonana) or would that be a waste?

If it would be a waste, what other area should we go to and where should we book our accommodations?

How many nights do you have at each location currently?

How important is game viewing to you? While I haven't stayed at Shompole, from the reports I've read it's more focused on relaxation, privacy, scenery, than game viewing.

Game viewing is very important to me. We can skip Shompole all together if it won't provide great game viewing.

Right now we have 3 nights each in Shompole and Olonana and 4 in Zanzibar. We are going to reduce the zanzibar portion to 3 nights and add one night to our safari.

Any ideas on what would be a better game viewing alternative to Shompole with similar accommodations to Olonana?

I'd skip Kenya and stay in Tanzania, of which Zanzibar is a part. As Sandi suggests, go on safari first. The Migration should be in the central Serengeti at that time. For something different, consider staying at the Hatari Lodge at Arusha NP. Then, continue on to Lake Manyara or Ngorongoro Crater and end your safari in the Serengeti. Or, you could just do the Hatari Lodge (3 days), then fly into and out of the Serengeti (4 days), continuing on to Zanzibar for the final three days. Rather than staying at the Serena in Stone Town, I would suggest a beach destination on the north or northeast coast. Look at Eben's website: www.go-safari.com for some ideas. You can always take a tour of Stone Town on your last day before leaving town.

Airfare to Tanzania goes up near the end of May...not sure what the dates are for 2008. Check with a company that books a lot of travel to Africa such as Born Free Safaris or Premier Tours. They have contracted rates that are sometimes better than what you find on the open market. They can book your air without booking your safari. You can also check online at www.kayak.com. You can fly into Arusha/Kilimanjaro and out of Dar es Salaam, given that you're ending in Zanzibar and it's a quick hop over to Dar from there.

If game viewing is important, I'd suggest a combination of Samburu and Mara (if you plan to stay within Kenya). In Samburu, you'll find some different species than you would in the southern parts of Kenya or northern Tanzania. Look into Elephant Bedroom or Larsens. I believe both are open in May.

Keep in mind that by shifting an additional night from the beach to safari, you're generally going to increase your costs. If you end up with a safari in Kenya, you could also consider beach destinations in Kenya. You'll save a bit on flight costs and $100pp for the Tanzania visa.

Hi DC2africa,

Hi,I believe, in may end/june beginning, with 7-8 days on safari,and with wildlife viewing being imp to you, suggest spend as much time in the serengeti around the southern(moru) and central regions of the serengeti,and spend a night at ngorogoro and manyara, or stay at ngorogoro for 2 nights and while returning/staying over arusha/kilimanjaro to catch flights for zanzibar do a game drive in manyara, skip kenya alltogether, Sonali

Can't imagine how your agent put you into Kenya at this time... migration is in Tanzania. Even though Shompole and Olonana are absolutely lovely and romantic... also very expensive, even in low season.

I'd stick with one country. Tanzania. There are rarely deals into Kilimanjaro (JRO), as KLM is the only carrier and charges what they wish. However, compare price of Emirates via Dubai to NBO, then a connecting to JRO. You can then depart on Emirates from Dar-es-Salaam (DAR) a short flight from Zanzibar.

You need at least 3/days for the beach, which leaves 7/days for safari. Am I correct that your 5/26 to 6/6 include your travel days?

Consider, assuming via Emirates:
Day 1 - Arv. NBO connect to JRO - o/n
Day 2 - Arusha Natl Park - o/n Hatari Lodge
Day 3 - Drive to Ngorongoro; afternoon crater tour - o/n
Day 4 - Drive to to Central Serengeti - o/n
Day 4 & 6 - Central Serengeti - o/n
Day 7 - Fly via Arusha to ZNZ - o/n
Days 8 & 9 - ZNZ - o/n
Day 10 - Drive via Stone Town; flight to DAR; connect to late-afternoon flight on Emirates for homebound.

If via KLM:
on Day 10, because KLM flight departs DAR at 11pm, you can spend time in Stone Town.

But what's open in the central Serengeti in May that would be comparable cost/accommodations-wise to what the OP had in mind? I don't get the sense that the OP is willing to stay in Serena/Sopa/Wildlife lodges but at the same time also has a limited budget. Olonana's low season game package rack rate is $306pppn next year. Is there anything in the central Serengeti around that price that's open? Something has to give - either the budget, the location, reduce the number of nights on safari or downgrade the accommodations.

With only $4K person, and figuring air at $1500, doesn't leave much for the safari. However, Kirawira and Mbalageti have low rates in May. Drive is only 2/hrs to Central. There's Mbuzi Mawe Camp, only 1/hr north of the Serena. Otherwise, Olakira, CCAs TUC and Nomad's are costly, even in low season.

When we were here in '05, staying at Kirawira, the herds were in Central (zebras still on the Southern plains). This past season, the herds were in the West earlier than usual... in mid-May. So there's no guarantee exactly where.

Olonana's rate might be low end-May, but if it's game OP wishes, the Mara (while I always enjoy visiting this time for quiet) can disappoint... game is widely dispersed and few wildies around. Didn't see but one and he may have been lost from a resident herd.

You have all brought up many great points and suggestions.

Patty - You are correct in your assumptions and you presented our biggest dilemma. Can we get comparable accommodations in Tanzania (Serengeti) that we can get in Kenya?

I guess we want to balance great game viewing with a special places to stay. Can Kenya better offer that or Tanzania considering the time of year and budget?

Hi I believe you have 2 choices, shompole and olonana are very lux properties, with less guests space, while serena/sopa in serengeti would be less expensive but still very good accomodation( I think in the 4,5 star range) but higher no.
of guests

I would rather stay at serena/sopa during the time you are visiting as your game viewing will be fabulous.

300-325 ppp/day on safari for 6-7 nights would be a good quote in tanzania with sopa serena properties... so four nights serengeti 2 ngihts ngorogoro and a game drive in manyara(sandi,is this possible)

Sandi can help you out in the states, I think you will get a link to her website by a search on the forum, sandi I donnot remeber the name of your website(the spelling, sorry)

Sonali

Thanks again for all the responses.

Giving equal priority to game viewing, really good accommodations with a beach excursion, I came up with the following itinerary:

May 27 Arrive Nairobi >> Tanzania
May 28 Serengeti - Mbuzi Mawe
May 29 Serengeti - Mbuzi Mawe
May 30 Serengeti - Mbuzi Mawe
May 31 Masai Mara - Olonana
June 1 Masai Mara - Olonana
June 2 Masai Mara - Olonana
June 3 Zanzibar - ??
June 4 Zanzibar - ??
June 5 Zanzibar - ??
June 6 Fly Home

I feel like we can take advantage of the lower season rates in Tanzania and get great accommodations and great game viewing while making it to the Masai Mara which is an area we both dreamt about.

I don't think I'm to far, budget wise, to making this itinerary work, or am I? Is this possible?

Any tweaks, changes, suggestions, ideas, tips?

: )

I'd have a few agents/operators price the itinerary to see how far off you are so you have an idea of how much tweaking you need to do.

As I mentioned earlier, the flights are really going to eat up your budget. Currently, the best fare I found on kayak.com for May 26 IAD-JRO/Jun 6 ZNZ-IAD is $1735pp. To this, add $700-$800pp for the Arusha-Seronera-Kilimanjaro-Nairobi-Mara-Nairobi flights and approx $200pp for airfare to ZNZ. Out of a $4000pp budget, this leaves you with less than $1400pp for everything else. That's not going to cover much more than 4 nights on safari.

Patty - I've had a couple of operators say the same thing, so there will be a lot more tweaking...

We are looking into a Tanzania only (with Zanzibar) safari trip to keep flight costs down. It seems to be the place that most people (operators & safari goers) think we should go to in order to enjoy the most game. We are hoping to find close to luxury camp accommodations for all or part of the safari.

Is Kenya, specifically the Mara, not as good as Tanzania for the time of year we're going? I know the migration is key but will we not see plenty (not as much as Tanzania) of game?

I ask this because I feel the accommodations we seek will be more in line with our budget in Kenya.

Anyone have a different thought on a Kenya (Mara) safari in May/June?