Have just started planning our honeymoon trip. We are hoping to go on safari in Tanzania and then chill out in Zanzibar. This trip is for October this year. Yes I know, I've left it a bit late but thought we would try to see if it would come together.

So far I've been in contact with ATR (I'm in the UK) and received (what I now know to be, thanks to this site!) their standard North Tanzanian safari:

2 nights Tarangire at Mawe Ninga Camp
1 night Crater Lodge (this was our honeymoon splurge)
1 night Olduvai
2 nights serengeti Ronjo Camp
4 nights Zanzibar Matemwe Bungalows

I spent most of my day yesterday reading lots of messages here and trip reports and advice. It has already helped alot so thanks for that! Based on a bit more research and advice here, I've asked them to change it to:

2 nights tarangire Swala Camp
1 night Serena or Sopa at the Crater
2 nights serengeti Migration Lodge (I'm not sure about distances here so have told them I'm happy to add a couple of days to get to migration staying at Olduvai and/or Ronjo)
4 nights Zanzibar either Ras Nungwi beach or Pongwe Beach hotel
1 night Stone Town Emerson and Green

Any advice or comments on the chosen accom would be appreciated. Also advice on the serengeti portion of the safari in terms of distances and viability would be great as well. We are more interested in the safari side than the beach and so if we need more time for the safari we're happy to sacrifice time in Zanzibar.

We were also thinking about doing the balloon flight in the serengeti. I really enjoy these - I've been on in Oz and Egypt. Is there anyone who would recommend it or not?

Thanks to advice here I've asked ATR to provide me with info on the cars and will make sure I have a cover on the pop-up! Also if I can, I'll see if Edward is available after his rave reviews on this site!

I've checked on flights and the best flights for us are into Nairobi. Does anyone know what would be the best way to go from Nairobi to the start of the safari. Can you fly from Nairobi to the serengeti and start the tour there? I'd then need to get from Zanzibar to Nairobi as well...

What time would your flight arrive NBO?

Precision Air www.precisionairtz.com flies NBO-JRO (Kilimanjaro). I think this would be the easiest option if you're trying to make a same day connection and/or you're keeping the itinerary as is starting in Tarangire first.

From Wilson airport in Nairobi, Air Kenya www.airkenya.com and Safarilink www.safarilink.co.ke both fly to Kilimanjaro as well. These flights should be timed to connect to the Serengeti bound flights. However, you'll need to change airports upon arrival in Nairobi so whatever option works best just depends on what time you're arriving and whether you need to overnight somewhere in between.

There are nonstop ZNZ-NBO flights on Kenya Airways www.kenya-airways.com (not to be confused with Air Kenya) and perhaps other carriers too.

For more internal Tanzania routes and schedules, check http://www.go-safari.com/safari_Tanzania.htm

The balloon flights depart from the central Serengeti, so I think Ronjo (or another central Serengeti option) would need to be added back in.

I thought Ronjo was great, but for a honeymoon just know it's very rustic: more rustic than Mawe Ninga. Whether or not that appeals is entirely up to you.

Could you possibly add a night in the Serengeti and take one night from Zanzibar? Or even add a night to the whole trip? Then you could have a night at Ronjo and time at Migration.

Congratulations, by the way!

If you arrive NBO mid-day, you can catch a late afternoon/early evening flight to Kili (JRO), but will have to overnight here... in/around Arusha. Not till next day will you be able to head out to Tarangire.

If you arrive late, as many flights do into NBO, you can overnight near the airport at Panari Hotel (10-min. from airport), then first thing in the morning take the 8:00am flight to Kili. From here you can continue to Tarangire.

From the Crater to Migration Camp which would be lovely for a honeymoon, is a very long haul. And if you wish to do the hot-air balloon, I'd suggest you overnight in the Central Serengeti (the Serena) so next morning you can do the balloon. After this, you would drive to Migration Camp.

From Migration Camp, there are flights from the Klein's Camp airstrip, via Arusha, to Zanzibar. And from ZNZ, there are flights to Nairobi so you can connect for your homebound flight.

The flight I took to Kili via Jomo Kenyatta is this, (and will take again):

http://www.lastminute.com/lmn/lfe/fl...RO&cc=NONE

Fly out of Heathrow at 8.00 arrive Nairobi at 0630 hrs, change depart Nairobi at 0800hrs to arrive Kili at 0850hrs.

Cheap, good service onboard and you get a nice flypast of Kilimanjaro as you fly into the airport in TZ - sit on the left of the plane.

Matt

Thanks for the info everyone.

I don't mind going a bit rustic for part of the safari so will include Ronjo. Depending how the pricing goes I'll try to include both Olduvai and Ronjo so we have more time on safari.

Thanks for the flight info. Matt_from_England, the link didn't work for me but will look into a flight from NBO to JRO. Who did you end up flying with?

We are looking at BA so need a different carrier for NBO to JRO. The BA flight gets us in at 9pm to Nairobi. The cost is £399. However the accom in Nairobi and flight to JRO may mean this isn't such a cheap option so will look over this again.

Will let know quote details when I hear back from ATR.

Okay, sorry, you get timed out with lastminute - anyway: Air Kenya works out at 683.50 return with the 1 stop at Nairobi from where you take a Precision air flight to Kili. Kili is close to Arusha 3/4 hr by road +/- and bearing in mind that you start at Tarangire I think this would be your best option. With the flight getting in at 9.00 am ish that would give you the morning to get from the airport to the park by road, get into camp and then have an afternoon drive. Sleep - who needs sleep, you can do that on the flight back!

Matt

The Precision Air NBO-JRO flight costs about $200 one way. Check www.kenya-airways.com for the cost of a one way ZNZ-NBO. Compare the total cost plus overnight accomodation in Nairobi to the cost of a Kenya Airways ticket from LHR that includes those connecting segments or the cost of an open jaw ticket with KLM (via AMS) directly into JRO and out of DAR (DAR is more convenient if ending in Zanzibar). You may find that the difference is minimal once the extras are accounted for.

Kenya Airways has a LHR-NBO redeye that gets into NBO around 6:30 the following day where you'd connect to a morning flight to JRO and be on your way to Tarangire. This also saves the hassle of having to go through immigration, getting transit visas, etc. which would be necessary for an overnight in Nairobi.

KLM flies a day time nonstop AMS-JRO and you'd get into JRO in the evening and spend your first night in the Arusha/Kilimanjaro area before departing on safari the following morning. This same aircraft also continues onto DAR before heading back to AMS, so I'd suggest an open jaw ticket returning from DAR which is closer and more convenient for ZNZ flights than JRO.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the advice everyone. Have decided to go for Kenya Airways flights or KLM flights LON to JRO and back ZNZ to LON. Most stop in Nairobi but I won't have to overnight there. Here's the new itinerary:

1 night Moivaro Lodge
2 nights Swala Camp
1 night Crater Serena
2 nights Ronjo Camp
2 nights Migration Camp
5 nights Pongwe Beach Hotel
1 night Emerson and Green

It's completely blown our budget but you only get one honeymoon!!

ATR are now checking on availability of accomm for us. So hopefully we can finalise next week. So exciting!! The final quote came to $9212. Any feedback on the plan would be appreciated while I still have a chance to make a change!

Oh I also put in a request for a pop up top with a shade. ATR said that they could request this but not guarantee it. I told them it was a must as I'm fair skinned. She was going to check with a lady (can't remeber the name) who is the agent out there. I hope this can be organised as I don't fancy being exposed to the sun all day.

I also asked for Reggie or Edward for the guide as they both had such good reviews from you all Once again she would request but could not guarantee. So fingers crossed!

Got back one week ago from my Honeymoon. I have just posted a log called Tanzania Safari Trip -
I went with ATR and they were very good. They use a company in Arusha called Tanganyika Expeditions, they are French ( I think)
Web site -http://www.tanganyika.com
I will put little comments by the various days. If you are going to Zanzibar the Asali Suite at Matembwe Beach Village is incredible.


19th June - Arrive Arusha - Stay Moivaro coffee lodge - fine to get some sleep - food not good - nice pool and bar - 20 mins from Arusha
20-21st - Mawe Ninga - Amazing Views - Great Tents - Eco loos and showers - food ok
22nd - Crater Lodge - sumptuous palace - the crater is incredible - amazing food and wine - romantic bath run by butler - not in the real world of Africa - great animals but sometimes you felt like you were in a big zoo
23-24 - Olakiri Luxury tented - amazing location truly wild - luxury mobile tents - first class food and wine - noises of animals at night - very tiring place great fun
25-27 - Sayari Luxury tented - flew up in a small plane - stunning location and more like a five star hotel - amazing comfort in rooms, huge bed, nice bathroom his & her basins, great showers - stunning food and charming host - nice camp fire - good guides - you can travel off road - best place i have stayed in three safaris will def. go back
28 June Fly to arusha then Zanzibar
28-1 July Pongwe Beach - stunning beach and nice rooms - dinner ruined by tacky music every night, food okay - fours nights too many
2-3 July Asali Suite Matembwe - the coolest and most romantic rooms ever - Over the top in a good way - plunge pool inside the huge Banda hut -0 own kitchen with private chef - sitting room - music - such a great place - hotel has very good diving facility and brand big pool
4-6 July Kenda Sunset bungalows - very cool and more like Thailand islands - busy and noisy at night - lots of places to eat and different bars - great sunsets
7 July Dhow Palace, Stone Town - huge rooms with balconies - swimming pool - ate out mostly - good roof terrace for breakfast
8 July Emerson Green Stone Town - very cool room with huge bath and only two walls. Balcony looking out over Stone Town and the sea - great place for dinner on the roof - all rooms are different try to get one at the top of the building

Hope that helps a bit.
Do feel free to ask questions. The prices can mostly be found on ATR's website. It is probably worth checking thwe French guys too.

Regards Chris

dnk

Since you mentioned a blown budget, have you considered contacting a local outfitter in Arusha rather than a UK Agent to quote a similar itinerary?

My guess is Sunny safaris, Roys and others will probably save you some money. Poptops are standard on Sunny vehicles from what I've seen.

Thanks for the info. I booked with ATR as per the quote above. Given more time I would have liked to shop around a bit more. Given the time frames I needed to be able to talk with the agent quickly. ATR were really good with getting back to me. As it was we had to change the week we leave and depart on a Sunday rather than Saturday to get the camps we wanted. Guess that is the penalty for leaving it to the last minute!!

I'm very excited about the trip and keep describing my itenerary in great detail to all my friends!

Thanks to all who gave me advice!