Safari planning help please for Africa in January?
 

Hello Fodorites

We've had great input from various members in response to previous questions, though there are so many safari options we're still a bit flumoxed!

We'll have about 3 to 4 weeks available to us for a safari trip in January and/or February of 2010, and we're hoping to get the best wildlife experience(s) we can during that time. Following advice from members here, our initial hopes are to visit the best (we wouldn't have time to do all) of the following:
* Tanzania/Serengeti and hopefully catch a bit of the wilderbeest migration (is this particularly worthwhile?);
* perhaps on to Kenya?;
* Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (or Kruger - but Walrus advises us that in January Kruger may not be so good because it will be rainy so we may not see so much wildlife);
* Botswana/Chobe (and Victoria Falls).

We're travelling as a family of 3 and we need to try to keep costs down where possible. We definitely want to sleep in the parks, preferably in tents for some nights at least so that we can have a 'true' wildlife safari experience amongst the beasties, but would prefer not to be in those little 2 man dome tents, (but not luxury either).

We've taken a look at the Sanparks website and their huts look great. We're happy to self-drive where sensible (e.g. Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park or Kruger) and stay in those park huts at times.
We've been advised against trying to self-drive Botswana/Chobe during January because it will be very wet and difficult to manage, so I guess it would definitely be best to take a guided tour here?

Sorry about all these questions, but we've come to rely a great deal on your experiences in helping us to plan our trip and would really appreciate your input again.

Just one more thing we need to bear in mind (and the wonderful people who have given us advice on this previously will be aware) - we require the use of some form of electricity during the day in order to charge up a portable sleep-apnoea machine. We're reasonably confident this shouldn't be a problem whether we self-drive or use a guided tour, so long as we have the use at least of a cigarette lighter for the adaptor to plug into and charge when travelling. However, we've been warned that it could become an issue if we take an 'overland' tour. Would anyone be able to comment further on this please?

Advice on good budget/mid-range safari companies would be appreciated too ...

Phew! Yes I know this is a huge post but I just had to get all those questions out in one hit!

Thanks again :-) Chrissie

PS: I forgot to mention that we'd also be happy to stay in mid-range lodges or whatever here and there ... :-)

With 3 to 4 weeks, I'd suggest staying in East Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. There, you have a break between the short and long rains, unlike southern Africa. Not only will it be raining there, but the grass will be high and the wildlife, disbursed. I'd spend most of my time in Tanzania, as the Migration should be in the southern Serengeti in the Ndutu region. There is only one lodge there, Ndutu Lodge, but several operators set up mobile tented camps, my preference. You could spend at least 2 weeks on the northern safari circuit in Tanzania, including Arusha NP, Tarangire NP, Lake Manyara NP, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti NP. Some people think that Jan/Feb isn't a great time to visit Tarangire, but I've seen up to 200 elephants there in one day in Feb. You could end your trip with a few days on Zanzibar. If you wanted to add in some time in Kenya, I'd suggest Samburu in the north. You'll see different kinds of wildlife there that you won't see elsewhere, such as the gerenuk, reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, and Somali ostrich.

Airfare is usually cheaper into Nairobi, so perhaps you could fly in to NBO, go up to Samburu, then back to Nairobi for a quick flight to Kilimanjaro Airport near Arusha (JRO). Go on safari in Tanzania, then fly over to Zanzibar for a few days. There are direct flights from ZNZ back to NBO for your flight home.

See if a safari outfitter can set you up with accommodations that sleep 3 in a tent or room. That will cut your costs considerably. The outfitters will probably have 2010 pricing in mid-2009.

Hi Chrissie,
I really like ShayTay's ideas. You could do a combination of lodges and tented camps. How lucky you have 3-4 weeks. I've never been on a mobile safari, so can't comment regarding electricity. In most permanent accommodations (and even many semi-permanent/seasonal tented camps) you'll have some form of electricity.

Thanks ShayTay and Dana-M

This is really great info as it directs us where we should concentrate the most of our time. I'll start researching now into Tanzania and Samburu options. Do you think these areas will offer an opportunity to see all of the 'Big 5' (and perhaps some cats?).

Would you recommend skipping Botswana altogether during January?

I've been asking various companies for some idea of costings but as you say, they don't yet have any 2010 prices. I think I'll go back to them and ask for an idea of the 2009 prices so at least then I'll be able to compare costs between the various outfits, and get an idea as to whom might be best for us to go with.

Thanks again :-)