atravelynn mentioned Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris, who I would strongly recommend if you are going to see wildlife. They spend a huge amount of time in the field, and have great, passionate guides, and have been doing this for thirty years or something. Small company, so you have to see when they have safaris planned, but well worth planning around.

Well ladies - Thank You - I can see sports bras are a necessity.

I just finished all of your the first trip report - which will require a reread later. And I intend to look at your pictures.

Your report was wonderful and I loved your Mark Twain quote - we have so many friends that can't wait for our pictures and stories of our trips and indicate they wish they went but just keep pushing it off for next year. I have seen next year not come for some. I too am going to borrow that quote. I am looking forward with anticipation to your next two reports.

Any comments on these two options? The latter is more expensive because of the extra day and wanted comments as to if it is worth doing the hike as money is getting tight.
Air is unbelievably high!

Both include a crater rim walk.
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Day 1 Arusha to Lake Manyara. Game drive. Afternoon transfer to Karatu for overnight.
Day 2 Via Ngorongoro Conservation Area for highland walk.
Day 3: Game drive in Serengeti.
Day 4 Morning game drive in Serengeti. Afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro Crater rim.
Day 5 Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for game drive. Afternoon return to Arusha.

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For SIX days, a typical itinerary would look something like this:

Day 1 Arusha to Tarangire. Game drive. Afternoon transfer to Karatu for overnight.
Day 2 Via Ngorongoro Conservation Area to Serengeti, with game drives en route.
Day 3 Morning game drive in Serengeti. Afternoon transfer to Ngorongoro Crater rim.
Day 4 Descend into Ngorongoro Crater for game drive. Afternoon transfer through Ngorongoro Crater Highlands to Nayobi Village. Begin trek with donkeys & Maasai. (Tonight all accommodation grades will be required to camp).
Day 5 Hike through Crater Highlands into the Great Rift Valley. Afternoon transfer to Mto wa Mbu for overnight.
Day 6 Lake Manyara game drive. Afternoon return to Arusha.

Thanks for any input.

Bookmarking

Bookmarking

@Tucsoncoors,
Holiday can be at its best in Kenya. may be look at this safari itinerary and have this in mind that, you can get a customized safari to meet your length of stay and budget as well. You can contact Vacations Kenya Tours & Safari for any inquiry. Its a well know company offering customized safaris and are really affordable.
9 Days/8Nights Safari to Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Amboseli, Mt Kenya, Nakuru and Maasai Mara.

Day 1: Nairobi - Tsavo East

Early morning drive to Tsavo East National Park. Lunch at MTIT Andes (Tsavo Inn). After lunch, relax before proceeding to Tsavo East via the Manyana Gate. Make a long game drive until 18:00 hrs. Spot herds of Red Elephants, Lions, Giraffes, Zebras, Gazelles, Buffaloes, Waterbucks, impalas and different bird species. Dinner and overnight at Red Elephant Safari Lodge or Voi Safari Lodge (Lunch & Dinner)
Red Elephants of Tsavo East


Day 2: Tsavo East - Tsavo West

Early morning game drive. After breakfast, drive to Tsavo West National Park game en route to the lodge. Afternoon game drive with a visit to Rhino Sanctuary. Dinner and overnight at Ngulia Ngulia Safari Lodge or Safari Camp (Full Board)




Day 3: Tsavo West - Amboseli

Drive to Amboseli National Park via Mzima Springs and Shetani Lava flow, arriving at Amboseli for lunch. Afternoon game drives at Amboseli National Park, situated at the foot of Africa's highest mountain 'Mt Kilimanjaro '. Oltukai Dinner and overnight at Kibo Safari Camp or Lodge (Full board)

Day 4: Amboseli

Spend the whole day at Amboseli Game Reserve with morning and afternoon game drives. View the varied wildlife of this wonderful park. Oltukai Dinner and overnight at Kibo Safari Camp or Lodge (Full Board)




Day 5: Amboseli - Mount Kenya

After breakfast, drive to Nairobi arriving in time for lunch then continue to Mount Kenya National Park. On arrival, check in at the lodge. The resident wildlife in this park graze / feed around the lodges. They include; Cape Buffaloes, Forest Hog and different birds. View the snow - capped peaks of Mount Kenya (5.200 m above the sea level). Dinner and overnight at the Serena Mountain Lodge (Full Board)


Day 6: Mount Kenya - Lake Nakuru

After breakfast, drive through large Tea and Coffee plantations, Thomson Falls and the Equator to Lake Nakuru National Park. Game drive en route before checking in at the Lodge. The evening wildlife viewing starts at 16:00 hrs until 18:00 hrs.Spot the rare Rothschild Giraffe, Flamingoes, Black / White Rhinos and Buffaloes. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Safari Lodge. (Full Board).


Day 7: Lake Nakuru - Maasai Mara

Early morning breakfast then proceed to the famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve. On arrival, make a game drive en route until lunchtime, when you check in at the Lodge. More game viewing in the evening before dinner. Overnight at Siana Springs Camp or Olara Safari Camp (Full Board)


Day 8: Maasai Mara.

Spend a whole day wildlife viewing in Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Have a chance to see the "Big Five": Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo and Leopard. Wildebeests, Zebras, Cheetahs and Gazelles can also be easily spotted. Dinner and overnight at Siana Springs Camp or Olara Safari Camp. (Full Board).




Day 9: Maasai Mara-Nairobi.

Morning game drives before breakfast, drive to Nairobi after breakfast, with lunch on the way (Lunch Box)

(Breakfast & Lunch)

@Tucsoncoors,
Holiday can be at its best in Kenya. may be look at this safari itinerary and have this in mind that, you can get a customized safari to meet your length of stay and budget as well. You can contact Vacations Kenya Tours & Safari for any inquiry. Its a well know company offering customized safaris and are really affordable.

9 Days/8Nights Safari to Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Amboseli, Mt Kenya, Nakuru and Maasai Mara.

Day 1: Nairobi - Tsavo East

Early morning drive to Tsavo East National Park. Lunch at MTIT Andes (Tsavo Inn). After lunch, relax before proceeding to Tsavo East via the Manyana Gate. Make a long game drive until 18:00 hrs. Spot herds of Red Elephants, Lions, Giraffes, Zebras, Gazelles, Buffaloes, Waterbucks, impalas and different bird species. Dinner and overnight at Red Elephant Safari Lodge or Voi Safari Lodge (Lunch & Dinner)

Day 2: Tsavo East - Tsavo West

Early morning game drive. After breakfast, drive to Tsavo West National Park game en route to the lodge. Afternoon game drive with a visit to Rhino Sanctuary. Dinner and overnight at Ngulia Ngulia Safari Lodge or Safari Camp (Full Board)

Day 3: Tsavo West - Amboseli

Drive to Amboseli National Park via Mzima Springs and Shetani Lava flow, arriving at Amboseli for lunch. Afternoon game drives at Amboseli National Park, situated at the foot of Africa's highest mountain 'Mt Kilimanjaro '. Oltukai Dinner and overnight at Kibo Safari Camp or Lodge (Full board)

Day 4: Amboseli

Spend the whole day at Amboseli Game Reserve with morning and afternoon game drives. View the varied wildlife of this wonderful park. Oltukai Dinner and overnight at Kibo Safari Camp or Lodge (Full Board)

Day 5: Amboseli - Mount Kenya

After breakfast, drive to Nairobi arriving in time for lunch then continue to Mount Kenya National Park. On arrival, check in at the lodge. The resident wildlife in this park graze / feed around the lodges. They include; Cape Buffaloes, Forest Hog and different birds. View the snow - capped peaks of Mount Kenya (5.200 m above the sea level). Dinner and overnight at the Serena Mountain Lodge (Full Board)

Day 6: Mount Kenya - Lake Nakuru

After breakfast, drive through large Tea and Coffee plantations, Thomson Falls and the Equator to Lake Nakuru National Park. Game drive en route before checking in at the Lodge. The evening wildlife viewing starts at 16:00 hrs until 18:00 hrs.Spot the rare Rothschild Giraffe, Flamingoes, Black / White Rhinos and Buffaloes. Dinner and overnight at Lake Nakuru Safari Lodge. (Full Board).

Day 7: Lake Nakuru - Maasai Mara

Early morning breakfast then proceed to the famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve. On arrival, make a game drive en route until lunchtime, when you check in at the Lodge. More game viewing in the evening before dinner. Overnight at Siana Springs Camp or Olara Safari Camp (Full Board)

Day 8: Maasai Mara.

Spend a whole day wildlife viewing in Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Have a chance to see the "Big Five": Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo and Leopard. Wildebeests, Zebras, Cheetahs and Gazelles can also be easily spotted. Dinner and overnight at Siana Springs Camp or Olara Safari Camp. (Full Board).

Day 9: Maasai Mara-Nairobi.

Morning game drives before breakfast, drive to Nairobi after breakfast, with lunch on the way (Lunch Box)

(Breakfast & Lunch)
Hope this will help in deciding the best place for your holiday.

Best regards,
Jackyndunge

We're looking into Southern Africa. When's the best time of year to see young'uns?

NGail,

I believe there are baby animals year round in South Africa. If South Africa is your destination, you may want to start a new thread.

Hi there

Atravelynn is correct in saying that there are babies year round, but not for all of the animals. The best time to come to SA if you want to see little ones of impala, wildebeest, baboons etc., would be after the first summer rain and that is in December/January. It truly is a wonderful sight to see herds of different antelope, all with their young ones.
Kind regards

Dear friend,
Tanzania is one of the unique destinations on the African continent that has yet to be discovered by many. It is a land of many wonders hubbing an un-paralleled diversity of fauna and flora. Kilimanjaro, the highest permanently snow-capped free standing mountain in Africa, the exotic Islands of Zanzibar, the finest game sanctuaries of Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, Ruaha, Selous and the Marine Park of Mafia Island are only but a few of the living examples. The scenery, topography and very friendly people harbour the growth of excellent cultural tourism beach holidays, game hunting, historical and archaeological ventures – and certainly the best wildlife photographic safaris on the continent.

Best time to go to Tanzania.
Tanzania is a year round destination. Due to its close proximity to the equator there are only subtle climatic variations throughout the year. Generally the coastal areas have a tropical climate, the highlands in the north a temperate climate and the vast central plateau is hot and arid.

June to September, the cooler dry season, is the optimum time to visit Tanzania when the grasses and scrubs have receded and animals tend to congregate around diminishing water sources making already excellent game viewing easier and more comfortable. The temperature rises from October onwards making lazy game easy to photograph. The light rains and warmer temperatures arrive in November bringing new life to Tanzania and by December, January and February the game have given birth to their young. Mid March through to May is characterised by heavy intermittent rain and the surrounding bushland is green and lush.

At any time of year the temperatures on the Ngorongoro Crater rim can be decidedly cooler than on the Crater floor and in the Serengeti this is particularly noted from mid-May through to August. email [email protected]

hope will be helpfully

[email protected]