tanya_1976

Sandi- I am talking only about the "crater fees"- did not touch upon the Park fees which is usually USD XX/24 hrs/person in most Tanzanian Parks I have researched in the last 3 months.

&Beyond's pricing sheet charges the "crater fees" as USD 50/person/trip. I believe the wording is as follows:

Ngorongoro Crater Lodge Park fee USD 50 per person per 24 hours.
Crater fee USD 50 per person per tour


Cheers

aesla

500 usd for private safari. Will not plan for it. We may spend a night in stone town prior to mnemba as we will get to zan late.

Marija

We had 6 people in a vehicle at Bateleur each day. With a 7 year old you need private vehicles.

sandi

tanya -

Then if NCL charges $50/person for the crater tour itself (for vehicle to go down to the floor), they only need 4/pax to total $200. If they put 6/paxs in vehicle, they're getting $250 (wow, love simple math).

aesla -

Very possible you will require private vehicle for EUV, with your 7/yr old. Do inquire if this is what andBeyond had included in your costs at any of their camps.

It does make sense on day of arrival ZNZ, which if arriving from safari, is usually about 2pm, makes sense to spend the night in Stone Town, then head to Mnemba next morning.

aesla

Hopefully the last revision:

3 nights at bateleur
2 nights at NCL
4 nights at Grumeti
1 night at Serena Zanzibar
4 nights at Mnemba

Only if heaven was going to be like this!

aesla

Any must do activities that anyone would advise in these camps or lodges?

sandi

Bateleur located immediately outside the Triangle, so on private land, probably offers bush walks (info of any activities should be listed on their website). If you want to stretch legs and see little critters you'd not ordinarily... inquire. An pportunity to get a bit closer to nature.

At NCL, you might want to do a Crater Rim Walk (about $50-60, unless NCL includes in their rate), also closer to nature learning about the various plant-life used by locals and maybe a nearby ellee walking along the road... one never knows.

All of these properties will let you know what's available to meet your interests.

cary999

At/around NCL there is at least one Maasai village that will welcome you - and sell you trinkets. Nice to do, especially if never seen one, been in one, before.

regards - tom

StanKase

I have followed your here there here there. It reminds me of myself when I was a ran a company and money was less of a constraint. As for Zanzibar we are going there as well and my safari provider helped me out and will ticket me in Tanzania because to save money we will go to Zanzibar and return to Kilamonjaro where we enterTanzania and the air far is 1/2 of the ~$460 or so but that is not my point. I tend to wander. If you are into snorkeling and free diving as we are you really want to be on the south side of Zanzibar. I do not know where Mnemba is located but I told our provider to locate us in the south at a 5 star under $500/day which is not the Residence or similar at $700+ because we are chartering a fast boat to take us to Chumbe Island Marine Park which actually has better snorkeling than Mafia, except for the sharks, and better than Pemba Island as well. Not to confuse you but just a thought. He found 2 places that were ranked 4 and 6 on TripAdvisor of all the Zanzibar area resort/hotels. The names escape me and I do not have the final itinerary or I would share the name with you.From any other part of Zanzibar you cannot make it a day trip and the place on Chumbe Island is an eco-friendly resort with no A/C and sort-of indoor plumbing-not my style.

aesla

Mnemba is a Maldives style island from what I have researched. So unmatched by no others?

aesla

As it turns out, we'll have an extra night prior to going to Bateleur. They have offered me 35 percent discount on the night at Bateleurs. Should I go there and make it 4 nights in Masai Mara or do you reccomend staying in Nairobi and checking out the city attractions? Giraffe Manor is booked for that night.

atravelynn

3 nights at bateleur
2 nights at NCL
4 nights at Grumeti
1 night at Serena Zanzibar
4 nights at Mnemba


Is this the itinerary? Remind us of the month you are traveling.

Is your first night at Giraffe Manor? When do you depart Giraffe Manor? Do you have adequate time to see the giraffes in the morning?

You are traveling with a 7 year old, right?

Is Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage part of your plan now? That would be a hit.

aesla

That is the current itinerary. Giraffe manor is not available. What is a good alternative in Nairobi?

Hanuman

aesla,

I've been in contact with Bateleur as well and the discount you've mentioned sounds like their current "pay 4 stay for 6 nights" promotion(at multiple camps). I've just began my planning process last Monday for a trip this August and I've found a lot of availabilities at several camps including Bateleur.

Do let us know how your trip goes!

Hanuman

Re Giraffe Manor - as per my research here are some alternatives Ngong House & Macushla and both are in the same neighbourhood. However, several people including travel agents have advised that we avoid Nairobi completely.

aesla

We just got back a couple of days ago from @beyond lodges and had a fantastic time. The only one that may not be worth visiting would be Mnemba. If I had to do it over again, I would just stay in Stone town Serena for a few days. Thanks for all the feedback and advice. In Grumeti, the migration was long finished when we got there due to lack of rains. However, they drove us to the border of Kenya (5 hours drive each way) so that we could see this amazing event.

sandi

<i>"the one that may not be worth visiting would be Mnemba"</i>

... when time permits, do tell.

Also goes to show, one never knows where the migration will be. As it was last year, the herds were moving to better grazing grounds and in the Mara by June, with many to follow.

aesla

I think Mnemba was fabulous. However, compared to places like the Maldives or Belize that we visit regularly, it comes a bit short. Service and ambience were great. For the price, I could have stayed in a great resort in the Maldives for 12 nights versus 4! I just think that Stone town has so much character and great to have a few days there instead. Serena had a nice beach and very nicely located.

sandi

aesla -

Thanks for your comments. I can well understand how the Maldives (never been... just to far for me to go for "a beach"), but as those islands are specifically built as single island resorts for tourists with so much competition between them, more favorable pricing makes sense. And, from where much of the Maldives' derives their income.

Likewise, never been to Belize, but to me obvious that you'd get more bang for the buck with competition from other Central American, nearby Mexico and all of the Caribbean.

Yet, if you consider the luxe properties (within past 10/yrs) on the Seychelles, very very expensive... comments tend to be "amazing islands, overpriced accommodations", though lovely better priced properties are to be had.

Nor can one compare some of the "over-the-water" resorts in Tahitian Islands with the much different types in the Cook Islands.

Even on Hawaii, while there are competitive hotel packages, overall costs on these islands are way more expensive than on the mainland... even at MickeyDs

Obviously, exclusivity is different everywhere, as are the prices.

Guess, sometimes there's no comparing apples-to-apples!

aesla

Sandi,

Maldives is not just about being on a beach. It's being one with ocean that is full of life. It has not been tapped as much as of yet by the Shark fin hunters and so you will see so many just watching the waters.