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-   -   serengeti areas : drive off road (https://www.fodors.com/community/africa-and-the-middle-east/serengeti-areas-drive-off-road-577156/)

sonali74 Dec 20th, 2005 02:03 AM

serengeti areas : drive off road
 
Hi guys, does anybody know in which parts of serengeti are u allowed to drive off road legally??? Also is the moru kopjes area reserved for the camp occupants or anybody can do a game drive there ???

Roccco Dec 20th, 2005 11:13 PM

ttt

(I booked Nomad Masek & Nomad Piaya with the understanding that there would night drives and the possibility to drive offroad...is this correct that there will be night game drives and possibly offroad driving in these areas?)

sonali74 Dec 21st, 2005 12:57 AM

Well U know what we need (eben), when are u going to serengeti and where are u from?? I think in piaya since it is out of the park u will definately be able to do game drives at night, i think masek is in the ngorogoro conservation area(correct me if I am wrong), so I am not sure whether u can do night game drives. What does your iternary look like???

climbhighsleeplow Dec 21st, 2005 05:26 AM

Fortunately, off-roading is restricted to mostly the Southern Serengeti (just north of Ndutu). The exact rules are unclear to me but I will ask when I visit next week!

Moru Kopjes are open to all for game viewing but mostly the visting guides will honor the privacy of the special camp sites and won't enter a private camp. But you will see other vehicles circling the kopjes looking for lion!

Piaya is outside the park and night drives/off-roading are allowed within reasonable "concession" areas. There are no hard rules - just personal agreements and friendly understandings with the local Maasai villages and also between the different seasonal camps so they don't end up crowding each other.

There are no listed camps near Lake Masek. The NCA authorities may open a Masek camp site upon special request if the sites near Ndutu are all fully booked. I will be there by this time next week and check things out - the night drives and off-roading rules are unclear but I will ask!

Roccco Dec 21st, 2005 06:38 AM

Sonali,

I arrive in Kiliminjaro on February 24th.

I am from Los Angeles and will fly LAX - Amsterdam - Kiliminjaro, arriving around 9PM on a Friday night, because I will be doing the Kiliminjaro Half Marathon (although I haven't broken the news yet to my couch potato body), I am staying my first three nights in Arusha. The race is on Sunday morning and I wanted a full day in Arusha on Saturday in order to stretch out the legs a bit, take in a bit of scenery and likely go shopping for a Tanzanite for my wife. Then Sunday morning I will be driven by my guide to the race which is in the foothills of Kiliminjaro near Moshi. From there, although I will be done by about 11AM, I wanted one more night in Arusha prior to starting my safari. Here is the full itinerary:

Moivaro Coffee Lodge (3)
Manyara Tree Lodge (2)
Ngorongoro Crater Lodge (2)
Olduvai Camp (1)
Nomad Masek (2)
Nomad Piaya (2)
Mbuzi Mawe (2)
Palms Zanzibar (3)
Serena Inn Zanzibar (2)
Canal House, Amsterdam (2)

We fly home Amsterdam - Paris - Los Angeles. The flights from Los Angeles to Europe to Los Angeles are business class using my Delta Sky Miles, and then I am footing the entire bill for economy seats for the Amsterdam - Kiliminjaro and the Zanzibar - Nairobi - Amsterdam segments.

My safari was booked through ATR and my Zanzibar extension was booked through Africa Serendipity.

After four visits to Southern Africa, this will be my first visit to East Africa. I am really looking forward to it. From here, I will likely make my first trip to Botswana, a familiarization trip for my new venture, Destiny Africa, and that will likely be in August to Kwando in Botswana for about 10 nights, along with four or five nights in Europe. My plate is definitely full for my African travel plans in 2006!

Sonali, when is your next trip, and would I be correct to assume that it is to Tanzania?

sonali74 Dec 21st, 2005 07:21 AM

Eben, u are such a gem, I feel sooo lucky that I have found you, who has answers to most of my questions, thanks, and keep me posted once u complete your trip regarding night game drives and off roading.
Also merry christmas and a happy new year at your new residence. May u spend many many happy years there.

roccco, gosh u have a fantastic trip lined up, I'm green with envy. crater lodge and all, business class WOW, that's the way to travel.Keep it up.
I have been to los angeles and u guys have wonderful weather. By the way I am also planning feb 2nd week-3rd week.I love tanzania. In feb it will be my fourth trip to east africa. We may bump into each other.I have never been to botswana, namibia. Would love to go.Keep me updated about your trips and best of luck for the marathon and shopping tanzanite. I have seen the stone, it's really beautiful. Be careful who u buy it from and ask for a certificate from some reputed gemology institute for the quality.
Merry christmas and a happy new year to u and your family, best of luck for the new year, cheers, Sonali.


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