I'm finally nailing down the Tanzania portion of my trip after getting so much helpful advice on this forum.

A few last minute details causing me anxiety:

I'm starting from Dar, flying to Arusha and spending 2 nights at Nomads Tarangire. Then fly to Seronera to spend 2 nights at Nomads Loliondo, then 1 night at Sayari south camp, then 2 nights at Nomads Serengeti, then 1 night at Ngorongoro Sopa.

Is this a sensible routing? Bearing in mind I'm also restricted by availability.

I cannot find the precise locations of the Loliondo and Serengeti camps. Am I driving too much between Loliondo, Sayari and Serengeti? I'm staying at Sayari for one night because there is no room at Serengeti. Should I stay at Olawira instead (which I assume is in the Ndutu area)?

Ngorongoro Sopa versus Serena? Crater Lodge has no availability.

Last thing is that I'm flying from Dar to Joburg on a 3:20 pm flight on the last day. The Coastal flight from Manyara doesn't arrive until 2pm and I don't want to chance it in case it's late and I miss my onward flight. So right now I've to leave Manyara the day before at 11:50am to Dar and spend the afternoon and overnight in Dar. Therefore, I'm only getting one afternoon in the Crater. I want to spend more time on safari instead of sitting around in Dar. I cannot find any other flights except charter. Is it possible to drive to Kilimanjaro? Any other option to maximize my time?

Thanks! Very exciting to finally book this. I agonized between this and Tanzania Under Canvas with CCA, but the private guide/vehicle won in the end.

africaanxious

Ngoronogro Sopa is a good choice
see discussion on a recent thread named
"hiking in the Ngorongoro highlands"
http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...20&start=0

Nomads Loliondo is far off at the NE close to Mara (& far from the migration in Feb)- it is a hell of a drive down south to Sayari Camp which should be near Ndutu.

maybe u can get Olakira? but i guess only if someone cancels - Feb 07 is booked a year and a half ago ...

your "Olawira" probably means Olakira (in Ndutu)-if u can get it grab it quick !!!

<b>I'm starting from Dar, flying to Arusha and spending 2 nights at Nomads Tarangire. Then fly to Seronera to spend 2 nights at Nomads Loliondo, then 1 night at Sayari south camp, then 2 nights at Nomads Serengeti, then 1 night at Ngorongoro Sopa.

Is this a sensible routing? Bearing in mind I'm also restricted by availability.</b>

General comment ... for my tastes too many one-night stands You are at 5 camps/lodges in 8 days and on the overnighters will probably feel rushed, like you're constantly packing and moving and unpacking. We are in this same area at about the same time and in 12 days are at only 3 lodges, which gives us time to relax and enjoy the game drives (<b>if</b> we hit the right three lodges).

Specific comments ... Tarangire is very scenic but not as many animals that time of year ... Loliondo is way north, far from the migration, and you'll probably waste most of a day driving back south to your other camps.

<b>Bearing in mind I'm also restricted by availability.</b>

This is probably why your operator set it up in this fashion ... if you can consolidate some days I'd advise doing so but if at this late date you can't then just 'go for it' and you'll probably still have a much better time than if you don't go.

<b>Ngorongoro Sopa versus Serena?</b>

Sopa has easier access to the less peopled side of the crater ... on the day you xfer from Nomads ask to be driven across the crater in the PM rather than around on the rim road, and on the next day ask to be driven across the crater (pack up your bags and take a boxed meal) on a game drive on your way to Manyara air strip ... at least this way you'll get two game drives in at the crater ...

Bill

I am surprised that your agent cannot tell you the approximate locations of your chosen camps. Who are you working with?

1. Your routing is all over the place! Nomad Loliondo is normally near Piaya in February. That is a long way from Seronera.

2. You start in Seronera, then drive a long way to Piaya then you drive a very long way back to Sayari South. Then you drive a very long way to Nomad at Ndutu whehere they normally are in February.

I sense that the lack of availability is dictating your routing but it could also be the result of your agent not knowing the locations.

There are several new camps in case you run into availability problems so you should not have to do crazy routings. Your agent may not know about the new camps yet. Do you know how long the drive takes from Piaya to Moru?

3. Olakira will be near Nomad Serengeti near Ndutu.

4. Tarangire in February. Bill is correct about animal density.

4. Sopa is fine. I like the location better than Serena because it is less driving in/out of crater.

Stressed out again. Eben, what other new camps are you talking about? I keep hearing that going to Loliondo is not worth it at that time of year, but since it's my first safari, I really don't mind just for the scenery if it's different from the south. It's more the drive I'm concerned about.

I know there's nothing left at Nomads Serengeti except for those 2 days I've booked. Sayari and Olawira I don't know.

Is it important to keep the same guide with me (the Nomads one) the whole time? And would that incur extra costs?

Lastly, since I don't get breakdowns of the costs from the agents, is it reasonable to assume I won't pay more than rack rate? Are there hidden costs I'm not aware of? I'm being charged almost $12,000 for 2 and from my calculations, it should be around $9,000 only. Is that mark up reasonable?

Thank you!

Dear africaanxious

First of all, let's calm down -
<font color="green"> You shall have an awesome Safari anyhow ! </font>
Given that it is quite late for big changes put on the right psychological mood
(frankly, i would be over-excited just thinking i would be staying in so many
fabulous camps on 1 safari)
# You would be in a few strategic points, chosen by some of the most experienced old-foxes in the business
# So, others may stay longer in one place... i've done over 50 safaris with mostly 1-2 nights (including moving from one park to the other.)
You pack your things accordingly &amp; u don't waste more than 10-15 minutes on Packing...
Driving between camps is a Game Drive !
even if on one occasion you take a picnic lunch, We came to see wildlife !
Gourmet food will be served in the evening!! &amp; imagine having your picnic on a kopje (or underneath a lone Acacia)- better location than any restaurant in LA or NY !
criss-crossing habitats you may have better luck and must have better vistas than most other &quot;sedentary&quot; tourists...
# Nobody needs to &quot;stick&quot; 5 days to the migration anyhow
go on with your attitude <i> &quot;I really don't mind just for the scenery if it's different from the south&quot; </i>
though it's still south it may be different.

I am sorry i made a mistake about Loliondo Feb location (judging from their site i missed something) Eben knows what he's saying ! Still, the conclusion is the same - long drive... (So what? some people come driving into Serengeti from afar)

my experience teaches me that no matter how much you plan - the unexpected is the lion's share in your African experience. (Once a car brokedown &amp; i got stuck for 6 hours, nearly missed a flight, but this way i saw one of the biggest highlights in 25 years of my african Safaris)

Since it is a last minute planning, i didn't mention Tarangire. Bill &amp; Eben r right.
2 options:
1. stay with it - it is the beginning
u'll enjoy your first giraffe &amp; impala etc' &amp; whereelse can u see such Baobabs
especially such sunsets with Baobab-filled-horizons ?
2. Change - outside Serengeti it may be easier
e.g. Manyara
or go for Lake Eyasi's Hadzabe hunter-gatherers
&amp; one of my favourites - Arusha NP - IMO many make a mistake not to visit it.
Fantastic Forests with best sightings of Colobus monkeys &amp; Sykes...
Multi-coloured lakes (best before sunset) with flamingoes etc' plus a walk tothe falls with a ranger.
&amp; possibility to &quot;hike&quot; with a 4X4 on mount Meru ...

* maybe drop an email to Eben ?

aby

PS have no idea about $$ - i'll leave this to the others

Hi africaanxious:

Last year in Feb I stayed at Nomad Serengeti (Ndutu) and Nomad Loliondo (Piaya). As Eben indicated it is a long drive (maybe 3 hours) from the Seronera airport to the Piaya camp--last year it was a very bumpy anddusty drive.

We spent 3 nights at Ndutu and 2 at Loliondo--I much preferred Ndutu.

Re price, last year Nomad ran about $500pppn--price is probably up. Are you keeping the Nomad guide for the 1 night at Sayari and the 1 night at Sopa? If so I think that is costly--still your quote seems high.

My advice would have been to add a night or 2 to Nomad serengeti but I see you have indicated that it is booked. Can you waitlist? Last year the camp was full when I booked but once we were there it was not.

I am not clear where Sayari south is--I do not see you having any time in the central seronera valley. This would cost more but have you inquired about private mobile camping with your Nomad guide in the central Serengeti? Maybe you could do Tarangire, Central, and Ndutu thus cutting out your 1 night at Sayari. I would consider 2-2-2 (with a waitlist for 3rd night at Ndutu)--you could plan on 2 nights at the Sopa Ngo and night 1 at the Sopa could go to the Nomad Ndutu 3rd night if it opened. If it did not, you could go on a highlands walk with the extra time at the Crater rim.

&gt;&gt;I'm starting from Dar,
- flying to Arusha and spending
- 2 nights at Nomads Tarangire.
- fly to Seronera
- 2 nights at Nomads Loliondo
- 1 night at Sayari south camp
- 2 nights at Nomads Serengeti
- 1 night at Ngorongoro Sopa.&lt;&lt;

The Nomad Camps are on a GP (game package basis, using all camp facilities, vehicle &amp; guide, incl. all beverages).

The Sayari Camp is on a GP basis also.

These GP are probably costing in the $500/pppnt if not more; then the airfares and the short Sopa leg (see below).

It's Sopa at Ngorongoro that is probably FB - full board, but how and who is getting you here and who is doing your crater visits. Then who/how are you returning to Arusha? Car, private guide? If they are providing the latter for this 1/day stop it maybe a bit costly. Getting an individual to your last stop in/near the Serengeti, doing the Crater and back to Arusha.

As to Loliondo, it's a long drive from the Seronera airstrip, why aren't you flying closer, say to Klein's airstrip?

At this point, however, you may be caught up in what is (isn't) available and coordinating GP camps (Nomads) with FB camps (Olakira, EMC if they have availability).

Hope this doesn't confuse any more than necessary.

Thanks Aby for your supportive comments. I've stopped hyperventilating...

Okay, I've a better idea of locations thanks to Eben's site:

Loliondo - I'll see if I can fly into Klein's airstrip

Sayari South - it's at Moru Kopjes, just south of the Seronera

Nomads Serengeti - Ndutu (hopefully)

Maybe I can skip Loliondo, do 2-3 nights at Sayari, 2 nights at Nomads Serengeti (waitlist for a 3rd), then end at the Crater.

I'm having the same Nomad guide all the way so I guess that's why the cost is high. If I have more nights at Sayari, maybe I can use their guides for those nights and then pick up the Nomad guiding again in the Serengeti (so my guide from Tarangire won't have to fly up to Seronera with us).

And if all else fails, I'll still have a great safari! This is just the first leg, I still have SA, Botswana and Mozambique to plan!

Just FYI -- we booked 3 tents at Olakira last week for Feb 8-11. And just added 1 night at Lake Eyasi a couple of days ago before going on to the Crater Lodge (this one has been booked a while). Olakira will indeed be in the Ndutu area at this time. So if you want to change a lodge, give it a shot even at this late date. Because of advice from this board, I changed from Kusini to Olakira and got the rooms. Good luck. Let us know what you finally decide.

africaanxious--yes, I think having the Nomad guide at the other locations is expensive--but if you can afford it, we were really impressed with ours (Ken).

I do not believe that Klein's airport will you do any good because in Feb it will be Nomad Loliondo Piaya. The Seronera air strip is the closest, I believe.

sorry--just noticed your suggestion that you do 2-3 nights Sayari and then 2-3 Ndutu--I find that tempting because you can go north to the S valley and it is an itinerary with fewer stops.

Loliondo has night drives and few vehicles---I just was not enamored of it. But of course, last year was exceptionally dry in Feb, there were Masaii cattle skeletons still there--an unusual year so my experience is skewed.

I am with aby--even with your original itinerary it will be a great trip.

Lolazahra,
Who did you book through? It is amazing that you were able to get those accommodations at such a late day. We have been trying to get a confirmation in Olakira or Ndutu and haven't had any luck so far.