We feel like we saved the best for last on our April safari with Kiliwarriors! We did an all driving safari with George and loved every minute. We did a morning drive through Lake Manyara on our trip out of Arusha..the scenery was different from what we saw later and it was interesting, but we could have skipped it too.

We then drove to the Serengeti and were right in the middle of the migration at the main gate. After time moving around watching cats and the migration while staying at the Senergeti Sopa Lodge (Eben's suggestion since we couldn't get my husband to do a mobile camp because it was the rainy season), we then drove back for three nights at the Carter Lodge.

We loved our time in the Crater and at the Lodge. We could have easily spent more days there. If you like scenery you will love the time at the Lodge, the views out over the crater are to die for. We loved watching the fog clear and reveal the Crater floor one section at a time. Watching the rain clouds move across the crater in the late afternoon was spectacular! The time we spent with the wildlife on the Crater flood was fabulous. The Lodge itself is a wonderful experience and was wotth every penny.

For our pictures and a trip report of our time in Tanzania with Kiliwarriors got to:

www.aroundtheworldin132days.blogspot.com

Click on April on the righthand side and scroll down to Arpil 6 and read up to April 13 for our time in Tanzania.

Have a great tiip!

The Masek Camp as ShayTay mentions is a wonderful new option in the Ndutu area and priced right in mid-range. However, the others mentioned - SUC, Dunia, Serian's Maswe and even Lemala has a camp here - definitely more lux in services and price.

Decisions, decisions, decisions... it's in your court now linjudy!

<i>"Any thoughts on whether Crater Lodge is worth the $$?"</i>

Depends on how much you have. If money were no object, I'd still prefer Sopa's own road, moreso in wet Feb than other months. Though I really liked Sopa, Lemala is a step up at the crater and a tented experience (with in tent heaters, I think) and also provides that private road perk.

Personally I'd never consider Crater Lodge and therefore have no firsthand personal experience. But you may want to get the interary costed with and without Crater and then decide if the difference would allow you to do something you could otherwise could not afford.

Thanks Sandi for some distinctions on various camps.

Wow, more great suggestions!

Sandi, Lake Masek camp looks very nice, a great option! I would like to end at a place where I can take a proper shower after camping.

Atravelynn, what's the advantage with the private road? Will we encounter traffic on our safari?! Sopa seems nice but really a hotel... Maybe there are some advantages to beginning in a hotel, but seems weird to stay at a hotel on safari...

Has any of you been to Lolindo? Eben suggests Suyan, but Ndutu area looks so great. Should we just spend all our time there?

Thanks so much for all your help! I feel we're zero-ing on the perfect trip.

linjudy -

Believe me you will NOT BE CAMPING! All the properties shown have "proper" showers. Some might be bladder showers, but still sufficient water. Regardless, water is precious and shouldn't be used for other than what it's needed. No hanging out under the nozzle for 30/min. Wet/wash/rinse... and a few extra minutes if have to do the hair!

As to Suyan which is lovely, few tourists/vehicle, but known for wild-dogs (still no guarantee), if as you've indicated... have seen them before and not a priority... I'd stick with Ndutu and/or Southeast Serengeti.

Lemala is a lux camp option at Ngo if not wanting to blow the budget on Crater Lodge. It's also on the same side as Sopa, east, with great sunset views in the west!

Get the itinerary priced with the options at Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Ndutu/Serengeti... then decide what/which works for you (and your pocket). It will be hi, but you've selected all lux/hi-end properties, and that doesn't even include Mnemba.

Linjudy, what you need to remember about Tanzania is that you are your wildlife viewing in national parks and conservation areas. No matter where you stay, you'll be going on game drives alongside everyone else staying in the same area, no matter what type of accommodation they are staying in. You'll be in the Crater with people from Crater Lodge, Sopa, Gibbs Farm, etc. Therefore, it's mainly a matter of how much you want to spend on the lodging... do you want butlers and chandeliers at the Crater Lodge? Or will a good, basic lodge like the Sopa do?

The other posters have made a good point about your location on the Crater rim, though. It's mainly a matter of how early you can get into the Crater. As for the Sopa and Lemala vs. Crater Lodge and Serena in terms of location, the difference is the descent/ascent access. Think of the crater as a clock face. The road from Karatu leading up to the rim of the Crater is at 5 o'clock. The Sopa and Lemala are at 2 o'clock. Right next to them is a road leading down into the Crater and is two-way, unless that's been changed. The Crater Lodge and Wildlife Lodge are at 7 o'clock and the Serena at 8 o'clock. These lodges and almost everyone coming up from the Karatu area go down the descent road (one way) at 10 o'clock, so they have to circle around the Crater rim for some distance. The ascent road is at 6 o'clock and is also only one way. You'll want to get into the Crater as soon as possible as there is more action in the earlier hours, so that's why location on the Crater rim can be important. Have I totally confused you now?

ShayTay,
That's a great post for someone like myself that has researched Ngo for an upcoming trip but never been before. I thought I fully understood the ascent/descent roads but this post makes it far clearer in my head. Thanks!

I don't mean to come across as obsessing about the quality of the lodging. I know we'll hardly be in the tent except to sleep. It's just that I really hate camping (bugs, lack of proper showers, etc). Not sure if I can deal w/more than 4-5 days of bucket showers!

Shaytay, the clock face analogy is great. To make sure I fully understand: this mean at Crater Lodge (7 o'clock), we would need to drive to the descent road (10 o'clock) in the morning, and return from the ascend road (6 o'clock) at night. So, driving from 7-10 o'clock, nearly a quarter of the rim. where staying at Sopa or Lemala, the road is right next to the lodge and therefore better. Have I got it?

Yep, linjudy, you've got it. Of course, if you're driving on to the Serengeti the next day from the Sopa, you've got to circle the rim from 2 o'clock to 10 o'clock because the road drops off the crater rim near the descent road to head out onto the Serengeti plains. The rim road is the only way to get to the Serengeti, so it's busy with all sorts of traffic: safari vehicles, trucks, even buses. Then, there's the wildlife that may be blocking the road, such as buffalo or elephants. You just never know what you'll (nearly) run into.

The clock is a wonderful analogy. Tiger and I both like Sopa.

ShayTay, your last entry on getting to the Serengeti emphasizes that "life is an adventure" statement you commented on earlier.

linjudy, if your intention is to view wildlife in the crater and you need unlimited hot water, book the SOPA for easy access to H20 and wildlife !

Continuing with the easy access issue, I found the tree hyrax to be highly accessible and photographable at Sopa, though I might not have been quite so successful with these adorable creatures had it not been for a friendly staff member who showed me about.

I'm having second thoughts about going to Zanzibar after doing some reading. Sounds like it will be very humid/hot during Feb, and we're not really beach people. Perhaps a few more days on safari would be better.

I was looking at the Asilia website, and thinking about Sayari Camp. Has anyone stayed there? There's a north and a south camp. The south is very close to Olakira. Is it going to be too similar? How would the North Camp be during Feb?

I'm thinking maybe we should do all Asilia camps, plus Sopa at the Crater

- Oliver's in Tarangire
- Suyan
- Olakira
- Maybe Sayari?
- Sopa at the Crater

If we did something like this, what would be the best order to minimize driving?

Linjudy
For what it's worth, Lake Manyara was one of our favorite spots when we did Tanzania. Loved it! Although Sandi is correct, the tree Lodge, (which is truly spectacular) is at the far end of the park. We saw some of our best game during our two nights in Manyara and very few vehicles, which I loved. We liked Tarrangire, but when we were there at the end of jan 07 the tse-tse's were really bad. Not sure if that was because of the unusually wet weather. We had never experienced any bugs as bad as this. As for the crater, I am glad we saw it but very glad we only spent one day. Far too much traffic down there for me, It seemed there were never less than 7 trucks at a good sighting. I would have preferred more time in the Serengeti. We did cc africa mobile camping in ndutu and loved it-even in the rain. You will not be roughing it.

nancie

Asilia site may not have been updated, so note:

1) Sayari North which is now a permanent camp and best visited Aug-Oct/Nov. No reason to be heading that far north in Feb when the migration is in the Southeast/Ndutu area. Kogatende airstrip.

2) Sayari South has been replaced by Dunia Camp (as mentioned above) which in Feb will be where Sayari So had been and move a bit farther north towards Central from June (near/between Moru Kopjes and Serengeti Sopa) Serena airstrip.

3) Olakira, which price is a bit lower than Dunia, will also be in the Southeast/Ndutu area in Feb (Ndutu airstrip) and from July-Nov east of Sayari North before moving south again. Kogatende airstrip.

4) Suyan currently at Piaya (east of Seronera), will move south as Dec 2010-Mar 2011, with closest airstrip being Ndutu.

If you do an "all" (or mostly) Asilia safari, you'll no doubt be entitled to some discount, at least these are being offered for 2010.

And, even if you're not beach people, after bumping around on safari it's nice to have some R&R, but Mnemba will be a heavy nut ($$$$$) to crack for this. There are other options at somewhat lower prices. So I wouldn't discount the coast completely.

Consider:
Tarangire @ Olivers or Swala - 2-3/nts
Crater @ Sopa Lodge or Lemala Camp - 2/nts
Serengeti (split 3/nts Dunia & 2-3/nts andBeyond SUC)
Zanzibar @ Matemwe Retreat, Kilindi, Blue Bay (recently refurbished) 2-3/nts
Stone Town @ Serena Inn, Beyt al Chai, Zanzibar Palace - 1/nt

Hope this helps.