linjudy

Hi all,

After 2 long years, we're thinking about going back on safari! Since our 1st safari was to Botswana, we are leaning towards Tanzania for this one.

Here's the proposed itinerary and I would love your input. This board was SOOO helpful for our last planning, I'm going to lean on it again!

- 1 night Arusha Coffee Lodge
- 2 nights Tarangari Tree Tops
- 2 nights Lake Manyara Tree Lodge
- 3 nights luxury mobile camping (I'm really looking forward to this as we did all tented camps last trip)
- 2 nights Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
- 1 night in Stone Town (can this be done on a day trip, is it worth it if we only spend one night)
- 2 nights Mnemba Island Lodge (to decompress

So what do you think? Is it too much moving around? should we stay some place longer? if so, what should we cut out? Opinions on the camps? Any one you would avoid? Any one that's a "can't miss"?

We plan to go June/July. Are these locations good for the migration? The key reason we're picking Tanzania instead of a return trip to Botswana is to see the migration.

Your help greatly appreciated! Thanks much,
Judy

Leely

linudy, you want more than three nights in Serengeti, regardless of your priorities. For migration opportunities in June/July, I'd try to do 5 nights if you can squeeze it somewhere. Manyara is a relatively small park, although I like it very much.

I'll leave it to the experts to add more.

atravelynn

I think Leely gave the expert advice.

I know nothing about Zanzibar.

sandi

With many places for Jun/Jul already booked, you'd better hurry.

That said, agree that Manyara is a small park which can actually be covered in a few hours; with Tree Lodge at the farthest end of the park, it's a good 2/hr drive (w/o stops for game viewing) when departing for the Crater.

In the Serengeti for 3/nts, at which camp, where located. During this period game should be located in the Western Serengeti.

Which parts of the itinerary if this is the order, are you flying? which driving?

Once you arrive ZNZ at Stone Town would be about 2pm, best you spend afternoon/evening (can probably get in a guided tour) till dinner - o/n Serena Inn, Beyt al Chai, Zanzibar Palace, 236 Hurumzi (formerly Emerson & Green). I think this is better then hurrying north and east across the island for the launch to Mnemba. You can head out to Mnemba next morning.

linjudy

Thanks for the reply.

I think all of the transfers are by plane, as currently quoted. But I did notice that in some cases the drive from the airstrip is quite long.

At the Serengeti we're doing the mobile camping, so that can move to where the animals are. If we want 5 nights, do you think we should do 5 nights mobile camping or 2 nights at a camp? If it's a camp, which one?

sandi

As you show using 2 CCA properties, Tree Lodge and Crater Lodge, is the mobile also CCAs Serengeti/Tanzania Under Canvas?

There is a flight to Tarangire, but not sure where airstrip is in relation to Treetops, so can't advise how long the drive. Then from Tarangire you can fly to Manyara, but know the drive to Tree Lodge, is at minimum 2/hrs. each way w/o game viewing.

Then from Manyara, unless they're putting you on a costly private charter to Ngorongoro, there's no scheduled flight, rather it's a 2-2.5/hr drive from Manyara to NCA.

And, again, unless a costly private charter from Ngrongoro to the Serengeti, a scheduled flight would have you returning to Manyara to fly to your mobile camp location in the Serengeti... can be Seronera or Grumeti River airstrips.

As to the seasonal/mobile camps... they don't move weekly, rather for a 4-6/mo period are in the same place in a given area. Unless for some reason the herds are way off their normal path the camp will stay where it is. So can't say whether you should split your time between different types of camps. I'd find out more about the mobile/seasonal camp they are offering.

Even a seasonal camp as Olakira splits their position depending on time of year. Nomad camps (also mobile/seasonal) are in different areas depending on time of year.

linjudy

Ok, here's the description of the transportation:

1) Arusha airport to Kuro airstrip, and then drive to Tarangire Tree Top

2) Kuro airstrip to Mayanara airstrip, drive to Lake Mayanara Tree Lodge (2 hrs)

3) Mayanara airstrip to Grumeti airstrip, drive to Luxury Mobile Camping site

4) Grumeti airstrip to Mayanara airstrip, drive to Ngorogoro.

Does seem like a lot of moving around now that I look at it in detail. Is it feasible? Too costly?

I will need to get more details on the mobile camp, but I thought it actually moved around often.

Another alternative the TA suggested is to eliminate Tarangire and add 2 nights to Migration Camp either before or after the mobile camping. Thoughts on that?

Thanks,
Judy

sandi

For late-June/early-July, Tarangire Treetops over Migration Camp. You're staying at luxury properties so it will be expensive and then adding flying, more expensive. Have you discussed with your TA to do this as a mostly driving safari with less flights... the longest leg?

In other words
Drive (2/hrs to Tarangire - Treetops
Drive from Tarangire to Lake Manyara (2.5-3/hrs from Treetops) then 2/hr drive to Tree Lodge.
Drive to Ngorongoro (2/hrs from Tree Lodge then 2-2.5/hrs to Crater) - Crater Lodge
From Ngorongoro you can either drive back to Manyara for flight to Serengeti OR
Drive (3.5-4/hrs to 5/hrs depending on where) to Serengeti - mobile camp
Fly from Serengeti to Arusha.
Connect to flight to ZNZ

linjudy

Good idea on driving. I will ask the TA. BTW, the whole itinerary including all the intra-africa flights was around $11Kpp. What do you think of that? I think we did 8 days in Bots including Mombo for around $5Kpp, so this does seem expensive. But I haven't gotten to the economizing stage yet...

sandi

$850/nt (13/nts)... pretty good, considering some of those props have avg costs of $800-$1200/nt.

Now you have to sure they can get the space, as much of June/July is already fully booked. You may have to be flexible with dates and maybe even the order.

linjudy

Yes, booking seems to be getting full. The TA is holding provisional space for us. He is pretty good I think. Did a great job for us in Bots.

But now I'm thinking maybe we should delay until jan/mar 09, as the migration in the southern part of seregeti is supposedly more spectacular?

Planning a safari always involves so many difficult tradeoffs!

CarlaM

Just wanted to pop in to say "hi" Judy. Great news to see that you have Africa in the works again. Sounds fantastic!