Tanzania Safari- How different from Uganda?
 

This might sounds like a silly question as I know that Tanzania are different. We were in Uganda this summer and while a lot of the trip was really great, the gorillas of course, a lot of it was extremely difficult, especially the driving. We had huge drives of up to a 11 hours a day and a few that were 7 and 6. We also got really sick and that did not help. While we did see animals we saw very little animal interaction. We have booked a trip to Tanzania in August in the Northern Serengeti included going to Sayari Camp in the far north. My mom is supposed to come with us and is now having second thoughts due to the Uganda trip. We are going to be staying in Oliver's Camp, Gibbs Farm, Lemala, Olakira and Sayari. We are going with Good Earth on a private tour and flying back to Arusha from Sayari. Any thing any one can share that might help her have a more accurate view of Tanzania would be greatly helpful. I really don't want one experience to have her not experience another.

Sorry I can't help, as I'll be going to Tanzania for the first time in November.

But your safari sounds fascinating. Would you mind providing more info on the day to day itinerary and the costs?

Thanks.

The drives between camps on Tanzania's northern circuit are nothing like the drives you experienced in Uganda. I don't have the exact times, but only a few hours at most. Often, the drives themselves are game drives, such as when you go from the Crater to the Serengeti. You'll see lots of game, too... no worries about that! I would encourage your Mom to go; she'll love it!

The itinerary is as follows: We arrive Day and spend the first night close to the airport. The Safari starts the next morning where we have 3 nights in Tarangire at Oliver's Camp. We then head to Lake Manyara and spend the night at Gibbs Farm. After that we spend two nights in Lemala Camp and are doing the crater walk one day. We then head to Olakira in the Central Serengeti for two nights and then drive to the Northern Serengeti for three nights at Sayari. We have walks arranged in Oliver's as well as Sayari. The total cost for the 13 nights is $6310 per person with three person sharing a tent. We are going at the beginning of August and hopefully we see some of the migration.

Estimated drive times:
Arusha/Tarangire - 2.5/hrs, then about 2/hrs game drive south thru the park to Olivers
Tarangire/Manyara - 2/hrs north to the park entrance, then 2/hrs to Manyara; from here to Gibb's in Karatu is about 1-1.5/hrs.
Karatu/Ngorongoro - 1.5-2/hrs to Lemala Camp
Ngorongoro/Seronera* - about 3.5-4/hrs game drive thru to the Central Serengeti to Olakira
Seronera/N.Serengeti - 3-4/hrs game drive to Sayari
Then flight to Arusha

*This road is rather chopped up, so it can take longer.

Sandi-Thanks for the driving times. How about the general experience and would be might expect to see? More, less or the same as Uganda. We did not see any animal interacting at all and it sounds like that people see that more often in Tanzania. Maybe I am wrong and I do not want to give my mom a false idea of what to expect. I of course know that there is no guarantees, it is not a zoo, but it sounds from just reading the forum that the experiences sounds very different than Uganda.

Here's one difference along the roads: None of those fascinating Ancholi cattle along the road in Tanzania, at least not where I went.

"We did not see any animal interacting at all and it sounds like that people see that more often in Tanzania." Do you mean on the drives between parks you saw no animals? That's similar to Tanzania, although as you drive into the Serengeti, it is a game drive as well as a transport.

But IN the parks, you should see a nice variety of wildlife. Unlike Kibale or Bwindi, where you mainly see the primates only on the walks, there should be animals on every outing in the TZ parks you are visiting. Much as I like Queen Elizabeth in Uganda, it does not have the numbers of animals as the TZ parks you are going to. At Oliver's in Tarangire there may be stretches without activity, but you should be able to have great elephant sightings at the time of year you are going.

Gibb's--probably not animals around the farm itself, although the birding is great.

Lemala at Crater--maybe not a lot around the actual, although I had eles and buffalo and blue monkeys near my crater accommodations. You probably won't have many animal sightings on your crater walk, but again it's good for birds so bring the binocs or hire a porter to carry them with your stuff.

Olivers and Sayari--you'll likely have some wildlife viewing without leaving camp.

Your itinerary looks good. You and your mom should have an abundance of wildlife sightings with photos for memories.

If you look at any of the trip reports in Lynda's index you'll see everybody sees a lot of animals in Tanzania at the time of year you are going. I did too.

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...port-index.cfm

There's the index.

Like ShayTay, I would encourage your mother to go - I am certain she will love it. We did much of the same trip this past August, although in the reverse order. We started in the Mara in Kenya and made our way south through the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara and Tarangire to Arusha - four weeks in total. In the Serengeti, we spent 2 nights in the Western Corridor, 3 nights in the Lobo area and 2 nights in the Seronera area. We self-drove in a Land Rover - just my husband and I (both in our 50s).

To us, the traveling between parks was a highlight of the trip. Yes, it was challenging and tiring at times, but it allowed us a wonderful insight into the lives of the people of rural Kenya and Tanzania. The scenery was fantastic and varied, and the people welcoming and delightful.

When you drive from Gibbs Farm to Lemala Camp, (you'll love Lemala - we stayed there for 2 nights) you'll spend an hour driving along the rim of the crater - great views! I would try to get a full day in the crater - on a drive rather than a walk. There is so much to see!

Between Lemala and Olkira - this will be the longest and most tiring drive thanks to an appalling stretch of road between the crater and the Serengeti - however, we loved the drive across the plains and our encounters with the Masai along this stretch of highway - once you enter the Serengeti, you will game drive as you go.

Driving from Olkira to Sayari, there will be lots of game along the way - it is a very pretty drive.

Here is a link to my trip report and photos - there is a list of highlights (accompanied by photos) that covers all of the places you are going - perhaps you can entice your mother with the photos. The report is a work in progress I am afraid. I have done the Mara and the drive to the Serengeti from the Mara. I am just working on the Serengeti part and hope to add more photos this week. Hope this helps! Robin

http://bert-and-bin.smugmug.com/Trav...38901400_BHybf

You'll be driving on a paved road from Arusha to the turn-off to Tarangire and will see small villages off the road, cattle herds, and perhaps even a few camels. You'll backtrack slightly to drive to Lake Manyara, again on a paved road to the park entrance. You'll go through a small town just before you get to the entrance, Mto Wa Mbu. Some travelers like to tour the local market. It's surrounded by lush banana plantations because there is water coming off the rift escarpment there. Going into LMNP, you'll also drive through a lot of lush, greenery from these water sources. Leaving Lake Manyara, you'll drive up the rift escarpment (nice views at the top.) There is a lot of farming in this highland area near Karatu. One traveler said it reminded them of Scotland. Gibb's Farm is near Karutu.

The paved road ends at the entrance gate of Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You won't see pavement again until you fly back to Arusha. You'll drive up the outside of the crater wall through lush forests to the crater rim (another nice view.) Lemala Camp is near the Sopa Lodge and you'll be able to get down to the crater floor via a nearby access road. When you leave the crater for the Serengeti, you'll drive around the crater rim to the road that drops off the rim and onto the "endless plains", the translation of "Serengeti." Make sure you stop at the Olduvai (or Oldupai) Gorge Museum. The road through the NCA isn't in very good shape, but it got better once we entered the Serengeti NP (we even saw a road grader!) You are likely to see wildlife anywhere from the crater, onward. There are also Maasai villages along the way in the NCA, but not in the Serengeti park itself.

I've always found the drives to be interesting and not too long. The longest for you will be from Lemala to Olakira, but it's a game drive in itself. Enjoy your safari!

ShayTay-Your pictures are wonderful. I think she is sold on going. I just did not want to overly encourage her to go and have her be disappointed.

Thanks to everyone for all the feedback. I can't wait until next August.

Sorry my mistake-Robin your pictures are incredible. ShayTay, I am sure yours are great as well but I didn't see them.