Trip Report: Duma Explorer Safari
Aug 20th, 2010, 10:14 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Trip Report: Duma Explorer Safari
During June and July, I went on an incredible 14-day safari with Duma Explorer. Stacy (president & trip coordinator) was very responsive, capable, and flexible with the many changes I asked for with my itinerary, and with the many questions I pelted her with for months! She met with us at the start of our trip and at the end, and during our safari she stayed in constant contact with our guide to make sure everything was going well. Our guide Isack was every bit as wonderful as other posts have claimed. He had an uncanny ability to predict an animal's behavior; for example, we'd spot a lion sleeping in a tree and he'd say: "She's going to wake up." Other vehicles came and went while we waited patiently, until she opened her eyes, gave a magnificent stretch, and gave us some great time alone with her. We saw other vehicles chasing cheetahs, which upset Isack and us a lot, but he spotted a pair off in the distance, and while we waited, they killed & ate an impala, then strolled right in front of our vehicle (great photos!). Other guides would stop & ask Isack where the animals were. We saw the elusive and rare Caracal, which not many people get to see.
This was my itinerary. I travelled with my husband & 2 adult daughters.
2 nights Kigongoni Lodge - lush location w/ cottages cascading down from a hilltop. Simple rooms w/ decks and a very African feel. We traveled thru Arusha Natl. Park, a beautiful gem w/ wildlife everywhere (you can easily see it in a half-day). That afternoon we drove to Mama Ana's, which took quite a while to reach due to the horrible road, but well worth it. Wonderful welcome by the family, who greet you with singing, dancing, and hugs, then they serve you a delicious lunch & demonstrate their cheese-making, coffee-roasting, & bee-keeping.
Early am flight to northern Serengeti: the airstrip we needed was closed, so we had to land at a location far from our destination. It took all day over the worst roads I've ever been on (boulders, barrel-sized potholes) to get to our camp. Isack felt horrible and apologized many times, but hey, it's Tanzania! Stacy called ahead & arranged for us to have a gourmet lunch at a luxury camp en route.
2 nights Olakira Mobile Camp, far northern Serengeti. This was our favorite. Location was superb w/ view of the Mara River and sounds of lion & hippo at night. Tents were very comfortable, bucket showers delightful, and coffee served discretely to you with your wake-up call. Staff were the most accommodating and friendliest of any we encountered. Food was gourmet (go see their camp kitchen and you won't believe what they can create from it).
2 nights Mbalageti Chalets in Western Serengeti. We had the Presidential Suite so all 4 of us could stay together. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, decks, and an enormous living area w/ leather sofas & a TV. The bedrooms & baths were great, but the main area was way over the top (maybe good if you're hosting a party). Dining area spectacular, open air overlooking the plains, and buffet food good.
Be aware that controlled burns are set all over Northern Tanzania when the green grass begins to dry, and there were many fires near Mbalageti. The smoke was thick, the sky gray, and it was a long drive over a blackened landscape to reach the river where the wildlife was more plentiful.
2 nights Seronera Wildlife Lodge, our worst accommodations. The 1st room they gave us reeked of urine coming from the floorboards around the bed. We suspected baboons, as we'd been told to keep the windows closed to keep them out. The 2nd and 3rd rooms also had horrid stenches. Finally, and with no apologies, they moved us to another wing. These rooms had great views into a woodland frequented by animals, but the bathroom surfaces were gritty and dusty, the shower awful, the rooms small. Buffet food was OK, if repetitive. Here's what really rubbed us the wrong way: Isack was given an awful room to stay in w/ no hot water & holes in the bedding. Another of Duma's guides who'd arrived the night before so he could pick up his clients early the next morning at the airstrip, was told by the lodge that he couldn't stay there without his clients. He was forced to sleep in his vehicle, and it was cold that night. We spoke to the manager about these issues, but he was very arrogant and defensive. When we checked out, we were charged for a $25 birthday cake we'd never ordered. The charge was removed grudgingly. However, the setting is gorgeous, the public spaces unique, and there's no better location in the Central Serengeti. So much wildlife in every direction!
1 night Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge on the crater rim, very close to the descent road & you'll get into the crater before all the others. Nice spacious rooms in bungalows strung out along the rim, but not all have views. Great food.
2 nights Gibb's Farm - an oasis of tropical plants and gardens, birds everywhere, food phenomenal & all home-grown. Great place for a mid-safari R&R. The individual cottages are fantastic (our favorite permanent rooms). Windows all around looking into your own private gardens, sitting room, deck, big bathrooms with deep bathtubs & both indoor & outdoor showers.
1 night Whistling Thorn Camp, just outside Tarangire. The most rustic camp we stayed in, in a rather uninteresting location, but we had a great time. Our host Loomoni was most attentive and eager to please us. As we sat around the campfire, we were entertained by Maasai warriors who danced and sang. Dinner was gourmet; our host ate with us and we shared great conversation. The next morning we were escorted by a Maasai warrior on a walk, culminating with a delightful cooked bush breakfast under an acacia tree.
2 nights Swala Luxury Tented Lodge, southern Tarangire. Situated among giant Baobab trees, with wildlife everywhere (drawn to the nearby water hole), this was our priciest stay. The tents were beautiful, with great bathrooms & all amenities provided. The food was first-rate, as were the public buildings & open-air dining room. While every need was attended to, this place didn't feel as warm & welcoming as Olakira, for example. Swala's 2 hosts were Caucasian, which gave it a more commercial feel, and while the staff was attentive and eager to please, they were a bit stiff.
I'll finish this long post with some random thoughts & recommendations. Women: take a well-fitting sports bra (after one day on Tanzania's roads, you'll know why). Go with a pop-top roof on your vehicle (we saw many others topless & baking in the direct sun). Try very hard to get a vehicle that has more seats than there are passengers, especially if you're a photographer. We saw vehicles that were packed with people who looked pretty uncomfortable.
Plus, you need a seat to lay out your cameras (take 2 bodies & I'd highly recommend a 100-400 zoom like Canon's). When you stop for animals, you may have just seconds to position your beanbag (a must) on the roof, grab your camera, and shoot. My cameras stayed on the seat when not in use & turned on all the time & I kept dust off by covering them with large bandanas when not in use. Take twice as much memory as you think you'll need!
This was my itinerary. I travelled with my husband & 2 adult daughters.
2 nights Kigongoni Lodge - lush location w/ cottages cascading down from a hilltop. Simple rooms w/ decks and a very African feel. We traveled thru Arusha Natl. Park, a beautiful gem w/ wildlife everywhere (you can easily see it in a half-day). That afternoon we drove to Mama Ana's, which took quite a while to reach due to the horrible road, but well worth it. Wonderful welcome by the family, who greet you with singing, dancing, and hugs, then they serve you a delicious lunch & demonstrate their cheese-making, coffee-roasting, & bee-keeping.
Early am flight to northern Serengeti: the airstrip we needed was closed, so we had to land at a location far from our destination. It took all day over the worst roads I've ever been on (boulders, barrel-sized potholes) to get to our camp. Isack felt horrible and apologized many times, but hey, it's Tanzania! Stacy called ahead & arranged for us to have a gourmet lunch at a luxury camp en route.
2 nights Olakira Mobile Camp, far northern Serengeti. This was our favorite. Location was superb w/ view of the Mara River and sounds of lion & hippo at night. Tents were very comfortable, bucket showers delightful, and coffee served discretely to you with your wake-up call. Staff were the most accommodating and friendliest of any we encountered. Food was gourmet (go see their camp kitchen and you won't believe what they can create from it).
2 nights Mbalageti Chalets in Western Serengeti. We had the Presidential Suite so all 4 of us could stay together. 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, decks, and an enormous living area w/ leather sofas & a TV. The bedrooms & baths were great, but the main area was way over the top (maybe good if you're hosting a party). Dining area spectacular, open air overlooking the plains, and buffet food good.
Be aware that controlled burns are set all over Northern Tanzania when the green grass begins to dry, and there were many fires near Mbalageti. The smoke was thick, the sky gray, and it was a long drive over a blackened landscape to reach the river where the wildlife was more plentiful.
2 nights Seronera Wildlife Lodge, our worst accommodations. The 1st room they gave us reeked of urine coming from the floorboards around the bed. We suspected baboons, as we'd been told to keep the windows closed to keep them out. The 2nd and 3rd rooms also had horrid stenches. Finally, and with no apologies, they moved us to another wing. These rooms had great views into a woodland frequented by animals, but the bathroom surfaces were gritty and dusty, the shower awful, the rooms small. Buffet food was OK, if repetitive. Here's what really rubbed us the wrong way: Isack was given an awful room to stay in w/ no hot water & holes in the bedding. Another of Duma's guides who'd arrived the night before so he could pick up his clients early the next morning at the airstrip, was told by the lodge that he couldn't stay there without his clients. He was forced to sleep in his vehicle, and it was cold that night. We spoke to the manager about these issues, but he was very arrogant and defensive. When we checked out, we were charged for a $25 birthday cake we'd never ordered. The charge was removed grudgingly. However, the setting is gorgeous, the public spaces unique, and there's no better location in the Central Serengeti. So much wildlife in every direction!
1 night Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge on the crater rim, very close to the descent road & you'll get into the crater before all the others. Nice spacious rooms in bungalows strung out along the rim, but not all have views. Great food.
2 nights Gibb's Farm - an oasis of tropical plants and gardens, birds everywhere, food phenomenal & all home-grown. Great place for a mid-safari R&R. The individual cottages are fantastic (our favorite permanent rooms). Windows all around looking into your own private gardens, sitting room, deck, big bathrooms with deep bathtubs & both indoor & outdoor showers.
1 night Whistling Thorn Camp, just outside Tarangire. The most rustic camp we stayed in, in a rather uninteresting location, but we had a great time. Our host Loomoni was most attentive and eager to please us. As we sat around the campfire, we were entertained by Maasai warriors who danced and sang. Dinner was gourmet; our host ate with us and we shared great conversation. The next morning we were escorted by a Maasai warrior on a walk, culminating with a delightful cooked bush breakfast under an acacia tree.
2 nights Swala Luxury Tented Lodge, southern Tarangire. Situated among giant Baobab trees, with wildlife everywhere (drawn to the nearby water hole), this was our priciest stay. The tents were beautiful, with great bathrooms & all amenities provided. The food was first-rate, as were the public buildings & open-air dining room. While every need was attended to, this place didn't feel as warm & welcoming as Olakira, for example. Swala's 2 hosts were Caucasian, which gave it a more commercial feel, and while the staff was attentive and eager to please, they were a bit stiff.
I'll finish this long post with some random thoughts & recommendations. Women: take a well-fitting sports bra (after one day on Tanzania's roads, you'll know why). Go with a pop-top roof on your vehicle (we saw many others topless & baking in the direct sun). Try very hard to get a vehicle that has more seats than there are passengers, especially if you're a photographer. We saw vehicles that were packed with people who looked pretty uncomfortable.
Plus, you need a seat to lay out your cameras (take 2 bodies & I'd highly recommend a 100-400 zoom like Canon's). When you stop for animals, you may have just seconds to position your beanbag (a must) on the roof, grab your camera, and shoot. My cameras stayed on the seat when not in use & turned on all the time & I kept dust off by covering them with large bandanas when not in use. Take twice as much memory as you think you'll need!
Aug 21st, 2010, 05:59 AM
#3
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 12,820
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Great Report Chrisbeebo,
Were you aware of the controlled burns? Is there any basic rules of thumb when and where they happen? I read everything from : every 3 years for helping the soil, controlling Tse Tses to EVEN keeping the game from going to Kenya.
Were you aware of the controlled burns? Is there any basic rules of thumb when and where they happen? I read everything from : every 3 years for helping the soil, controlling Tse Tses to EVEN keeping the game from going to Kenya.
Aug 21st, 2010, 08:17 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 355
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice Trip report, Chrisbeebo. We were in the Mara, Amboseli, W.Serengeti & Ngorongoro last month as well. Duma Explorer & Stacey was one of the many agents we got a quote from. We also looked at Mbalageti but finally chose Kirawira. I would be interested in further details on your wildlife sightings. You can read my Trip Report if interested by clicking on my name.
Aug 27th, 2010, 04:27 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 646
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, Chrisbeebe, great report. I too would be interested in reading more about your sightings. Any chance of pics in the future. Realize the time and effort to offer such.
Controlled burns are often used primarily to retard succession particularly where the objective is to encourage growth of grasses and reduce shrubs and trees taking over a particular habitat. Even used here in Pennsylvania as a wildlife management tool.
Controlled burns are often used primarily to retard succession particularly where the objective is to encourage growth of grasses and reduce shrubs and trees taking over a particular habitat. Even used here in Pennsylvania as a wildlife management tool.
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
carl170
Africa & the Middle East
22
Oct 12th, 2008 03:26 PM
girlpolo33
Africa & the Middle East
11
Jun 18th, 2008 04:52 PM
