What's Your Day Job?
Mar 28th, 2006, 04:24 PM
#121
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Rocco,
You make a number of excellent points. I also think that non-Africa-goers see even those prices and go into coronary arrest--not knowing, of course, that on safari you have very little in the way of other expenses (no restaurants, shopping, etc.). Really, you can just pay tips and bar bill and be done with it!
But it IS pretty fun to think of you, say, renting an entire balloon just for you and Alexsandra.
You make a number of excellent points. I also think that non-Africa-goers see even those prices and go into coronary arrest--not knowing, of course, that on safari you have very little in the way of other expenses (no restaurants, shopping, etc.). Really, you can just pay tips and bar bill and be done with it!
But it IS pretty fun to think of you, say, renting an entire balloon just for you and Alexsandra.
Mar 28th, 2006, 04:33 PM
#122
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Leely,
Although by the price I probably should have had my own balloon, there were 10 other guests in the balloon, but I will save the balloon story until I get to Mbuzi Mawe in my trip report.
Perhaps I go overboard sometimes with my safari plans, but better safe than sorry. I will be pointing out my own mistakes as I recap my safari in my trip report...mistakes that cost me thousands of dollars...hopefully reading this will allow others to avoid similar mistakes. Also, in what will be quite an amazing exercise, I think I will put an equivalent safari together for the same period I visited and price it out at rack rate for all of Fodors to see. Of course, I was not in a position to do so last July, BUT I AM NOW!
Agent or not, it will be hard for me to shake being a consumer advocate.
Although by the price I probably should have had my own balloon, there were 10 other guests in the balloon, but I will save the balloon story until I get to Mbuzi Mawe in my trip report.
Perhaps I go overboard sometimes with my safari plans, but better safe than sorry. I will be pointing out my own mistakes as I recap my safari in my trip report...mistakes that cost me thousands of dollars...hopefully reading this will allow others to avoid similar mistakes. Also, in what will be quite an amazing exercise, I think I will put an equivalent safari together for the same period I visited and price it out at rack rate for all of Fodors to see. Of course, I was not in a position to do so last July, BUT I AM NOW!
Agent or not, it will be hard for me to shake being a consumer advocate.
Mar 28th, 2006, 05:01 PM
#123
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Rocco, I've been posting the Tanzania rack rates for almost a year to make it easier to plan low season safaris!
You did not have to guess!
Examples:
Crater lodge: http://www.go-safari.com/NCA/Craterlodge.htm
Under Canvas: http://www.go-safari.com/Serengeti/C...nderCanvas.htm
And all the others too, including Nomad!
You did not have to guess!
Examples:
Crater lodge: http://www.go-safari.com/NCA/Craterlodge.htm
Under Canvas: http://www.go-safari.com/Serengeti/C...nderCanvas.htm
And all the others too, including Nomad!
Mar 28th, 2006, 05:23 PM
#124
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Eben,
I did a horrible job on shopping around for my first safari to Tanzania. I felt a real urgency to book it as quickly as possible.
It is worth noting that Crater Lodge and Nomad Ndutu were completely full during my visit, as I believe Lake Manyara Tree Lodge may have also been. Tree Tops did not seem full and I was able to get that at the last minute.
Had I waited, I may not have been successful at experiencing a Nomad safari and may even have been shut out of Crater Lodge, although I am not sure if all the camps were equally full.
Bottom line, while, at the time, I knew Southern African rates like the back of my hand, I was not well versed in East Africa rates.
I did a horrible job on shopping around for my first safari to Tanzania. I felt a real urgency to book it as quickly as possible.
It is worth noting that Crater Lodge and Nomad Ndutu were completely full during my visit, as I believe Lake Manyara Tree Lodge may have also been. Tree Tops did not seem full and I was able to get that at the last minute.
Had I waited, I may not have been successful at experiencing a Nomad safari and may even have been shut out of Crater Lodge, although I am not sure if all the camps were equally full.
Bottom line, while, at the time, I knew Southern African rates like the back of my hand, I was not well versed in East Africa rates.
Mar 28th, 2006, 05:37 PM
#125
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Yeah, tell me about it!
Tanzania is really tough nowadays - even off-season is a struggle for some things I want to do this year! This is why my bride and I are heading south this year to Ruaha, Selous and Katavi!
But we are staying a few nights at CCA Under Canvas in May!
Tanzania is really tough nowadays - even off-season is a struggle for some things I want to do this year! This is why my bride and I are heading south this year to Ruaha, Selous and Katavi!
But we are staying a few nights at CCA Under Canvas in May!
Mar 28th, 2006, 06:35 PM
#126
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Rocco:
Maybe we can talk about this when you finish your trip report but I believe that you paid rates consistent with Eben's postings--you stayed at super top end places in high season. I think the only part of your budget that is beyond his rates is your Mbuzi Mawe stay--but you took a Nomad guide with you and it was never clear how much that was costing you.
Maybe we can talk about this when you finish your trip report but I believe that you paid rates consistent with Eben's postings--you stayed at super top end places in high season. I think the only part of your budget that is beyond his rates is your Mbuzi Mawe stay--but you took a Nomad guide with you and it was never clear how much that was costing you.
Mar 28th, 2006, 06:54 PM
#128
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bat,
The part of the pricing that does miff me a bit is the $3,000+ I was charged for my six nights with MKSC. Back out $750, and that still leaves upwards of $350 per day for the guide and vehicle.
Considering that I felt it necessary to use the vehicles of Elewana and CCAfrica whenever necessary, sometimes paying extra to do so, I did find it a tremendous waste of money to do an overland safari. I was charged $1212 per night for Lake Manyara Tree Lodge. For $1260, rack rate, I would have been able to use CCA's vehicles even if I was just an anonymous guest.
I figure that the cost to fly from Arusha to Lake Manyara/Ngorongoro Crater to Ndutu would have been possibly 1/3 the price that I paid for the MKSC overland safari. Yes, I would have missed a few things that I saw along the way, but as a result, I would have had more time for game activities once at the lodges.
I have no complaints, whatsoever, about the costs for Nomad.
The part of the pricing that does miff me a bit is the $3,000+ I was charged for my six nights with MKSC. Back out $750, and that still leaves upwards of $350 per day for the guide and vehicle.
Considering that I felt it necessary to use the vehicles of Elewana and CCAfrica whenever necessary, sometimes paying extra to do so, I did find it a tremendous waste of money to do an overland safari. I was charged $1212 per night for Lake Manyara Tree Lodge. For $1260, rack rate, I would have been able to use CCA's vehicles even if I was just an anonymous guest.
I figure that the cost to fly from Arusha to Lake Manyara/Ngorongoro Crater to Ndutu would have been possibly 1/3 the price that I paid for the MKSC overland safari. Yes, I would have missed a few things that I saw along the way, but as a result, I would have had more time for game activities once at the lodges.
I have no complaints, whatsoever, about the costs for Nomad.
Mar 28th, 2006, 07:06 PM
#131
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regarding the rack rates being tossed about, e.g. $1214, $1260, I assume this to be PER PERSON as usually stated in rates. If I'm wrong, but it is for the ROOM, then we need to either spell it out or adopt an agreed on standard for whatever. I guess the reason I question it is that if it is $1214 pppn then I'd better be very very happy with my visit there.
regards - tom
regards - tom
Mar 28th, 2006, 07:14 PM
#132
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Tom,
As someone who does not travel at Rocco-levels (no offense meant at all Rocco, just trying to clarify in this instance), I am guessing for his recent trip the Manyara Tree Lodge rates for example were per room, not per person.
And I'm guessing that yes, Olduvai is 300 pppn. That's probably what I'm paying. I realize in the grand scheme of African safari travel that it isn't a lot. It only becomes a sticking point when one considers other properties that are better located and/or much nicer at only marginally more $$.
As someone who does not travel at Rocco-levels (no offense meant at all Rocco, just trying to clarify in this instance), I am guessing for his recent trip the Manyara Tree Lodge rates for example were per room, not per person.
And I'm guessing that yes, Olduvai is 300 pppn. That's probably what I'm paying. I realize in the grand scheme of African safari travel that it isn't a lot. It only becomes a sticking point when one considers other properties that are better located and/or much nicer at only marginally more $$.
Mar 28th, 2006, 07:21 PM
#133
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Tom,
Oh we don't really need an "agreed on standard" (do we?) anymore than I need that thing-a-ma-jig to correct the coloring of my monitor. Everything doesn't need to be so regimented in life, yet less on the Fodors board!
Oh we don't really need an "agreed on standard" (do we?) anymore than I need that thing-a-ma-jig to correct the coloring of my monitor. Everything doesn't need to be so regimented in life, yet less on the Fodors board!
Mar 28th, 2006, 08:05 PM
#134
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Thanks for GUESSING Leely. Buzzzt wrong answer. So Rocco please answer my question. $1212 pppn is not an unheard of number for a safari camp,is it? How many camps quote rates on a per room basis? Only in Tanzania? Are you talking per room or per person? Unless otherwise stated, I ASSume per person per night.
greetings from the Fodor's board - Tom
ps - I saw your photos on a monitor at school tonight and they still look very dark.
greetings from the Fodor's board - Tom
ps - I saw your photos on a monitor at school tonight and they still look very dark.
Mar 28th, 2006, 08:52 PM
#136
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Tom,
You are MOST welcome. And by the way, CCA properties in Tanzania tend to run around $600 pppn, more for the Crater Lodge. Tour ops in TZ tend to give you prices by party, although it's certainly possible to ask them to break it down by person.
Have a lovely evening.
You are MOST welcome. And by the way, CCA properties in Tanzania tend to run around $600 pppn, more for the Crater Lodge. Tour ops in TZ tend to give you prices by party, although it's certainly possible to ask them to break it down by person.
Have a lovely evening.
Mar 28th, 2006, 10:30 PM
#137
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Interesting. So Tanzania operators typically give rates by party. Do they assume a party is two persons? And/or do they ask the question - "how many in your party"? Seems to me this opens it up for confusion when most(?) camps do rates by person (based on double occupancy). Is Tanzania the only "safari country" that does this? I'm used to seeing camp rates for Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa as pppn. Inquiring minds want to know.
regards - tom
regards - tom
Mar 29th, 2006, 05:03 AM
#138
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Tom,
I could hardly sleep all night, imagining your buzzer going off in my head. The operator Rocco most recently used (and that I'm using in June, hence my inordinate interest in his trip) quoted me by party and broke it down by night. I got a quote from another operator and it was by person although I never got to the point where I would have them break it down by night. The last time I went the quote was by person.
Complicating matters for my upcoming trip is the little matter of the dread single supplement as we're a party of three. I haven't bothered to have them break down those costs for me; we're just splitting everything three ways.
When I contacted the tour ops, I let them know how many in our party, preferred itinerary, season of travel, etc. What's the standard way to do things in Southern Africa? Different? The same?
I could hardly sleep all night, imagining your buzzer going off in my head.
The operator Rocco most recently used (and that I'm using in June, hence my inordinate interest in his trip) quoted me by party and broke it down by night. I got a quote from another operator and it was by person although I never got to the point where I would have them break it down by night. The last time I went the quote was by person.Complicating matters for my upcoming trip is the little matter of the dread single supplement as we're a party of three. I haven't bothered to have them break down those costs for me; we're just splitting everything three ways.
When I contacted the tour ops, I let them know how many in our party, preferred itinerary, season of travel, etc. What's the standard way to do things in Southern Africa? Different? The same?
Mar 29th, 2006, 05:33 AM
#139
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I am really not following this thread very well, but having read most of Rocco's report, I want to send my utmost positive vibes to Leely for your upcoming trip. I'm sure you'll make the most of it. I just hope you have a great time! 
Sharon
FWIW: Rocco's photos look normal on my monitor....
Sharon
FWIW: Rocco's photos look normal on my monitor....
