linjudy

After a few false starts, we're finally going on that long-awaited safari to Tanzania next Feb. I even have our flights booked!

However, inflation really seems to have kicked in since our trip to Botswana in 2005. I can't believe the prices for some of these camps!

Seems like there's a huge drop-off in price (30% in some cases) between Feb and March.So, the question is, does the experience suffer a lot, especially for wildlife viewing, but also for weather?

mkhonzo

Depends where you are headed. If the Serengeti, then later in March seems to produce migratory activity out of the Ndutu area. There is risk of the rains starting early, which you'd avoid in Feb

sandi

As mkhonzo mentions, come March the rains might start and thus some of the properties lower prices a bit. However, it's rare that rain will inhibit your safari. General weather other than some rain, shouldn't be much different whether February or March... it'll be warm to hot during daytime hours and somewhat cooler nights.

When it comes to game... they don't go on vacation. So while the migrating herds maybe more dispersed come March (between Ndutu, Southeastern or Southern Serengeti... even Central Serengeti, you really wouldn't be missing out. Besides, there's more to safari than just the migration.

Depending on which properties you are considering and where they are located during either month may determine your choice of where to lay your heads. Also, depending on how many total days for safari, you can split your time between the Ndutu area and that of the Serengeti.

Good luck.

linjudy

Thanks for the responses! Here's what we're currently thinking about:

Feb 8: Nairobi
Feb 9: Arusha
Feb 10: Lake Manyara (Kirurumu Camp or Serena. Tree Lodge too expensive!)
Feb 11, 12: C. Serengeti (Lemala Ewanjan or Dunia Camp)
Feb 13, 14, 15, 16: Ndutu (Olakira, Ubuntu, Exclusive Mobile Camp, or Lemala Ndutu? )
Feb 17, 18: Ngorogoro Crater (Lemala Ngorogoro)
Feb 19: Arusha
Feb 20: Nairobi

Option #2
Feb 8: Nairobi
Feb 9: Arusha
Feb 10: Lake Manyara (Kirurumu Camp or Serena. Tree Lodge too expensive!)
Feb 11, 12: C. Serengeti (Lemala Ewanjan or Dunia Camp)
Feb 13, 14, 15 : Ndutu (Olakira, Ubuntu, Exclusive Mobile Camp, or Lemala Ndutu? )
Feb 16, 17: Ngorogoro Crater (Lemala Ngorogoro)
Feb 18, 19: Zanzibar (Matemwe Bungalow?)
Feb 20: Zanzibar to DAR to Nairobi

I got the suggestion to mix central Serengeti and Ndutu to maximize our wildlife viewing opportunities. Any thoughts on whether either option would suffer greatly in March?

Also, any opinions on the various camps, esp in Ndutu area?

aby

don't hesitate go for March!! (i would have)
don't mind statistics (it's only statistics...) anyhow your tour won't be comparable to any other tour, even to other folks at the same camp on the same time
remember climate change - nothing's guarateed...
will it help if i testify to touring also during mid "rainy" season on April and May & having a fantastic safari ?

aby

linjudy

i forgot to mention that births <u>should</u> start at mid Feb, so at the begginning of March the timing is superb

cary999

I was there, Tanzania, Ndutu, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater areas, 2011, Feb 16 - Mar3. Rain - very little rain, scattered rain, had fallen in area before then or during then. Wildebeest herds were around but scattered looking for pasture. Saw no calving. Migration activity/timing, patterns, very rain dependent.

FWIW, here are some of my snaps from that safari -
http://tomgraham.smugmug.com/SAFARI2011TANZANIA

regards - tom

linjudy

Thanks! Does that mean early Feb may actually be not so good?

Another question, we will definitely go to Ndutu. But between Loliondo and Seronera, which do you think is better at that time of the year?

cary999

We talking primarily about the migration patterns and calving,yes?? Early Feb, mid Feb, late Feb, early Mar, mid Mar, seems to vary widely and wildly. Weather/rain. I've heard that the mama wildebeest can control giving birth within a four week period!! I wish someone had a study that showed the probability of it all happening and where. Year by year. At Ndutu Lodge we heard about photographers who come and spend 6 weeks there to catch it.

Don't know about Loliondo and Seronera. I'm only going from my (limited 2011) experience and from the experience of the others in our group who had been there twice before (2007 and 2009). The management staff at Ndutu Lodge was very friendly and helpful. You could call them for their opinions. If you do, please let us know what they say.

The migration aside, I still saw other good wildlife. However, however, if it is the -big five- you are after, leopard and buffalo in particular, I'd go to South Africa. The greater Kruger area.

regards - tom

linjudy

Thanks, cary999. We saw an incredible number of animals, including the "Big 5" multiple times while in Botswana. We're really more interested in the different landscape and the migration on this trip, as well as more animal interactions.

Sigh, sounds like it's a difficult thing to time. Oh well!

cary999

I'm not saying I did not see nor would you not likely see herds of wildebeest. I did, but only three times over about seven days in Ndutu area. I did want to see calving and herds from horizon to horizon, but did not. (Again, some photos of my sightings at my smugmug). And here is about the best little map of the area that I've found -
http://tinyurl.com/3p6jopr

Understand about wanting the "classic Africa". The Serengeti-Mara of Tanzania and Kenya is special, a must see. So is Ngorongoro Crater.

regards - tom

sandi

It's not unusual for the wildebeest in the Ngorongoro Crater to birth their young earlier than those on the Ndutu and/or Serengeti Plains, beats me why... but it's happened.

No one can time the "calving" of wildies any more than human doctors in projecting when out species will; many have been off. And, if Nat Geo photogs spend weeks and weeks, in Serengeti and/or Masai Mara, they know things can change from year-to-year, month-to-month; hoping they get good stuff on film or not!

Your routing shows sufficient days at Ngorongoro, Ndutu and Serengeti... you'll catch this somewhere!

cary999

There are folks here (besides sandi) who have been in the Serengeti in Feb-Mar several times. (I think they're still here?) I sure would like to hear what their experience has been for - month(s) there, for how many days, how often did they see calving, how often did they see the Nat Geo scenes of wall-to-wall migration? Anyone???

regards - tom

linjudy

Echo Tom. Would love to hear from people who've seen the Nat Geo style wall-to-wall migration!

sandi

Sorry Tom, but I've never been Jan-Mar; been in West once and saw some herds (no river crossing), and when in the Mara only the early arrivals with small river crossings. And with the latter, for about 5/min, then went back to lunch set out riverside. Ho-hum!

Generally, the migration has never been of interest... rather enjoy what's seen via Nat Geo. Besides, I have no desire to be there (Mara or Serengeti) with all those humans in their vehicles vying for position!

wildlifepainter

I've been 3 times in this time period. In 2008, we were there from mid-Feb for 2 weeks. Saw lots of wildebeest but no births. We were a week later in 2009, less migration, lots of births in the Crater but none in Ndutu. In 2011 we went 1st 2 weeks of March. Lots of young but did not see any births. We choose to see the leopard babies and skip the big herds this year. Really, once is fine and I am a cat person so it was a good choice for us.

We've done the standard 2 week tour and tweaked it for each of these 3 trips. This last year was the best and we flew in and spent 3 nights in central Serengeti , 4 nights at Ndutu Lodge, 2 trips into the Crater, 1 day in Lake Manyara and 2 nights in Tarangire. Our guide had been out with a photographer for the 4 weeks prior to us and they split the time between Ndutu and Central Serengeti. Our guide though we had better sightings because when the cats hunted (with lots of little babies around) they didn't have to run stuff down but just grab it as it hid in the bush. So less exciting photos. We saw some cheetahs doing full out runs. I guess you can tell that baby cats are more important to me than the migration.

So my next trip to Tanzania will probably be a fly in/out for 2 weeks March with time split between Ndutu and Central Serengeti. This year we had some rain and it killed the dust and made for unique animal activities. Now I would look forward to some rain as Ndutu Lodge says "rain means game."

In March, the prices at some places were cheaper and in the Ndutu area, a lot of the special camps had pulled out. The long term Japanese photographers were still staying at Ndutu Lodge and they were having a great time.

mkhonzo

If you are after diverse landscape then I would recommend extending to include the northern Serengeti. At that time of the year you'll have virtually the entire place to yourself.

cary999

Thanks painter. Where in Central Serengeti do you like to stay? I/we stayed at Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge (only 2 nights). It was very nice but I thought its location, sort of in a large hill wasted too much time getting too and from.

regards - tom

aby

Sandy
i loved your last posting
aby

andybiggs

I actually prefer the first few weeks of March, because people hear that March is the beginning of the rains and they avoid going. That's awesome for me, because I love a lower vehicle density. The reality is that there is no normal year for rain any more, and I have been just as likely to have rain in January or February as I am in early or mid March. From a photographer's point of view, I prefer dynamic skies rather than bright blue and boring skies.

As was said above, wildlife never takes a vacation, so choose the safari that best fits your budget and locations, and don't worry about March. I would feel entirely comfortable telling somebody to go in the first 15 or 20 days of the month.