TZ Intinerary 7/31-8/10
May 17th, 2008, 09:24 AM
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TZ Intinerary 7/31-8/10
As the departure date approaches, we're getting even more excited about our first safari.
We've had the itinerary set for a while now but I forgot to post it.
We chose Good Earth Tours and have been really pleased with Narry's responsiveness and his suggestions. The price for a private safari was not that much more expensive than a group safari and we think it will be an excellent value.
7/29 Depart Denver on United to LHR nonstop with a 9 hour layover. Ugh.
7/31 Arrive 0630 in Nairobi via Kenya Airways. 0800 flight on Precision Air to Arusha.
We'll stay at Mountain Village Serena for two nights.
8/1 Arusha NP and maybe a canoe trip on Lake Momella. We haven't decided yet.
I wanted to go to Arusha NP the first day and then go on to Tarangire but was overuled by DP who says we'll be wiped out from the trip. (Hmm, maybe this means I'll get to have the final say on carry-on vs. checking bags.)
8/2-3 Tarangire NP staying at Taragire Safari Lodge. We considered some others, but this one suits our budget and looks to have terrific views.
8/4 Ngorongoro Crater, staying at Serena. We'll be doing an afternoon drive there since we'll leave Tarangire in the morning. I doubt my Lumix FZ18 will invite a ranger shakedown!
8/5-6 Drive to Seronera where we'll be staying at the Serena.
8/7 A long drive up to the northern part of Serengeti, where we'll stay one night at Sayari.
8/8-9 Two nights at Migration Camp.
We're spending time in the northern areas in hopes of seeing some part of the Migration. If that doesn't work out, well they're nice camps and we're bound to something interesting. Maybe wild dogs?
8/10 Fly out of Seronera at 1040, arriving in Arusha. And then on to Nairobi. Now here's where we have recently made a change. Narry had us leaving directly for Nairobi with a day room at the Fairview. We don't fly out of Nairobi until 2350. I asked Narry if we could stay in Arusha a bit longer and do some shopping. He told us that we could take either the 1540 or 1940 flight to NBO. We're leaning toward the later flight and perhaps getting a day room in Arusha and doing some souvenir shopping.
If we could have made the visiting hours at Sheldrick's, that would have made spending time in Nairobi worth it but the flight from Seronera leaves too late.
8/11 Arrive Denver. We'd have liked to stay a few more days but...
8/15 DP graduates with Ph.D. She thinks she really ought to turn up.
So, any suggestions regarding a day room in Arusha, shopping areas, dining? Anything else?
We've had the itinerary set for a while now but I forgot to post it.
We chose Good Earth Tours and have been really pleased with Narry's responsiveness and his suggestions. The price for a private safari was not that much more expensive than a group safari and we think it will be an excellent value.
7/29 Depart Denver on United to LHR nonstop with a 9 hour layover. Ugh.
7/31 Arrive 0630 in Nairobi via Kenya Airways. 0800 flight on Precision Air to Arusha.
We'll stay at Mountain Village Serena for two nights.
8/1 Arusha NP and maybe a canoe trip on Lake Momella. We haven't decided yet.
I wanted to go to Arusha NP the first day and then go on to Tarangire but was overuled by DP who says we'll be wiped out from the trip. (Hmm, maybe this means I'll get to have the final say on carry-on vs. checking bags.)
8/2-3 Tarangire NP staying at Taragire Safari Lodge. We considered some others, but this one suits our budget and looks to have terrific views.
8/4 Ngorongoro Crater, staying at Serena. We'll be doing an afternoon drive there since we'll leave Tarangire in the morning. I doubt my Lumix FZ18 will invite a ranger shakedown!
8/5-6 Drive to Seronera where we'll be staying at the Serena.
8/7 A long drive up to the northern part of Serengeti, where we'll stay one night at Sayari.
8/8-9 Two nights at Migration Camp.
We're spending time in the northern areas in hopes of seeing some part of the Migration. If that doesn't work out, well they're nice camps and we're bound to something interesting. Maybe wild dogs?
8/10 Fly out of Seronera at 1040, arriving in Arusha. And then on to Nairobi. Now here's where we have recently made a change. Narry had us leaving directly for Nairobi with a day room at the Fairview. We don't fly out of Nairobi until 2350. I asked Narry if we could stay in Arusha a bit longer and do some shopping. He told us that we could take either the 1540 or 1940 flight to NBO. We're leaning toward the later flight and perhaps getting a day room in Arusha and doing some souvenir shopping.
If we could have made the visiting hours at Sheldrick's, that would have made spending time in Nairobi worth it but the flight from Seronera leaves too late.
8/11 Arrive Denver. We'd have liked to stay a few more days but...
8/15 DP graduates with Ph.D. She thinks she really ought to turn up.
So, any suggestions regarding a day room in Arusha, shopping areas, dining? Anything else?
May 17th, 2008, 10:35 AM
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Congrats to DP on the PhD!
Regarding the flights back to NBO: If you could catch the earlier flight to NBO (only a 50 minute flight), you might be able to do a visit to the Sheldrick's Orphanage at 5pm if you sponsor a baby ele (both of you would have to be sponsors.) It might be too tight a connection, though. I wonder if Sheldrick's would let you come a little later if you're sponsors?
If you decide to stay in Arusha, you could visit the Cultural Heritage Centre, which has lots of shops within the complex. Good Earth should have some ideas for a day room. Supper could probably be provided where you have the day room. KIA Lodge is out by the JRO airport and probably could provide both.
You still have about 3 hours in NBO before your flight home. Take a good book to read, as there isn't much to do within the airport.
Kenya Visa: Will you get a regular visa to cover both your stops there? If you get it at NBO, let them know that you are going on to Tanzania and will be returning to Kenya to fly home. They can issue the visa to cover both ends of your trip. I suspect that you'll need to get your luggage from your flight back into NBO, go through Customs and Immigration, then recheck your luggage and get boarding passes, unless it can be checked all the way through...not sure if Precision Air in JRO will do that.
9-hr layover in LHR: Yotel has cabins in the airport that you can rent by the hour... bed, shower, TV, room service, etc. You might want to check into reserving one.
Regarding the flights back to NBO: If you could catch the earlier flight to NBO (only a 50 minute flight), you might be able to do a visit to the Sheldrick's Orphanage at 5pm if you sponsor a baby ele (both of you would have to be sponsors.) It might be too tight a connection, though. I wonder if Sheldrick's would let you come a little later if you're sponsors?
If you decide to stay in Arusha, you could visit the Cultural Heritage Centre, which has lots of shops within the complex. Good Earth should have some ideas for a day room. Supper could probably be provided where you have the day room. KIA Lodge is out by the JRO airport and probably could provide both.
You still have about 3 hours in NBO before your flight home. Take a good book to read, as there isn't much to do within the airport.
Kenya Visa: Will you get a regular visa to cover both your stops there? If you get it at NBO, let them know that you are going on to Tanzania and will be returning to Kenya to fly home. They can issue the visa to cover both ends of your trip. I suspect that you'll need to get your luggage from your flight back into NBO, go through Customs and Immigration, then recheck your luggage and get boarding passes, unless it can be checked all the way through...not sure if Precision Air in JRO will do that.
9-hr layover in LHR: Yotel has cabins in the airport that you can rent by the hour... bed, shower, TV, room service, etc. You might want to check into reserving one.
May 17th, 2008, 11:48 AM
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That's an awfully tight connection on arrival July 31 at NBO (6:30am) to Precision (8am) flight. If flight from London delayed and then having to collect bags and recheck for Precision... there is a flight at about 10am. Just so you're aware.
If not leaving the airport on July 31 and then on last day fly direct into NBO/JKIA without a day room or visit to Sheldrick to see an adopted chubette, you do NOT require a Kenyan Transit Visa (US$30). Only if you take the day room in NBO, will the Transit Visa be required.
If not leaving the airport on July 31 and then on last day fly direct into NBO/JKIA without a day room or visit to Sheldrick to see an adopted chubette, you do NOT require a Kenyan Transit Visa (US$30). Only if you take the day room in NBO, will the Transit Visa be required.
May 17th, 2008, 12:21 PM
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Sandi, Kenya Airways and Precision Air have code-sharing arrangements, but do you think that they will check everything through for Ccipups and DP? If not, and they have to get their luggage and check back in at NBO, wouldn't they need a visa? Of course, if they just carry everything on board with them, it's a moot point!
May 17th, 2008, 12:58 PM
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Sharon -
Beats me whether KQ will tag bags with ongoing PW flight details and thus transfer the bags automatically. Remember, TIA!
It's most likely, ccipups will have to collect their bags at JKIA, but unlike many other airports where paxs are on airport side where transit bags come off and easy to gather and recheck, at JKIA bags are off-loaded and sent to the regular baggage carousel outside the secure area.
Technically they shouldn't have to get the Transit Visa. While I haven't had to do this, from experiences - a la Patty - if ccipups, a transit passenger, can get an airport agent/rep to assist in collecting their luggage for rechecking, they wouldn't need the Visa.
As usual, it's a matter of how agreeable staff can/will be. A smile, pleasant attitude and small tip always helps.
Beats me whether KQ will tag bags with ongoing PW flight details and thus transfer the bags automatically. Remember, TIA!
It's most likely, ccipups will have to collect their bags at JKIA, but unlike many other airports where paxs are on airport side where transit bags come off and easy to gather and recheck, at JKIA bags are off-loaded and sent to the regular baggage carousel outside the secure area.
Technically they shouldn't have to get the Transit Visa. While I haven't had to do this, from experiences - a la Patty - if ccipups, a transit passenger, can get an airport agent/rep to assist in collecting their luggage for rechecking, they wouldn't need the Visa.
As usual, it's a matter of how agreeable staff can/will be. A smile, pleasant attitude and small tip always helps.
May 20th, 2008, 08:24 AM
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ShayTay,
That's the second suggestion I've received for the Cultural Heritage Centre as well as for Yotel. I'd already checked out the Yotel website and we may do just that. A friend has suggested that we take the (not inexpensive) train into London, see one or two things, get some lunch and take the train back to LHR. She also suggested Windsor as it's close to the train. We'll look into that.
I don't think we can make to Sheldrick's. This time.
I'm not sure what kind of visa we'll get.
KIA lodge looks like a good choice, thanks.
sandi,
If we never leave JKIA except via another plane, what kind of visas do we need? It looks like we need a single entry, with a Visitors Pass stamp.
Wingi,
Good to know! I had thought the code sharing between KQ and PW would get our luggage checked all the way through. We're considering carry-ons anyway and will do some trial packing this weekend.
That's the second suggestion I've received for the Cultural Heritage Centre as well as for Yotel. I'd already checked out the Yotel website and we may do just that. A friend has suggested that we take the (not inexpensive) train into London, see one or two things, get some lunch and take the train back to LHR. She also suggested Windsor as it's close to the train. We'll look into that.
I don't think we can make to Sheldrick's. This time.
I'm not sure what kind of visa we'll get.
KIA lodge looks like a good choice, thanks.
sandi,
If we never leave JKIA except via another plane, what kind of visas do we need? It looks like we need a single entry, with a Visitors Pass stamp.
Wingi,
Good to know! I had thought the code sharing between KQ and PW would get our luggage checked all the way through. We're considering carry-ons anyway and will do some trial packing this weekend.
May 20th, 2008, 10:09 AM
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Thanks! That's what I thought, but wasn't sure.
Wingi, does PW fly into JKIA or Wilson? Their website doesn't indicate which airport they use.
I'll call Good Earth, if you're not sure.
Wingi, does PW fly into JKIA or Wilson? Their website doesn't indicate which airport they use.
I'll call Good Earth, if you're not sure.
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