Ho Hum, a safari itinerary recommendation please!
Replies: 6 - Last Post: Apr 1, 2012 4:37 AM Last Post By: hajis
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Ho Hum, a safari itinerary recommendation please!
You all have been so helpful, I have a final safari question for you. We are on a tight schedule and budget, so we are going to do a 5 day, 4 night safari. We are going in mid-August. We initially were going to spend a day at Lake Manyara, 2 days in the Ngorongoro crater and 2 days in Tangarire. Since the Serengeti is so far away, we were going to skip it, but some are saying we would regret it and I have read 2 days is too much at Ngorongoro because of so many tourists. Any itinerary suggestions would be greatly appreciated from those who have been there.Many thanks (again),
Bon
2
Bon - I have to disagree - the Serengeti is not "so far away", but the road conditions to make it a very rough drive and if you only have 5 days then yes it is better to see 3 features in some detail. Having seen all the places you are going to, as well as the Serengeti for me Ngorongoro is the place not to be missed. But it is expensive - an extra $50 US in visitor permits plus the vehicle fee ($200 US) to go down to the floor of the caldera.The order in which you do the parks could improve your available time and I think this order: Tarangire first stop from Arusha and if you get an early start then you could do it in one day; from Tarangire is about 2 (maybe 3) hours to Lake Manyara and as this is a small park it really only requires a half day; overnight at Mto wa Mbu or Karatu; then its Ngorongoro and try to include Oldupai/Olduvai gorge - its about an hour or hour & half from NGO. This then gets you back to Arusha late on day 5.
Tips - how much depends upon how many of you there are, but usually around $30-40 US for cook and up to $50 US for the driver/guide if he is really good. But these figures are up to you and usually we don't recommend that you discuss it with the guide/cook beforehand. Just hand the money to them back at Arusha on the last day. Hopefully you will enjoy the adventure!!
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If you have your heart set on the Serengeti it could be done, but it would involve just 1.5 days of safari in the Serengeti a long drive after the stop at Tarangire. And you's have to skip Lake Manyara. It would be something like this:Day 1: drive to Tarangire. Stay there.
Day 2: continue safari in Tarangire, exiting before your 24-hour permit expires. Drive to Serengeti (you'd need to leave by noon or so.
Day 3: safari in Serengeti.
Day 4: morning safari in Serengeti, then drive to Ngorogoro Crater rim
Day 5: Crater safari and return to Arusha/Moshi.
Too bad you can't do one more day - that would make it much easier, and possibly allow you to add 2-3 hours in lake Manyara,
4
Thanks so much for your input. Because my friend suffers terribly from motion sickness, I think we will stick with our original plan and skip the rough ride to the Serengeti. I wish we did have more time, but since we don't, I hate rushing through places. So, we are back to thinking 2 days Tangarire, 1 day Lake Manyara, 2 days Ngorongoro crater.Bon
6
I always taking my customers for 5 days 4 nights to Tarangire 1 night, Lake Manyara 1 night, and Ngorongoro 2 nights with one Game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater floor and the other day in Embakai Crater due to the driving kilometers to Serengeti National Park and the rough road in Olduvai Area. If you want to go to Serengeti National Park you need the extra days especially if you will include Tarangire, Manyara, Ngorongoro in your itinerary. At least 6 - 7 days is needed to cover all these National Park. Thank you my land operator Richard Reward Kilonzo of World Tours And Safaris for your advise. My clients are always happy on your advise. The day is Embakai is always making them crazy because most of them are bird watchers. More than 350 different species of birds can be seen near Nainokanoka Masai Village and in Embakai Crater floor. Go to Serengeti National Park when you have enough days.
