This
schedule is a description of a 12-day African Journey through the
northern wildlife ecosystems of Serengeti, Tarangire, Mt Kilimanjaro
and Ngorongoro Crater, with an optional 5-day trip to the tropical
beaches of Zanzibar Island. The safari is a
combination lodge and camping safari designed as a group exploration
of wildlife, culture and environment, combining a bit of adventure
with a bit of luxury and a whole lot of fun.
Safari Style
Our
accommodations on this safari will vary between lodgings in private
compounds, permanent tented camps, first-class lodges and light
camping in beautiful, wild and pristine locations. Camping will be
in lightweight tents with comfortable foam mattresses, sheets,
pillows, blankets, hot showers, full camp crew, and cooks with all
equipment provided.
Transportation
will be primarily by well-equipped four wheel drive Land Rover or
Land Cruiser safari vehicles, with on-board radio communication. The
road conditions, although generally good and constantly improving,
can sometimes be rough, dusty, muddy or even underwater.
We
will often spend a good deal of time together in our safari
vehicles, especially when changing locations. While in a particular
location however, we are generally free to relax on our own, and in
fact, all activities described in this itinerary should be
considered optional. Anyone who wants to take a break from the group
to kick back and read a book under a tree while the camp crew makes
some popcorn is welcome.
The
nature of this safari will require us to be together as a group for
an extended period, and participants should enjoy being part of, and
contributing to, a group experience. If you are a “people person”
and have an easy going and adventurous spirit, we can almost
guarantee the trip of a lifetime - if not, ask us about our private
safaris.
When
we do have to make a certain fixed schedule, we rely on the group to
help things go smoothly. We can also expect, however, that in spite
of the best teamwork and planning there will inevitably be times
when things inevitably don’t go according to schedule. For example,
a safari vehicle may get a flat, or road or weather conditions may
force a delay in schedule. In these situations it is even more
important to keep a relaxed positive attitude – after all, this is
Africa!
As
you may have gathered this will not be a standard tour bus safari.
We will show you what we truly believe are the most incredible
places we know with the time, budget and logistics we have
available. What we make of it then, depends on each of us.
Therefore, each member of the group should consider themselves an
active participant in this adventure. A positive attitude and the
ability to adapt are the keys to a great experience on this safari.
Now, being in Africa, I was hungry for more of
it, the changes of the seasons...the discomforts that you paid to
make it real, the names of the trees, of the small animals, and all
the birds, to know the language and have time to be in it and move
slowly.”
Ernest
Hemmingway
Safari Schedule and Description
Day 1:
Arrive
in the morning via London or
Amsterdam the night before. Your
flight arrangements may be different depending on you travel plans,
but the safari begins in the morning in Arusha. If you have arrived
earlier, we will meet you in Arusha and we will all go to the
Kilimanjaro Airport to meet the rest of
the group arriving. There, we will be taken directly to Ndarakwai
Reserve. The camp is a permanent tented lodge on an 11,000-acre
private reserve. With view of both Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, the camp is nestled in a lush forest
of
towering fig, podo, and yellow-barked acacias that line the seasonal
Ngare
Nairobi River. Facilities include ten
spacious tents with thatched roofs, en suite bathrooms, and a large
separate dining area.
We’ll
have lunch, introductions and go unpack. There are two more days
here, with plenty of time to explore this old colonial ranch, either
by vehicle, mountain bike, foot, or even horseback. The afternoon
will be free to relax, take naps and recover from the long travel,
go on game drives or a walk around the area. We can even go over to
the neighbor’s, a Maasai boma (village compound), for a visit in the
late afternoon when they bring in the cattle for the night. There is
a tree house over a large watering hole that is a wonderful place to
spend time laying around, reading a book, and watching the elephant
that come by to drink.
Come
back to camp where we’ll
gather around a campfire at dusk for snacks and sundowners. Welcome
the African night, replete with elephants that ghost through the
camp and the haunting cries of bush babies in the trees.
Day 2: 
Wake
up in a beautiful place you have never seen before, tucked on the
lower west slope of Kilimanjaro. Breakfast is at 8:30 AM. If you so choose, you can
get up at dawn and do an early morning game drive with one of the
guides, and return for breakfast. Most people think this is a
darn good idea. After
breakfast there will be plenty of time for more game drives, or a
walking safari around the reserve.
There
is no real need for everyone to stick together here in the reserve,
once we have our bearings.
Just explore and have fun. We have a few mountain bikes
that are available to ride around the reserve on. There is nothing
like mountain biking in Africa.
Grab your bird book, binos and go for a walk with one of the reserve
rangers. They know their birds, where to find them, and they are
very handy to have around if you come up to a herd of elephant. Tell
the camp crew if you need a picnic lunch or expect to be back for
lunch. Always go with a
guide or ranger and communicate with the rest of the group. We will all be in constant
radio contact with each other for safety and to communicate if you
find something cool.
You
can also go out for a day on horseback. For experienced riders, this
is a chance to get very close to elephant and other game, while
novice riders get close to game but not to the elephants. It’s an
additional charge of $185 for the day, but it is quite a day of
amazing riding that you just won’t be able to do anywhere
else.
There
is also a 7 year old baby orphaned elephant at the reserve that was
found separated from its mother. Peter Jones, the reserve
owner, rescued her and has nursed her back to health with special
milk from Nairobi and round-the-clock
care. She used to stick
around camp, much to our enjoyment, but she has joined a herd, but
she stops by often for a visit, and she is still very affectionate
and playful with humans
Another
dinner around the campfire.
There are animal researchers living on the ranch that often
come and it’s time for stories and plans for the next day. If you’re
not sleepy, head off with a guide for a night game drive or visit to
the tree house.
Day 3: |
