Tanzania, Africa

We will be spending 10 days in-country. I suggest breaking up the travel to/from Africa into two legs (a) from the U.S. to Europe (preferably Amsterdam) and then (b) to East Africa. Each way, plan a break of at couple of days in Europe (London and Amsterdam are important travel hubs, for example) to acclimate to time zones and recover a bit from jet lag. Both cities offer amazing culture, food and people.

We will be staying in beautiful lodges. They are environmentally responsible, especially with their water treatment systems. Most of the Serena lodges were built by the Aga Khan in very beautiful locations inside or alongside the parks. The Aga Khan family have also built many hospitals and schools in both Tanzania and Kenya, giving them a very good relationship with the governments of both countries. Most of the time we will be staying at elevations of about 4,000 to 5,000 feet, so that temperatures are not too hot.

We are timing this visit to take advantage of the southern migration of wildebeests, one of the great spectacles on our planet. At Ndutu we will be spending extra time in the calving grounds of these herd animals, which are about 1.5 million strong. And where there are calves, there are predators: cheetahs, lions, leopards and more.

Detailed Itinerary

Here’s the approximate schedule, based on experience and extensive consultation with our Tanzania-based tour operator. Although I have requested the dates mentioned, that may change slightly, as all of our lodge reservations haven not been finalized. All accommodations are luxurious, with private baths, beautiful multi-course meal services, impeccable service, and many amenities. Unlike most safaris, we start at daybreak and finish near sunset, to take advantage of peak animal activity and great light. At these “shoulder” times of the day, we often have the savannah to ourselves.

March 3 – Arrive at JRO pickup and transfer to River Trees for dinner and overnight.

March 4 – Depart to Tarangire with picnics lunches and full-day game viewing in Tarangire Park. Dinner and overnight at Tarangire Sopa Lodge. Tarangire is famous for its elephants and ancient baobab trees, and there’s plenty else to see here, too.

March 5 -Depart after breakfast with picnic lunches to Lake Manyara National park for full day game viewing. Dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge. This park is at the base of the dramatic Great Rift. This famous fault system extends from the Red Sea through Kenya and Tanzania to the Orange River in South Africa. In Lake Manyara National Park, we’ll be immersed in unique habitats including the alkaline lake, the amazing “ground water forest,” the meandering river, the beautiful savannas on the lake edge, and the Rift escarpment dotted with baobab trees. The source of water for this region is the Ngorongoro Forest Reserve above the escarpment, where frequent precipitation percolates through the porous volcanic soil. Water hits the granitic basement rock at the bottom of the escarpment, where it flows out of springs, providing enough moisture for large figs and tamarind trees in the ground water forest. We have dinner and overnight at Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, with its spectacular view of the Rift Valley. On this day we can expect hippos, showy Egyptian geese, distant flocks of flamingos, soulful looking blue monkeys, and perhaps lions resting in trees.

March 6. After breakfast we proceed with picnic lunches to the intimate Ndutu Safari Lodge, perhaps my favorite stop on this trip. Game viewing en route. Dinner and two overnights at the smallish Ndutu Safari Lodge, in the southern Serengeti. I have requested extra time at this special place for several reasons. First, unlike the more heavily visited areas of the Serengeti, we are allowed to drive off-road. Also, wildlife viewing is amazing. We are timing our visit to be here at the height of the southern wildebeest migration, one of the greatest migrations on the planet, with about 1.5 million animals congregating in this part of Africa. We will be there during wildebeest calving. The vulnerable newborns provide food for a large variety of carnivores, including cheetahs, lions and leopards. The cat population—especially cheetahs—around Ndutu is perhaps the best in all of the Serengeti.

There are hundreds of species of birds here, from large to small. Numerous eagle, vulture and hawk species patrol the thermals. Vultures and maribou storks peck at zebra and wildebeest carcasses.  Steinbuck, grey-breasted spurfowl and chestnut-banded sand plover are specialties of the Ndutu area.

March 7 & 8. We’ll be spending two full days at Ndutu.

March 9. Depart after breakfast to Serengeti National Park, one of the legendary regions of Africa, with game en route. Dinner and overnight at Semetu Camp. The “camps” on African safaris are luxury accommodations, with fine furnishings and indoor plumbing.

March 10. Full day game viewing in Serengeti Park. Dinner and overnight at Semetu Camp.

March 11. Depart after breakfast to Ngorongoro highlands with game drives en route. Dinner and overnight at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge/ Lions Paw.

March 12. Depart for Ngorongoro Crater for a full day of game view with bush lunch on the crater floor. This crater is packed with wildlife: lions (unique here with their black manes), baboon families performing their antics, elephants, fiercely protected and highly endangered rhinos, ostriches and so much more. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

March 13. After a leisurely breakfast, drive back to Arusha for lunch and day use, then proceed to JRO for your flight home.

The tour price includes full board accommodation (double occupancy), ground transportation, the services of an English-speaking driver/guide, vehicle entry fees, and park fees. It does not include airfare, Tanzania visa, drinks, tips, laundry, departure tax or any other extras of a personal nature.

Yes, East Africa can be an expensive place. Much of the money we pay goes for national park service fees/permits and this money sustains the amazing wildlife we see. We stay in luxurious resorts, a welcome perk after long days of bouncing on dusty, bumpy tracks. Without our tourist dollars we wouldn’t even have these magnificent game parks. You can travel less cheaply than this, typically by going to the country at the last minute to see if leftover bookings are available. This can prove chancy, however, with bait and switch schemes, safety problems overcrowded vehicles that don’t linger for great photo ops, and other issues. We are booking through a long-time, proven tour operator. I am keeping costs as low as possible, making little or no profit in this endeavor.

Cost: $9995, double occupancy ($2000 deposit), plus airfare and smaller costs such as gratuities, laundry, drinks, visa fees, etc. We suggest a day or two in Amsterdam both going to and returning from Africa because of the time zone changes and length of the flights.

Although I have reserved spaces for up to eight people, I can possibly take more if spaces are available at the lodges.

What’s included:

Luxury accommodations and all meals.
A highly-credentialed Safari Driver-Guides during your journey.
Safari vehicles stocked with soft drinks and bottled water except premium drinks
Complimentary in-vehicle Wi-Fi as well as free Wi-Fi wherever else it exists on safari, including camps and lodges.
All airport transfers, park & concession fees.
24/7 Concierge Team at our accommodations poised to meet last minute, unexpected, and unusual requests.

 

Payment

Fee is $9995 (double occupancy). Payment is required in full when bookings are made less than 65 days before the tour begins. Single supplement: $1020.

Cancellation Policy

95 to 65 days prior to departure – 25% Cancellation fees.
65 to 45 days prior to departure – 50% Cancellation fees.
Less than 45 days prior to departure – 100% Cancellation fees.

Unused Services

There are no refunds for unused portions of the program, and refunds will not be made to passengers who do not complete the tour for any reason whatsoever.

Included / Excluded

The tour price includes full board accommodation, ground transportation, the services of an English speaking driver/guide, vehicle entry fees, park fees, your crater tour, and government taxes. It does not include air fare, drinks, tips (bring lots of $1 bills for porters!), laundry, entry/departure tax or any other extras.  Any changes made to the itinerary will be charged extra.  Confirmed bookings cannot be transferred to another date.

Baggage

Baggage must fit standard international travel requirements. A flexible, collapsible duffel bag is strongly recommended. Porters are available to help you carry your baggage to and from your lodge rooms.

Insurance

It is an expressed understanding and condition that any person taking this safari has an adequate and valid insurance cover against personal accident, medical attendance, baggage loss trip cancellation. Medical evacuation insurance (usually available for a nominal fee) is REQUIRED. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. We suggest Allianz.

Alterations to Tours

The sequence of the itinerary and the accommodation of safaris are adhered to as far as possible. We reserve the right however to make alterations due to bad weather, road conditions, over-bookings,  or other causes. We also reserve the right to decline or retain a passenger as a member of any tour at any time.

Liability

Betty Sederquist and the Tanzania tour company act only as agents of the passenger in all matters relating to tours and it accepts no responsibility for any personal illness, injury, accident, death, delay, loss, damage or irregularity of any kind, which may be occasioned by reason of any act or omission beyond its control, including without limitation, any act of negligence or breach of contract of any third party such as a hotel or airline, who is to, or does supply, any goods or services for the trip.

Betty Sederquist and the Tanzania tour company will not be responsible for any losses or expenses due to delay or changes in schedule, overbooking of accommodation, fault of third parties, sickness, weather, strikes, acts of God or for any other cause beyond its control. All such losses or expenses have to be borne and paid for by the passenger. Betty Sederquist’s and the tour company’s liability to passengers carried in its own vehicle is governed by Tanzanian law and all claims are subject to the jurisdiction of the Tanzanian Courts. While every care is taken, the tour company and/or Betty Sederquist will not be held responsible for loss or damage to baggage, personal effects, valuables or currency.

The tour company and Betty Sederquist reserve the right to employ sub-contractors for all or part of the services.

You are responsible for your own travel insurance. We suggest Allianz.