Sherry Steele “Collectors” Safari 2009
Explore Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park,
Serengeti National Park, Olduvai Gorge, the Western
Serengeti & the Ngorongora Crater!
Safari Group 2006
The next adventure is on! Coming February 24- March 9, 2009,
I will again lead a 14-day safari to my favorite parts of Tanzania.
Our group of 16 select travelers will fly into Mt. Kilimanjaro Airport in Arusha, Tanzania, where we will be met by my hand-selected guides. Working with Safari Legacy (formerly Tanzania Photographic Safaris, one of the oldest safari companies in Africa, we will be in the very best of hands. I have used this company on 4 previous safaris and our guides, ranked among the best in Africa, have become my friends. You will find it the same for yourself as they strive to share their knowledge of Nature and love of their country with you.
Our expedition will include Arusha National Park, and the luxury, permanent tented Kikoti Camp in the Tarangire, which is known for its population of Elephants.
There, Maasai will guard our tents at night, accompany us on a nature walk to Kikoti Rock, spot game on a night game drive, and even dance with us at our private boma.
We will be traveling in our specially equipped safari vehicles. Built to accommodate up to 8 passengers, an important part of our safari cost is based on the extra vehicles & guides reserved for us. Since we navigate our entire safari aboard these vehicles, the chance to see the wonders of Tanzania in comfort can be critical. Room to surround yourself with your camera gear and have immediate access to the open rooftop to capture an amazing encounter becomes one of the most important factors of the expedition, second only to the importance of our superb guides.
Leaving the Tarangire, we drive to Lake Manyara for an afternoon game drive through the only montane ecosystem on our safari. An overnight in lovely rooms high above the Lake prepare us for the next stage of our adventure. We pass through farmlands and villages, sprinkled with native women walking along paths, their brilliantly colored kanga clothes fluttering behind them with every stride. Climbing the side of the Ngorongora Crater, we pause for tea on the rim while we are consumed by the sight and the myths of this wonder. Aagh, but we must zig-zag down the other side, leaving the Crater to simmer in our minds until we can return.
Pausing at the Olduvai Gorge for lunch and an historical lecture, we begin to feel humbled by the ancient aura permeating this prehistoric region. The Serengeti (Endless Sea of Grass) awaits us. Our classic mobile tented camp is our home for the next 3 days as the annual migration begins to form around us. More than at any other camp, this is where we will hear and feel the sounds of Africa filling the night air around us. The newborn young frolic around us as this is the time of birth for the wildebeest, zebras and antelope. And each time we return to camp there is a delicious meal to savor, surprisingly sophisticated in its preparation and presentation. Without a doubt, this will become your favorite and most memorable camp.
Our
Dining Tent
sitting in front of an
Acacia Tree
at Sunrise.
Passing through the mass of creatures filling the savannah for as far as the eye can see, we next head for the permanent tented camp, Kirawira.
After the simplicity of our mobile camp in the Serengeti, the luxury of our permanent tents outfitted with mahogany and brass is a welcome sight. Located near the Grumeti River, which is famous for its one-ton crocodiles featured in TV documentaries, our game drives in this area provide a different view of the wildlife.
There is just one spectacle left for us to immerse ourselves in….the Ngorongora Crater. As you begin the descent down the wall of the Crater, you will begin to understand why it is counted as one of the natural wonders of the world. Filled with a permanent population of wildebeest, zebras, and assorted antelope, and the largest predators in Africa, only the elephants traverse the ancient paths up the sides of the Caldera. We are among the fortunate few to have a day and a half inside the Crater. You will never forget the magic of seeing the moon rise over the Crater’s rim from the balcony of your room.
Interspersing the drives from camp to camp are some special surprises. There will be opportunities to shop for curios and Tanzanite gemstones, and a visit to a Maasai boma.
For the artists in the group, time is set aside for plein aire painting and to pause to sketch an encounter. And probably the most enriching experience is our interaction with the people of Tanzania. We take bags of notebook paper, pencils, and books to schools and an orphanage along our route. We even leave
some of our old clothing behind to be reused by the children who live in such poverty. As one of our previous travelers said, “They had expected to fall in love with the animals and land of Tanzania, but they never expected to fall in love with the people.”
From start to finish, Chuck and I work hard to make this one of the most unforgettable experiences of a lifetime. Building a bond between each person in our group, time and again you will find your heart and your mind returning to Africa.
The Itinerary!
Tanzania 14 – Day
February 2009
$4704 per person
$662 single supplement
Day 1: Depart USA – own air arrangements on NW/KLM
Day 2: Arrive Arusha (JRO), met and transferred to the Dik Dik Hotel
Day 3: Tarangire National Park – Kikoti Tented Camp – full day game drives
Day 4: Tarangire National Park – Kikoti Tented Camp – full day game drives
Day 5: Lake Manyara National Park – Manyara Serena Lodge –full day game drives
Day 6: Serengeti National Park – Private Mobile Camp – full day game drives
Day 7: Serengeti National Park – Private Mobile Camp – full day game drives
Day 8: Serengeti National Park – Private Mobile Camp – full day game drives
Day 9: Western Serengeti – Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp – full day game drives
Day 10: Western Serengeti – Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp – full day game drives
Day 11: Ngorongoro Crater / Olduvai Gorge – Ngorongoro Serena Lodge
Day 12: Ngorongoro Crater – Ngorongoro Serena Lodge – full day game drives
Day 13: Arusha – return to Arusha for lunch & dayrooms. After an early dinner we transfer to the airport for our connecting flights.
Day 14: Arrive Home
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Meet and greet service by Safari Legacy representatives
All transfers, porter age and national park fees
ALL government hotel taxes and service charges.
All transportation in custom built 4x4 safari vehicles; private roof hatch and window
Expert Safari Legacy naturalist guides
Morning, afternoon & evening (where applicable) game drives
Nature walks; bird walks
Maasai village visits
Olduvai Gorge visit
All meals, tea and coffee, bottled water and refreshments during game drives
International Flight Confirmations
All activities as specified in the itinerary
Membership in the Flying Doctors ProgramWHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Single supplements will be charged if required or requested
Personal Laundry, beverages and other personal expenses.
Tips to bar staff for personal beverages or room service.
Tips to models for photographic opportunities.
Tips to safari guides
Passport and Visa fees – Tanzania visa is now $100 per person and can be obtained upon arrival
Airport taxes
Travel Protection Plan (www.travelguard.com and www.medjetassist.com)
Optional Hot Air Balloon Safari $450 (booked in advance)We Hope To See You There!