LADIES ONLY
TANZANIA SERENGETI + NGORONGORO MOBILE SAFARIS
Land Only Package
SET DEPARTURES
9 DAY/8 NIGHT PACKAGE
28 March 2008 & 17 October 2008
Imagine finding yourself under the vast African sky in the
middle of one of the last expanses of true wilderness left
on our planet, possibly listening to the haunting and
mysterious sounds of night predators and their prey as the
drama of their interactions unfold. Is this your kind of
safari?
On our “Authentic Mobile Safaris’ we offer a style of travel
which is extremely comfortable, whilst still mobile camping,
allowing guests to get off the beaten track and away from
the main safari thoroughfares. On this style of safari we
book private wilderness campsites to keep you away from the
crowds and as close as possible to the wildlife action.
Clients are not expected to participate in any of the camp
preparations or chores as the camp crew will take care of
all aspects of camp life behind the scenes, allowing for a
real holiday in some of the most beautiful game areas in
Africa.
Group size is restricted to maximum 7 persons to a vehicle
all with window seats. The vehicles are very spacious with
game viewing open hatches and large windows for photography.
The safari chef prepares all meals and vegetarians can be
easily catered for with prior notice.
The support vehicle and camp crew travel ahead of the group
and set up the camp. Spacious tents, (3.5 x 3.5 m dome
tents) with camp beds, foam mattresses and warm bedding
which consists of a sleeping bag, cotton inner sheet and a
small pillow are provided. The shower and eco-friendly
toilet are en-suite, so you don’t have to leave the safety
of your tent at night. Sumptuous meals are prepared by the
friendly safari chef(s), and are either served in the mess
tent, or under the stars
Your guide and their assistants are experienced
professionals who will prioritise your comfort and safety as
well as ensuring optimal game-viewing opportunities
throughout your safari with us.
Meals usually consist of a cooked breakfast, light lunch and
a three-course dinner. We supply 2 litres of mineral water
per person, per day and 2 soft drinks/sodas on the mobile
safari section. We regret that we are unable to supply other
beverages or alcoholic drinks, however your guide will be
happy to show you where best to purchase these prior to
departure and at convenient points along the way. Your
drinks supply will be carried in the supply vehicle.
Authentic Mobile safaris are a relaxed alternative to a
lodge safari – for those who prefer to sleep under canvas
and get away from the crowds.
Please note that we can offer this same itinerary, or
similar itinerary to private groups and individuals on any
date, and we can also combine with some nights in lodges
should you prefer.
ITINERARY
DAY 1
On arrival you will be met and transferred to the hotel
in Arusha. Overnight with breakfast included.
DAY 2 Your guide will meet you at your hotel
and conduct a pre-departure briefing at 08h30 for a
09h00 departure. Your guide can assist you should you
wish to exchange money or purchase other beverages or
snacks. The rest of the safari crew will have gone ahead
to set up your camp.
The drive to Tarangire is just over two hours and so we
will either be able to enjoy lunch at the campsite or a
picnic lunch en route so that you will be able to spend
the rest of the day game-viewing.
The Tarangire ecosystem is the third largest in Tanzania
(20 000 square kilometres), of which the park occupies a
mere 13%. During the dry season, the park has the second
largest concentration of wildlife in Tanzania. The
unique acacia and baobab vegetation provides a home for
over 550 bird species, as well as lion, leopard, buffalo
and large herds of elephant; also species such as
gerenuk, oryx and eland, rarely seen in the other parks
in the north.
Lunch and dinner included. Overnight at a private
campsite at Lake Manyara National Park, or in a private
concession nearby.
DAY 3
This morning we rise early and explore Lake Manyara
National Park (either for the day or possibly an early
morning and late afternoon drive instead), and enjoy
game viewing and bird watching in this pretty little
National Park. Overnight camping at your private site.
Lake Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake at the base of
a sheer stretch of the western Rift Valley escarpment.
The north-western area of this lake is protected in a
330 sq km national park, which contains a remarkable
diversity of terrestrial habitats: the grassy floodplain
of the lakeshore, the rocky base of the escarpment, a
belt of thick acacia woodland and a lush patch of
groundwater forest just inside the northern entrance
gate. An interesting bio-diversity of fauna and flora
can be observed here and a variety of large mammal
species including elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe
and lion. Perhaps, however, the most immediately visible
residents are the troupes of olive baboon, sometimes
found in the company of the smaller and rather beautiful
blue monkey. This is also a wonderful location for
viewing groups of elephants and for keen birders.
Manyara has recorded almost 400 species due to the wide
habitat diversity.
DAY 4
An early start this morning in order to allow the
support crew to start breaking down camp while we enjoy
breakfast. As the camp crew get on their way to set up
camp at our next location, we will be able to take our
picnic boxes and head off towards Ngorongoro
Conservation Area.
We may stop en route at the bustling towns of Mto-wa-mbu,
where there is a lively curio market, and then on to
Karatu, a rich farming area. We then weave our way
upwards into the densely forested slopes of the
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, pausing to admire the
splendid view of the crater floor 600 m below at Heroes
Point.
We head down into the caldera below and spend the rest
of the day enjoying game viewing in one of the most
spectacular places on earth! Photographic opportunities
are abundant, and one often sees four out of the Big
Five in a short time! We will have a picnic lunch at the
floor of the crater at a pleasant lakeside location
where we can stretch our legs and soak up the
magnificent scenery. Arrive early evening at our private
campsite.
All meals included. Overnight private campsite inside
Ngorongoro Conservation area.
At 8 300 sq km Ngorongoro Conservation Area is named
after its central feature, the
Ngorongoro Crater, which is the world’s largest intact
volcanic caldera and within which has evolved an
extraordinary natural sanctuary for some of Africa’s
densest populations of large mammals. The crater floor
itself is 260 sq kms and from the viewing points at the
rim the vast herds of wildebeest, buffalo and zebra look
like mere ant formations winding their way across the
grasslands below! The crater is also home to a great
diversity of environments and you may encounter all of
the large herbivores mentioned above, as well as lions,
hyenas, jackals, male elephant (females and family
groups tend to stay up on the higher slopes) and, in the
forest around the rim, occasional leopard and bushbuck.
There is an active black rhino breeding project inside
the crater and you may be lucky enough to spot some of
these magnificent, shy beasts during your tour, but
sightings are limited as breeding areas are strictly
protected and usually closed to public access.
The crater rim can be very cold at night and cloaked in
mist in the early mornings. It can also be quite bleak
and windy (July and August). You will need a heavy
jumper, several layers or a warm jacket here.
DAY 5
This morning we break camp and embark on a game drive
into the great Serengeti plains. Before crossing from
the Ngorongoro Conservation Area into the Serengeti
National Park we should take the opportunity to visit
the Olduvai Gorge where we may attend a short talk on
the archaeological importance of Olduvai and the work of
Mary and Louis Leakey in excavating the area and
discovering some of Africa’s most important hominid
fossils. You may like to consider an optional extra of a
visit to a Maasai village boma where you can spend some
time learning about the culture, traditions and beliefs
of this ancient, noble warrior tribe. This is at an
additional cost, and should be discussed with the guide,
and paid directly to the guide and the Masai.
The Serengeti is unequalled for its beauty and contains
more than three million large mammals spread over the
vast endless plains. It is here, at certain times of the
year, that we may encounter the breathtaking spectacle
of the annual wildebeest migration, where one and a
quarter million wildebeest trek in columns of up to
forty kilometres long in search of grazing, drawing with
them their predators and numerous other species of game.
From January to March the herds can largely be found in
the southern area, proceeding north through the centre
and Western Corridor during June and July before
entering Kenya’s Masai Mara. They return south in
November to repeat this amazing instinctive procession
all over again.
Overnight Serengeti Wilderness Camp
The camp has been designed with quality modern
equipment. Tents are comfortable 8m x 3.2m, and include
two permanent beds with duvets, hot water bucket shower,
toilet and shady veranda. Lighting is by 12 volt, with
bedside lamps, and paraffin lamps, plus limited battery
recharging facilities will be available (for videos and
cameras). Camp staff will look after your every need,
and will be on attendance virtually around the clock!
A large dining tent, as well as a comfortable lounge
area with a small reference library, and a typical
safari campfire make up the balance of the facilities.
Unlike lodges, your guide will join you for meals etc,
and be available for you at all hours.
The camp intends to run in as eco-friendly way as
possible, with all waste etc being disposed of under
Park’s guidelines. The location of the camp is fixed but
semi - permanent eg no permanent structures allowed, and
may be moved in the future to follow the game movements.
We intend to provide a friendly, intimate tented camp,
with good facilities in an amazing area, with due
respect for this fragile ecosystem.
All meals included.
Balloon safari – optional
If you would like to go on an early morning balloon
safari over the Serengeti, this MAY be possible but is
largely dependent on the position of your pre-booked
campsites and the season that you travel. (For instance
it is not possible to travel from Kirawira or Grumeti in
the Western corridor, or Lobo or Bologonja in the north
to do a balloon safari as the balloon company collects
clients from the Seronera central area only). Please
note that balloon safaris can only be organised by
PRE-ARRANGEMENT and there is an additional cost for
this, detailed below. It can only be booked for Day 6 or
7 of your safari.
DAY 6 & 7
Morning and afternoon game drives in Serengeti National
Park.
Africa’s most famous game reserve covers an area of
almost 15 000 sq km and is world-renowned for its dense
predator population and the annual wildebeest migration.
The park is part of the much large Serengeti eco-system,
which includes Kenya’s Masai Mara Game Reserve, and
encompasses more than double this area. The greater park
of the park is open grassland, patches of acacia
woodland and isolated areas of granite rock outcrops
called koppies. Animal migration is linked to the annual
rainfall patterns and its effect on their feeding
habitats
Huge herds of wildebeest and zebra can be found here
along with smaller concentrations of gazelles. There are
also significant numbers of buffalo, giraffe and
warthog. Elephants are relatively scarce on the open
plains, more common in the northern areas and the
western corridor, but the most popular animals to be
found here in greater abundance than elsewhere on the
northern circuit are the cats. Lions, cheetahs and
leopard may all be seen here along with other predators,
such as the spotted hyena, golden and black-backed
jackals, wild cats and servals.
All meals included. Overnight Serengeti Wilderness Camp.
DAY 8
We recommend that you consider the option of flying back
from the Serengeti to Arusha today. It is an
exceptionally scenic flight over the highlands of
Ngorongoro, across the vast expanse of the Rift Valley
escarpments, and through the green coffee plantations
surrounding Arusha airport. On a clear day you will see
amazing views of Mount Meru’s dark profile rising up
above the town, cloaked in wisps of cloud, and sometimes
Kilimanjaro in the distance. The flight is an additional
cost.
If flying back, breakfast only will be included.
Alternatively, you may prefer to drive back to Arusha –
arriving late afternoon (picnic lunch included). There
may be a little time to shop for curios along the way or
just outside the town centre. Overnight in Arusha with
breakfast included.
DAY 9
Early morning transfer from your hotel to Kilimanjaro
Airport.
Key to Inclusions:
(B) Breakfast
(L) Lunch
(D) Dinner
(B&B) Bed & Breakfast
(FB) Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
9 Days/8 Nights Package
Cost Per Person
Twin
Single
28 Mar & 17 oct 08
$3750
$POA
Included: 8 nights accommodation, all meals
while on safari, arrival transfer in Nairobi, shuttle bus transfers Nairobi/Arusha/Nairobi
and scheduled game drives in 4x4, and park fees
Departure: Tuesdays (alternative departures
available on a private basis at additional cost)
Minimum: 4 passengers
Day Trips Available - We have a number of
additional optional excursions
available to extend your stay. Please contact us for
details.
N.B. Be warned
-
Road surfaces can be very rough at times and distances
between camps are such that one can be on the road for many hours.
Have you considered adding a
Kenya Safari to your Tanzania trip?
Please confirm prices with Bench International prior
to booking your trip.
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