SEPT 6 TO 23 ITINERARY
1 Flight on KLM: Chicago-Amsterdam-Kilimanjaro

2 Arrive Kilimanjaro and o/nt Arusha Hotel

3 Arusha National Park drive, walk, canoe with Kiliwarriors. o/nt Arusha Hotel

4 Fly from Arusha to Lobo Airstrip in Serengeti,morning arrival, drive north to Bologonja for am and pm game drives O/nt at Flycatchers camp in Bolongonja part of Serengeti.

5-6 O/nt Flycatchers camp in Bolongonja

7 Fly to Mahale, take boat to Flycatchers camp.

8-10 Do 3 chimp visits, 1 dhow visit to hippos, 1 waterfall visit. O/nt Flycatchers camp in Mahale.

11 Fly to Katavi for pm game drive. O/nt Flycatchers camp in Katavi.

12-13 O/nt Flycatchers camp in Katavi.

14 Morning Katavi game drive and fly to Arusha. Drive with Kiliwarriors to just outside Tarangire. O/nt Tarangire Camp

15-16 Tarangire. O/nt Tarangire Safari Lodge.

17 Morning in Tarangire, Depart after lunch for evening flight

18 Arrive home

WHY THIS ITINERARY?
Three chimp visits in Mahale was the #1 goal. If I was going to Mahale, I wanted to add something else that was down south. Flycatcher’s Katavi camp location, like the Mahale camp location, is superb, plus Katavi has always intrigued me.

Flycatchers had trips that then continued on from Katavi to Ruaha, but I I didn’t do it this time because I figured some day in the future a Ruaha-Selous trip would be logical.

Also, Ruaha can be 100 F in Sept and I was concerned that mid to late Sept might no longer be prime time in that park like it used to be, based on other reports and this commentary.
http://www.adventurecamps.co.tz/suestolbergerpage.htm

For these reasons and because I wanted time to include Tarangire, I did not extend to Ruaha. But I flew there on my way to Arusha and from the air it was an impressive location and we had several sightings of elephants and other things right from the airstrip.

I went to N. Serengeti on the front end because I always wanted to venture well north of Lobo when the migration would likely be present. Flycatchers offers a reasonably priced camp in this attractive region of the park.

I’ve been wanting to spend a day in Arusha National Park for a long time, which was Day #1 of the trip.

Colorcoding of the report for easier reference:

General comments = black
Wine List = gray
Arusha National Park = red
Serengeti = purple
Mahale = green
Katavi = gold
Tarangire = orange

UNEXPECTED SIGHTINGS AND ODDITIES ON THIS SAFARI

-13 snakes total (8 while canoeing in Arusha; 2 in Katavi--1 had recently shed its skin on a nearby branch; 3 in Silale Swamp in Tarangire).

-I spotted a poacher fishing illegally in Katavi.

-In the Serengeti I was certain I had discovered a dead vulture but it was just sunning itself. Also in Serengeti a jackal and a male baboon sat next to each other, like pals, for a few minutes.

- In Tarangire 4 different cheetahs plus 1 leopard that did a cheetah imitation on a termite mound.

- Lesser Kudu in southern part of Tarangire.

- Mating hyenas viewed from camp in Katavi, also a male roan.

- Finally got a good closeup photo of a giraffe tongue—Tarangire.

- Worst drought in Katavi since 1981.

-In Katavi a croc reached up and grabbed a bird, swallowing it in just a couple of gulps. Mud pits held 100s of crocs and hippos—actually neither unexpected nor odd for Katavi.

- In Mahale we saw several male chimps spring to aggressive warrior stance when they heard unrelated males in the distance. No threat to us, just to the other chimps.

- We stood a few feet from a warthog hole in Mahale one morning and watched 3 warthogs emerge one after the other to greet the day.

- The Flycatchers tents had a large container of 50+ Q-tips on a small nightstand. I'd never seen Q-tips supplied before. Aural hygiene must be a camp priority. I thought maybe Q-tips were invented by the Swiss, but my Internet investigation revealed it was an American of Polish descent.

THE WINE LIST

The one wine I had remains a mystery because there was no label on the bottle, but I was told by the Flycatchers Serengeti staff that it was South African.

I had planned to request ugali, a traditional African cornmeal dish, for the final evening meal in the Serengeti…so when I found out another guest at the camp was an English-speaking wine salesman, I just had to ask, “What wine goes with ugali?”

My question was somewhat in jest, but his response was serious and ventured into foie gras wine pairings. I think he suggested white wine for ugali so that’s what I got.

When I ordered it, I did not realize that I had bought the whole bottle. One glass was enough for me and I could persuade only one other guest to join me in a drink, leaving 2/3 of a bottle at the end of our farewell dinner in the Serengeti.

Naturally, the bottle of partially consumed mystery wine went airborne with me to Mahale.

After arriving in Mahale, we all met for lunch in the camp’s dining room overlooking the magnificent Lake Tanganyika. I brought along my bottle and explained the wine situation and asked if it could be stored in the corner mini-fridge. I also inquired about any corking fees and was told there were none.

Two of us enjoyed a sampler glass of my white wine with our first evening meal in Mahale, in celebration of a fantastic initial outing with the chimps. The bottle went back into the mini-fridge about half full.

The second chimp outing was even more successful but I had sustained a big bruise on my knee when I slipped on some wet rocks while following the chimps along a stream. I could feel my knee swell and knew a cold compress would help. There was no ice, so at lunch I requested my wine bottle from the mini-fridge and tied it against my knee with my bandana. I could not perform this maneuver discreetly so I explained my use of the bottle, which everyone found to be quite funny. Thankfully, the knee fully recovered.

After our third and final outstanding chimp visit we had a lot to celebrate and I did so with a final glass of wine. There were no other imbibers, which left one small glass-worth of wine in the bottle. We found out that a Swiss guest would have Mahale all to herself for the next several days and that she was arriving on the plane that would be our departure flight. I told the staff to welcome the new lucky guest with a glass of mystery wine that they could explain had flown in from the Serengeti and had rehabilitated the knee of an American. I hope it made her wine list.

Lynn, next time Bruce and I will accompany you and expertly drain your wine bottles. Do you only drink the rare Door county vintages? I've been waiting for your report. Thanks for starting!

It's a deal Marija and I'll bring the rose petals! Thanks!

FLYCATCHERS
I’d gladly return to Tanzania with them.

They are a Swiss company and over 90% of their clients are Swiss with some Germans and about 2% are American. All guiding is done in English. My travelmates throughout the entire trip were an absolutely lovely Swiss couple (Beat and Yvonne) who--fortunately for me--enjoyed putting their considerable English skills to use.

I encountered 10 other Flycatchers guests that were either in the camps with me or transferring at the airstrips. All seemed to be good sports and not high maintenance folks, which is what I would expect based on the type of operation Flycatchers is. One was a repeat guest who did the Flycatchers circuit every year. (She’s the one I told the Mahale staff to offer my wine.)

At meal times when the group was all Swiss, naturally most of the conversation was not English. When it was just the Swiss couple and me, we spoke English. Often a guide accompanied us at meals and the guide spoke English. Going solo could mean limited dinner conversation, depending on the other guests, and I was prepared for that. All information provided by the guide in the vehicle was in English.

Flycatcher tents were simple with ensuite facilities consisting of a regular flush toilet and a shower that had hot water provided once a day. A pitcher of warm water was brought each morning. The Mahale tent was a little fancier and hot water was always available. Food was delicious, served buffet style, and included salads, a dessert (ranging from a fruit cup to avocado crème) at each meal, and soup for each evening meal. Around the campfire were snacks such as nuts or popcorn.

The vehicles were nice Land Cruisers and we never had a breakdown; the !!!guides at each location were wonderful!!!; the staff members were helpful and friendly; and batteries could be recharged in the vehicle or in camp.

The Flycatcher Serengeti location in Bolongonja allows access to both Lobo and Kogatende and was in a lovely part of the park. Lions called each night (which we had no trouble hearing on account of the Q-tip supply), zebras passed through each morning, and elephants entered camp one evening.

If the goal is to wait for river crossings, Flycatcher’s camp is about a 2 hour drive from the river--not that convenient--but daylong trips to the Mara River are offered, which we did. The staff mentioned that film crews stay at Flycatchers for long periods of time and head out early each morning, spending the day near the river, trying to catch a crossing.

Because rains in both Bolongonja and the Mara encouraged the wildes to stay where they were, we saw very few wildebeest gathering to contemplate a crossing. Nor was much else out and about in Kogatende on our visit there, though the landscapes were fabulous.

The Flycatcher Mahale location can’t be beat, regardless of price and Flycatchers has the best price. Staff, food, slightly fancier tents than the other Flycatcher locations with hot water always available, pristine beach--all combine for a magical experience. It’s the crown jewel of the Flycatcher operation. In my opinion, why would you stay anywhere else? Disclosure: I did not visit the other Mahale camps but I did see their location while in a boat. All looked very nice, but Flycatcher’s location was tops.

The Flycatcher Katavi camp sits on the Katuma River with the Katisunga Plains sprawled out in front.

Based on previous reports, I wondered if by September the river could be dry, causing animals to disperse widely in search of water in places without road access. I learned when I arrived that Katavi was experiencing the worst drought since 1981 and the Katuma River in front of camp had dried up way back in May. Terrible conditions! But there were underwater springs throughout the Katisunga Plains in front of the camp that attracted constant herds of elephant, buffalo, waterbuck, giraffe, impala, topi, warthogs, and zebra. Camp Manager Nazir joked that some guests preferred to stay all day in camp and look at the activity in front of them rather than going on game drives. Not entirely a joke.

One species that was noticeably lacking was the tse tse fly—none in camp and these pests were bothersome only in a few areas of the park.

In addition to the herds, right from the camp we were also able to observe hippos, Saddle-billed Stork, hyenas (including a mating pair), a male roan, and a lion checking out some impala.

Flycatcher’s should appeal to anyone who places a premium on location, guiding, and simple but very adequate and comfortable accommodations, all for a reasonable cost. Their circuitous routing that allows the famed Serengeti to be combined with lesser traveled Southern parks is attractive to repeat Africa visitors. But it also makes a wonderful first safari, especially if combined with traditional stops such as Ngorongoro or Tarangire.

The only problem I encountered on the entire trip was my inability to get a photo of any one of the more than 25 species of flycatchers in Tanzania, which I felt was a must for this trip. I finally succeeded in Tarangire when a Gray Flycatcher perched nearby. There had been some flycatchers flitting around camp in Katavi I was told, but they had eluded me.

I am enjoying your report and am looking forward to reading more.

Asante, KTtravel!

ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK

24 photos, those taken on foot or canoe are labeled.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-legacy&localeid=en_US


Airport to Arusha Hotel = 50 minutes

Arusha Hotel to park entrance = 40 minutes

Peter of Kiliwarriors was my guide for a full day in Arusha National Park that included a box lunch. The unseasonal cool rain that had started a few hours after my arrival the previous night continued until mid-morning of our day in the park and it played a role in our sightings.

We entered near Serengeti Ndogo, open plains area where zebra and buffalo grazed in the drizzle. At times we’d see one other vehicle, and had one shared sighting of a Brown Hooded Kingfisher, but mainly we were alone.

After driving about 20 minutes in the rain, we saw 4 elephants eating along the road. Peter had never seen elephants from the road in this park--only on foot--and he celebrated this unusual occurrence by singing the Jambo Bwana song. We theorized that the unexpected rain may have encouraged the elephants to deviate from their typical routine.

Normally visitors would see some Black and White Colobus Monkeys in the forests along the road, but they were taking refuge from the rainfall and remained hidden all morning.

Walking in Arusha National Park
The ranger station where the walk was arranged is a good place to see Blue Monkeys at eye level. It’s also where the Meru climbers assemble. There must have been 50 people getting ready to climb Mt. Meru when I arrived.

Moments before my walk, the rain stopped, but the coolness remained. Fortuitously pleasant. Peter accompanied Ranger Christina, who was armed, and me, on an hour and a half leisurely stroll.

Christina pointed out the tiny pellets of a midden made by the dik dik antelope. Even more interesting was the drop of dark sticky substance clinging atop a reed. The drop had been secreted from the dik dik’s preorbital gland (black spot near its eye) for territorial purposes. I even took a photo of it and it is one of the 24.

Elephants are often seen on walks but our only ele sightings were from the road. We did spend a lot of time with a buffalo herd that had the longer hair and coloring of forest buffalo. Our buffalo encounter prompted Peter to recall this tale from his youth.

A hunter from Peter’s village was checking snares he had set and found a huge bull buffalo had become trapped. The beast appeared to be dead when the hunter, wearing only a loin cloth, approached with his knife. The hunter sat down next to the carcass to begin butchering and discovered that the buffalo was not dead. The hunter tried to run a few steps out of harm’s way, but even mortally wounded, the buffalo had the jump on him. To avoid being tossed by the buffalo’s horns, the hunter used a trick he had been taught, which was to lie flat on the ground. Apparently buffalo will not walk on an irregular surface such as a body. Indeed the buffalo did not trample the hunter but instead licked his bare back with a tongue so rough that it tore much of the flesh away.

Our walk took us to the picturesque Tululusia Waterfall and along the Ngarenanyuki River and acquainted us with several relaxed pairs of White Fronted Bee Eaters.

One of the most interesting sightings was mineral, as opposed to animal or vegetable, discovered along a path on the side of a hill. A bao board had been chiseled into the stone ground covering. Bao is a strategic game played by placing pebbles in holes on a wooden board--or in this case--on a slab of stone. Before 1960 when the area was not a park, cattle grazed throughout. The bao board we happened upon must have been chipped and chiseled over many years to provide an entertaining pastime for the cattle keepers.

Canoeing in Arusha National Park on Small Momella Lake
The 2-hour 2 pm to 4 pm canoe trip operated by Green Footprint, now known as Wayo, was a highlight of my day in Arusha. We had a very steady 2-person canoe with guide Emanuel in the back and me in the front and we wore life jackets. It was peaceful, relaxing, beautiful.

We saw giraffes, warthogs, and other animals along the shore and Common Stilts, Little Grebes, and a Three Banded Plover at the water’s edge. A Squacco Heron escorted us around much of the lake. Whistling Ducks lined the shore and a photo confirmed a Ruff had joined them. We glided up to a nest occupied by the Red Eyed Dove, that elusive bird that sings the continual African background music of “I am a Red Eyed Dove.” We saw each of the two hippo families that make Small Momella their home.

The chilly rain of morning had sent the snakes to the trees to warm up in the afternoon sun and we saw 8 of them: 4 Green Boomslangs, 3 young Pythons, and 1 Green Mamba! Prior to showing me the first snake, Emanuel asked if I liked snakes, which I thought was considerate.

After canoeing, Peter and I drove along the several lakes and admired the pink flamingos. September is a little late in the season for peak flamingo activity.

We continued on to find a pair of sparring waterbuck and a cooperative Brown Hooded Kingfisher, but no Colobus. “Where are the beautiful black and white monkeys?” Peter called out anxiously. Apparently, over 90% of visitors to Arusha National Park get to see Colobus, but it was looking like I’d be in the unlucky minority.

With about 100 meters of forested monkey habit left before we reached savanna, Peter stopped the car and stated, “There they are.” We saw six Black and White Colobus, including a juvenile.

The excitement of the Colobus was later followed by a sad goodbye to Peter.

Wilburt and Mariam, Eben’s Tanzania partners, met me for dinner in the restaurant at Arusha Hotel. They were delightful dining companions and Miriam and I both ordered the very tasty pumpkin lasagna.

Welcome home! I love your trip reports.

Hi Lynn, how did you obtain your visa? In advance or upon arrival? Thanks

Thank you Christabir.

I got my visa upon arrival at the airport so that my passport and I were not parted. Upon arrival is my preferred method, when allowed, because wherever I've gone the visa has always been just procedural and I never feared being turned down. I like to minimize the chances of my passport getting lost in transit.

The line for the visa was about 45 minutes if you were at the end of it, like I was. After obtaining the visa, I went to a second counter and that took about 5 minutes. Those who had obtained a visa before leaving home went right to the second counter and waited maybe 20-30 minutes.

Most places when I buy a visa upon arrival, there is just one counter to enter the country, buy the visa, get fingerprinted, etc. It is not a 2-step process like this one.

I'd get my visa upon arrival again even though I had to wait longer than if I had gotten it through the mail before leaving home.

BOLONGONJA IN NORTHERN SERENGETI

46 photos—predators are in first 4 shots; last 3 are of Flycatchers camp in Bolongonja Serengeti

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=Share-_-Personal-_-Email-_-Sharee-_-Images&_requestid=47881

Arusha Hotel to Arusha Airport = 20 minutes, transported by a Flycatcher staff member.
Flight to Lobo Air Strip = 50 minutes.

Guide Ernest picked me up at the airstrip and we were able to start our safari about 8:30 am. Flycatchers gave me my own vehicle and gave the Swiss couple that landed with me their own vehicle too. I thought that was a very generous move on their part and I appreciated it.

We spent the morning driving around the Lobo area but did not see much other than some adorable klipspringers because the bulk of the migration was in Bolongonja. Unfortunately the hunting concession in Loliondo has affected the predator population in Lobo and we saw no predators.

Bolongonja was bursting with wildebeest and I spent a lot of time watching the herds and trying to get pictures of galloping wildes.

At one point I explained to Ernest that I thought the terrain looked like chocolate chip cookies (actually more like the chocolate chip cookie dough, but I thought that might be too hard to explain) because the grasses were golden and the wildes were brown dots. Ernest must not eat too many chocolate chip cookies because he asked me about that analogy several times. “Tell me about the wildebeest chip.” “What did you say about chocolate wildebeest?” I did my best explaining the small chocolate pieces in a biscuit and their resemblance to the wildebeest-dotted hills that surrounded us. Not sure how successful I was. If I have the good fortune to return to Tanzania with dear Ernest as my guide, I’m definitely bringing a bag of Chips Ahoy.

In addition to wildes, we saw the hoofed species and birds that are normally found in the Serengeti, plus some nice sightings of the shy eland and oribi. Our 3-night stay was not particularly lucky for predators besides lion (about 12, half photographable) and hyena (3, all photographable). But the group who followed us and who spent 4 nights in Bolongonja saw lion, cheetah, leopard, and rhino. I was pleased that our pair of 3-month old lion cubs bounded across the road, directly in front of us, as offroading is not allowed. Luck was with us then.

In this part of the Serengeti, the flora was a star in addition to the fauna, especially if you throw in a rainbow or two.

I really like Ground Hornbills and we saw one with a caterpillar hanging from its beak. I got a photo. Ernest explained the hornbill was likely taking the caterpillar to young chicks or it would have swallowed it immediately.

Other than the Swiss couple in the other Flycatcher vehicle, we only occasionally saw another vehicle and we never shared a sighting with a non-Flycatcher. At one point though, five vehicles converged out of nowhere and gathered for a pit stop together.. As the guides chatted and shared information, all the vehicle occupants focused on a lone vulture in a nearby tree. Five vehicles looking at one vulture, ha ha.

Something to consider when going to Northern Serengeti, if you are not using a guide from one of the local camps, is to be sure you hire a guide who is knowledgeable about the area. There were two separate vehicles (one was from a well-known company) that stopped to ask Ernest some very basic geography questions. Ernest interpreted one question to be, “Where is the airstrip?” and the other “How do you get to the Mara River?” They weren’t asking about some obscure kopje, but about landmarks I would think should be familiar. Ernest said he often gets these questions and that confused drivers seek out the Flycatchers vehicles for directions because they know they are based in Bologonja and know the region. Ernest certainly knew the region and every road in it and every animal hiding in the vicinity!

We had daily rain, but usually too late to interfere with our viewing. The rain was sufficient, though, to prevent us from crossing the bridge to Lamai. These unusual early rains, which were falling regularly in the Mara too, encouraged the wildes to stay put. Why risk your life crossing a croc-filled river when green grass was growing right under hoof? In fact, some of the wildebeest that were heading north toward Kenya met up with wildebeest who were returning south back to Tanzania from Kenya. They all banded together to relax in megaherds in Bologonja. Their next stop would be Seronera.

For our last afternoon the showers came early and produced hail, which Ernest had no recent memory of, plus double rainbows! The showers continued so that we needed an umbrella to go to and from our final evening meal, that by the way was the ugali and mystery white wine (see Wine List, above).

After dinner, back at my tent, I placed my folded umbrella in the corner, prepared for bed, and quickly fell asleep. I had just drifted off when I heard a loud racket in my tent. I awoke with a start and fumbled for the light switch. (There was an electric light in both the tent and ensuite loo). In the several seconds it took me to turn on the light, my fear grew. When I switched on the light I saw the umbrella had popped opened. It must have smacked against the two walls of canvas and caused the racket. Whew!

Still unnerved I grabbed my flashlight and took it to bed with me, for comfort in the dark. Little did I know I would forget my flashlight under the covers the next day when—previous night’s misadventure completely forgotten--a double check of the room before departure and even a peek under the bed would not reveal the hidden flashlight.

The next morning we were about 1/3 of the way to the airstrip, driving at a good clip, but stopping for sightings, when I noted a vehicle barreling down on us. “Who are these crazy speed demons behind us?” I wondered. Turns out it was a couple of camp staff members who had found the flashlight and were speeding to reunite me with it. They flew at the speed of a Flycatcher to reach me! I’d call that 6-Paw, Golden Apple, Platinum, Premier, 5-star, First Class, Triple Diamond, Elite Status, Top Tier, Gold-Plated, service!

At a normal pace with some stops it takes about 50 minutes to get to the airstrip from the Flycatcher camp.

Think I praised this report on safaritalk.net, but did I remember to praise the photos? The chimp portraits are especially impressive. (I know, I'm jumping ahead of the narrative here.)

Thanks so much, Lynn!

Loving this. It's very visual, funny, informative and I love Ground Hornbills too. It takes a lot of effort to go into this much detail, but that's why people love your trip reports; thanks for taking the time to make it come alive.

Thank you Shouldbewriting. I like to include details that are helpful, such as the pitfalls of sleeping with your flashlight or at least a better morning-after routine or where to find snakes or what to expect in different regions. Can't resist some of the funny stuff that happens.

Perfect timing Leely, chimps are up next.

MAHALE

62 photos--last 10 photos are of camp and surroundings.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=Share-_-Personal-_-Email-_-Sharee-_-Images&_requestid=20464

8:00 am departure flight from Lobo to Tabora = 1 hour and 50 minutes. 20 minutes refueling stop at Tabora, which has a toilet. Flight from Tabora to Mahale = 1 hour and 15 minutes. Paperwork upon arrival at Mahale airstrip takes about 30 minutes. Bathroom available.

Dhow transport to Flycatcher camp on Lake Tanganyika was 110 minutes, which included a cargo stop at a village and some hilarious pantomime with the children who lined up along the shore, and a 30 minute wait at the ranger station for permits. Smooth sailing to Mahale, but the return trip was in dark, churning waters so I took a Bonine seasickness pill soon after departure and I needed it.

We could see the dhows of the other two Mahale camps as they sailed to their respective locations and I counted the occupants. Mbali Mbali (Nkungwe) had 4 guests and Nomad (Greystoke) had 14. We were 3, the Swiss couple and I. The max number of guests in the park is 40: 12 at Flycatchers, 12 at Mbali Mbali, 16 at Nomad.

The Flycatcher camp is a paradise. The pristine beach is spectacular. The clear, warm lake beckoned me in for a swim, something I have not done in pool, lake, or stream since 1988, unless snorkeling was involved. (Speaking of snorkeling, the camp did not have snorkel gear while I was there but was expecting to get some.) The hospitality of Juma and the rest of the staff make for an exceptional stay in Flycatcher Mahale, in every respect.

Flight schedules allow 3, 4, or 7 night stays. Both the Swiss couple and I had as our #1 goal of the trip to do 3 chimp walks, meaning a 4 night stay. It’s possible that the chimps can be just too high up to reach, which is what occurred the day before our arrival, therefore 3 visits increases the odds of seeing them.

As the season continues on from June, the chimps tend to be in lower elevations, allowing for easier viewing. The weather is coolest in June and hottest in October. For our walks mid-September I needed a wet bandana around my neck and frequent drinks. It was hot!

At Flycatchers there is a tree in front of the dining lounge that fruits in October and attracts chimps, but October can start to get rainy. June and Sept are generally the busiest months for Flycatchers. I think visiting in Jan or Feb is by request only, but not sure how those months work for Flycatchers. The other two camps are open then.

The basic plan is breakfast at 7:30, then wait around until word comes from Tracker Sameru, who has been on the trail since 6:30 am. Departure can be as early as 8:00 am or it can be hours later. Time with the chimps is one hour. The ranger clicks a stop watch on and off, as viewing time can be interrupted if the chimps move. Lunch is back at camp.

The guides, rangers, and trackers did a good job of distributing all three of the camps’ guests among the subgroups of chimps so we were not stumbling over each other. Six is the maximum group size and you stick with your campmates. That was nice for our group, which was only three. We did not absorb guests from the other camps. This is a different policy from gorilla visits where a visitor group is comprised of unrelated people from different lodgings and almost always totals the maximum number allowed.

Another difference from the gorillas is that there are no porters and there is no one to watch your stuff once the chimps are spotted. After the first day I packed far lighter than I did for the gorillas, wearing only an around-the-waist camera bag and taking a compact, folded garbage bag in case it rained. No hat is needed in the dense forest and I wore short sleeves after the first outing. Some people even wore shorts. I was glad I had my water bottle at my side in a holster (a second water bottle fit in my camera bag) so I could drink every 10 minutes to prevent dehydration.. The hardy Swiss couple stopped only a couple of times for water out of their backpacks.

Surgical masks are provided and must be worn anytime you are near the chimps. Eben encouraged me to bring some masks, which I did and the staff was very appreciative to receive them. But I used their masks because mine were thicker and less breathable.

In comparison with chimp trekking in Kibale, Chambura Gorge, Ngamba, Nyungwe, and Padabi Forest, the Mahale visits lived up to their reputation as providing an unsurpassed chimpanzee experience. Our three outings produced family interactions; grooming; eating; using a stick as a tool to get ants*; mating; wrestling; swinging on vines; sleeping; pant hooting; territorial maneuvering; and one juvenile throwing vines and rocks at us in play. (Those Nomad guests were a surprisingly lively bunch in the forest! Ha ha.) All of this occurred from several meters away to within inches when some of the chimps passed nearby. Each visit was different even though all three were in the same area of the forest. All three visits were magical.

*The tool use that Jane Goodall first observed in Gombe was chimps using a stick inserted into a knothole in a tree to gather termites. The Mahale chimps don’t eat termites, but they use the same technique to get ants. The Mahale chimp preference for ants over termites was defined by the staff as a“cultural” difference.

Chimp Trek #1
8:30 departure. Arrived at chimps 9:45 and glimpsed the first precious scene of about 8 sitting along the trail. Our one hour of viewing extended to several interrupted hours over very steep and difficult terrain because the chimps were on the move. At one point, I thought to myself, “Is it worth climbing these steep slopes for the last 5 minutes of viewing?” I’m glad we persevered because we were rewarded with a lazy group of 6 males who suddenly heard intruders in the distance and in the blink of an eye sprung into warrior stance, glaring into the direction of the sound that was inaudible to me. What a transformation and what a scene. These guys meant business! Back at camp at 1:10 pm.

After the first grueling trek, I asked Guide Juma how it compared to the typical trek, expecting a response of, “One of the toughest I’ve ever been on; we were a few steps away from summiting.” Instead he said it was relatively easy and that we had ascended 20% up the mountain. Even the avid mountaineering Swiss couple had felt challenged by the hike and they too were surprised at Juma’s response.

Chimp Trek #2
8:20 departure. Arrived at chimps 9:35. The chimps were on the move downhill to a stream and waterfalls so our hour of viewing time was start and stop continually, but going down is easier than going up. This environment provided unobstructed views in good light and the waterfall was on our agenda for that afternoon anyway. What good luck. Back at camp at 2:00 pm. A fairly easy hike, except for some slippery rocks we hopped along to cross the creek that caused me to take a tumble with my knee bearing the brunt of it.

Chimp Trek #3
8:15 departure. We had the luxury of the entire park to ourselves—no other guests--so we took time to enjoy some of the other creatures along the way. Standing outside the underground den of a family of warthogs, we watched them emerge, one at a time, and prepare for their day. Fascinating! Yellow baboons are unique to Mahale, and we spent time with a troop. More elusive were the red tailed and red colobus monkeys, but we saw some of each. A pair of trumpeter hornbills kept us company from above. Juma pointed out a couple of blue duikers skittering deep in the underbrush.

Arrived at chimps at 11:00 am. Most of our time was spent watching two youngsters climb from the ground into the trees, grab a vine, swing down, jump to the ground, and repeat. They never tired of this routine and we never tired watching them. Back to camp at 2:00 pm. An enjoyable, leisurely outing.

We have the Mahale males to thank for much of our good luck viewing chimps. Juma explained that when the males are around, the females and youngsters feel confident to descend from the trees. When the males are absent, the others prefer the comfort of the treetops.

At the end of our 3 visits, we said goodbye to the ranger and tracker for their hard work. That was the time to offer them any tip.

Our last afternoon we headed out--after waiting out a thunderstorm that gave way to surreal lighting conditions—on a dhow ride to see hippos in clear water. It was like snorkeling with them without getting wet.

Sameru and the boat captain then went fishing. I was surprised they caught their own bait on empty shiny hooks, which then was used to catch several bigger fish. We enjoyed a large Kuhe Fish for dinner that night. The chef prepared it expertly and served it along side several traditional African dishes, including ugali. I ate a Thanksgiving-sized amount because I knew I was feasting on one of the best African meals I had ever eaten!

I asked Juma if he could arrange an hour forest walk from 7 to 8 before breakfast for the last morning. The two of us saw baboons, duiker, and red tailed monkeys during our hour long walk, so brief in comparison to the half-days in the forest in pursuit of chimps. I really appreciated his extra effort of getting me out into the magical Mahale forest one last time.

Guete Safari
Guete trip report
thanks
aby

PS is it ok to say guete, gueter, guetest ?

Outstanding report, thanks Lynn.

Aby the linguist!


KATAVI

70 photos--#1-#13 are taken from the grounds of the Flycatcher camp

http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=Share-_-Personal-_-Email-_-Sharee-_-Images&_requestid=27588


Noontime Mahale to Katavi flight = 50 minutes
Airstrip to Flycatcher Katavi camp by vehicle = 10 minutes, although Manager Nazir likes to joke that it will take an hour and a half.

Katavi is huge at 4,471 sq km or 1,727 sq miles, 1.5 times the size of Yosemite, yet it receives under 1000 visitors each year.

Beat and Yvonne and I shared a vehicle, making up .3% of the annual visitor population during our stay in Katavi. We had a great time together and were a most compatible .3%.

During our stay we saw about .5% of the other visitors when we encountered another two vehicles on the road about 3 times. The only other vehicle at sightings was the other camp vehicle and we usually travelled in tandem. The Foxes camp was on the far side of the plains in front of the Flycatchers camp and sometimes their vehicle was visible on the Katisunga Plains.

Two things struck me upon our arrival in camp. One was the tremendous amount of animal activity in the plains in front of camp. Nazir was not joking when he said some guests just stay at camp instead of going on game drives because it is all happening right there.

The other was the constant presence of the rangers and their giant vehicle in camp.

When I inquired why we were being monitored, I was told it was the elephants that frequented the springs surrounding the camp that were being monitored, not Flycatcher guests. The current drought had produced unyielding mud and sometimes the elephants got stuck—especially the little ones—and they needed some help to extract themselves. That’s when the rangers would drive in with their massive vehicle and rig up some ropes to boost and drag the trapped ele out of the mud.

I asked what the other eles did during the extraction process and was told that it had happened often enough (and of course the elephants wouldn’t forget) that the rest of the herd had learned to just clear out and give the rangers room to work. Then they’d run in to comfort the rescued victim. It reminded me of Jessica in the well. I never got to observe the rangers performing a rescue, but I appreciated being filled in on their duties.

The extremely dry conditions were due to the worst drought since 1981. Our first sighting illustrated the severity of the situation as we observed a pair of male lions sucking water out a pool of mud. Their desperate efforts at hydration were unsettling. We had several other lion sightings, including a pride with cubs, in greener and more hospitable surroundings.

Guide Nazir found us a python in a tree on more than one occasion. He explained that the pythons climbed up high to escape any potential fires that might start given the arid conditions. One of the pythons even left a recently shed skin on a nearby branch.

Nazir stated that his years of experience had taught him to recognize a snake by scent and he asked if we could smell it too. We could not.

We made several visits to phenomena that are unique to Katavi—croc pits and hippo pools, both with occupants numbering in the hundreds. The lack of water resulted in mud baths for the hippos and drying mud pits for the crocs, which forced some of the reptiles to seek shade under nearby trees. Nazir told us the crocs could live for weeks under the trees, but hippos needed water.

We were all hoping that within two weeks the rains would return. In the meantime, the focus of these species was solely on surviving the drought so they were less active than normal. The harsh conditions had taken a toll on baby hippos and we saw very few.

The crocs’ mud pits were shared by dying catfish, and that attracted hundreds of Pelicans, Marabou Storks, Yellow-Billed Storks, Palm Vultures, Fish Eagles, and Saddle-billed Storks. Such large fishing parties I’ve never seen!

Fortunately my vehicle mates Beat and Yvonne were as enthralled by the fishing parties as I was and we spent several long sessions observing the squabbles and thrashing around. At one point Yvonne excitedly called our attention to a croc that had plucked a bird (Marabou I think) straight from the air as a snack.

We went to Paradise, which was 120 kilometers away and required a full day’s outing. The route to Paradise had few sightings and some regions of tse tses. It also was where I spotted a fishing poacher and the rangers were alerted by radio. The other vehicle saw the poacher on the way back from Paradise and when he fled, the fishing gear he left behind was confiscated and dropped off with the rangers.

Near the wet Paradise Plains we happened upon three roan, a very lucky sight. Once we reached Paradise, where we rested and had our lunch, we looked out upon hippos, giraffe, zebra, a variety of antelope, ground hornbills, egrets, and other birds in the vast wetland that stretched before us.

Paradise served as the fighting grounds for a pair of hippos who made more noise and flashed more teeth than engaging in any real fighting. But it was quite a show and their lack of contact meant they both lived to fight again.

Closer to “home” there was always something happening and sometimes the action entered camp, such as hyenas at that were visible along the perimeter vegetation when we shone our flashlights as we gathered around the evening campfire. One afternoon we delayed our game drive by about 20 minutes when a large bull elephant came by to graze in front of Tent 4.

I liked my Tent 1 because it afforded views spanning 270 degrees.

On the last morning we stayed out until 30 minutes before our departure flight. A highlight of the morning drive was a photographable leopard in a tree. Beat and Yvonne had really wanted to see their first leopard in the wild so they were especially thrilled.

Katavi morning drives started later than most camps. We left at 8:00 or even 8:30 am for the all-day trip to Paradise. Nazir assured us that our schedule was in keeping with the natural rhythm of Katavi, which operated on a timetable that was not typical of other parks. He offered an earlier start on the last morning to show us that not much was happening at daybreak, but the consensus of those taking part on the final game drive was to stick with the normal 8:00 am departure. So I’ll never know for sure what lurks out there in Katavi in the early dawn.

Our last evening in Mahale Yvonne, Beat and I had a farewell Amarula toast. Saying good bye the next day at the Ruaha Airstrip, after sharing such exciting and memorable times, was a bit sad.

Flight from Katavi to Ruaha = 1.5 hours
Flight from Ruaha to Dodoma = 45 minutes, then 15 minutes to refuel
Flight from Dodoma to Arusha = 90 minutes

Thanks for the quick response, you've put my mind at ease about my upcoming trip. Now back to the report...

Enjoying your colourful report here just as much as I did on ST!

Your wonderfully detailed & humorous reports along with all the effort you put into providing advise from your vast experience is really so helpful and much much appreciated.

...ok now onto the next chapter...

The next and final chapter-


TARANGIRE

48 photos of Elephants—the first 3 are views from Tarangire Safari Lodge
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=335404073409%3A305709264



60 photos of Everything but Elephants in Tarangire—the last 3 are of lodging and vehicle
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=435404073409%3A893552993


Tarangire Camp, Tarangire River Camp, Tarangire Safari Lodge, Tarangire Lodge, Teri Garr, Tarangire Tented Safari Lodge, Tarangire Tented Lodge…so many similar sounding names. What’s the difference?

There are more Tarangire accommodations than this, but these are the ones that have similar names.

Tarangire Camp (No lodge, no river in the name; but there is a Tarangire Camp with the word Nomad in it that is an entirely different camp)

Arusha to Tarangire Camp = 90 minutes

This is a new place outside the park at the perimeter, which allows animals to roam into camp. I saw dik diks and warthogs. There were Ashy Starlings everywhere, a species that attracts serious birders to Tarangire. During the night there was a battle between lions and hyenas outside my tent that the Askari told me about the next day. He was concerned I might have been frightened by the ruckus, but unfortunately I had slept through it all.

The park gate is a 30-minute drive from camp though Maasai villages. Walking safaris, guided by a Maasai were offered. All meals were served on a plate under a shiny metal dome that was lifted with great suspense and fanfare to reveal the entree—a fun camp ritual. (So if you go there, don’t be peaking under your dome until it’s time.)

Tarangire Camp offered the perfect location for my first in case my flight was delayed. Indeed, my flight was delayed several hours.

I stayed in a lovely tent (#11, second from the last tent) on the ground but there were tents on raised cement platforms too.

Tarangire River Camp (outside the park, on the river)
Owned by Mbali Mbali, who also have a Mahale camp.

Teri Garr
Apologies to Mr. Mom and Tootsie fans.

All the rest of the names are ones I’ve heard or seen for the same place. Tarangire Lodge = Tarangire Safari Lodge = Tarangire Tented Lodge = Tarangire Tented Safari Lodge

Arusha to this lodge = 2 hours; Kilimanjaro to this lodge = 3 hours

For 25 years Tarangire Safari Lodge has been operating inside the northern part of the park. Their term “breathtaking panorama” is not an exaggeration to describe the view of a multitude of animals drawn to the river, surrounded by baobabs. Most of the units are luxury tents along with a few bungalows. The tents are fairly close to each other and it is a big, bustling lodge. But, oh that view! Plus there is an accommodating staff and a variety of good food.

I had tent #15, which had a great view. Between #10-#22 were all nice, unobstructed views, and so were #4-#7. For anyone who wanted to limit walking distances, #4-#7 would fit the bill and provide a wonderful view. #4 is closest to the lodge. The vegetation played a role in my rating the tents’ views, and that can change season to season. On the opposite side of the lodge are units #23 and up. The bungalows are on that side too. I think the views are superior on the side I was on, Tents #1-#22, with #22 farthest away from the lodge. Regardless of the tent, the veranda always offered a “breathtaking panorama.”

From dusk on, it was necessary to be escorted to/from the main lodge because of the wildlife that migrated through camp, especially elephants. I was commending one of the night guards on his bravery for facing wild animals with only a torch and a radio and for his toughness against cold temps during his night shift. He was appreciative of the compliments, but he was most proud of his job making the morning coffee and tea for the guests, his final duty before retiring in the early morning.

Tarangire Safari Lodge manager, Annette, does a marvelous job of knowing the many guests by name and taking a moment to visit with them each day.

Sightings, with the emphasis on elephants
My guide George, from Kiliwarriors/Eben Schoeman Safaris, was outstanding and prompted me to declare at the end of our time together that no one saw more than we did during our time in Tarangire. I’d bet money on it!

We were out at 6:10 each morning for a couple of hours in search of predators (lion pride with 7 cubs, cheetah brothers, bat-eared fox) when no one was around, then back for breakfast about 8:30, leaving again until lunch or taking lunch with us. The herds at the river did not materialize from the surrounding forests until about 9:30 am, sometimes as late as 11:00 am if the temps were cool. The heat of the day was a good time to watch the wildlife at the river right from the lodge.

A few of the birds we saw:

Pearl-spotted Owl—always a cool bird
A Lilac-breasted Roller in its tree knothole home
Northern Pied Babbler
Spotted Morning Thrush
Cardinal Woodpecker
African Hoopoe--my fav
Wood Hoopoe
Pygmy Falcon—always a cool bird
Yellow Collared Lovebirds—beautiful en masse
Several hornbill species
Green Pigeon
Orange-fronted Parrot
Ashy Starling—sought after by birders because of its limited habitat that includes Tarangire

Instead of the standard vehicle, Eben had upgraded me to his photographer mobile that had more open space for the windows, so all that I saw was more easily photographed with the help of a bean bag or a monopod.

To put the abundance found Tarangire into perspective, I had as many photos from my 3 days here as from the rest of the trip. Lions, cheetahs, a leopard, eles in the mud, in the river, nursing, sparring, thundering herds of running buffalo, the elusive lesser kudu, huge flocks of water birds in the Silale Swamp, Egyptian Geese in the trees--Tarangire is one happening place!

Some of the sightings that escaped the camera included:
-Pair of bat eared fox, Black backed jackals
-Mother impala and a baby that was in its first hours of life, and already standing
-3 pythons in the trees near Silale Swamp
-Large herds of wildebeest
-A rare sighting of hippos—2 adults and a baby

Where did the river go?
In the dry season the river becomes invisible in many sections, yet there is still flowing water under the sands. Even though it appears to be a dry riverbed, the animals congregate to dig down a little and find water to drink.

Benefits of 3-night stay in Tarangire
Of course more time in this action-packed place (especially late in dry season) is better than less time. But more specifically, 3 nights allows full appreciation of both the north part of the park, where the river is more prominent and the south part of the park where the Silale Swamp is more prominent.

If you stay in the north (like I did at Tarangire Safari Lodge) it takes a full day with a packed lunch to enjoy the Silale Swamps in the south. From Tarangire Lodge to the Silale Swamp is 35 km and we spent many hours driving along the huge swamp and surrounding areas. Three were surprisingly very few other vehicles around this most productive area.

On the other hand, if you stay at Sopa or another location in the south, it takes a full day with a packed lunch to enjoy the winding river terrain in the north.

I’ve stayed 3 nights before in Tarangire and it was not too long. I felt three nights allowed Tarangire to be a fitting and rewarding grand finale to a safari that had included some amazing destinations. If you had limited time, I think a Tarangire-only stay of 4 nights in the height of the dry season could be could be considered a successful safari, even if you went nowhere else. Especially for the elephant enthusiast.


Vehicle miscues in Tarangire
In addition to listening for alarm calls, watching prey species, and scanning the trees and high grasses for wildlife, the behavior of other vehicles and their occupants is one more way of locating animals. George and I found it humorous how often we came upon stopped vehicles in Tarangire only to find they were focused on something we’d consider a false alarm--like two zebras in the middle of the park.

Tarangire is often the first stop of a safari. That meant many vehicles were encountering their first wild animals, so naturally the guests were excited and also unaware of the higher quality sightings that awaited them. I recall my own first safari that began in Tarangire. I wanted to drive across the park to get a better look at a single wildebeest. I kept that in mind when we saw vehicle stopped for a lone vulture at dusk in a very distant tree, or when we approached a vehicle and several people excitedly motioned for us to share their sighting of two obscured elephant butts in thick brush. Their enthusiasm was uplifting and contagious, even if I preferred to pass on what they were looking at.

OMELET WITH CHEESE
I ordered an omelet one morning and the server eagerly asked, "Would you like omelet with cheese?” I agreed to the suggestion. Very promptly the server reappeared with a steaming omelet on one plate and sliced cheese on another plate. “Omelet,” he stated, smiling broadly as he served me the eggs. “With cheese,” he continued as the second plate was set in front of me.

I got exactly what I had requested, yet nothing like what I had expected. What a metaphor for travel in Africa. The breakfast was delicious and prepared me for whatever the day might bring.


THE END OF THE TRIP
Too soon my time with George in Tarangire ended and we were at the airport in Kilimanjaro, trading farewells and hugs, along with my parting gift--a bar of cranberry soap. Wisconsin produces enough cranberries to provide every person in the world with 26. Not sure how many cranberries were in George’s locally produced bar of soap, but it smelled good.

To pass the time as I waited for my delayed flight, I strolled through a little park next to the airport. Resting contentedly on the grass was a gray and white cat with eyes as captivating and blue as Lake Tanganyika.

The End

Due to some cookies problems and copy and paste trouble, I think the photo links are goofed up. So here they all are.

ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
24 photos, those taken on foot or canoe are labeled.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=160394073409%3A156846000

BOLONGONJA IN NORTHERN SERENGETI
46 photos—predators are in first 4 shots; last 3 are of Flycatchers camp in Bolongonja Serengeti
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=460394073409%3A1618638865

MAHALE
62 photos--last 10 photos are of camp and surroundings.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=680394073409%3A2131843922

KATAVI
70 photos--#1-#13 are taken from the grounds of the Flycatcher camp
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=880394073409%3A995315417

TARANGIRE
48 photos of Elephants—the first 3 are views from Tarangire Safari Lodge
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=335404073409%3A305709264

60 photos of Everything but Elephants in Tarangire—the last 3 are of lodging and vehicle
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=435404073409%3A893552993

Just as terrific reading it second time around as the first. I absolutely admire the way you take so much time into explaining and pointing out different aspects. Trip report Guru!

I absolutely admire the way you take so much time into explaining and pointing out different aspects.

Agreed. And let's not forget the cheese omelet.

Lynn I had to read your report once again as it is so informative and enjoyable. I really think I need to visit Tarangire as your sightings were amazing.

More 'Wildebeest Chips' for me please! LOL!

Thanks for the positive feedback. As I was baking some green and red M&M cookies for a party today I was thinking Wildebeest Chip cookies would be more interesting, but not as festive.

Raelond, Tarangire fits nicely with a Southern Tanzania itinerary, which I believe is in the works for you.

I've been waiting eagerly for your report! Fabulous report and now, even more, I don't know how I can wait until 2013 for my trip! We only have two nights planned in Tarangire and now I'm thinking maybe we should have another...

I still need to look at ALL the photos--have only looked at Tarangire and Arusha so far...and I need to read this all again too. Sigh, I wish it were THIS February.

Jczinn,
Two nts Tarangire in Feb is enough. If it were Sept, I'd urge you to try for 3. But if birds are a priority for you, Feb is a great time for them.

Did you have a sample itinerary posted someplace?


Clarification:
"We went to Paradise, which was 120 kilometers away and required a full day’s outing."

The 120 km is our round trip with detours, not as the crows flies.

Just finished Mahale. Thrilling photographs as usual. You are much, MUCH, closer to the chimps than I'd ever imagined! Amazing that chimps facial features vary just as much as humans.

atravelynn, our itinerary--is here (the one on Sept 13th, from Roy's.) Its more or less final and actually booked but we could make changes if we wanted to, I'm sure, since we've paid no deposits and its so far in advance.
http://www.fodors.com/community/africa-the-middle-east/tanzania-birding-and-wildlife-trip-proposed-itinerary.cfm#comment-7281980

In looking at it, we have 2 nights and two full days in Tarangire (since we'd arrive mid-morning), and if the viewing is great it looks like we could actually go out in Tarangire the last morning before heading to Manyara. I am not sure how long that drive is but they seem pretty close together.

atravelynn, what an amazing safari! I love that you find wonder in everything...it is really evident in your trip report and photos. Where to next?

jczinn, I responded on your thread. Lots of wonder going on in Tanzania!

Where to next? I think the FL panhandle and maybe a little further south if we are ambitious. My husband would go with me on that one and we'd drive. We hope to stop at Metropolis, IL on the way back, which has capitalized on its name as the home of Superman. The biggest Superman museum in the world is there. We like to check out my husband's brick every now and then. I bought him a brick with his name on it that is placed below the Superman statue in front of the Metropolis courthouse. His brick is very near Tom Brokaw's! Also in Metropolis is the grave of the Birdman of Alcatraz. Nowhere else do you find a combination of attractions like that.

Great trip report and photos (as always!) I'm glad to hear that you didn't have much trouble with Tsetses in Katavi and good sighting there. I'd like to return some day.

Thanks Femi and ShayTay. Maybe that return could take the form of a Katavi walking/mobile type of safari.

If you read this ShayTay, you could comment on Tarangire in Feb and maybe share photos with jczinn.

http://www.fodors.com/community/africa-the-middle-east/tanzania-birding-and-wildlife-trip-proposed-itinerary.cfm

Great report---colorful (both literally and figuratively), detailed and, as we've come to expect, humorous---and loved your photos!! Been thinking about Ruaha for next year and might have to add Katavi after reading your report/seeing your pics. Steve

I'd given up on Tanzania as a destination because of Tsetse flies, but you've made me start to consider it all over again.

Re: jczinn's thread... done. Femi, about the only place I remember encountering Tsetses in Tanzania is Katavi. They had put out the "black and blue" banners to try to eradicate them. Perhaps it's working! Tanzania is still one of my favorite safari destinations. I'm returning to the northern circuit again next year, my fifth safari there. I've got a few friends that are "southern Africa" aficionados. I wanted to introduce them to East Africa.

Thanks ShayTay. Does anyone know if there are any zones in which tsetse flies are consistently absent? Those are the only places I would consider visiting (like the crater). I was so miserable in the Serengeti I actually skipped some game drives.

Femi, where were you in the Serengeti? I only recall tsetses in the western corridor (in June). Parts of Tarangire but not all. I encountered tsetses in the Mara, where most people never see them, but this was again in June, different year. I wonder if they are worse certain times of the year.

I was also in the Western corridor in June. No flies in the mara at the same time. Seems like they move around and sometimes are worse than others.

This does remind me that I swore never to return to Sydney (once again because of the flies) after my first visit. I was forced to spend a layover there a decade later, and not a single fly. Go figure.

Seems there's no way to predict fly behaviour, and so if encountered I'll have to suck it up and get on with it, but I'm doing all I can to avoid such a situation.

Where in Serengeti?
Seronera, Lobo, Bolongonja, Kogatende--a few tse tse flies in Bolongonja and Kogatende.

Katavi--more flies than Serengeti in a few spots, but not all over and none at Flycatchers camp.

I asked and learned about tse tse behavior. They are less active in the heat of the day, just like the animals. They are attracted to moving objects, such as a vehicle. When the vehicle stopped in tse tse infested areas and we sat still, we had very few problems. I definitely witnessed their attraction to dark colors. I also noted that they were worse for the driver in a poptop vehicle where the front seat is more enclosed so that the tse tses that found their way into the vehicle seemed trapped--Meru in a minibus. There is a correlation between dry and reduced tse tses and between woodlands and increased tse tses.

I brought my Buzz-off mosquito netting on this trip just in case. At one point in Katavi after about 10 minutes of driving through pesky flies, I did put it on and it helped. About 3 minutes later we drove out of the infested area. So there I was in a shared vehicle with my headnet and no bugs. Talk about all dressed up and no place to go, a somewhat self-concsious moment. I took off the headgear. Nobody else I encountered had mosquito netting. But if the flies really bother you, invest in some Buzz-off attire.

Tarangire, I could count the tse tses on one hand.

Problemsome tse tses: parts of Kafue, Zambia; parts of South Luangwa, Zambia; much of Meru, Kenya but not at Kinnas bandas.

No tse tses, at least none that I encountered in East Africa: Samburu, Laikipia, Aberdare, Mt. Kenya, Mara (but apparently they found you Femi), Amboseli, Manyara, Aberdare, Mahale.

Aursha--no tse tses

Thanks for the fly details It rather confirms my suspicions about both Tanzania and Zambia (I didn't encounter any in Kenya), so after my upcoming trip to Uganda looks like it'll be back to Southern Africa for any safaris in the near future.

Looks great. I'll be back to read it later.

What an entertaining read of another great trip report!

Loved the pictures and writing style that allowed the reader to truly get a sense of being there (wish I could've).

When and where is your next African adventure?

If Zimbabwe elections timing works out, I'd like to go to Mana Pools about August 2012.

Wow! Had to google that one---looks like an interesting and beautiful destination.

Wonder if Mana has a special meaning to Africans? In Hawaiian, "mana" means supernatural or divine power.

In the Shona language Mana means 4. There are 4 main pools of water there.

The atmosphere in Mana Pools is sort of other-world and supernatural with the dappled light peeking through draped Acacia trees.

Mahalo for the lanugage lesson, Live_Aloha!

Lynn, another great trip report. Now you are making me want to convince husband to add chimps on the hypothetical possible trip I've been planning in my head for some time in the future to at least Rwanda and Selous. He wants to see bonobos instead but I think they're only in the DRC and not sure it's safe to travel there?

Would love to see the photos from this one as these can no longer be seen (as we were talking about on the thread in the Lounge) - I can try to find your report on SafariTalk as I see people refer to it being posted there and I'm sure the pictures are in there.

I see you found the Bonobo report, what timing!

Here is the safaritalk link.

http://safaritalk.net/topic/7679-north-south-tanzania/