Natural Migrations did a really good job of my itinerary back 2012. I have been to Tanzania a couple of times in various seasons so can say without prejudice that any time of year is great. Now I'll wait for those to chop my neck because I have stuck it out...

To qualify: I too am an avid photographer and enjoy capturing landscapes in all moods, light etc, so I find the wet season pretty dramatic too.

If you want to see the migration, you will between March & August. At that period the herds are moving north toward Kenya. As they move you will need to pick your lodging to be near the herds, so for Jan - march find somewhere in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, March - May if you can find camps that are open in the Seronera region this is a good location. June & July try and position yourself in the western corridor and then Mid July to early September find a camp in the northern Serengeti.

The Aug/Sept period is normally a high demand time requiring early booking. It is also a really awful time to be chasing the migration because that is what everyone is doing, so take care in selecting your camp so that you are at least a distance from the main traffic areas.

Plan for 2014..

I just got back from Tanzania on Saturday (two days ago). The migration was in Ndutu then (near Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater), and we spent three days there. There were animals in the other parks we went to, but that was the most populous, literally wildebeest and zebras to the horizon in every direction.

We used Access2Tanzania, who were fabulous. I'm just now catching up and will do a more complete trip report shortly, but I'm ready to go back right now!!!

Thank you so much for your advice! Do the companies you used give you bottled water for your drives? Anything that you may think is helpful that I may not thing of or maybe you didn't until you were in Africa.

Jef, yes, there is bottled water in the vehicle (at least with A2T) and also all the camps/lodges provide bottled water so you don't even brush your teeth with tap water. They are very invested in you not falling ill, so they seem to think of everything.

I would take less clothing. For 2 weeks, I took 5 pairs of pants/shorts and 7 tops and it was too much. I also took a fleece and a windbreaker, hearing that the mornings are "cold" but coming from Boston where it was 20 degrees when I left, I needed neither. 60-65 in the early morning felt tropical to me. I was comfortable in short sleeves the entire time.

I would also take a thermal mug with me next time. The coffee there is to die for and I would have loved to have a mug of it with me on the early morning game drives!

Whatever you do, do not pass up the early morning drives. Every day that was our most productive drive in terms of quality wildlife experiences. Sometimes around sundown was good too, but hands down early mornings (on the road by 6 am) were best.

amyb, thank you. how was the weather for you. may go this time next year.Did you get to see the wildebeest? Any place you stayed stood out to you?

I went to TZ in mid June, which was just the end of the rainy season and everything was pretty green. It wasn't too hot and we had no rain during the 12 days we were there. The migration at that time was in the Seronera and western corridor areas of the Serengeti - both areas we stayed in, so we saw plenty of wildies and zebras.

The weather was wonderful. Almost too warm in Arusha, where we were the first and last days. But once in the parks, it was 80-85 and dry heat, not humid like we get here in Boston.

The Ngorongoro Farmhouse is gorgeous and very splurge-y. I loved the tented camps though. We stayed in those in Maramboi, Ndutu and Serengeti. You can hear the animals around you all night (waking up to roaring lions) and it's as close to nature as you get. I thought all our accommodations were excellent, I'd return to them all.

Yes, the migration was in Ndutu where we spent a few days, so we saw literally hundreds of thousands of zebra and wildebeest. I do not exaggerate in the least. As far as you can see in every direction. Lots of newborn wildebeest calves too. It's a great thing to experience. Also saw a couple of lion prides, two pairs of lions mating, a pair of zebra mating, two cheetah stalks (but unsuccessful kills) and many, many solo or coalitions of lion and cheetah siblings. About 400 elephants in one watering hole in Tarangire, about 200 hippos in a pool in Serengeti. It is almost unbelievable writing it here, it doesn't seem real!

amyb, WOW! I cannot wait to go. Everytime I read about the trips and see pics, it is truly incredible!!! Thank you for all of your help, will look into eveything you said.

I'd highly recommend The Wild Source in Colorado. Bill Given is a wildlife biologist and, as such, is highly focused on putting you in areas with the best wildlife viewing for the time of year you go. He also has hand-picked guides and now has his own outfitting company in Tanzania. I've been to northern Tanzania 5 times (February 1x, June 2x, early August 1x and September 1x). As noted, the Migration herds will be in the southern Serengeti (Ndutu area) in that February timeframe. However, it can be rather hot then (100 degrees when we were there.) The weather is more pleasant in the June - August timeframe (cooler.) In June, the Migration herds "may" be in the Seronera area or the Western Corridor. But the first time I was there in June, they had already moved into the private reserves north of the Western Corridor, where you can't travel unless you are a guest. Usually by September the Migration herds have mostly moved into Kenya's Masai Mara. I think my favorite time has been the early August timeframe. Last year, we were in the Serengeti in three areas: Seronera in the central Serengeti (good resident wildlife there, but also lots of vehicles), Bologonja in the northeastern Serengeti (preferred camp was full) and the Lemai Wedge in the northwestern part up next to the Masai Mara. This was my favorite area; the Migration herds were all around us and we saw a couple of crossings of the Mara River which runs through this part of the Serengeti.

ShayTay, thank you. will check out the wild source!

Here is a chart of when to go where base on weather/animal movements. As weather becomes less predictable, the usefulness of any chart is reduced. Still a good guide, along with the comments of Shaytay, above.

http://www.africa-adventure.com/dsp_besttime.html

The more interested you are in photography (serious amateur or pro) the more important it is to have a private vehicle to reduce the vehicle shake caused by others and to spend time with the subjects you wish for as long as you wish.

Actually a private vehicle for two people is reasonable in comparison to a lot of group trips. Even for one, like me, it is do-able, if you avoid the high end properties.

Bill at the Wild Source has provided lots of people with great trips and I'd like to use his company some day. You can also check out The Africa Adventure Co, see above link on where to go. I've used them in the Serengeti and other places, all was great. My next Serengeti trip (10 nts in Serengeti) is in a couple of days with Eben Schoeman Signature Safaris. http://www.ebensafaris.com/search/label/Home I was impressed with my guide and arrangements on the last trip with him. He helped me with a Flycatcher Safari which is a Swiss German company serving mostly Swiss and German clients. An economical option even in pricey N. Serengeti. Great!

To save money, you can choose lodges over camps in central or southern Serengeti. If you choose a group trip of about 6 in a vehicle through OAT or Africa Adventure or Lion World or whoever, that can save some money, especially if air is included. Your 12 days will likely be in Tanzania though, not all in the Serengeti. To get 12 in the Serengeti, you probably have to do a private trip. The Ngorongoro Crater was mentioned above. If you have 12 nights, at least one should be spent at the crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can arrange 2 visits to the crater, spending one night. The crater is next to the Serengeti and transport between them can be done in under half a day.

If $8K is for land only and you have 12 nts, then that is $667 per day. That can work for a private safari.

I'll stick in a link to my trip report that included the Serengeti in Sept 2011.

http://safaritalk.net/topic/7679-north-south-tanzania/
The parts about Serengeti are posts #9 and #25-#27. Numbers are in the upper right corner on the green stripe.


Finally, since you mentioned you want to see some of the Big 5, you might want to consider the Maasai Mara in Kenya in addition to or instead of the Serengeti as an option. Either or both will provide you a fantastic trip.

Keep us posted on your planning. Exciting times ahead.

atravelynn WOW thank you so much! This is a great start. three of us (of up to possible 6) are meeting this weekend to go over what we would like to see and do and come up with some sort of plan. Yes 7-8K is for land only, we want to pick a company first of course reliable, but then, that they have the water, snacks, food all included so we do not need to worry about anything other than enjoying and taking pictures of a lifetime!want running water and toilets but want to get full safari effect. thank you all!!!

I am leaving for my trip on July 18th and went through African Brothers. One thing I did find out in all my research is different tour operators charge different prices for the same
accommodations in the same tent camp. As much as $3,500 per person so shop around.

If you have 3 then definitely do a private trip. With 6, you'll be able to really spread out the fixed costs of driver and vehicle.

In Tanzania bottled water is usually included. At lodges sometimes you buy your beverage with the meal, be it water or something else. At camps usually water is included. All meals/food are normally included along with water in the vehicles.

What's not included is the entry visa, tips, trip insurance, sometimes small fees for laundry in camp.

Some companies include evacuation insurance (Flying Doctors) as part of the trip cost.

Running water and ensuite flush toilets are typical unless you are doing a budget camping trip. Always good to check, though.

You may wish to consult 2 or 3 companies initially and then narrow it down to one based on their suggestions. That way you get different perspectives and ideas and have some checks & balances so as not to be overcharged $3500.

Here are some more Serengeti reports from that site.

http://safaritalk.net/topic/10294-tanzania-2011-my-first-safari-ever/?hl=serengeti

http://safaritalk.net/topic/9593-serengeti-strikes-back-after-mara-kicks-sand-in-her-face/?hl=serengeti

http://safaritalk.net/topic/8351-our-third-safari-to-tanzania-july-2011/?hl=serengeti


http://safaritalk.net/topic/8039-northern-tanzania-in-february-2012/?hl=serengeti

http://safaritalk.net/topic/8039-northern-tanzania-in-february-2012/?hl=serengeti

http://safaritalk.net/topic/7908-of-heresy-old-friends-and-near-misses/?hl=serengeti

http://safaritalk.net/topic/7094-serengeti-dreamin/?hl=serengeti

Have fun at your group meeting. You can post ideas and questions raised.

And here is a report in progress as I write.

http://safaritalk.net/topic/10310-tanzania-2013-a-photographic-trip-report/

atravelynn, thank you so much you have been great!

My trip report, in progress. I'll eventually cross-post here, but without photos:

http://safaritalk.net/topic/10344-tanzania-february-2013-my-first-but-certainly-not-last-time-on-safari/

Will be traveling as a single, need to find a trip that would not make me odd person out. Had a bad experience years ago, so somewhat reluctant to travel to remote spots as a singe.

A good sourse for information about Tanzania and safari companies is at Travel Advisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g293747-i9226-Tanzania.html

Well recommended and at a good price Basecamp Safari Tanzania at

www.basecamptanzania.com/safaris.htm

Bboopz,

It is possible to have a private guide and vehicle as a solo traveler so you don't have to contend with unwelcoming couples or readymade small groups who are not interested in including others. A private trip works well in Tanzania and is the option I have chosen in the past and for an upcoming trip.

What also works well is a combo of a group trip with a private add-on.

On a private trip at lodges, though, you can really end up being "odd man out" at your own table, while others in groups share a table during their meal. But nobody has ever gawked at me or said anything about being me alone. In fact, most people don't notice who all is sitting with who.

Sometimes it is even possible to make some acquaintances and join others at mealtime or downtimes. If not, there is plenty to see around camp if you have binocs and maybe a bird book.

In contrast to lodges, at camps, the meals tend to be family style where everybody dines together.

No guarantees of the travelmates you will get, but safaris tend to attract like minded people who enjoy nature and wildlife. The focus is on what's "out there" and not each other. When gathering around the campfire or during meals, there are plenty of shared sightings you can discuss and sometimes your guide joins you, which makes for additional interesting conversation. It is easy share a vehicle with 2-5 other people when prospects for exciting wildlife encounters await the group. It's not like you have to pal around at various exhibits at a museum and then decide where to go for lunch. Safaris are fairly cut and dried as far as activity options and meals go.

Some group trips, such as OAT, drop or reduce the single supplement if traveling at non-peak times.

Good luck but don't let the lack of traveling buddies keep you from visiting Tanzania or similar places, Bpoopz.

Several of those trip reports linked above are from solo travelers, all having a fantastic time.

Thank you all for your help and advice!

Has anyone used Africa Adventure Company?

You are probably seeking anyone else besides me since I mentioned previously I have gone with them.

I’ve posted some of this before about The Africa Adventure Company but it is worth posting again.

Nothing of consequence has ever gone wrong with The Africa Adventure Co and every trip I’ve taken with them has been memorable and wonderful. I now tend to use more local agents and everything has gone well with them too. Fortunately there are many reputable and excellent African travel agents.

Here are some specifics about Africa Adventure’s fine service.

Just before a scheduled departure to Uganda in 2001 for myself and three friends, there were security problems that fell short of a State Dept warning, but made us feel uncomfortable going gorilla tracking at that time. Africa Adventure re-did the Uganda portion of the trip last minute, omitting all our Uganda activities, with no cancellation fees, and not charging us for a total of 12 gorilla permits. They replaced the Uganda days with all the Kenya & Tanzania parks and activities I requested. It also required changing airline tickets to different countries just days before the flight and they got us changes without any fees or penalties.

On my first trip in July of 1994, I had planned to see the gorillas in Rwanda after a Kenya/Tanzania safari. In April the terrible genocide began so Rwanda was out of the question. I was still keen on gorillas and asked AAC to work up a Uganda gorilla alternative. They planned and costed it for me and it would earned them more than my original Rwanda plan. But owner Mark Nolting talked me out of it because he felt the Uganda gorillas would not be sufficiently habituated for a good experience. Instead he suggested, and I opted for, an alternative that was far less expensive than either the original Rwanda option or the Uganda plan. So they didn’t just try to bilk a new, inexperienced customer for all they could get, and at that point I figured it would be only Africa trip. (I went the following year to the Uganda gorillas and had a great time. By then they were more accustomed to people.)

Another time as I was returning home, Air Botswana redirected its scheduled flight elsewhere to accommodate VIPs, and offered no replacement, stranding all its passengers. A collect call to Africa Adventure got me on another airline's flight, only one day late when some of the other passengers were still stranded with no available flights or options, and getting desparate.

In 2004 they even got me in as a volunteer in a program directed by the Peace Corps for a Jane Goodall chimp sanctuary. To visit as a guest would have cost thousands, and resulted in better commissions for them. But the experience would not have provided the hands-on contact with the chimps.

On one trip there was another client, who was not with Africa Adventure, who was extremely rude and actually perverted. When I explained this problem to Af Adv upon my return they sent me a couple hundred dollars refund just for the inconvenience of putting up with this guy. On that same trip I was asked to pay park fees that my itinerary stated were included. I got documentation to prove I had to pay again and told AAC I’d send it in return for a refund. They told me don’t bother sending anything, asked how much I paid in fees, and sent a refund. (Looks like that trip may have been a bad one given these couple incidents, but those were two blemishes on a wonderful safari.)

On one trip my luggage was lost on the way home. Going through all the accepted British Air channels produced no results for days on end. It had just disappeared. So I called Bill at Af Adv, who did the flights and explained my problem. He contacted their British Air rep and 5 hours later I had an email that my luggage had been located and it was at my home the next day.

More than once I have agreed to a price for a trip and made a deposit and then several weeks after the deposit has been applied, AAC has informed me that they were able to reduce the price of my trip further. Once they knocked off $700. Another time, they were able to do away with the single supplement after I had agreed to pay it. They’ve also added freebies. There was a complimentary Zambezi raft trip—the slow kind, and an absolutely amazing chimp habituation program in Kibale where we saw the chimps wake up, spent the day with them, then watched them make their nests at night.

Twice now, I have been able to plan the exact highly non-standard itinerary I wanted but could not afford alone. AAC promoted my unusual trip (which included an excessive 4-8 gorilla visits) and obtained 4 travel partners on both occasions to share a vehicle, making the trip affordable for me.

On a primate trip in 2009, AAC teamed up with a new partner for them, Volcanoes Safaris, with me as the guinea pig client, which offered me a lower rate.

One time after returning home (back when travelers checks were widely used) I was informed there had been a travelers check signing problem (my fault) that resulted in my guide being accidentally shorted $200 in tips. Mark Nolting was able to meet with the camp’s reps at a conference in London several weeks later and hand over $200 of his own money to go to the guide and retrieve my problem travelers checks, which were then sent back to me and then I reimbursed AAC, after the fact.

One time I booked a cultural camp for the typical single night stay about 20 months in advance. Three months later that camp closed unexpectedly. AAC immediately informed me and offered me another night at any of the other camps in my itinerary at the cost of the cancelled camp, which happened to be 50% less than my other camps. Such a deal! When I got to Africa, I ran into several people whose agents had told them just prior to their departures that this cultural camp had closed and these people had to scramble last minute for an alternative. In many cases their alternative was not ideal because the most desirable places had already been booked.

As far as pricing goes, when I shopped my last two Botswana itineraries with Wilderness camps around to several companies both in the US and in Africa, Africa Adventure came back with the best land and air deal of anyone. For just land they beat everyone except Bert of Fish Eagle Safaris in Texas, who was very knowledgeable and sent me all sorts of interesting information.

I think East Africa is a more competitive situation than Botswana. It is easier to get very cheap safaris in Kenya and Tanzania by going with lower quality guides and vehicles. AAC hand picks the guides and I’ve always had great ones in Kenya & Tanz with them. Sometimes a large safari company has a range of guides and the less experienced ones without the honed guiding/spotting skills have to begin somewhere. You don’t want them beginning with you. They don’t begin with AAC clients. The guide I’m using on my next Tanzania safari with Eben Schoeman Safaris is great (had him before) and Eben uses special big-open-side-window vehicles in the Serengeti, designed especially for photography, which sounds expensive but I am impressed with his pricing. I know you mentioned photography The Wild Source (company mentioned above) Tanzania guide is supposed to be great too.

The only time I needed to use trip insurance was in 2005 when a delayed flight meant I missed an afternoon on safari. My insurance was purchased through AAC and I got a very fair refund with their assistance, without hassles, about a month after submitting my request. A friend of mine who used AAC also bought their insurance and broke her leg in Africa. She was pleased that both she and her 16 year old grandson, who was her traveling companion, were promptly given first class tickets—with more room for the leg—back to the US. She said all her medical outlays were covered, no questions asked. I think she even made a slight profit.

AAC offers some set departures with group trips. They also do custom trips. For almost every trip I’ve taken with them, I tell them where I want to go and they arrange it.

WOW I am out of breath reading your reply atravelynn! Thank you always good to hear what you have to say. Seems like you have had many great trips! Yes I mentioned photography very interested in that, just bought a new camera! Thanks again.

Well into picking who we want to do out trip, has been lots of fun....hopefully within the next couple of weeks we will have made our choice. Can you please let me know when we get to Arusha should we spend the next day going to Arusha national park or just head stright into the safari? is it worth spending the day? thank you all for your help!!

JEF - I have also used Africa Adventure Company once - to Botswana and Zimbabwe - great service, no problems. I have used Eben Schoeman once (to Tanzania) and he's planned my next trip later this summer to Rwanda and Kenya - also great service. As Atravelynn mentioned, his vehicles in Tanzania are great and in very good condition. An interesting note, we did not book the vehicle she describes (which may come with an extra fee) however he gave us this vehicle anyway at no extra charge. If you were to go with Eben, ask for George as a guide - great guy.