Tanzania

[Sunsetintheeast]

We want to go on a trip to Tanzania. I'd like to see the migration so plan to go later in the Summer hols. We would also combine it with sometime in Zanzibar. Apart from that we have no ideas where to start with giving a spec.

Any suggestions from those that have been? Thanks

Following as I’m looking at the same ♥️

Have you thought who you might go with @Parsley1234?

The ngorongoro crater is mentioned a lot, but no idea if it’s worth staying there for a few days.

So much detail it’s overwhelming!

I haven’t really looked into it I use Tracey pocock an indie agent who has sent me some details but I thought I’d bet Xmas out of the way xxx

@Sunsetintheeast
The wildebeeste move around the Tanzania grasslands. The Ndutu area is an excellent choice in Feb/March but the lodge there gets very booked up. The specialists at Wildlife Worldwide could help with the details of where is best for the huge herds of animals. The famous river crossings are at the Mara River in the Masai Mara in Kenya.

The NgoroNgoro Crater is a natural wonder. It’s vast and exciting to visit. Properties on the crater rim are expensive but it’s only 2.5 hours from Ndutu so you can do both. You need to ask when the great herds are in the Serengeti too. And which part. There is a known route and you need to be in the right area at the right time.

I only went to Dar, Bagamoyo, and Zanzibar. My trip was focused on the latter, and taking the Tazara train from Dar towards Zambia.

I can't recommend Zanzibar enough. Stonetown and the east coast were amazing. And the flight to the island in a tiny plane over electric turquoise sea...

I've been twice. Had friends that used to live out there too.

First time we did a camping safari in the Southern parks. It was basic but the wildlife did make up for the cold showers and choos. We saw lions mating on our first day there, and we were the only 2 on the trip so it was pretty personalised. We had an amazing 3 course meal each night cooked by one bloke with a headtorch and they set up our tents for us. A lot of the parks were quiet so we could spend a long time watching something. Often we would be the only vehicle or with like one other car. Some of the parks are good for different things, so we saw lots of bird life on ours but no leopards or rhinos for example.

Second time we did a whole family (10 of us including 2 young children) so 2 vehicles hotel/Lodge stays. 2 of the lodges had pools and we had 'cultural experiences' too. Including African dancing, visiting a tribal village, visiting a local school. We did Serengeti and Ngorogoro. We saw Rhinos in the crater and the wildlife concentration is high but the Northern parks are definitely busier. Think 50 cars looking at 2 lions. We then flew to Zanzibar on a small plane which was overbooked so my BIL flew in the jump seat in the cockpit. Zanzibar is quite different to the rest of Tanzania. Lots more touristy but conservative Muslim and can be a bit riskier for niaive white travellers in terms of crime. Beaches were amazing though and Stonetown is fascinating because of its slavery and spice history. I would recommend a tour of a spice plantation.

Whichever type of safari you go for Tanzania is a really good place. The people are friendly and generally happy to have tourists. They rely heavily on the money. English is well understood, even if not always well spoken. And generally you'd be with a guide the whole time anyway.

Climb Kilimanjaro, I say climb, it’s a walk. Each day you’re going through didn’ different habitats, not very strenuous.

I’d love to climb Kili, but think a forced hike with the kids might be too much to ask. We have made them do a few big hikes/climbs, but 5 days would be a bit too much I fear.

@TizerorFizz I’ve used Families WW before so I’ll have a look at their sister Co. It sounds awful but the very forced ‘cultural’ experiences can feel a bit voyeuristic and the FWW trip was too full of that for me. A bit of variety for the kids is good but at 15 & 13 they are beyond bows and arrows (or maybe not!!).

yes Stonetown def in my sights.

I assume walking safaris are possible, or at least a day or two?

Thanks

@Sunsetintheeast
Wildlife Worldwide doesn’t do cultural stuff at all. Purely wildlife. However if you want to see the mass herds of wildebeeste in Tanzania, you need to go at the right time or they have moved on.

No walking safaris in the NgoroNgoro crater I would imagine. Tanzania is not known for walking safaris. Zambia is. Whether they take a 13 year old is a doubt too. They might offer walking safaris but, if you read the info on Expert Africa, these trips are in their infancy. You must get the right camp and the right guide.

@Sunsetintheeast
I have just noticed you said summer holidays. By then the wildebeeste are in the Mara. We actually saw the migration river crossings in late July one year. You need to do your homework on where the animals will be in Tanzania but on the Serengeti close to the Kenyan border is your best bet.

Thanks @TizerorFizz I’m going to speak to the experts you’ve suggested. I’d like to make sure we at least have the best chance of being in the right place.

I was tempted to change tack and go to Botswana, but I think I’ll have to do that another time!

Botswana is very good everywhere in July.

We’re looking at this trip in the summer - can anyone post links to the travel companies they’d recommend please?

I’m talking to Wildlife Worldwide and Steppes travel. We’ve travelled with Steppes a few times and have also been with WildlifeWw sister company Families Worldwide a few times too, so hoping to get some crossover expertise.

I think WW do have a great deal
of expertise. Look at Expert Africa too. Their overview of lodges is very good.

We haven’t been with the children, but stayed at Norongoro crater lodge (which was amazing as was the crater), Gibb’s Farm (also amazing) a Masai Mara tented camp with no longer exists - but there are lots of similar things.

we also the spent 2 nights in stone town (which was horrible, I’d avoid. But our nights at the coast in Zanzibar were great.

Sorry, I haven’t articulated why stone town was horrible, dirty, smelly, full of auz backpackers, awful food..etc.

We had our honeymoon in Tanzania 15 years ago. We did a few days at the Ngorogoro crater but to be honest it was the least “authentic” part of the trip! We stayed in some smaller, more intimate camps in Tarangire National Park before that and they were amazing.

Tarangire Treetops - www.elewanacollection.com/tarangire-treetops/at-a-glance

Swala - www.sanctuaryretreats.com/tanzania-camps-swala

We booked through a company called Africa & Beyond. They were just starting up back then but a quick Google says they’re still going.

www.africaandbeyond.co.uk/africa-holidays/tanzania

Cant for the life of me remember the name of the hotel we stayed at in Zanzibar though!

I don't recognize that description at all. I thought it was great.

@saraclara quite a lot of people agree with you and quite a lot with me.

www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g8055401-d12007465-Reviews-or50-Stone_Town-Zanzibar_City_Zanzibar_Island_Zanzibar_Archipelago.html

OP it's interesting for half a day.

Ha! Ten times as many people agree with me, as agree with you!

OP, it's interesting for two or three days 😊

I would also say that no one really gets an “authentic” safari. You cannot turn the clock back to Out of Africa. Just seeing the NgoroNgoro crater is fantastic. It’s incredible. It has such a history of wildlife films and it’s iconic. Not to be missed in my view. We first went when there were just 3 lodges around the crater.

Totally agree that the Ngorogoro is a must see, but my point about our trip was that at the crater it was almost impossible to be away from other groups. Compared to our time in Tarangire where we could go hours without seeing another vehicle.

Also we stayed in one of the hotels at the crater which, after being spoilt in a tented camp with only 5 other couples, just felt like less of an experience. Perhaps we should have done the crater first!

I did a week Safari on the mainland then went over to Zanzibar for a couple of nights in Stone Town and then a week on the east coast of Zanzibar in Matemwe. That part of Zanzibar is paradise.

I also did a 'camp' in the Serengeti. That was brilliant.