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Tanzania, Africa Photo and Video Safari Call for 2010 dates.
Guided by Hollywood Cameraman and Canon Explorer of Light Bruce Dorn
Itinerary for Trip Two:
Sunday September 20th 2009 – Depart USA
En Route from USA. Please check your flight itinerary for flight details and departure date.
Monday September 21st 2009 – Amsterdam to Arusha and Kigongoni Lodge
Connect in Amsterdam with your flight to Kilimanjaro Airport, arriving late this evening. You will be met by Thomson Safaris staff and transferred to your lodge in the scenic foothills of Mount Meru.
Tuesday September 22nd 2009 – Arusha to Tarangire National Park
You will awake to a new world this morning. Leaving your room and walking through the lush garden is a gentle reminder that you are now in Africa. Exotic birdcalls fill the air and hints of freshly brewed Tanzanian coffee mean that breakfast awaits you.
After a briefing with your guide, you will leave Arusha by Land Rover, crossing the Maasai Steppe on your way to Tarangire National Park, Tanzania’s fourth largest and one of its most diverse. Here, as soon as you enter the park gate, the wildlife viewing begins. Zebra, wildebeest, bushbuck, dik-dik and guinea fowl regularly cross your path, unbothered by your benign presence and going about their daily routines.
Arrive in time for lunch at your Nyumba, and head out again in the afternoon.
Wednesday September 23rd 2009 - Tarangire National Park
Today is your first full morning in the bush. The sounds of buff-bellied warblers and African doves provide your gentle wake-up call. A hearty breakfast prepared by experienced chefs wakens your senses and prepares you for a full day of wildlife viewing out in the bush.
The Tarangire River, which bisects the park, provides a year-round source of food and water for the resident and migratory wildlife populations, but you will also explore the miombo woodland and short grass plains in search of leopard, lion, reedbuck, gerenuk, Grant’s gazelle and more. The large elephant populations in Tarangire are quite notable, but birders will be especially impressed by the variety of avian species, which number over 500.
After a full day in the bush, you will enjoy relaxing at your Nyumba. Take a moment to write in your safari journal, have a drink by the campfire or simply gaze at the brilliant night sky.
Thursday September 24th 2009 – Gibbs Farm
Depart Tarangire this morning, heading in a northwesterly direction. Soon, the impressive Great Rift Valley Escarpment will come into view – a 2,000 foot high wall that rises up, improbably steep and incredibly tall, out of the flat plains. Driving up the switch-back road, you’ll arrive at Gibbs Farm in time for a farm-fresh lunch.
After lunch, you have the option to visit nearby Lake Manyara National Park for wildlife viewing, or you can choose to hang back at this unique lodge to explore activities on your own.
At Manyara you’ll find forests of tamarind, mahogany, and fig in the north, which are set in contrast to the wide-open grasslands of the park center. The tall trees of the ground water forest are home to troupes of monkeys while elephants can often be seen on the slope of the escarpment amongst the baobab trees. Ornithologists favor this beautiful location for its richness of bird life and you may also find lions sprawled out in the heat of the day on the stout branches of the umbrella trees.
If you prefer a bit of time to rejuvenate at Gibbs, you can choose from a variety of options this afternoon. For guests who want a bit more physical activity, consider taking a guided nature walk or going for a bike ride (for small additional fee, payable to the lodge) through the bucolic hills surrounding the farm.
For a quieter afternoon you could take afternoon tea on the verandah, visit with the artist in residence, or arrange for a massage in the privacy of your room. (Massages should be arranged with your Thomson staff in the US prior to travel; payment can be made directly to Gibbs upon arrival at the farm.)
Enjoy a scrumptious dinner tonight and discuss tomorrow’s activities with your guide; you may want to request a pre-dawn wake-up call tomorrow to enjoy the dawn chorus of birdlife.
Friday September 25th 2009 – Ngorongoro Crater
For those guests who rise early to enjoy the early morning sounds, you can also head out on a 7 AM guided walk to observe bird behavior, returning for a hearty breakfast about 8:30 AM.
Sit down together another farm-fresh meal. Then say your farewells to Gibbs Farm as you head out over brick-red clay roads early this morning in order to arrive at your next destination by lunch: Ngorongoro Crater. This geological marvel is unique in the world. With lakes, forest, savannah and an astounding population of about 30,000 animals within 10 square miles, it is no wonder that the crater is often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Arrive in time to settle in and enjoy lunch at your Nyumba, which is nestled in the lush forested landscape that is so typical of the fertile Ngorongoro region.
After lunch, take the steep, bumpy path down onto the crater floor, where you will be awed by the perspective. From the crater rim 2,000 feet above the floor, this place seems to be nothing more than a scenic, enclosed valley, dramatic to be sure, but without any discernable wildlife. Once on the floor, the true splendor of the place is revealed. Your eyes will adjust, spotting a bit of movement here and a spot of color there. Soon you realize that there is life everywhere, from the tiniest dung beetle whose lowly job is crucial to the survival of the ecosystem, to the roaming wildebeest whose incongruous features seem to have been pieced together at random, to the pride of lions escaping the glare of the sun under the shade of an acacia tree.
At the afternoon’s close, take the serpentine road back up to your Nyumba for refreshments, dinner and a cozy night’s sleep.
Saturday September 26th 2009 - Ngorongoro Crater
Take a full day to continue your exploration of the crater floor. The area is world-renowned in its reputation and very small in its scale, so you will see other safari goers. Don’t let that distract you from the beauty of the place or from the fact that this remains one of the only places on earth where you may see all of the Big Five at once: Lion, Leopard, Bull Elephant, African Buffalo and Black Rhino.
To maximize your time with the wildlife, you will enjoy a special boxed lunch at a scenic spot on the crater floor.
Your journey will take you throughout this tremendous landscape that is constantly changing as animals move to and fro in search of pasture, water, or easy prey.
Before sunset, it is time to depart this Garden of Eden for the comfort of your Nyumba, where you will have time to discuss the multitude of sightings today and log them in your safari journal.
Sunday September 27th 2009 – Serengeti National Park
Rise early today, with the cool, fresh air of this high elevation filling your lungs and invigorating your spirit. Departing at about 6 am for the Serengeti, you will make your way around the southern edge of the crater rim, spotting the occasional hyena, elephant or African buffalo along the way. At Olduvai Gorge, make a brief stop at the museum to view some of the incredible finds of Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey.
By late morning, you will arrive at the Serengeti park gate where a sign welcomes you to “The World As It Was in the Beginning.”
The plains seem endless from this vantage point. You will meander through the wildlife-rich Serengeti on the way to your Nyumba for a full afternoon of wildlife viewing. A special picnic lunch along the way will allow you to spend more time exploring.
Later tonight, listen to the hypnotic sounds of life on the plains all around you as you fall asleep.
Monday September 28th 2009 – Serengeti National Park
Listen for the African dove or superb starling as you wake to your first morning in the Serengeti. From the comfort of your Nyumba, you may even spot giraffe or zebra grazing in the distance. After breakfast, you begin your quest to discover abundant wildlife and fascinating wildlife behavior. This morning you have the option of joining a Serengeti balloon safari (advance reservations required, pending availability). The experience begins with a pre-dawn drive to the balloon launch site, where you are given a briefing on your impending adventure. As the sun rises, you lift gently off the ground, enjoying a bird’s eye perspective as you skim over the tops of acacia trees, meander over the Seronera River and finally land in a scenic location where champagne and a full English breakfast await.
Lunch is served at your Nyumba, and the rest of the day is yours to enjoy a quiet afternoon on your verandah or to join the guides on another wildlife viewing drive.
Tuesday September 29th 2009 – Serengeti National Park
For a different perspective on the scenery, you will move to a Nyumba located in a private site used by Thomson Safaris. New areas are yet to be explored and new sights are waiting to be seen. Arrive there in time for lunch, having experienced wonderful wildlife viewing along the way.
Out on the plains, you will be looking for warthog, jackal, eland, kudu, reedbuck, baboon, topi, hyena, gerenuk, giraffe and more. Near water sources such as the Mara river, you’ll be on the lookout for some of the largest crocodiles in Africa, hippos, kingfishers, egrets, monitor lizards and more.
Wednesday September 30th 2009 – Serengeti National Park
More wildlife viewing is on the agenda today, your last full day in the Serengeti. Take a picnic lunch as you head out on the trail in your trusted Land Rovers. Roll down the windows, or stand up to take advantage of the customized roof hatch, feeling the fresh air rush past as you navigate winding paths and secret trails in your pursuit of interesting wildlife sightings. With this perspective, you have unhindered 360º views, and the possibilities for what lies in store are endless!
This evening when you return to the Nyumbas, you will savor the brilliant equatorial sunset as you enjoy refreshments and snacks in the open-air lounge. Rest easy, and enjoy being lulled to sleep by the sounds of your last night on the Serengeti plains.
Thursday October 1st 2009 – Serengeti National Park
Later this morning fly to Arusha (50 lb baggage limit) and visually retrace your route from above, noting the change in landscape from the flat plains to the verdant, rolling hills of the highlands. Arrive in time for a bit of shopping and a farewell lunch with your new safari friends. Day rooms are provided so you can rest and relax here before your early evening transfer to the international airport for your flight to Amsterdam.
Friday October 2nd 2009 – Amsterdam / USA
Connect in Amsterdam and arrive in the U.S. Please check your flight itinerary for arrival dates and flight details.
What’s the Cost?
Connect in Amsterdam and arrive in the U.S. Please check your flight itinerary for arrival dates and flight details.
The cost of this all-inclusive safari is U.S. $8990 per person. This cost does not include airfare from the US to Arusha, Tanzania. The same rate applies to each participant regardless of whether they are doing photography or not. This fee includes all in-country ground and air transportation as well as housing (double occupancy) and all meals. The non-refundable deposit for this trip is $1200. An optional hot-air balloon trip is $475 per person.
Accommodations are based upon two persons per room. If you will be traveling alone and would like a private room there will be a supplementary charge of $1200.
Airfare from the US:
For an additional fee you can choose to have the both the safari and your flight from New York or Boston booked for you. We encourage this service if you are departing from North America, as we will all be able to arrive in Tanzania on the same flight at the same time. It is our experience that this service eliminates many scheduling headaches, and the cost is at or slightly below the average market rate for such a flight.
Please note: We will attempt to adhere to this itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, cultural, or wildlife migrations) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. We reserve the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if necessary. We will attempt to notify participants of changes as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility of the participant.
What’s included?
- Accommodations based on double occupancy.
- Meals as per the above itinerary inclusive of restaurant staff tips.
- Expertise of professional Photographer Bruce Dorn throughout safari.
- Services of Thomson Safaris guides/staff throughout.
- Internal airfare from Serengeti to Arusha with 50lb per person baggage weight limit.
- Land transportation in a specially customized 4-wheel drive Land Rover with no more than 3 guests per stretched Land Rover Defender.
- Airport transfers for group.
- Village and cultural visits.
- Services of Thomson Safaris Nyumbas.
- Special Tech Tent for Photo Safari guests to use for camera and computer recharging after game drives, before dinner, at all Thomson Nyumba locations.
- Round-trip international airfare from the US (various departure points - prices subject to availability) to Kilimanjaro, if Land and Air package is purchased.
- Tanzania airport departure taxes if your international airfare is arranged by Thomson Safaris.
What’s not included?
- Soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits.
- Please note that there is a NW/KLM variable fuel surcharge that applies if land and air
- package is purchased from Thomson Safaris, which is subject to change.
- Tips for staff such as guides and Nyumba staff (tipping recommendations are provided in our pre-departure booklet)
- Fees for passport, visas, immunizations and insurance
- Meals and expenses en route to Tanzania
- Laundry, phone and other items of a personal nature
- Cost of hospitalization and evacuation if necessary
What do I do next?
Our groups are small and our space is limited. If this sounds like your trip of a lifetime, now is the time to register. Remember, space on this trip is very limited so act now. Once all the spaces are spoken for, that’s it. If you have any questions before registering please e-mail me with any inquires:
info@idcphotography.com or give us a call at 928-442-3903.
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