Tanzania
Southern Primetime Migration Safari
January 30 to February 16, 2014
Optional Extension to Kenya - February 15 to 21, 2014

| At a Glance | Leaders | Itinerary | Costs | Sign-up | Other Details |

East Africa is Gail and Doug's favorite destination with its vast green savanna habitats vibrant with life, especially in February. Zebras, giraffes, and gazelles are nursing young, while newborn Wildebeest calves run across the plains aside their mothers, attracting many predators. Flocks of storks winter in Tanzania, joining the colorful resident birds. We'll enjoy the seasonal wealth of wildlife in Tanzania's Southern Serengeti and other rich areas in Tanzania, then, with an extension to Kenya, delight in the diversity of Kenya's highlands, lakes, arid lands, and famous Rift Valley. The stretch Land Cruisers with covered pop-tops are superb for wildlife viewing and, with only four participants per vehicle, this safari offers flexibility and fabulous photographic opportunities. When the Cheesemans started leading East African safaris in 1978, they didn't dream that they would still be going today, but with 60 species of mammals, amazing reptiles, and over 300 species of birds, how could anyone resist?

We travel in stretch four-wheel drive Landcruisers with covered pop-tops. Even though the vehicles hold nine participants, we only take four, which provides plenty of space for observing and taking great photography. Lodges are in beautiful surroundings, with wonderful food, private baths and good laundry service.

At a Glance

Companion Safaris and Extensions: Extend your stay in Africa with our optional extension to Kenya (described below) on February 15 to 21, 2014. Also, after the Kenya extension, take our optional Mountain Gorilla Trek (described separately) extension in Rwanda on February 21 to 24, 2014.

Cost: Tanzania safari is $9,700. Kenya extension is $3,810. All costs are per person, double occupancy, not including airfare. Review cost details.

Leaders: Gail and Doug Cheeseman, plus our favorite resident guides and naturalists.

Group Size: 18, not including leaders.

Number of Days: 18 (or 23 with Kenya extension), including estimated travel time.

Conditions: This is a non-smoking safari for people who are very interested in all wildlife and spending the maximum time in the field. Please read full conditions.

Itinerary Updated: April 2013.

Synopsis:

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Leaders and Staff

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Detailed Itinerary

January 30 - 31, Thursday - Friday — Fly to Arusha, Tanzania
Depart from your home in time to arrive at Arusha, Tanzania, by the evening of January 31. See complete flight information. Upon arrival at the airport, clear customs and meet our Wildersun Safaris driver. Drive about 50 minutes to Mountain Village Lodge, possibly arriving after 10 pm (depending on your flight schedule). Mountain Village, one of the Serena Lodges, is situated by Lake Duluti, 12 km outside of Arusha. We are happy to assist you in booking extra airport transfers for early arrival or extra nights at Mountain Village Lodge near Arusha or in Nairobi. Meals are on your own.
Lodging on January 31: Mountain Village Lodge

African Elephants

February 1 - 2, Saturday - Sunday — Elephant Extravaganza at Tarangire National Park
If you like, join us at dawn for a short walk down to the lake at Mountain Village Lodge. Dawn comes at about 6:30 am all year, as we are very close to the Equator. At this elevation of about 5,000 feet, the temperatures are very comfortable. In fact, this is true of most of Kenya and Tanzania's rich wildlife areas as they are at altitudes above 4,500 feet. After breakfast, we meet our outstanding Wildersun Safaris guides and head for Arusha and then on to Tarangire. We'll stop briefly at the Wildersun Safaris office in Arusha to exchange money and leave any extra bags not needed during our safari in Tanzania. Drive west to Tarangire National Park, a beautiful baobab paradise. Arrive in time for a delicious lunch and to check-in at the Tarangire Sopa before game driving along the Tarangire River. The Tarangire Sopa is located in the best wildlife area of Tarangire and the staff is very friendly and accommodating. We can thank the Tsetse Fly, which used to devastate livestock here, for saving this area from cattle and "shoats" (sheep and goats). The flies have been controlled and the land now is protected as a national park. We'll encounter African Elephants, especially in the afternoon, coming from the hills to drink and bathe in the river. This is also excellent habitat for Leopard and other carnivores. The setting is fantastic for late afternoon photography with many mammals and birds. This is the only place where we will see the endemic (found only in this area) Ashy Starling and Yellow-collared Lovebirds. We'll have two days in Tarangire National Park to take advantage of the beautiful early morning and late afternoon photography.
Lodging: Tarangire Sopa Lodge

Olive Baboons

February 3, Monday — Tarangire and Lake Manyara National Parks
Enjoy a game drive before breakfast at Tarangire as dawn is the best time for action and outstanding photography. We will drive two hours to Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge to arrive in time for lunch and check-in. After lunch, drive the very short distance to Lake Manyara National Park at the base of the dramatic Great Rift. This famous fault system travels from the Red Sea through Kenya and Tanzania to the Orange River in South Africa. Beside Lake Manyara we pass through the town of Mtu Wa Umbu, which borders the park. Olive Baboons frequently cross the park boundary to steal bananas from the trees along the road, where they can quickly retreat back into the park with the wonderful bananas that people grow in this area. Rice is also grown here at the base of the Great Rift escarpment. In Lake Manyara National Park, we'll be immersed in unique habitats including the alkaline lake, the amazing "ground water forest," the meandering river, the beautiful savannas on the lake edge, and the Rift escarpment dotted with Baobabs. The source of water for this region is the Ngorongoro Forest Reserve above the escarpment, where frequent precipitation percolates through the porous volcanic soil. Water hits the granitic basement rock at the bottom of the escarpment, where it flows out of springs, providing enough moisture for large figs and tamarind trees in the ground water forest.

We'll have a full afternoon game drive before driving back up the escarpment to our spectacular lodge at the top for dinner. The views from the lodge and the abundant bird activity around the grounds make it a wonderful site. We also choose these lodges because they are environmentally responsible, especially with their water treatment system. Most of the Serena lodges were built by the Aga Khan in very beautiful locations inside or along side reserves and parks. The Aga Khan family also built many hospitals and schools in both Tanzania and Kenya, giving them a very good relationship with the governments of both countries.
Lodging: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Ngorongoro Crater

February 4 - 5, Tuesday - Wednesday — Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater
At dawn, a lovely sunrise is often visible from the top of the Great Rift escarpment. We'll have breakfast early and take our bags, as we won't be returning to the lodge. Enter Lake Manyara National Park at the best time of day, just as the Olive Baboons are grooming themselves along the forest road and the Blue Monkeys are becoming active in the trees. If it has rained recently, the forest at the base of the escarpment is vibrant with Silvery-cheeked Hornbills, nesting Pink-backed Pelicans, and other species.

Spotted Hyenas

By mid-morning, we'll drive back up the escarpment and into the Highlands to Ngorongoro through an extensive agricultural area belonging to the Mbulu people. We continue on higher through the Ngorongoro Forest Reserve to the rim of Ngorongoro Crater at approximately 8,000 feet. As we drive along the rim, we will stop for an extraordinary view of this miraculous ecosystem 2,000 feet below. The Crater encompasses 110 square miles, a perfect caldera ten to eleven miles across. Arrive in time for lunch at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge and check into our rooms before descending into the Crater for a beautiful afternoon. Black Rhinos are still regularly seen in Ngorongoro Crater, especially near the acacia woodlands on the plains. Containing fresh and alkaline lakes within its walls, the Crater is abundant with both water and land birds. Lion prides, hyena clans, and jackal families carry on their interactions uninhibited by vehicles while Wildebeest are calving on the calving grounds. Male Lions of Ngorongoro, famous for their black manes, might be found in consort with a lioness in estrous.

We'll stay two nights at the wonderful Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, located on the Crater rim. Access to the crater is restricted to limit the number of vehicles and tourists inside the crater. Whatever the current restrictions are, be assured that we will spend as much time in the crater as allowed. Depending on the schedule, we may also have time to explore the crater rim near the lodge, walking on the trails with the resident naturalist. This walk is especially interesting if you enjoy forest birds.
Lodging: Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

Inside Ngorongoro Crater

February 6 - 7, Thursday - Friday — Ngorongoro Crater and the kopjes
We'll have another early breakfast and full morning in the Ngorongoro Crater and then drive into the heart of Serengeti National Park. In the afternoon, drive through the short-grass plains, where the large female Wildebeest herds come for calving and where we will return to Ndutu in two days. The soil is alkaline with a hardpan below, highly rich in calcium. Frequent light rains and close grazing stimulate these grasses, so they provide tremendous nutrients to sustain the huge number of Wildebeest. As Richard Estes writes, "1.5 million Wildebeest, plus a million other ungulates, in the Serengeti ecosystem represent the world's greatest remaining aggregation of large land mammals." Continue over the plains past Naabi Hill at the Park Headquarters, through the incredible kopjes (pronounced "copies") to our lodge. Kopjes, meaning "big heads" from the word "kop" for head, are ancient granitic boulder outcroppings in the Serengeti, which harbor many species of predators and are fascinating to gaze upon. We'll explore areas around Seronera, famous for both kopjes and cats and end the day in a magnificent location at the top of a wooded hill at the Sopa Lodge near the Moru Kopjes.
Lodging: Serengeti Sopa Lodge

Cheetah and cubs at Ndutu

February 8 - 13, Saturday - Thursday — Ndutu and Serengeti Plains!
After breakfast, we game drive our way to the Gol Kopjes on the east side of the Serengeti short grass plains, where vast herds of Wildebeest and Thompson's Gazelles often graze in February if the "short rains" (normally in December and January) have been good and it is a particularly lush year. A picnic at the Gol Kopjes is our idea of dining in paradise! The wildlife will be abundant throughout our drive to Ndutu. We stay at Ndutu Safari Lodge for six nights, our favorite lodge in all of East Africa at this season!

The great ungulate herds will be congregating on the plains at Ndutu. Photograph and observe the Wildebeest's amazingly successful reproductive strategy. The larger and denser the female herd, the better the calf's chances of avoiding detection. Some 80% to 90% of the calves are dropped during a three-week birth peak. The large female herds and the short calving season insure that most of the newborns are protected from pursuit. Short grasses, so favored by the Wildebeest with its broad muzzle and wide row of incisors, are the basis of the Serengeti ecosystem. It is a miracle that this ecosystem still exists. It is thanks to two or three people with the foresight to take measures to save it in its natural state, a true conservation success story. Doug calls the Serengeti the "glory of the Pleistocene" with so many species of mammals still surviving today. Wildebeest calving is a highlight this time of year, but Ndutu has other incredible attractions, including marshes, lakes, and beautiful acacia woodland. The cat population around Ndutu is one of the best in all the Serengeti, with Serval, African Wildcat, and even the possibility of Caracal, as well as Cheetah, Leopard, and Lion. We will see many wildlife species, including fascinating birds, in this very rich wildlife area. A family of Common or Small-spotted Genets usually visits the lodge dining room late in the evening. Many Fischer's Lovebirds come in the morning to drink. Steinbuck, Grey-breasted Spurfowl, and Chestnut-banded Sand Plover are specialties of the Ndutu area. All species of animals exhibit fascinating behavior as they go about their daily survival strategies in the habitats that sustain them.

Wildebeest Herds

While at Ndutu, we'll head for the plains at dawn to have breakfast on the Serengeti Plains, then return to our lodge for lunch and a break before heading out in the afternoon for more action. Sometimes wildlife walk onto the plains right in front of our camp between the lodge and the lake, so there is never a dull moment at Ndutu! One day we'll perhaps drive through the Ngorongoro Conservation Unit, over Serengeti short-grass plains, to Olduvai Gorge on the eastern boundary of the Serengeti Ecological Unit. This is where the Leakeys found the hominid remains Australopitchecus, Homo habilis, and Homo erectus, plus many other fossils. Some are exhibited in the small museum at Olduvai. Drive down to Bed 1 where Mary Leakey found the Australopithecine "Zinjanthropus." If you do a little searching on your own along a wash in Bed 1, you may find small fragments of bone fossils. On the day at Olduvai, we'll take a picnic lunch and game drive on the plains near Olduvai Gorge in fantastic habitat on the return to Ndutu. It will be an unforgettable six days at Ndutu.
Lodging: Ndutu Safari Lodge

Lions

February 14, Friday — Morning on the Plains and drive to Manyara
Depart from Ndutu after a beautiful morning in the woodlands and on the plains. We will make a stop at Olduvai Gorge if we have not done so already. Return via the rim of Ngorongoro Crater and Ngorongoro Forest Reserve to Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, atop the escarpment formed by the Great Rift.
Lodging: Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

February 15 - 16, Saturday — Farewell Tanzania! Depart for home or start extension
We'll return to Arusha this morning with time to stop for an hour at a large local craft shop. There you may choose to purchase some lovely cotton kanga cloths and even tanzanite, a gemstone that is mined in Tanzania. In Arusha, enjoy an early lunch with the Wildersun Safaris staff and employees, and the Nunes family who all make our safari a big success. After lunch, we'll bid "Kwaheri," or goodbye, to both our Tanzanian hosts and Arusha.

If you are continuing on the six-day extension to Kenya, see below. If you are flying homeward on February 15, you will transfer to dayrooms at the Kia Lodge where you can prepare for your journey. The lodge provides a free shuttle service to the Kilimanjaro International Airport. You should arrive home on February 16, depending on flight schedule. See "Flight Information" at the end of the itinerary for more information. See complete flight information.
Lodging on February 15: Dayrooms at the Kia Lodge in Arusha

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Detailed Itinerary for Kenya Extension

February 15, Saturday — Across the Athi Plains to Nairobi, Kenya
Drive from Arusha to the Kenyan border at Namanga and up the Athi Plains to arrive in Nairobi for dinner and an overnight at the Southern Sun Mayfair Hotel. The Athi Plains is an area that is "owned" by Masai, but some of their land is now being leased or sold for farming purposes, such as the Ostrich farm we pass by that belongs to former President Moi. The Athi Plains is also a peneplain that stretches from Nairobi, at an elevation of 5,500 feet, down to the coast. It was formed by the massive amounts of lava, which flowed from the Kenya Highlands all the way to the coast. Dinner is on your own this evening.
Lodging: Ole-Sereni Hotel in Nairobi

Gerenuk in Samburu

February 16 - 18, Sunday - Tuesday — Samburu and Buffalo Springs Game Reserves
A wonderful breakfast is served at the Mayfair beginning at 6 am, where our Kenyan guides will join us. By 7 am we'll gather in the parking area then board our safari vehicles bound for Samburu. Drive through the Kenya Highlands between Mount Kenya to the east and the Aberdare Mountains to the west. In the Kenya Highlands perhaps Long-tailed Widowbirds will be in breeding plumage, displaying their amazing nuptial tail feathers and flying around at a lek (display area) located close to the highway. From the Kenya Highlands descend into the arid Northern Frontier in the rain shadow of Mount Kenya. Continue north through the arid lands of Isiolo. The town of Isiolo is a converging point of many tribes, plus others driven south by drought and strife. We will cross over lands belonging to several different tribal groups as we journey north today. The abrupt contrast between the green Highlands to the south, which is the rolling fertile countryside of the Kikuyu people, and the arid Northern Frontier to the north is striking. Enter the Samburu Game Reserve and arrive in time for lunch at our camp "under canvas" with ensuite bathrooms. The open dining room here is a marvelous experience, both the setting on the river, and the wonderful food. Enjoy an afternoon game drive in either Samburu or the adjacent Buffalo Springs reserves, which are famous for a remarkable variety of arid adapted mammals and birds. Samburu and Buffalo Springs reserves are well patrolled and protect African Elephant, Gerenuk, Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx, the endangered species of zebra, the Grevy's Zebra, Lion, Leopard and Cheetah. These reserves and privately owned reserves to the south are essential to the survival of the Grevy's Zebra. There are so many species that we will only see at Samburu and Buffalo Springs and no where else on the safari, including mammals, Gerenuk, Beisa Oryx and Grevy's Zebra, and an abundant number of birds.

Our luxurious tented lodge, Larsens Camp, is set on the Uaso Nyiro River that is attractive to wildlife, that must come to drink, especially African Elephant, Beisa Oryx, Impala, plus other mammals and birds. The lodge is also adjacent to Leopard Rocks with is used by Leopards to rest during the day and Cheetah to hunt the abundant Gerenuks in the nearby acacia habitat.

Samburu and Buffalo Springs reserves are home to Somali Ostrich, Vulturine Guinea-fowl, Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow Weaver, and Black-capped Social Weavers, usually only seen in Kenya's Northern Territory. "Gerenuk" is the Samburu word for an animal that does not need to drink water. Others say it means "giraffe-neck." The Swahili name "Swara Twiga" means giraffe-like antelope. Gerenuk are very adept at standing on their hind legs and reaching up to browse on vegetation at a height of four to six feet. This animal is a favorite of all people who like to watch animal feeding behavior. Samburu has many drought-adapted animals, which get metabolic water from leaves and other food sources. Some plant species that look dry and unappetizing during the day are quite the reverse at night, when they soak up night moisture, an important source of water for herbivores. Explore along the banks of the Uaso Nyiro River, the life-line for elephants and other wildlife that must drink daily. We'll offer three game drives each day, including mid-day when the river is the place to find the wildlife in action.

Reticulated Giraffes

You might wish to visit a Samburu manyatta (extended family home), where you may photograph Samburu in their traditional dress. In many cases this is now an important source of income for nomadic people who are trying to stay on their lands although their lands are fast becoming victim of overgrazing and desertification. It's a far better existence for them to try and remain instead of going to a city where unemployment runs 80% or more. On the other hand, their livestock, purchased to a large part from money received from tourism, has an adverse impact on wild mammal populations, having to share grazing habitat. The Masai and Samburu do not deposit money in a bank; they buy livestock. Cows are used for dowries and status is determined by the number of cows owned. The Masai and Samburu warriors are nomadic, due to the cows needing grazing, which takes them far from their manyattas. The cost for the optional visit to a manyatta is approximately $25 per person ($100 per vehicle) and is not included in the trip cost.
Lodging: Larsens Camp.

Photographing Flamingoes at Nukuru

February 19, Wednesday — Nakuru National Park in the Great Rift Valley
After an early breakfast, we will drive back south through Isiolo, up to Nanyuki in the Kenya Highlands, and then across the Laikipia Plateau to Nakuru. On the way, we'll cross the Equator and the northern tip of the Aberdare Mountains at Nyaharuru (Thompson's Falls) in the highlands. Then we'll descend through tea cultivation to the edge of the Rift Valley where we look down on a spectacular view. We will arrive at our lodge in Lake Nakuru National Park in time for lunch and stay one night at Lion Hill Lodge inside Nakuru National Park. The chefs at Lion Hill Lodge feature excellent Indian food on their outstanding international menu.

We will hope that Lake Nakuru, the most famous alkali lake of the Rift Valley, is pink with flamingoes, both Lesser and Greater. The flamingo photography is spectacular here when the afternoon light is just right. The lake is very well protected now as a refuge for Leopard, Black Rhino, and the introduced White Rhino. The birding is excellent. Rothchild's Giraffe, one of the most beautiful sub-species of this photogenic mammal, is a highlight along with many other mammals both in the woodlands and along the lake edge. On the afternoon game drive in the beautiful late afternoon light, we will be near flamingoes and other water birds and we'll look for action from predators. On the lodge grounds in the Yellow-barked Acacia forest, we have found Dik-dik, Green Wood-hoopoes, mongoose, several cuckoos, sunbirds, and many other woodland birds.
Lodging: Sarova Lion Hill Game Lodge.

White Rhino near Lake Nakuru

February 20, Thursday — Back to Nairobi, visit Natural History Museum and flights home
Throughout the safari you will have choices to either maximize time in the field for photography and wildlife viewing, take time for walks in the lodge vicinity (an excellent way to find the many small birds that are so exceptional in East Africa), or simply enjoy relaxing at the lodge. Today at Lake Nakuru, decide how to most enjoy your final morning on safari in Kenya. Choose a before-breakfast game drive, a walk on the lodge grounds, or a chance to relax before leaving the national park. At midday, we'll drive back to the Mayfair in Nairobi. On the way south through the Rift Valley, pass by Lake Elementaita, then up the Eastern Rift Wall to Nairobi. We'll check into our dayrooms at the Mayfair and then visit the outstanding Museum of Natural History to see bird, mammal, and cultural exhibits. The museum also has a gift shop with reasonable prices for books and crafts, which benefit their very worthwhile projects. Return to the hotel by 4:30 pm, then depart for the Nairobi Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) if flying out this evening. Optionally, if you'd like to stay overnight to fly the next day or you are continuing on our Mountain Gorilla Trek extension, please let us know to arrange an overnight for you (cost not included). Dinner is on your own.
Lodging: Dayrooms at Southern Sun Mayfair in Nairobi

February 21, Friday — Arrive home or continue on Mountain Gorilla Trek extension
If your flight left Nairobi last night you should arrive home today, depending on your flight schedule. Or, if you spent the night in Nairobi last night, transfer to the Nairobi Kenyatta International Airport this morning for your flights home. Meals and lodging, if any, are on your own. See "Flight Information" below for more information. See complete flight information.

Please read our separate itinerary describing the Mountain Gorilla Trek extension in Rwanda on February 21 to 24, 2014. If you are continuing on this Mountain Gorilla extension, meet the Origins Safaris representative after breakfast at the Southern Sun Mayfair for a transfer to the Nairobi airport.

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Costs

Costs, Payments and Cancellations: All reservations require a deposit to confirm reservation of your space. Upon receiving your deposit and reservation form, we will send trip materials with additional information to help you prepare for your safari. Until the Final Payment due date, deposits are refundable except for a cancellation fee of $150 per person. This fee may go toward another tour if reserved within six months of the cancelled trip's departure date. There are no refunds given after the Final Payment due date. If you are a single traveler and desire so, we will find a roommate for you: if we cannot find a roommate we may have to charge you the single supplement fee. We reserve the right to charge for cost increases that occur between when we set tour prices and the date of travel, for example, changes due to the cost of lodging and transportation and in the exchange rate. All costs are in US$.

Included:

• All activities, leaders, transport, park entry fees, and accommodations as described in the detailed itinerary above.
• Tanzania safari includes meals from breakfast on February 1 to lunch on February 15. Kenya extension includes all meals from breakfast on February 16 to lunch on February 20.
• Lodging from the night of January 31 to dayrooms on February 15 (or February 20 on the Kenya extension).
• Airport transfers at times and dates specified in the detailed itinerary: on January 31 and February 15 from/to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha (or on February 20 to Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on the Kenya extension).

Not Included:

• All airfare, airport and departure taxes, and excess baggage fees. Airfare is approximately $2,000 roundtrip from US, depending on origin (quoted September 2011 and subject to change).
• Dinners in Nairobi on February 15 and 20.
• Optional overnight in Nairobi on the evening of February 20.
• Optional Mountain Gorilla Trek extension in Rwanda.
• Airport transfers at times and methods other than described in the detailed itinerary above.
• Bottled beverages - Each lodge provides a half-liter bottle of drinking water per person in your room daily. Bottled water is an extra charge during meals, except at breakfast when water is often available to fill your water bottle.
• Traditional manyatta (family home) visit near Samburu in Kenya is approximately $25 per person ($100 per vehicle).
• Gratuities: Tipping is, of course, discretionary, however we suggest budgeting $15 per day per participant (or $270 for Tanzania only and $75 more for Kenya extension, per participant) to be distributed among the resident naturalists and drivers. The gratuity will be collected at the end of each of the Tanzania and Kenya portions of the safari.
• Travel insurance.
• Items of a personal nature such as laundry, telephone calls, medical costs or hospitalization, room service, alcoholic and other beverages, and items not on the regular menu (if you have special dietary needs, please indicate them on your reservation form), etc.

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Sign-up

To Make a Reservation: Please contact us (there are many methods of contacting us) to assure space availability and to let us answer your questions. Then, print our reservation form, fill out one form per person, and post it to us in the mail with your deposit. Or fill out our handy online information request and we will send you more information.

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Other Details

Flights: Please let us know if you would like help arranging your international flights and we will put you in contact with our excellent ticketing agent.

Arrival: Arrive in Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) near Arusha, Tanzania, in time for an overnight on January 31. For most, this means departing from home on January 30 to connect in Amsterdam (AMS) with the morning KLM flight direct to Tanzania, which arrives at Kilimanjaro in the evening. Flights are also available via Nairobi (NBO).

Departure: If you are only on the Tanzania safari, depart from Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on the evening of February 15. If you are continuing on the Kenya extension, depart from Nairobi Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) no earlier than the evening of February 20, or you can optionally overnight in Nairobi on February 20 and take a flight on the morning of February 21 or later.

Travel Insurance: Emergency Medical Insurance is required for the Tanzanian portion of this safari and is strongly encouraged for the entire safari. Read about travel insurance and our recommendations and requirements.

Outfitters, Transportation, and Lodging: Our outfitters are Wildersun Safaris in Tanzania and Rhino Safaris in Kenya. We'll travel in Land Cruisers in both Tanzania and Kenya with our favorite Tanzanian and Kenyan guides. The vehicles seat eight, but we'll have only four participants in each. They are pop-top vehicles with roof covers providing 360 degrees of viewing. We will stay in excellent lodges in beautiful surroundings, with wonderful food, private baths, and laundry service throughout.

Baggage: When packing for your trip, please try to limit yourself to one checked bag up to 40 pounds total per person. The less weight the better, because of space restrictions in the baggage compartment of the vehicles. There is plenty of space in the vehicles for carry-ons and camera equipment.

Trip Materials: Detailed information about your specific tour will be sent to you after you make your reservation with us. These trip materials include information about flights, packing, entry and departure requirements, airport transfers, gratuities, packing, etc. Please take a moment to read this important informtation upon receipt.

Conditions: We have a strict non-smoking policy - smoking is not permitted at any time or any place during our tours. We try to spend as much time in the field as possible, sometimes resulting in long days but giving you a more in-depth experience. Travel to remote places is exciting, but understanding and accepting the risks, both medical and logistical, are important. Minor medical problems can usually be treated, but due to the fact that we often travel to locations far from medical facilities, there can be no expectation for immediate medical treatment or evacuation, even in cases of trauma. Anyone with health problems needing close medical supervision should not consider going on this trip. Bring enough medication for the duration of the trip for any chronic medical needs, since pharmacies are usually not available. When you send your tour deposit and signed reservation form, you certify to us that you do not knowingly have any physical or other conditions that would create a risk for yourself or for other trip participants. For all tours that are ship-based, please note that although we cannot guarantee a request for a specific cabin, we do guarantee that you will be in a cabin of equal or greater value specified in your reservation.

Mailing List: If you would like to be on our mailing list or request information, please use our online information request form or contact us to give us your name, address, email address and phone number. Please note we will never share your personal information with anybody!

Responsibility: Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris, Saratoga, California, act only as agents and shall not be responsible or become liable for any delay incurred by any person in connection with any means of transportation, nor for the loss, damage, or injury to person or property by reason of any event beyond the control of the agency or default of such agency suppliers. We reserve the right to cancel the tour prior to departure in which case full refund will constitute full settlement to the passenger. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour unless arrangements are made at the time of booking. All rates are based on current tariffs, exchange rates and fuel prices and are subject to adjustment in the event of any change therein. By sending your initial deposit, you agree to accept our payment schedule as a contract. If payments are still outstanding two weeks after the due date, your space may be forfeited. Baggage is at the owner's risk.

Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris is registered as California Seller of Travel #2063050-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California. Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris is a participant in the Travel Consumer Restitution Corporation (TCRC). In event of a client canceling where a refund is applicable in accordance with the schedule above, or in the event that CES needs to cancel the trip, all payments for transportation or travel service not provided to the client shall be promptly refunded, unless the client instructs us otherwise in writing. All client payments are deposited into a trust account in accordance with California law. If for any reason a valid refund is not forthcoming, the client may request reimbursement from the TCRC within six months of the scheduled end of the tour. Please feel free to ask us for more information.

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All material © Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris.
All photos © Doug or Ted Cheeseman, unless otherwise credited.
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