Kristina's Escorted Safari to Kenya & Tanzania

You have asked me when I will escort another safari to East Africa. Now is the time, sorry for the short notice. I hope you can join me.

 

This safari is timed to coincide with the Great Migration both in Kenya and Tanzania.

I'm working directly with the owner of Lemala Camps in Tanzania to offer you the best possible value. Lemala seasonal camps are similar to mobile tented camps but of a higher quality.

Lemala Camps select their sites very carefully so that you will be close to the best wildlife viewing possible. There is ample tree cover and some water nearby to attract wildlife. All camps are in secluded areas.

   

The mess tents are designed so that the sitting and dining areas are within the same tent and it feels like you are in your own home. Everyone eats and have sundowners together. However separate dining tables are offered at the Serengeti camps where the tents are very large. All tents are closed at night. Local beer, wine, whiskey, vodka, gin and soft drinks are included as is laundry.

There are only 9 tents at each of the camps, accommodating only 18 guests. Lemala Camps are small, intimate and exclusive where personal service is of the outmost importance.

Two of the camps (one that moves between Manyara and Tarangire National Parks and one on the rim of Ngorongoro Crater) have classic tents (larger than Meru-style tents) which are very spacious and have attached/ensuite bathrooms including flush toilet and bucket shower, solar lighting, wooden decking on the inside, large double (2mtr x 2mtr) or single beds (1mtr x 2mtr), writing desk, outdoor table and chairs.

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The second camp in the Serengeti stays in the Central Serengeti all year round except in April and May when it's closed for the rainy season.

 The second camp in the Serengeti stays in the Central Serengeti all year round except in April and May when it's closed for the rainy season.

Both these camps have brand new tents which are larger and wider than the classic tents so that the beds can face the entrance.

In these tents there are either 2 queen size beds or a king bed, solar lighting, attached/ensuite bathrooms with flush toilets, bucket shower, internal wooden decking, armchair, writing desks, outdoor lounger.

 

We will begin in Kenya from September 25 - 30, 2011

If you like to extend your safari in Kenya, I have booked the Nairobi Tented Camp, which is located inside Nairobi National Park for 2 nights and the Naboisho Tented Camp in the Masai Mara for 3 nights. This will be BEFORE we fly to Arusha, Tanzania to begin the above safari.  Nairobi National Park is the only national park in Africa located within a city, only 7km from Nairobi city center. The major wildlife attractions are the black rhino, lion, leopard, hyena, cheetah, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, eland and over 400 species of birds. Also within the park is the Nairobi Animal Orphanage, The Nairobi Safari Walk; the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Center is nearby. Nairobi Tented Camp is located in the western side of the park, comfortably secluded in the Kisembe Valley, shaded by forests of olive and croton trees. There are 8 spacious tents all with their own bathrooms, flush toilet and bucket shower. Afternoon tea and 3 meals a day are included as are all soft drinks, local wine and beer, 1 airport transfer and 1 game drive per day. With sweeping plains on one side and Nairobi city on the other, Nairobi National Park is a wildlife haven unlike any other, with guaranteed sightings of rhino, a reason in itself to visit. Being the only camp inside Nairobi National Park means your driving safaris can start before and finish after other tourists entering the park giving you an opportunity to view the animals on your own for a unique experience. Your day in Nairobi Tented Camp starts with a freshly brewed hot drink bought to your tent before setting off an early morning game drive. Be lucky enough to catch the first rays of early morning sun as they burn off the nightly dusting of dew and stirs the plains game gently to life. After a morning potentially filled with sightings of giraffe, buffalo, lion and leopard, one returns to camp for, freshly baked breads and a hearty cooked breakfast. We will stay here for 2 nights from Sept 25-27, 2011

Rekero Naboisho Camp, bordering the Masai Mara from Sept 27-30, 2011

Naboisho Camp is situated in the Naboisho Conservancy (a 50,000 acre area) that lies to the far east of the Mara/Serengeti Eco system. This new exclusive eight tented camp opened on June 1, 2011 in the unrivalled wilderness, hosts a huge variety of wildlife - cats, elephants, giraffes, plains games including the rare sighted wild dogs. Naboisho Camp offers a wide range of activities, such as: Game Drives, Walking Safaris, Night Drives, Off-Roading, Cultural Tourism and Fly Camping.  Mara Naboisho Conservancy, a newly formed conservation area bordering the Masai Mara National Reserve on the north, is the realisation of a vision where local Maasai communities are able to receive the benefit of sustainable tourism. Literally meaning 'coming together', Mara Naboisho offers a conservation solution where Maasai land is being used to promote sustainable livelihoods while also serving as a wildlife protection area.  The emphasis is the 'Rekero experience' is on the nature outside, on the quality of the guiding and the quality of service and food. Essential elements of our properties are that they should be small scale, intimate and personal. No Rekero property feels the same: we cherish uniqueness and individuality. Where we can, we take our guests out of the vehicle, to experience Africa on foot, as immersed, as you will ever get. Rekero aspires to be a truly leading company in the industry when it comes to responsible tourism and it's impact on conservation and community development. The Koiyaki guiding school was the vision of the founding director of Rekero and continues to be the flagship project for the company.  We will stay here for 3 nights from Sept 27-30, 2011

 

Northern Serengeti from Oct 1-5, 2011 From Kenya, we fly to Tanzania and after a night in Arusha, we will fly to Kogatende airstrip in Northern Serengeti. Lemala Mara is about 3 minutes drive from the Mara River. It is a stunning site with views of the Mara River. There are 2 major migration crossing points close to the camp. The Mara River in northern Serengeti is unlike the Mara River in Masai Mara - there are far fewer visitors here so the experience is immensely better. The crossings are as spectacular as those in the Masai Mara. Here you mayexperience major wildebeest crossings that last the whole day. An unusual sighting witnessed last October was of a motherly hippo rescuing wildebeest and zebra calves across the river. There are large lion prides, lots of leopards, elephant herds etc., etc. The wildlife here is prolific during the migration season but at other times there is plenty of resident game. The landscapes here are beautiful and characterized by kopjes, boulders and hills and valleys dotted with fig and sausage trees. There are superb views towards the Isuria escarpment and the Mara ecosystem from several vantage points. Lemala Mara's naturalists/guides have exceptional local knowledge, enabling them to take guests to where the action is, in open 4x4 vehicles, away from the crowds. Lemala's vehicles are specifically designed for long game drives and come equipped with comfortable seats, charging units and a large refrigerator. The camp organizes great picnic breakfasts and lunches for those who want to go on full day game drives. We will stay here for 4 nights from October 1-5, 2011. Central Serengeti from Oct 5-8, 2011 Leopard with a full stomach in a tree with the tail hanging down From the north, we will fly to Seronera in the Central Serengeti. This would otherwise be an all day drive and October can be hot and dry. The camp, Lemala Ewanjan is in a secluded location around Makoma Hills and faces the Serenget Plains, where we will see both sunrises and sunsets. There is a seasonal waterhole near the camp and as a result there's plenty of resident wildlife including lions, leopard & cheetah .... Guests staying here have witnessed lion, cheetah and leopard kills around the camp area. There are some tracks for game viewing from the camp which take us where other vehicles do not venture so we can get away from the busy Seronera valley but at the same time we are close enough to do the balloon safari. Being central, we can easily access areas like Moru Kopjes, Musabi Plains, Ikoma and the Lobo areas on full day or half day game drives. Lemala Ewanjan Seronera Valley is perhaps the finest new seasonal camp in the Serengeti, located in a truly spectacular location. There are open 4x4 land cruisers stationed at the camp. We will stay here for 3 nights October 5-8, 2011 Lions on a rock in Moru Kopjes Ngorongoro Crater from Oct 8-10, 2011 In the Great Rift Valley, that great schism in the earth's crust, lies the wonderful Ngorongoro Crater, one of the wonders of the natural world. It is an extinct volcano that collapsed in on itself around 25 million years ago thus forming a vast superbowl where the largest permanent concentration of African game is on display. Wildly beautiful as it is, it is not surprising that the ongoro Crater has been called: Garden of Eden. Lemala Ngorongoro is on the rim of the crater at the top of the descent route, just after the gate. The camp faces an ancient Acacia forest rather than the crater itself. The view of the forest and hills beyond is magical. It is an open game area so animals such as elephant, buffalo & lion do move through the camp regularly; the camp is guarded by the Masai from the local community who are used to encountering the wildlife. There is plenty of birdlife in the tranquil forest setting and occassionally you can hear the sounds of the cattle bells, like the church bells ringing. Staying here have the following advantages: a) Lemala guests do not have to queue at the gate in the morning to go inside the crater as they will have checked in the day they arrive. b) Lemala guests can depart for the crater tour as early as 6.30am with a packed breakfast (can also take a packed lunch or return for late lunch at camp) and be on the crater floor in 15 minutes. Guests can enjoy nearly 2 hours of traffic free viewing. c) Lemala guests arriving at the camp around lunch time can head straight for the crater floor with a packed lunch (ordered in advance) and return as late as 6.30pm as the drive from the crater floor to the camp is only 15mins. The evening light in the crater is superb and after 4.00pm most of the vehicles have left. d) A Masai village is located behind the camp. Lemala has a very good relationship with the chief and the son and for a small fee we can invite the chief's son to give lectures at the camp and we can visit the village. We will stay here for 2 night October 8-10, 2011 Ngorongoro Crater road block Manyara Ranch Conservancy Oct 10-12, 2011 Manyara Ranch Conservancy is situated within the wildlife corridor between Tarangire and Manyara National Parks in Tanzania. It offers a superb wilderness area with an excellent cultural mix for the active visitor to Tanzania. The Conservancy provides guided game walks, day and night drives, 4x4 safari extensions to nearby parks, visits to partner villages and activities including horse riding with big game, bush breakfast and dinners and participative research activities to promote ongoing conservation projects in collaboration with the African Wildlife Foundation. All of this and its location within the heart of the northern safari circuit, make Manyara Ranch Conservancy the ideal destination for a longer stay. Manyara Ranch Tented Camp has 6 luxury tents and offers several exciting activities that guests can partake while visiting Manyara Ranch Conservancy such as guided game walks, day and night drives, 4x4 safari extensions to nearby National parks, visits to partner villages, horse riding with big game, bush breakfast and dinners and participative research activities to promote ongoing conservation projects in collaboration with the African Wildlife Foundation. We will stay here for 2 nights Oct 10-12, 2011

This is how Africa was meant to be. Sincerely, Kristina Trowbridge

Great Migration