Jump to content

Atravelynn

Recommended Posts

Thank you @@Atravelynn. It is nice to know that I am not the only person to raise this; and also nice to know that the Masai might actually get a kick out of a visitor making the effort to wear their traditional dress and not be offended. I would think that a night time photo of a camp fire with me in a shuka would definitely take pride of place among my prints.

 

I had noticed the subtle differences in the patterns and suspected this was regional but thank you for confirming.

 

I really do need to get to that part of Africa again as it has been over 25 years since our first ever safari which was East Africa (Tsavo).

 

Appreciate the other details in your report along with the photos.

 

Thanks and kind regards

 

deano.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lynn,

 

Thanks for a brilliant report where you highlight all the details others who plan or might decide to visit, appreciate so much. Really nice pictures of all the cheetah cubs and mothers - Hari must be in heaven :). Thanks!

 

Namari Plains is one of the camps I would like to experience so I have a few questions. First, why did you decide to only spend two nights there- it is a fair distance from your other camps.

 

I spent 3 nights there March 1, 2, 3 and out on 4. Maybe my details were not so clear. Oops.

 

And then, I am quite confused about the TANAPA rule enforcement. I understand there is no off- reading in the Serengeti even though I have experienced guides ignoring the rules. Rules are rules and if no off-roading is allowed it should be followed. There are several roads/ tracks in the park that should allow you to have enough flexibility. However what is disconcerting is reports about only being allowed to take one specific track with others somehow closed off by the authorities. That would likely be a real problem. Please elaborate.

 

I'm fine with the no offroading rules throughout most of the Serengeti, the Mara, really anywhere I have been. NP was originally marketed as offroading allowed. I have it in writing. Then I think offroading got curtailed or never really was practiced or whatever, but the results were still so strong with the allowable roads that regardless the changes, it seemed great. Plenty of access, sticking to roads. You mention Hari and Paco. Who could argue with those results? Very impressive!

 

During my trip we had to stay on the one and only one main road down the middle of the park. No offshoots, no sideroads, no alternate tracks, no follow the tire marks. Do not deviate off the central main road. Go out on the main road toward Barafu Kopjes, observe them from a distance of 300 meters, maybe more, and turn around, and on that same road head back toward the Fever Trees where I believe there was a loop, past the turnoff for camp, still on that one main road, and then toward Serengeti, where we passed kopjes sometimes with lions. Repeat as you wish. Back and forth--one road.

 

Maybe rules will change and maybe some more acceptable roads will be added, but those were the rules in place when I was there March 1-4 and the rules that the other vehicles followed. If George could have driven elsewhere per park rules, he certainly would have. He noted that since about the start of 2016 viewing in NP was tougher due to having to remain on the one main road. The camp staff was disturbed by this change and thanked me for detailing it in my eval, which lauded the camp, the staff, the food but mentioned how the limited roads decreased the quality of the stay. They hoped guest comments like mine might help change the rules back to what was done previously or change the practice to what was allowed before.

 

Also, did you find not being able to off-road a problem. I would the think it would be a constraint - yet when I see the great pictures taken by you, Paco, Hari and others that stayed there, it appears it may not be as big an issue as one might think.

Paco and Hari were not under the restraints I was. Hari was there in June I think and Paco Oct, of 2015. You are right that they had fabulous results. No question about it. The cheetah cub gods smiled on me and put a family of 3 cubs within view of the road. They remained there for about three separate 20-30 minute sessions on three separate days. They could have been anywhere, though. Nice eles too right next to the road, even crossing the road. All in all, my luck at NP was outstanding! That excellent luck makes it appear that sticking to one central road "may not be as big an issue as one might think."

 

Park rules can be fluid and murky and open to change, interpretation, whatever, so maybe this limitation is temporary. Worth checking out.

 

Or approach Namiri Plains as a spot where you will have tremendous exclusivity surrounded by vast beauty, without a doubt. But you may need to expand your stomping grounds to Seronera Valley to increase your wildlife viewing opportunities, just an hour away.

 

 

Again thanks for taking the time to do this detailed report. You are very welcome.

Edited by Atravelynn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you @@Atravelynn. It is nice to know that I am not the only person to raise this; and also nice to know that the Masai might actually get a kick out of a visitor making the effort to wear their traditional dress and not be offended. I would think that a night time photo of a camp fire with me in a shuka would definitely take pride of place among my prints.

 

I had noticed the subtle differences in the patterns and suspected this was regional but thank you for confirming.

 

I really do need to get to that part of Africa again as it has been over 25 years since our first ever safari which was East Africa (Tsavo). Yes indeed, get thee to Africa with or without your shuka!

 

Appreciate the other details in your report along with the photos. Asante!

 

Thanks and kind regards

 

deano.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

madaboutcheetah

@@AKR1 - We were there I think end April, 2015? There were no other vehicles in the area; cheetah everywhere and there were access roads around the various kopjes - infact, we felt the game viewing in Namiri was super productive that we never ventured to Seronera (others from Namiri did day trips there - but, that was specifically for Leopard which we were not interested in) ...... In April, the Serengeti Cheetah project also base themselves in that vicinity and we had no problem chatting with them to work our daily schedule around the cheetah movements in the area. They seemed super co-operative and happy to help the Asilia guides and guests ........ My friends will be there early May - Keep you in the loop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@AKR1 - We were there I think end April, 2015? There were no other vehicles in the area; cheetah everywhere and there were access roads around the various kopjes - infact, we felt the game viewing in Namiri was super productive that we never ventured to Seronera (others from Namiri did day trips there - but, that was specifically for Leopard which we were not interested in) ...... In April, the Serengeti Cheetah project also base themselves in that vicinity and we had no problem chatting with them to work our daily schedule around the cheetah movements in the area. They seemed super co-operative and happy to help the Asilia guides and guests ........ My friends will be there early May - Keep you in the loop

But that was before 2016. Now maybe the rules will change back to what they were. But during my visit when the cheetah family was within view of the road, the Asilia vehicles and my vehicle ventured closer abut the distance you would go if you were maneuvering to turn the vehicle around. There was no driving over next to the cheetahs for a close view. Asilia vehicles did not get to go offroad, while we had to stay on road. We all stayed on the main road during March 1- March 4. The Asilia vehicles spent the day in Seronera too because we all met up there.

 

Hopefully this was a temporary glitch and the former rules will be reinstated, but the camp staff was concerned about the change in rules that occurred recently and we discussed this change as it related to the geographic region and the success of the camp within that region. It was not a matter of the origin or provider of the vehicles that determined road usage.

 

Hopefully by May things will revert back to the way they were and perhaps I was there during an unfortunate period of flux in the rules and regulations.

Edited by Atravelynn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

madaboutcheetah

True Lynn - I hope they have a good time in May. They weren't interested in switching to Ubuntu or Dunia.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

True Lynn - I hope they have a good time in May. They weren't interested in switching to Ubuntu or Dunia.......

Yes, hope all goes well and they can once again drive all around the place.

Edited by Atravelynn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-108-0-04722000-1460521091_thumb.jpg Happy Sunday Thank You and Sending Post Cards post-108-0-04722000-1460521091_thumb.jpg

When possible, I send post cards to about a dozen people. This practice is becoming more complicated each trip, but it is important to the recipients, most of them off-line.

 

Before I left home, I asked Bill of The Wild Source if I could be provided about 15 post card stamps that I would pay for upon arrival. I can usually find postcards, but the stamps stump me, so I really appreciated his help.

 

When Sosy, the biologist and my transfer driver, and I finally arrived at Tulip Hotel from the airport about midnight, I was warmly greeted by the Arusha Office Manager, Happy Sunday, and she presented me with my stamps. She had been waiting for us over an hour.

 

I apologized for keeping her up late over a couple of sheets of stamps and was a little embarrassed.

 

But it got worse. When I asked how she would get back home so late, she said a taxi. Oh dear, these stamps have been a major inconvenience well before they’ve even been stuck on a card.

 

Next step was to acquire the postcards. George suggested some of the tourist shops before reaching the crater. We stopped and I was immediately regaled with batiks, t-shirts, fabrics, carvings, necklaces and postcards.

 

“How much for the post cards?” I asked.

 

The response: “10,000 Tanzanian shillings each.” Or I could conveniently pay in US dollars, “$5 per post card.”

 

I laughed out loud. So then the fancy post cards, individually wrapped in plastic, were brought out. Certainly those would be worth $5.

 

Throughout the process was much pleading and “Madam, Madam, hello, hello, come to my shop. This is fine quality from Tanzania, not made in China. Please support us. This is low season, few tourists.”

 

Finally a deal was struck and I had my 75-cent post cards, along with a kanga (that later came in very handy as a deterrent to cheetah cubs seeking refuge under the shade of our vehicle), and a note card.

 

George suggested we mail the post cards in Arusha, meaning we headed into town during rush hour rather than driving straight to the airport at the end of the trip. We managed a parking spot and I mailed the cards at the Arusha Post Office and then we fought traffic out of town, and were airport-bound.

 

Quite a clunky and elaborate ordeal in today’s high tech world. But the ordeal will continue. Thanks again to Happy Sunday for her role in this low tech means of connection that truly means a lot to the recipients!

 


post-108-0-34991700-1460521446_thumb.jpg

(Pretty good looking depiction of postcards, if I do say so myself! All from Ndutu, Makao Plains.)

Next intallment is Arusha National Park and Ranger Walk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So much detailed info! Thanks a lot! You had a true cheetah feast!

 

I am a bit confused about the 6am - 6pm driving in Ndutu - and I believe this is also valid for the Serengeti? We will probably be self-driving in both Ndutu and Serengeti in 2017, and I am concerned about missing out on the "golden hour" for photography. Some folks say that it was ok for them to drive around a bit longer (as long as they are back in camp at sunset) and others say it is enforced. Sunset can be 45 mins after 6pm at some times of the year! Of course guides are in the know of when and where they can stretch those hours - but self drivers probably get instantly whacked with some fine if caught. Quite disappointing really.

 

I am sorry the off-road driving situation changed for you when you got to Namiri - must have been disappointing. I don't imagine new tracks will be opening anytime soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@cheetah80 What I know it is 19 that is the time at least in Ruaha and Mikumi but changes comes quick when I did some research I found very little. This is a question I often get and i think I will call Tanapa tomorrow and ask them.

When I have been staying outside nat parks in Tanzania I often come just some minutes before 19.00 to the park gate and I have been told of and they have said that I have to be out at 18.00 but I have usually just ask them about a copy of the rules and so far it has been 19.00 when I read them.

When I stay inside the park it has never been an issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks @@Tomas, please let us know if you manage to find out something. I have heard that the times are different for every park in Tanzania - which is somewhat silly!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

anthracosaur

@@Atravelynn Thanks so much for all the information. We are doing a trip that has very similar elements (4 days Namiri and 3 days Ndutu) at the end of next month and this TR has been very helpful. The situation in Namiri sounds unfortunate, particularly for an area that seems so productive and has been getting such rare reviews. Your cheetah photos were wonderful and it seems like you had a great bit of luck while there.

 

@@madaboutcheetah I'm contemplating talking to my TO about Ubuntu. Dunia would be my preference, but they are full on our dates. Two of our party will be at Mbalageti Lodge after we are supposed to be at Namiri and I'm not sure 7 night in the western corridor is a good idea, even with the migration slightly ahead of schedule this year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So much detailed info! Thanks a lot! You had a true cheetah feast! They had a couple of feasts too, which I only photographed and did not join.

 

I am a bit confused about the 6am - 6pm driving in Ndutu - and I believe this is also valid for the Serengeti? We will probably be self-driving in both Ndutu and Serengeti in 2017, and I am concerned about missing out on the "golden hour" for photography. Some folks say that it was ok for them to drive around a bit longer (as long as they are back in camp at sunset) and others say it is enforced. Sunset can be 45 mins after 6pm at some times of the year! Of course guides are in the know of when and where they can stretch those hours - but self drivers probably get instantly whacked with some fine if caught. Quite disappointing really. Hopefully not, but I suspect self drivers may not have the clout of established safari companies. I'll tag you when I do a brief section on us taking some self drivers for a safari run. Their vehicle was not quite up to what Ndutu could dish out (though I am sure you'll get the very formidable Land Cruiser/Land Rover thing. Also off-road Ndutu can be very intimidating. From the back seat as a client it looks like a piece of cake. At the wheel, less so. Actually, I probably told you most of what I had wanted to right here.)

 

I am sorry the off-road driving situation changed for you when you got to Namiri - must have been disappointing. I don't imagine new tracks will be opening anytime soon. Thanks, maybe the rules will revert back. I can assure you I made my very best closing argument on the Asilia eval/survey seeking a return to the former status in hopes the authorities take heed.

 

It was disappointing, but putting that into perspective... I was disappointed that my private luxury safari had unexpected limitations imposed on my ability to drive about at will and so I saw less of the cheetah family and probably fewer other predators in Namiri Plains than I had hoped. Throughout this disappointment I was well fed, safe, and catered to and I saw other amazing sights that most people only watch on Youtube or BBC. It is worth alerting others to what they may experience, but this type of disappointment is a privilege.

 

 

@@cheetah80 What I know it is 19 that is the time at least in Ruaha and Mikumi but changes comes quick when I did some research I found very little. This is a question I often get and i think I will call Tanapa tomorrow and ask them.

 

When I have been staying outside nat parks in Tanzania I often come just some minutes before 19.00 to the park gate and I have been told of and they have said that I have to be out at 18.00 but I have usually just ask them about a copy of the rules and so far it has been 19.00 when I read them.

 

When I stay inside the park it has never been an issue.

And you spend lots of time there! That is probably the most valid input.

 

Here is some of my input from the comfort of home:

 

 

Ndutu is under the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority.

http://www.ngorongorocrater.org/ndutu.html

 

 

Then regulations and fees here, within that website.

http://www.ngorongorocrater.org/regulations.html

 

Opening - Closing Hours

Gates and barriers will open at 0600 hours and close at 1800 hours, except for the Seneto Descent Gate, which close at 1600 hours.

 

But that seems to pertain more to the crater, though it is the only hours of operation given for the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, of which Ndutu is part of.

 

 

~or~

 

Google, “ndutu conservation area park operation hours” and up pops:

 

6AM–6PM

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Wednesday hours

 

The above is provided by google. It says Wed because that is when I googled it. Now I would not necessarily let google be the definitive last word on what goes on inside Ndutu.

 

This may be another case of murky rules that may differ between ink on paper and vehicles on soil. But getting some info and first hand experiences in advance is helpful and this is a good place to do it.

Edited by Atravelynn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@Atravelynn Thanks so much for all the information. We are doing a trip that has very similar elements (4 days Namiri and 3 days Ndutu) at the end of next month and this TR has been very helpful. The situation in Namiri sounds unfortunate, particularly for an area that seems so productive and has been getting such rare reviews. Your cheetah photos were wonderful and it seems like you had a great bit of luck while there.

 

@@madaboutcheetah I'm contemplating talking to my TO about Ubuntu. Dunia would be my preference, but they are full on our dates. Two of our party will be at Mbalageti Lodge after we are supposed to be at Namiri and I'm not sure 7 night in the western corridor is a good idea, even with the migration slightly ahead of schedule this year.

You may be able to provide us the latest info from the field in what is happening in Namiri Plains. Hoping you will be far, far afield on those more distant and remote roads once again. You are going at a time that has my interest. Fewer people, very lush, some savings possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

madaboutcheetah

@@anthracosaur - If Dunia is full ........ you can easily access those areas from namiri, if you find Namiri restrictive ........ If I were you, I'd stick to Namiri. My friends opted to stay put in Namiri FWIW. Pity that the camps in the Northern Serengeti are closed .......... Ubuntu in the Western corridor - not sure about the predetor density out that way? Especially cheetah???

Edited by madaboutcheetah
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Harking back to the Sub-subtitle of the trip for Art Lovers: A Mary Cassatt Exhibition in Safari Form emphasizing this American Impressionist’s portraits of mother-child intimate bonding often through bathing, here are cheetahs and lions.

gallery_108_1523_1633280.jpg

gallery_108_1523_1977232.jpg

gallery_108_1523_846041.jpg

gallery_108_1523_1065465.jpg

Rain drops are visible

gallery_108_1523_1263055.jpg

gallery_108_1523_994049.jpg

 

gallery_108_1523_71940.jpg

gallery_108_1523_816992.jpg

Makao Plains, Ndutu for all cheetah photos

gallery_108_1524_379657.jpg

gallery_108_1524_1062771.jpg

gallery_108_1524_112954.jpg

gallery_108_1524_184858.jpg

Big Marsh Pride near Big Marsh Woods, Ndutu

Edited by Atravelynn
Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-108-0-02523800-1460587988_thumb.jpg Arusha National Park: a Shining Lily, Absence of Husbands, Pink Shirt, and a Pair of SUNIs! post-108-0-02523800-1460587988_thumb.jpg

 

For our hike, I met up with a charming young woman who would be joining a Wild Source group trip in a few days, but she was doing ANP on her own first. George had suggested doing the hike in the afternoon and driving in the morning because the Feb rain and dampness can make the grass very wet in the morning. I recall, in contrast, for dry season hikes that an early start was preferable before the heat of the day.

 

Anyway, there were problems and delays for over an hour with the park staff after we arrived. “The system is down,” was the excuse. Crowds gathered around the relief map and introductory displays as we all waited for the system to go back up again.

gallery_108_1521_921374.jpg

Augur Buzzard, Arusha National Park

Since we were not sorted until almost 10 am, George thought that was late enough for dry grass for our walk and off we two ladies went with Ranger Solo for a delightful walk (9:50 am-12:20 pm) and the Quote of the Trip.

 

Solo asked my name and when I told him Lynn, he replied, “That is hard to lip.” We discussed alternatives, such as my middle name. I began rattling off a long list of name possibilities, trying to be helpful, when Solo halted my recitation and declared, “Lily is shining.” Well, that settled it. He had named me Lily and so I was. The hike commenced.

 

A few simple comments but poetic in their delivery added up to the Quote of the Trip.

 

My hiking partner also had a worthy quip too. After seeing my wedding band, it is not uncommon for me to be asked where my husband is, which has happened throughout Africa. I was once asked in Kenya where my husband slept while I was away. My hiking partner was not wearing a wedding band. She was asked, “Do you have a husband?” She replied, “Not yet.” Then she added, “That is why I have binoculars. I am looking for one.”

 

Sometimes clothing color comes up. How important is it to wear earth tones? Aren’t animals colorblind? Doesn’t the vehicle cover up the clothes?

 

My hiking partner wore a pink shirt, not glow in the dark, but carnation pink. When we stopped to look at some giraffes on our hike, the large one in front took a few skittish steps backward before stopping to gaze at us. Solo immediately said, “It is the pink shirt. The giraffe is not used to how the light reflects from the shirt.” Fortunately, the giraffes were only temporarily unsettled and did not flee. Giraffes were the pink shirt wearer’s favorite animal.

 

Solo, and later George, both stated that even in the vehicle, especially when standing up through the pop-top, the light reflected from bright colors can frighten or startle animals. I suppose anything out of their normal environment has the potential for disturbing them. So even if they do not see the color, they are sensitive to how light reflects from the color.

 

I wonder if some of the driving guides I have had in the past who wore red shirts were aware of this. Perhaps they just really liked their shirts.

 

Solo also did anti-poaching duties. About 2 elephants per year are poached from ANP according to his estimates.

gallery_108_1521_62896.jpg

HIKE PHOTOS: The buffalo, warthog, and giraffe were found in what is known as “The Buffalo Area or Waterfall Area.”

The waterfall is Tululusia—Maasai for Observation.

When I met my hiking friend the second time at the end of the safari at Njozi Ndutu Camp, she told me after having her pink shirt washed, it had faded drastically, so everything worked out in the end. Except maybe spotting a husband through the binos. Then again, her safari was not yet over.

gallery_108_1521_216949.jpg

Longil Lake, Arusha National Park

Game Drive in Arusha National Park: The bushbuck of Arusha National Park were behaving oddly, all out grazing in the meadow like a herd of gazelle. Odder yet, a female was impersonating a warthog, down on her front knees. A rather exciting development I thought.

gallery_108_1521_1197611.jpg

Male and Female Bushbuck in Arusha National Park & a Vervet

But even more exciting, between Ngare Gate and Momella Gate, an area where one might expect Colobus, was a roadside Suni couple. My first ever Suni, and there were two and they were relaxed! The female was not interested in getting her picture taken, but the male was briefly obliging. That was my ANP highlight!

gallery_108_1521_454661.jpg

gallery_108_1521_754406.jpg

Suni in Arusha National Park

Rounding out the day, George found the park’s signature species: The Colobus Monkey.

 

Thoughts on maximizing quality and quantity of ANP’s signature species, the Colobus Monkey:

~Back in Sept of 2011 I did both a ranger walk in the morning (on dry grass) and a gorgeous escorted canoe trip in the afternoon on Small Momella Lake. Devoting a good chunk of time to those activities left less time for Colobus hunting and we almost did not see them until the last 100 meters of forest as the day was running out. That guide was getting worried because he said 95% of visitors to Arusha National Park see Colobus and it looked like I would be the unlucky 5%. Last minute luck prevailed.

 

~The last time I visited ANP I did only a game drive throughout the park (both lakes and forests for monkeys) without any hiking or canoeing and saw/photographed a lot of Colobus. While it is possible to hike to areas to view Colobus, I think the best bet for them is covering more ground by driving in the higher altitude, forested sections of the park (also keeping your eyes open for Suni!)

 

~With odds like 95%, I think it is reasonable to expect to see Colobus if you add one out-of-the-car activity to your drive. My hiking friend also saw Colobus later that day, and we went separate directions after the hike, so she saw different ones. A lot of strategics is not needed to see the Colobus in ANP, especially if you are there for a whole day.

 

~It is possible to spend the drive time for Arusha all in the areas where Colobus live, excluding the lakes and some of the plains. The lakes often have nice flamingos, though, if that is of interest. However, usually a Northern Tanz itin includes the crater, and in green season Ndutu, where there are more flamingo chances. Possible in Manyara at a distance as well.

 

~I have asked if there is a season for best Colobus viewing and the answer was no.

gallery_108_1521_278375.jpg

Colobus Monkeys in Arusha National Park. I like the “Phantom of the Opera” pose of the 3rd frame.

Next installment is the 2 cattle markets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great report @@Atravelynn, I love the colobus pictures.

 

Not to derail things too much, but @@cheetah80 we were told the following when we were in Ndutu in February: our camp was located on the Serengeti side of the area (despite my specific request to be in the NCA, and my itinerary saying we would be in the NCA - not sure if my TO messed up, or the mobile camp changed locations between when we booked and when we went). Every day we went into the NCA we had to first go to the ranger post to do our entry, and then at the end of the day we had to get our exit stamp - you apparently can't pay multiple days if you aren't staying in the NCA. To get the exit stamp, you need to be at the ranger post by 6PM. Perhaps if you are staying on the NCA side, and don't need that stamp, then the 6PM deadline doesn't apply? I'm not familiar enough with the campsite locations to say which side Lynn's camp (at #3 Lake Ndutu) was located on. Just a thought... but I think if you ensure you're staying on the NCA side you should be fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Key point @@Zubbie15! That would have been a pain. Hope it was not too disruptive for you. I was on Ndutu side, no gate to cross.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are killing me with those cheetah photos @@Atravelynn - too cute. So many photos of them babies!!! :wub:

 

I will look forward to the outcome of your conversation with self-drivers : we are very much aware the roads in both Serengeti and NCA can be difficult! But we will kit out with an appropriate vehicle (though even the best ones get shaken until things fall off or get broken!) , and we will visit in the dry season.

 

@@Zubbie15 : from what I can gather the 6pm is strictly enforced if you are going through a gate, but if it is a matter of simply returning back to camp then it turns a bit murky - some folks say it was ok to stay out a bit longer (provided they are back in camp at sunset), others say their drivers meticulously stuck to the 6pm curfew. I guess it depends on the mood of who might see you, and to some extent it depends on who you are. Confusing! Perhaps I'll just hope for overcast conditions at sunset so I'm not tempted at all :P

Edited by cheetah80
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@cheetah80, I thought I had a good theory but since @@Atravelynn was on the Ndutu side I guess it doesn't work... I will say that our camp was a good 30 minutes from the ranger post, so once we did the exit formalities we did get to do a semi-game drive as long as we were headed in the direction of camp. In the end I don't think it affected us too much, but it wasn't ideal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@Atravelynn, the Suni is beautiful, what enormous eyes and almost translucent ears. The only Augur Buzzard photo, and sighting for that matter, I've ever had, was in Arusha NP also. I think it's a lovely park, so lush.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I will look forward to the outcome of your conversation with self-drivers : we are very much aware the roads in both Serengeti and NCA can be difficult! But we will kit out with an appropriate vehicle (though even the best ones get shaken until things fall off or get broken!) , and we will visit in the dry season. Dry season will be easier for you. Though ruts remain. But you're an experienced pro at such things.

@@Atravelynn, the Suni is beautiful, what enormous eyes and almost translucent ears. The only Augur Buzzard photo, and sighting for that matter, I've ever had, was in Arusha NP also. I think it's a lovely park, so lush. Maybe it was the same one. Or a relative.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@cheetah80, I thought I had a good theory but since @@Atravelynn was on the Ndutu side I guess it doesn't work... I will say that our camp was a good 30 minutes from the ranger post, so once we did the exit formalities we did get to do a semi-game drive as long as we were headed in the direction of camp. In the end I don't think it affected us too much, but it wasn't ideal. Africa takes care of even "less than ideal" to make things work out ok. I like that margin of error that is built in. A few giltches, and you can still be richly rewarded and leave smiling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@@Atravelynn I have observed the same behaviour that you saw with the bushbuck, but only in Arusha nat park why I dont really know they must feel more secure there by some reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Safaritalk uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using Safaritalk you agree to our use of cookies. If you wish to refuse the setting of cookies you can change settings on your browser to clear and block cookies. However, by doing so, Safaritalk may not work properly and you may not be able to access all areas. If you are happy to accept cookies and haven't adjusted browser settings to refuse cookies, Safaritalk will issue cookies when you log on to our site. Please also take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use l Privacy Policy