Trip Report - Dec. '06

Tour: Northern Tanzania
Dates: December 16th to 29th, 2006
Group Size: ten
Group's origin: Vancouver, BC.

The planned itinerary:

Day One: Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater. Special campsite on north rim.
Day Two: Ngorongoro Crater.
Days Three, Four, and Five: Trek from Nainakanoka village (Olmoti Crater) to Lake Natron. Fly camping on Empakai Crater rim and Acacia Camp near Naiyobi village.
Day Six: Lake Natron area. Moivaro Tented Camp.
Day Seven: Lake Natron to Nasera Rock. Special camping.
Day Eight: Nasera Rock.
Day Nine: Xmas Eve: Nasera to Serengeti. Special camping.
Day Ten: Xmas Day: Serengeti.
Day Eleven: Serengeti to Ndutu. Ndutu Safari Lodge.
Day Twelve: Ndutu to Tarangire. Tarangire Safari Lodge.
Day Thirteen: Tarangire National Park.
Day Fourteen: Tarangire to Arusha.

To travel hopefully is sound advice. Heavy rains washed away our plans to camp at Nasera Rock in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area's Gol Mountains. Floods disrupted our Christmas Day in the Serengeti. On the other hand, the southern Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area were awash with wildebeest and zebra. It was the best migration I have seen in a long time. Was it worth missing Nasera, getting stuck and having to wade a few streams? Well, it's a real shame about Nasera - it's a fantastic place - but yes, to see the plains green and covered with antelope was worth every bit of temporary inconvenience and discomfort. And Tanzania really needed these downpours to fill empty reservoirs.

A picture speaks a thousand words so I direct you to tour member and technology wizard Graham's web site of photos and video shorts of this safari. datasets.ca/africa

You can also check out tour member Jane's concise and witty take on the safari as well as life. www.spindriftanddreams.blogspot.com

16-02-2007