Tanzania: Custom Boutique Luxury Travel

Tanzania is twice the size of neighboring Kenya, with one third less population. Over 15% of Tanzanian land is dedicated to parks, reserves and conservation area.

For the purpose of safari, its game areas can be divided into two Sectors, the Nothern, and the more remote Southern sector. In the North, the famous game areas include Tarangire, Lake Manyara, NgoroNgoro and the Serengeti. Much is written about all of these, and they form a fairly busy tourist circuit, where it is sometimes hard to escape others. The Serengeti, 6,300 square miles of wild Africa, bordering and extending into Kenya’s Mara, is an unforgettable sight, particularly during the wildebeest migration which in that area is best seen in January through March. The NgoroNgoro crater is still one of the natural wonders of the world, even though tourism has truly discovered it.

In the South, the Selous and Ruaha are much less traveled and highly recommended, accessed usually through Dar Es Salaam. The island of Zanzibar is both a stimulating and restful experience. Far in the West, Lake Tanganyika, Mahale Mountains and Katavi, though difficult and expensive to reach, should be visited. As in Kenya, weather is good all the year round, except the rainy seasons of April, May, and November.

Highlights:
tanzania_001 Mount Kilimanjaro: at 19,340ft, dominates the skyline both in Kenya and Tanzania. The glaciers have receeded greatly this century, but seasonally the snow cap is still impressive. As Africa’s highest peak, it is climbed by thousands of people every year, and the trick now is to avoid the crowds! The hike should never be underestimated, as it is definitely tough, with the altitude taking its toll! A minimum of seven days needs to be allocated to this project. It is no longer cheap, and there are a number of routes that are both scenic and more remote. Years ago I climbed the populous Marangu route, and more recently the Machame route with a Safari Experts group!

tanzania_002 Selous Safari Camp – Luxury tented Camp on the Rufiji river – Selous: The Selous game Reserve, at 21,000 sq miles, is the largest game area in Africa, and with very few tourist facilities, this beautiful camp on the edge of quiet water just off the Rufiji river, features on verandah game viewing!. Camp owner Charles Dobie is here enjoying an after lunch game drive without moving an inch!! Shortly after I took this picture, the elephant moved up and shook all the palm nuts off the tree onto his tent. It was rather too close to get further pictures! Activities from this 12 tent camp are boat trips along the Rufiji to view the marvelous aquatic bird life, as well as the crocodile and hippos. In addition there are game drives in open vehicles and walks.

Another spectacular option in the Selous is Sand Rivers, set in a vast paradise of dry river beds, Miombo woodland and floodplains that appear suddenly from the dense bush. The finest way to see the Africa of old is to take a 6 day walking safari with one of Africa’s best known guides – Richard Bonham
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A typical mobile tented camp: Throughout East Africa, the mobile camp is “the way to go”, as it recreates the days of yore, and there simply is nothing to surpass the feeling of sleeping out, or under canvas, in Africa. This way you soak up the night sounds and complete the safari experience. The traditional camp has all the amenities you will need, but certainly is not the cheapest way to go, as the logistics are substantial in providing ice, hot water at all times, as well as four course cordon bleu meals!

tanzania_004 Chimpanzees at Mahale Mountains: On the Eastern shores of the worlds longest and second deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika, nestles Greystoke Mahale Mountains camp. This uniquely style extravaganza is a must for those wishing to get truly away! There is no easy or cheap way to get there, but that is much of the magic. An estimated 800 wild chimpanzees live in the area, only about 60 are habituated to humans, and there are many other primates and forest animals to be seen. Goggling for Cyclids in the clear waters of the lake whose bottom is 600ft below sea level is a real thrill. A 2hr flight southwest to Katavi will bring you vast quantities of game with not another soul in sight. June until October is the best time in this area.

tanzania_005 Luxury at the Ngoro Ngoro Crater: Perched right on the edge of this worldfamous crater, the luxury Crater lodge offers luxury and style that almost seems out of place in Africa – that is until you live it! Specatcular views of the crater floor, 1800 feet below, are to be had from every room of this 30 room lodge, which is divided into 3 small villages, each with their own intimate dining area. The crater itself is one of the wonders of the world, brimming with wildlife in this 100 sq mile unique ecosystem.