Travel Into Africa

Wild Tanzania!

Wildlife Safari to Southern and Western Tanzania

September 9 - 22, 2009

September 9, 2009 - Wednesday
Depart the USA on our international flight. We have the option of leaving early and stopping over in Europe for a few days to break up the long flight schedule. The airlines charge an additional fee for this.

September 10, 2009 - Thursday
We arrive at our European gateway city and continue on to Tanzania. Upon our evening arrival, we are met by our Authentic Tanzania safari guides and transferred to the Mediterraneo Hotel which overlooks the Indian Ocean.

Lodging: Mediterraneo Hotel

September 13, 2009 - Sunday
Today we travel overland to our tented camp in Ruaha National Park, stopping for lunch in Iringa. We plan to dine at the Gallery Cafe run by Neema Crafts, an organization that teaches crafts to disabled Tanzanians. It will be a great place to shop for souvenirs of your safari. We'll "game-drive" our way through Ruaha National Park to our tented camp, arriving mid-afternoon. Our camp will be set up in the best area for game-viewing at this time of year.

Lodging: Authentic Ruaha Camp. B, L, D

September 14 - 16 , 2009 - Monday through Wednesday

We will spend our days in Ruaha National Park searching for Tanzania's largest elephant herds. Spread throughout the park are huge baobab trees, also known as "upside down" trees. Elephants love to feed on this tree, sometimes carving a hole right through it! There is far more to Ruaha, however, than just elephants. This rugged landscape, carved by the Great Ruaha River, hosts baobab-climbing leopards, large numbers of lions, giraffes and zebras. The park is also home to hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, greater and lesser kudu, hyena, sable and roan antelope, and hartebeest. Ruaha is also one of the few remaining places where healthy populations of the endangered wild dogs occur. We will also have the option to do a walking safari in Ruaha.

Lodging: Authentic Ruaha Camp. B, L, D

September 17, 2009 - Thursday

This morning, we will take a two-hour flight to Katavi National Park in western Tanzania, the "holy grail" for experienced safari-goers. We will be staying at the lovely permanent tented camp, Katuma Bush Lodge, our home for the next four nights. This afternoon, we'll begin our exploration of Katavi.

Lodging: Katuma Bush Lodge. B, L, D

September 18 - 20, 2009 - Friday through Sunday
Katavi National Park is universally recognized as one of the last truly remote and untouched areas in Africa. Our long journey of adventure will be rewarded with some of the best game-viewing in Africa. At this time of year, water is scarce and the wildlife will be crowded around the few remaining sources of water. Imagine buffalo herds in the thousands, massive pods of hippos, hordes of zebra, wildebeest, topi, sable and roan antelope, and elephants. Of course, the predators won't be far away! The Katavi lions are reportedly some of the largest in Africa. This is the Africa of yesteryear, of Hemingway and Selous, of Livingstone and Stanley.
Lodging: Katuma Bush Lodge. B, L, D

September 21, 2009 - Monday
Late this morning, we will begin our journey back to Dar es Salaam. Our long flight will be broken up with a stopover in Ruaha. As most international flights such as KLM depart in the late evening, we will be transported to the Slipway complex for a relaxing dinner before our departure. There are several restaurants from which to choose and shops for last-minute purchases. For those who have chosen optional extensions, you will either fly from Katavi to Mahale National Park for chimpanzee trekking, or will stay overnight in Dar es Salaam before continuing on to Zanzibar.

En-Route: B, L

September 22, 2009 - Tuesday
Continue our international flight home to the USA.

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The Price of Adventure: $4,095 (Per Person, Double Occupancy) Plus International Air

Single Supplement: $400

Note: The itinerary and flights are subject to change, as necessary.

Domestic flight prices and national park fees are subject to change at very short notice and any such increases will have to be passed on to travelers.

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Price Includes:

•  Escorted by Sharon Taylor, experienced African traveler and photographer
•  Airport transfers in Tanzania
•  Rugged 4x4 vehicles and expert driver/guides
• Park entry and camping fees
• Supply vehicles and camp crew for Authentic tented camps
• Domestic flights: Ruaha - Katavi - Dar es Salaam
• All accommodations in Tanzania
• All meals while in Tanzania, except as noted
• Bottled water while on game drives and in your room or tent
• Soft drinks at Katuma Bush Lodge
• Membership in First Responder medical evacuation plan
• Detailed "Safari Handbook"
  

Price Does Not Include:

• International airfare to and from Tanzania.
• Tanzanian visa (currently, $100).
• Inoculations and malaria prophylactics, as needed. Note: yellow fever inoculation may be required. 
• Travel Insurance.
• Items of a personal nature such as souvenirs, telephone calls, etc.
• Laundry service
• Bottled water at meals, soft drinks, beer & wine (except as noted)
• Gratuities: Driver/guides, hotel and camp staffs, porters, etc.

          NOTE: $25 to $30 per day should be enough to cover these last 3 items.

Air Arrangements:

We have contracted with an African Travel Specialist who will be able to get the best fares available for your journey to Tanzania. Major airlines with service to Dar es Salaam include KLM, British Airways, and Swiss Air. If purchasing a ticket through our Specialist, the reservations need not be ticketed until about 60 prior to departure, but these less expensive seats will be booked early.

Frequent Fliers:

For those wishing to use frequent flier miles to Africa, most airlines require 80,000 miles for an Economy seat or 120,000 miles for a Business Class seat. If you don’t have enough miles to travel to Africa but can book a free ticket to Europe, you can purchase a separate ticket to Dar es Salaam from most European destinations.

Travel Insurance:

It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance to cover your investment in this safari. You can compare plans and purchase insurance on websites such as http://insuremytrip.com or http://www.travelinsurancecenter.com. This should be done within 7 to 21 days after making your initial trip payment (varies by company and plan.) If you purchase your insurance within this time period, you usually receive two enhancements: (1) protection against the financial default of a tour operator or airline, and (2) waiver of the pre-existing medical condition exclusion. Again, these vary by plan.

Passports and Visas:

Ensure that your passport is valid for at least six months after your departure from Tanzania. You may purchase your visa from the Tanzania embassy here in the United States, or simply purchase it at the Dar es Salaam airport upon your arrival. Currently, the cost is $100.