Nyamera Treks and Safaris

An outstanding trip to Tanzania; Kilimanjaro and safari

I engaged Nyamera Treks and Safaris on the recommendation of a very large, well-respected African tour organization that felt Nyamera would meet my needs.

They definitely did.

I let them know I would like to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and do a fairly extensive safari to follow.

From the very first communication, Gift Living (co-owner with George Temba) was swiftly responsive and informative to my many questions. Unlike many people, I arranged this trip in less than two months, but the company made it easy for me.

I stayed two nights in a modest hotel (by my request), and did some low-key acclimation walking for two days. Do take time to take the waterfall and coffee making tour on one of your pre-hike afternoons, if you can.

Once I met my Kilimanjaro guide, Jackson, I had access to his expertise and guidance. For example, he determined that I would need a heavier jacket and mountain pants, and accompanied me to a place that rented to me for a very reasonable fee.

I am a fast climber with lots of experience up to 14,000 to 14,500 feet. With acclimation in mind, Gift set me up for a seven-day expedition. I thought this was probably too slow for me, but I understand the need to err on the side of caution.

Thankfully, Jackson recognized my fitness and abilities, and we ended up summiting and exiting the park after just three and a half days (first day was a half day). I really appreciate the trust in me and willingness to be flexible according to my abilities.

As I'd anticipated, my skills and fitness carried me fairly easily to base camp (Barrafu) 15,000 feet. Jackson and I summited, stayed up top, and made it back to base camp in 8 hours. The climb from base camp to Stella Point is very, very steep and challenging, given the continuously dwindling air supply. I found the last 6/10ths of a mile to the top also very slow and grueling; there's not much air at 19,000 feet!

We left the summit and went all the way down to exit the park in late afternoon.

The guidance and skills of Jackson were outstanding. The food and meal service were excellent; my only caveat is that there was much too much of it, for me! That's much better than not enough, of course.

I couldn't ask for a better Kilimanjaro experience and I applaud the whole team for making it happen.

~~

On Safari, I flew to the northern Serengeti from Kilimanjaro airport in Arusha. I expected a slow introduction to the wildlife, but in just the first afternoon my eyes were stuffed with incredible sightings. Thinking back, it almost seems as if the wildlife was wall-to-wall in the northern Serengeti.

George accompanied me with Peter, the guide. Peter was deeply knowledgeable about not just the wildlife, but the ecosystem, geology, politics and other factors that make Tanzania's parks so special.

The central Serengeti was not as densely populate with wildlife, but if anything, the show was better. Ngorongoro Crater was much the same, and allowed me to check the last animal off my list of hoped-for sightings, both black and white rhinos. The final day's short drive through Tarangiri National Park gave me the opportunity to see some animals I didn't even expect to see, such as mongoose.

The accommodations at safari lodges were spectacularly luxurious, clean and stunningly beautiful. I have literally never traveled in such posh circumstances. If I have any advice, go with another person! I loved the lodges and town hotels, but it would have been even more fun with a companion.

Be advised that in between "game drives," there is a good deal of commuting on wash-boarded, dusty roads between regions and lodges. Again, having a companion or two will serve you, making those hours pass more swiftly.

As I suggested to George, I do wish there were a "tips included" option for safari and Kili packages both. I of course loved the friendliness and helpfulness of all staff, porters, etc., and I fully wanted to compensate them generously. That was, for me, somewhat confusing. I had to visit ATMs several times, and I was never really sure of appropriate tip amounts or protocols for whom I should be tipping, and for what.

Again, this is not about me not wanting to tip generously, but rather about my stress at not really knowing how best to do that. A friend told me that cruise ships often offer a "tips included" package, whereby the clients pay up front, and the company handles distribution. I think this would be most welcome, except perhaps tipping main players such as guides.

I came to feel like I'd made swift friendships on the climb and safari, especially with Jackson, George and Peter. They all worked hard to ensure I had an incredibly memorable experience and I cannot recommend Nyamera highly enough.

To reiterate my few suggestions:

* Travel with at least one companion
* Expect some long days in transit
* In the absence of a "tips included" policy, I would suggest bringing at least $2,000-$3,000 in cash to cover the myriad tipping situations you will encounter. And talk to previous travelers to learn more about how they handled gratuities.

Overall, a fantastic experience. Thanks to everyone at Nyamera!