Saw the big 5 easy
Bring heeps of US dollars. Everybody wants payment in US$. I brought $3000us I should have brought $6000 for Kilimanjaro,safari,gorillas,Zanzibar,hotels,tips,day trips etc. I did 3 country's in east Africa. A stable currency is preferred over a fluctuating local currency. Foreign owned business have to pay tax in US$ I was told.
FI
Email Marko Miettinen | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top experience
Everything was well executed, the guide was on time to pick us up from the hotel. The weather was favorable, it rained a few times. The nature is incredibly beautiful. Our guide and driver Mr William was really on top, taking us there and back even though the flooded river was an obstacle. Due to the rains, the roads were in poor condition in places. The accommodation was ok, the food could have been better.
We saw a lot, maybe the highlight was eating wild dogs, eating a dead hippo. We saw lions, elephants, giraffes, Hippos, and others.
Book an organised safari in advance!
We drove down from Kenya (Masai Mara to Arusha via Nairobi in one day - I don't recommend it) and tried to have a look around Tanzania on our own. It didn't work. Immigration kindly informed us that our very expensive visas were only valid for six days, so we booked into a post hotel in Arusha, had a curry for tea, and frantically searched the town for a four day safari to Ngorongoro leaving immediately. Fortunately, Arusha is full of tour operators, so we found one. Unfortunately, it consisted of a mental Michael Schumacher wannabe driving a decrepid Land Cruiser with a cook whose main contribution was to eat all the meat before the tourists got it. The drive to and from the crater was hairy. As such, I would recommend anybody going to do the sensible thing and book a good tour with a reputable company.
The Serengeti and Ngorongoro are amazing parks. The best Leopard action I've ever had, and loads of other excellent animal and bird encounters. The campsites are pretty good aswell. Prices are very high, as they are elsewhere in East Africa, compared with similar parks in southern Africa.
Due to our visa predicament, we didn't have time to see anymore of Tanzania. I'd love to go back though, and go to Zanzibar and the Selous.
