INTRODUCTION
The Serengeti, meaning "extended place" in the Maasai language, is a vast unspoiled rolling Savannah of grasslands and open acacia woodlands which hosts the most spectacular concentration of animals on our planet. In February two million ruminants crowd the Serengeti plains alongside Giraffe, Elephant, Thompson's Gazelle, Lion, Cheetah, and numerous birds. By the end of the 17-day tour we would expect a bird list exceeding 400 species and 40-50 species of mammals including felines and other classic African big game animals. Despite Africa is becoming an expensive continent for nature lovers , we are keeping the tour price as low as possible because we consider this tour one of the most exciting nature spectacle on hearth !a lifetime experience.
Day 1 - Feb 3rd: Travel from Europe to Tanzania. Morning flight from Amstedam to Tanzania. Upon arrival Tanzania and after clearing customs and immigration we transfer to our nearby hotel for the night.
NIGHT: Arumeru River Lodge, Arusha
Day 2 - Feb 4th : Arusha National Park. Although many of the better-known big game animals are present, we'll concentrate on the outstanding birdlife and seek out mammal species we are less likely to find elsewhere: for example, Black and White Colobus Monkey, Blue or Sykes Monkey, duikers, and Bushbuck. There are open grasslands with small lakes holding a variety of waterbirds and specialties such as Pangani Longclaw, Singing & Trilling cisticolas. Other tracks will take us into thicker forests of Mahogany, Fig, Cedar, and Wild Mango. Here we'll search for raptors such as Crowned Eagle and African Goshawk, colorful forest birds including Narina's and Bar-tailed Trogon, Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater and Hartlaub's Turaco, Bronze-naped Pigeon, raucous Silvery-cheeked Hornbills, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, White-headed Barbet, Mountain Wagtail, Taveta Golden Weaver and Black-fronted Bush-Shrike. We may glimpse the snow-clad peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at 19,340 feet.
NIGHT: Arumeru River Lodge, Arusha
Day 3 - Feb 5th: To Lake Victoria. We make an early transfer to Arusha domestic airport to fly to the far west and land by the shores of Lake Victoria at Mwanza. We will be met by our safari driver/guides who will take us directly to Speke’s Bay Lodge, situated right on the shores of the lake. We will arrive in time to do a full afternoon of birding in the extensive and easily watched grounds on the edge of the immense Lake Victoria where a good number of special birds not found elsewhere on our tour await us. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded on the Lodge's 250 acres of grounds. Birds of freshwater habitats – herons, egrets, ducks, and pelicans will be prominent. Shorebirds could also be numerous and include local residents such as Long-toed and African Wattled Plovers. The water margins and emergent vegetation of papyrus, reed and sedge will be of particular interest for the chance of finding birds less likely or impossible elsewhere: African Open-billed Stork, Heuglin’s Courser, Slender-tailed and Square-tailed Nightjars, Black and Blue-headed Coucals, Broad-billed Roller, Rufous Chatterer, Swamp Flycatcher, Great, African and Eurasian Reed-Warblers, Lesser Swamp and Sedge Warblers, Angola Swallow, Red-chested Sunbird, Black-headed Gonolek, Pied Kingfisher, Black Cuckoo-Shrike, Black-winged Bishop, Northern Brown-throated, Slender-billed, Golden-backed and Black-headed Weavers.
NIGHT: Speke’s Bay Lodge
Day 4, 5- Feb 6th & 7th : To The Central Serengeti. This morning we’ll have plenty of time to make further forays through the grounds at Speke’s Bay, catching up with anything missed yesterday. This is an exciting area where new discoveries are being made every year. On my 2011 tour we confirmed first inland records of Little Terns for Tanzania here. Everything we need to find occurs within the grounds of Speke’s Bay lodge along the nearby shores of the largest expanse of water in Africa – Lake Victoria.
After an early lunch, (or we may set off earlier with a picnic), we will set off the short distance to the entrtance gate of the Serengeti National Park. We’ll spend the afternoon heading eastwards through the Western Corridor on a game drive of about 50 miles or so to our lodge for the next two nights. We’ll check out the riverine forest fringe of the Grumeti River (complete with huge Nile Crocodiles) to check out further special birds such as Gray-headed Bushshrike, Eastern Plantain-eater, and Black-headed Gonolek. There will no doubt be many game animals here such as Wildebeest, Common Zebra and Impala on the tall grass plains where birds such as Secretarybird, bustards and ostrich are commonplace. We may find our first Lions or other predators and certainly take advantage of any wildlife and birding opportunities as we go, before reaching our Lodge by early evening.
NIGHT: Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Serengeti. NIGHT: Serengeti Sopa Lodge, Serengeti
Day 6 - Feb 8th : To the Eastern Serengeti. We'll head off eastward again this morning, approximately 50 miles out across the Serengeti Plains to the Ndutu region. We'll allow most of the day for our journey, so that we'll have time to wander and visit any wildlife spectacles or concentrations on the way – you never know what pleasant surprises or excitement may dictate a temporary change of plan or route, so we'll be as flexible as possible to cater for the unexpected. This is an excellent day for chances of finding Lions, Cheetahs and Leopard. We'll be able to stretch our legs if we wish at a very good open-air Visitor Center (excellent for birds and Hyraxes) and at Naabi Gate, one of the official entrances to the National Park where we can take a short bird walk. Ndutu Lodge is out on the short-grass plains far from other lodges, tucked away as close to the main gatherings of plains games as we can get. There is a wonderful feeling of remoteness here and should be a true highlight of the tour.
NIGHT: Ndutu Lodge, South-eastern Serengeti
Day 7,8 - Feb 9th &10th: Ndutu area. We'll have two full days in potentially the prime area to watch one of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth — the massed concentrations of calving Wildebeest on the Serengeti. The Wildebeest are at the end of their 500-mile circular migration here. Basically they follow the rains and the resultant regeneration of green grasses all the way north to the Mara area of Kenya. Then it's back again to rest in the ensuing long rains on the short-grass plains of the south-east of Serengeti around Ndutu where they calve and rear their young to a stage when they can again move on north and west by May or June. Hopefully we will witness many aspects of this dynamic ecosystem - from calving, through the inevitable predation by the large concentrations of Lions, Cheetahs, Leopards, Jackals and Hyenas, to the spectacle of five species of vultures scavenging and cleaning up the leftovers of the kill. The incredible abundance, variety, and action of the mammals alone will give us plenty to occupy our time here. Of course, birding opportunities are legion. Very often while setting out to perhaps watch prides of Lions, Leopards with their prey cached in an acacia, or Hyenas mud-bathing in the heat of the day, new birds will appear and be a pleasant distraction. The open grassland and scant acacia scrub hold many new species. Obvious are the Ostriches, Secretary Birds, Lilac-breasted and European rollers, and Little Bee-eaters, along with raptors such as Long-crested Eagle, Dark and Pale Chanting Goshawks, and noisy Crowned and Blacksmith plovers. Often, groups of Fischer's Sparrow-Larks, Rufous-naped and Red-capped larks, Red-billed Queleas, Black-faced, Chestnut-bellied and Yellow-throated sandgrouse, and various cisticolas flush up from the grass as we move along. The endemic Gray-breasted Spurfowl, Fischer's Lovebird, and Rufous-tailed Weaver are common in this area, along with D’Arnaud’s Barbet, Green Wood Hoopoe, Cardinal and Nubian woodpeckers, Black-lored Babbler, Beautiful and Mariqua sunbirds, and Wire-tailed Swallow. NIGHT: Ndutu Lodge, South-eastern Serengeti
Day 9, 10- Feb 11th & 12th: To The Ngorongoro Crater. We'll leave the Ndutu area on our journey east to arrive at the famous Ngorongoro Crater by early evening. There is much to see and do on the way. We'll be out of the National Park, but still in the Conservation area and driving for many miles across open short grass plains still potentially full of vast herds of Wildebeest, Thomson's and Grant's Gazelles, Common Zebra and all their attendant predators. As we drive, we will be able to appreciate the huge scale of this ecosystem that we've been travelling through west to east for several days by now — all the more remarkable for being preserved almost fully intact. After a short and exciting morning safari we should arrive at the archaeological site of Olduvai Gorge by lunchtime. Here we can pay homage to our ancestors, with a brief orientation talk and visit to the field museum overlooking the layered rocks of the gorge where we can ponder the life and times of these early hominids. There is also the option today to visit a Maasai village en route, to learn first-hand something of their unchanged way of life as open plain pastoralists. By late afternoon we'll be on the rim of the immense caldera of Ngorongoro where our home for the next two nights is situated. A special bonus will be to reach our lodge by driving down into the Crater and crossing the floor on our first game-drive in this remarkable place before ascending on the other side.
The grounds of the Lodge are 2000' above the crater floor and amidst a very distinct moss-draped acacia forest. Here we'll want to spend further time birding for special birds of the highlands. White-necked Ravens, White-eyed Slaty and African Dusky Flycatchers, African Hill Babbler, White-starred Robin, Cinnamon Bracken-Warbler, Streaky and Thick-billed Seedeaters, Eastern Double-collared and the flashy Golden-winged Sunbirds are all present and likely. If fig trees are fruiting we may find concentrations of feeding birds - Black-backed Puffback, Northern Olive Thrush, Red-collared Widowbird, Mountain Greenbul, Montane White-eye, Mountain Yellow Flycatcher, Schalow's Turaco, glossy starlings, woodpeckers, and hornbills.
NIGHT: Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Day 11 - Feb13th: To Tloma Lodge. It is a short drive around the forested rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and on to Gibb’s Farm for lunch. We'll have time for birding along the way before arriving by mid-morning at this lovely lodge with wonderful flower gardens full of sunbirds and African Paradise Flycatchers. After one of the best lunches in Tanzania there are two tempting options for the afternoon. Here in the cool of the Ngorongoro highlands, amidst idyllic and beautifully laid out ornamental gardens and coffee plantations there is the opportunity to take a well-earned break and relax. For the keener birders the fringing forest beckons! We can take a fairly easy afternoon hike of about 4 hours covering about 2.5-3 miles into the Conservation Area to seek out more of the excellent birding opportunities: everything from Crowned Eagles and Upland Buzzards to Arrow-marked Babblers, Yellow-bellied Waxbills, Stripe-cheeked Greenbuls, Black-throated Wattle-eye, Gray-capped and Brown Woodland Warblers, Bar-throated, Yellow-breasted and Brown-headed Apalises, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove; Klaas, Dideric, and African Emerald Cuckoos, Crested Guineafowl, White-tailed Blue Flycatcher and more. After our walk we transfer a very short distance to Tloma Lodge – another lovely site full of flower gardens for our overnight stay.
NIGHT: Plantation Lodge
Day 12 - Feb 14th : Lake Manyara National Park. The loud duetting of Tropical Boubous and the frenzied, fluty songs of White-browed Robin-Chats will start the dawn chorus and awaken us at Plantation Lodge. After breakfast we'll have time to have a last wander through the gardens to see the African Paradise Flycatchers, Red-billed Firefinches, the sunbirds on the gorgeous flowering shrubs: Bronze, Tacazze, and Malachite included and hopefully the Tanzanian endemic White-tailed Blue-Flycatcher. Immediately after breakfast we’ll have to drag ourselves away for the very short drive westwards, down the steep escarpment of the great Rift Valley to Lake Manyara National Park where we'll spend the remainder of the day. Manyara is a small Park centered around a soda lake directly below some impressive Rift Valley cliffs. It is a magnet for waterbirds and migrants, as well as having other distinctive habitats and an excellent variety of large mammals. On entering the Park we pass through miles of forest fed by streams rising through the base of the Rift Valley cliffs above. This cool, shady area offers great birding opportunities for localised species such as Purple-crested Turaco and Giant Kingfisher. Here too we'll be treated to many close encounters with large groups of Olive Baboons. Out on the open, dry acacia scrub fringes of the lake are found all the classic big game animals of East Africa, including comical Warthogs busily trotting through the bush with their tails held upright, plus some large and very dark examples of Giraffes. We should encounter our first African Elephants here too. Depending on water levels, we may find huge concentrations of waterbirds, including nesting Lesser and Greater flamingos, Marabou and Yellow-billed storks, Great White and Pink-backed pelicans, Great and Long-tailed cormorants, Sacred Ibis, African Spoonbills, Black-headed Herons, and numerous egrets. Waterfowl may include Spur-winged Goose; Comb Duck; Cape and Hottentot teals; and Red-billed, White-backed, and Maccoa Ducks. We'll also find a good mix of resident and wintering shorebirds such as Pied Avocet, Black-winged Stilt, Marsh Sandpiper, Little Stint, and Kittlitz's and Chestnut-banded sandplovers.
NIGHT: Lake Manyara Hotel
Day 13,14 Feb 15th & 16th : Tarangire National Park. We head east again after breakfast along excellent paved roads to Tarangire for a two-night stay. The roads in this part of Tanzania are now excellent, so no longer do we spend hours on rutted dusty tracks between the National Parks, but slip speedily between destinations. This should allow a good chunk of the first afternoon plus a full day next day on safari in Tarangire. The habitats here reflect a drier region subject to seasonal rains and drought. Thornbush is studded with giant Baobab trees, which are useful stores of moisture for the large Elephant herds in drier times. The Baobab's gargantuan trunks are scarred through generations of gouging by Elephant tusks. Running through its center is the Tarangire River with wide grassy palm-dotted flood plains. Our main interest here will be viewing the large Elephant herds, though our game drives will take us past Impala, Giraffe, Zebra, Waterbuck, and other typical plains game. The area often produces sightings of Leopard, resting on tree limbs in the heat of the day. Tarangire is also exciting birding territory - especially in the northern winter when plenty of Palearctic migrants are present. Our accommodation is a pleasant Lodge situated in the heart of the National Park. There are opportunities to relax (there is a pleasantly cooling swimming pool) but many find the environment so exciting they never want to stop! The endemic Ashy Starling and Yellow-collared Lovebird are common garden birds here, along with Crested Francolin, Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Scops-Owl, Verraux's Eagle-Owl, Freckled Nightjar, White-rumped Shrike, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Cliffchat, Brubru, Bearded Woodpecker, Red-headed Weaver, Slate-colored Boubou, Tawny-flanked Prinia, and Lesser Striped-Swallow. Out in the bush we'll find many more superb birds: from Bateleur Eagles to Pygmy
Falcons, Saddle-billed Storks and Hamerkops, Helmeted Guineafowl and Yellow-necked Spurfowl, to Double-banded Coursers, Black-faced Sandgrouse, exotic White-headed Buffalo-Weavers, Blue-cheeked Bee-Eaters and Paradise Whydahs, to the more obscure cisticolas, camaropteras, pytilias, eremomelas, larks and pipits. NIGHTS: Tarangire Sopa Lodge
Day 15 - Feb 17th: Return to Arusha and homeward. As we exit Tarangire by mid/late morning, there is always a last minute chance for that final Leopard or new bird for our extensive list before making the short journey back to Arusha. We arrive in time for lunch at a huge Art and Cultural Centre offering great opportunities for optional last minute shopping - everything from inexpensive souvenirs to fine works of art. We then transfer to a hotel by late afternoon with individual day rooms to wash, change, and repack prior to our evening departure towards home. Most participants will be taking the KLM flight to Amsterdam.
DAYROOMS: KIA Lodge or Ilboru Lodge
Day 16 - Feb 18th: If using the KLM flight out of Arusha on Feb 17th, you will arrive into Amsterdam in the early morning with time to connect to flights to your UK regional airport.
