About The Photographic Safari
Looking for a photographic destination of a lifetime? Well this is it! This photographic safari will be conducted in the east African country of Tanzania, home to the Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro. It will combine an exciting photography workshop in one of the world's most outstanding wildlife, landscape and cultural locations together with a luxury vacation in fascinating Tanzania. We are combining three of the best wildlife photography locations in Tanzania in one single trip: Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti National Park and Mahale Mountains National Park. This safari is not a typical itinerary for us, and is a very unique and special safari. Due to the cost, the logistics and the minimum physical fitness required, I might not offer this safari very often.
Tanzania
Tanzania, south of Kenya on the African continent's Indian Ocean coastline, lays claim to the title Home of the Safari, since the word itself is taken from the Swahili word that means "journey." While Tanzania's Kenyan neighbors may dispute that claim, there is no doubt that Tanzania offers one of the best environments in the world for an enriching wildlife experience. The country's game viewing opportunities are considered by many to be the best in Africa. Its game parks are populated with many of the world's most exotic creatures, including all of the "Big Five." Its lakes are huge and bountiful with fish. Its cities are relaxed and friendly. Yet, to a greater degree than is true of many of its neighbors, this sprawling county, the largest in East Africa, remains untouched by the vacationing hordes.
It's About Photography — Lots of it!
This workshop will be very informal and fun. Andy Biggs will be shooting alongside you at all times. We will have discussion and assistance on specialized topics such as, for example, long lens technique, projection flash usage, action shooting, wildlife observation, field craft and east African animal behavior. Advanced techniques will be constantly discussed, demonstrated and put into practice.
This workshop is about shooting. Lots of shooting. There will be no classroom sessions, no lectures, no slide shows, and most importantly, no unnecessary egos. We will all work closely together, sharing our knowledge and experience.
Because of the unique location of this workshop, and the luxury accommodations, this workshop adventure is open to spouses as well as photographers. Even non-photographers will find the locales visited and the wildlife viewing opportunities to be thrilling. The cost for non-photographers is the same as for active participants.
The Schedule
October 16 - Depart home country (applicable for those opting for additional airfare from New York or Boston).
October 17 - Amsterdam to Arusha, Tanzania.
Upon arrival, you are met by our guides and transferred to the Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge. Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge is located just outside of Arusha, minutes away from Arusha National Park.Perched in the foothills of Mount Meru, the lodge is the perfect place to relax from your long journey. Rooms are set amidst lush gardens, each one furnished with locally crafted furniture and decorative pieces.
October 18 - Arusha to Ngorongoro Highlands
After a delicious breakfast you depart for Ngorongoro Crater. Our first glimpse of the Ngorongoro crater floor is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The world’s largest unbroken caldera, the crater is a geologic marvel, and in addition, boasts some of the densest wildlife populations in the world. We will arrive at our luxury camp in time for lunch, and this afternoon, you will take the steep, scenic descent road onto the crater floor. This mini-ecosystem of savanna, forest and small lakes sustains a huge number of non-migratory animals year round. In the evening, you will return to your Nyumba (kiswahili word for home), high on the escarpment wall. At this elevation, temperatures are cool year-round, so be sure to bring a sweater. Take advantage of the roaring fire, sitting in a comfortable chair, admiring the canopy of stars overhead and talking about all the day’s interesting sightings. Overnight Luxury camp.
October 19 - Ngorongoro Crater
Day of wildlife viewing in Ngorongoro Crater. Rise early and head depart for the crater floor at 6am. Enjoy a morning of wildlife viewing in the world’s most concentrated mammalian habitat. You may see lion, cheetah, flamingo, warthog or hippo, to name just a few, all with the 10 mile wide caldera. Overnight on the crater rim.
October 20 - Ngorongoro Crater / Olduvai Gorge / Serengeti National Park
Rise early today, with the cool, fresh air of this high elevation filling your lungs and invigorating your spirit. You will make your way around the southern edge of the crater rim, spotting occasional hyena, elephant or African buffalo along the way. Along the way you will pass picturesque Maasai bomas and see the local Maasai in their bright red robes walking or tending their flocks as they do every day. En route, you will stop at Olduvai Gorge, where several generations of the Leakey family have toiled for decades, making important archeological discoveries in relation to the origins of “man.” The museum may be small, but the collection is a fascinating mix of fossils, bones and historical information. By late morning, you will arrive at the Serengeti National Park entrance gate where a sign welcomes you to "The World As It Was In The Beginning". From there, the sprawling landscape of the Serengeti begins to unfurl before you. It is impressive in its size, but also in the variety and number of species it protects. From the comfort of your Nyumba, you will enjoy your first night in this extraordinary wilderness.
October 21 - Serengeti National Park
Listen for the African dove or superb starling as you wake to your first morning in the Serengeti. From the comfort of your Nyumba, you may even spot giraffe or zebra grazing in the distance. After breakfast, you begin your quest to discover abundant wildlife and fascinating wildlife behavior.
This morning you have the option of joining a Serengeti balloon safari (advance reservations required, pending availability). The experience begins with a pre-dawn drive to the balloon launch site, where you are given a briefing on your impending adventure. As the sun rises, you lift gently off the ground, enjoying a bird’s eye perspective as you skim over the tops of acacia trees, meander over the Seronera River and finally land in a scenic location where champagne and a full English breakfast await. Lunch is served at your Nyumba, and the rest of the day is yours to enjoy a quiet afternoon on your verandah or to join the guides on another wildlife viewing drive.
October 22 - Serengeti National Park
For a different perspective on the scenery, you will move to a Nyumba located in a private site used by Thomson Safaris. New areas are yet to be explored and new sights are waiting to be seen. Arrive there in time for lunch, having experienced wonderful wildlife viewing along the way. Out on the plains, you will be looking for warthog, jackal, eland, kudu, reedbuck, baboon, topi, hyena, gerenuk, giraffe and more. Near water sources such as the Mara river, you’ll be on the lookout for some of the largest crocodiles in Africa, hippos, kingfishers, egrets, monitor lizards and more.
Out on the plains, you will be looking for warthog, jackal, eland, kudu, reedbuck, baboon, topi, hyena, gerenuk, giraffe and more. Near water sources such as the Mara river, you’ll be on the lookout for some of the largest crocodiles in Africa, hippos, kingfishers, egrets, monitor lizards and more.
October 23 - Serengeti National Park
Enjoy a full day in the Serengeti. Take a picnic lunch as you head out on the trail in your trusted Land Rovers. Roll down the windows, or stand up to take advantage of the customized roof hatch, feeling the fresh air rush past as you navigate winding paths and secret trails in your pursuit of interesting wildlife sightings. With this perspective, you have unhindered 360º views, and the possibilities for what lies in store are endless. Return to camp late this afternoon with time to refresh before dinner this evening.
October 24 - Serengeti National Park
More wildlife viewing is on the agenda today, your last full day in the remote bush of the northern Serengeti. This evening when you return to the Nyumbas, you will savor the brilliant equatorial sunset as you enjoy refreshments and snacks in the open-air lounge. Go over your experiences and compare notes with your fellow safari-goers. Rest easy, and enjoy being lulled to sleep by the sounds of your last night on the Serengeti plains.
October 25 - Arusha Coffee Lodge
Late morning flight to Arusha (50 lb baggage limit), arriving in time for lunch. Head to your nearby day room where you can repack for the next leg of your journey. Later this afternoon you’ll go to Thomson Safaris head office in Arusha to lock any unnecessary photography equipment in safe storage for the duration of your Mahale extension. (Flights* to Mahale have a very strict 33lb TOTAL BAGGAGE WEIGHT limit including all camera gear and all clothing in both carry-on and check-through bags. Also, it is prohibited to take flash photography of chimpanzees. Please pack accordingly. Finally, recharging digital equipment or batteries may not be possible at Mahale. Please plan on charging equipment prior to visiting Mahale and/or use traditional batteries for this extension.) Return to your lodge and relax for the rest of the day or enjoy time by the pool before dinner.
October 26 - Mahale Mountains
Rise for breakfast and depart on your shared charter flight* from Arusha to Mahale at 8am this morning. Leave any additional luggage (e.g. clothing you won’t need in Mahale) with your Thomson guide and it will also be taken to the Thomson office for storage. Wave goodbye to your Thomson Safaris guide as the flight departs. Your travel time will be approximately 3 ½ hours, plus at least one stop along the way. Arrive at the Mahale Mountains Airstrip and connect with a private sailing dhow to the Camp (2 hours). (Depending on the exact time of your arrival you may be transferred in a motorized boat, which takes about 30 minutes.) Afternoon for relaxing and exploring around Camp. Overnight at Greystoke Mahale.
October 27 - Mahale Mountains
Morning trek into the forest in search of chimpanzees. Note: Taking a lightweight backpack for carrying photo equipment, and wearing lightweight hiking boots with good traction, are a must. You may have to move very quickly through the forest, over roots, under branches and even scramble up some hills. The group must also stay together during the hike; if one person needs to turn back to camp, the whole group would have to return to camp. Fit and active adventurers are best suited for an adventure in Mahale. Overnight at Greystoke Mahale.
Once you reach the chimpanzees, per Tanzanian law, you will have one hour to spend viewing and photographing these primates. Return to camp for lunch. Arrange for an afternoon of snorkeling or fishing or kayaking on the crystal waters of Lake Tanganyika.
October 28 - Mahale Mountains
Chimp tracking in the morning and afternoon for further exploration of this remote and peaceful area. Spend 1 hour with the chimpanzees in the forest. Enjoy dinner back at camp tonight. Overnight at Greystoke Mahale.
October 29 - Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge
Morning departure from Mahale by boat to the airstrip. Shared charter flight* to Arusha (stopping en route to refuel). You will land at Arusha Airstrip late this afternoon. Head to the Thomson office to retrieve your bags from storage before you are transferred to a beautiful lodge for dinner and a comfortable overnight.
October 30 - Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge (day room)
Relax at the lodge today (activities such as guided walks, massages, cultural visits, etc may be arranged in advance for additional fee). Enjoy a farewell dinner together with your Thomson Safaris guide. Depart early this evening for your KLM flight, taking special boxed dinners to enjoy after you check-in.
October 31 - Arrive Home
In Amsterdam connect with your flight back home.
The Cost
The cost of this all-inclusive trip is U.S. $14,990 per person (but not inclusive of airfare to Arusha, Tanzania), based on a group of 10 to 12 travelers. The same rate applies for each participant regardless of whether they are doing photography and participating in the workshop, or not. This fee includes all in-country ground and air transportation as well as hotel accommodation (double occupancy) and all meals. The non refundable deposit for this trip is $2500. Optional hot air balloon is $450 per person.
Accommodations are two person to a room. If you will be traveling alone and would like a private room there will be a supplementary charge of $1500. Possible Chim trekking fee $0 as of June, 2008. However, the Tanzanian government is discussing this. Anticipated cost of $150 per trek.
For an additional fee you can choose to have the both the safari *and* your flight from New York or Boston booked for you. We encourage this service if you are departing from North America, as we will all be able to arrive in Tanzania on the same flight at the same time. It is our experience that this service eliminates many scheduling headaches, and the cost is at or slightly below the average market rate for such a flight.
Please note: We will attempt to adhere to this itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, cultural, or wildlife migrations) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. We reserves the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if necessary. We will attempt to notify participants of changes as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility of the participant.
What's Included?
- All Game Park fees
- All accommodations, based on double occupancy
- All meals inclusive of restaurant staff tips
- Services of guides and drivers
- Land transportation in safari Land Rovers. Each of the three rear seat passengers has a complete seat to themselves, including access to windows on both sides of the vehicle and empty seats
for photographic equipment.
- Airport transfers to and from hotels
- Internal airfare from Serengeti to Arusha
- Bottled water at all times
- $30 Tanzanian Airport departure tax, if KLM / NW ticket purchased through us.
What is Not Included?
- Additional tips for staff such as guides and camp staff
- Fees for passport, visas, immunizations, and insurance
- Alcoholic beverages while on safari
- Laundry, phone and other items of a personal nature
- Cost of hospitalization and evacuation if necessary
What Do I Do Next?
Our groups are small, so space is limited. If this exciting trip has your name on it; if you're excited by the thought of becoming a member of this trip, then now is the time to register. Remember, there will be limited space available for this workshop. When they're spoken for, that's it. If you have any questions before registering, send us an e-mail with any inquiries to info@andybiggs.com.
