BootsnAll Travel Community

My husband and I are dreaming about our RTW (we'll start in October 2009!) We want to spend at least 3 weeks doing an overland trip either independently or with a group in a safari-heavy location. Originally, I was thinking about spending three weeks doing a combination of camping and lodge safaris in Tanzania and Kenya because those seemed to be essential Africa like I have seen pictured in National Geographic. But, then, I started reading about Botswana and its teeming wildlife and Namibia's awe-inspiring desert landscapes. We don't want to be swarmed by tourists, we are not looking for a party atmosphere --- we just want to get the "real" African experience and see stunning scenery and wildlife. So, what do you think? What has been your favorite safari experience in Africa? And would you travel independently or with a tour?

Spent about a month in Botswana and Namibia. We picked this area because of the reason you mentioned, it was not crowded at all, even in the national park areas, we stayed in private reserves, but saw a few campers each day. They were so few, that no one was ever underfoot. Also we wanted to go to Zimbabwe for vic falls.

Have a good time Africa was a great trip for us.

www.andrew-rabatin.org

ang

In the past few months, I have visited the following parks; Kruger, Etosha, Hlane, Pilanesburg, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti (As well as many smaller parks in Southern Africa where I forget the names).

The Serengeti is the best park I visited by a long way. The flat savannas, and massive abundance of wildlife was just amazing. If you want to see tens of thousands of zebras and wildebeests at the same time, huge herds of elephants, many prides of lions, leopards, cheetahs, etc. Then the Serengeti is the place to go. The only downside, is to access the Serengeti, you must go through Arusha. As tourists, you will cop a lot of hassle, and the general vibe of people in touristy Tanzania is not very pleasant when compared to other Africa countries. I would also recommend booking only a safari through a very reputable company, as there are a lot of sharks who rip off tourists here.

In saying that, the Serengeti is still worth the hassle. You will never forget the experience. I am writing this from Uganda, another great place to visit if you end up in east Africa. Very friendly people, and the chance to track the endangered Mountain Gorillas, white water raft the River Nile, as well as other nature.

I didn't get to southern Africa even though we spent 5 months on the continent so I can't compare Kenya/Tanzania to the south. That said, I would have to say that I agree with Fun in the Sun's comments. I loved the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Saw a ton of wildlife and it never felt overcrowded. We went with a group that camped in the game parks. Plus we saw a lot of great wildlife at Lake Manyara too. That's where we saw a herd of elephants up close and it's also the only park that I know of where you can see lions hanging out in the trees.

By the way, I always thought Africa was a warm place before I camped in the rim of Ngorongoro and our water froze over night. To think I used to pity the zebras in the San Francisco zoo for the cold they had to endure. Ha! My tip: Bring a jacket.

I'm so glad to hear that Serengeti/Ngorongoro weren't too crowded --- I was really concerned by people who said that it was a DisneyWorld type experience with jeeps everywhere crowded around the animals. KathrynD, did you like the group you went with? Would you recommend them?

I know the mountain gorillas are not traditionally considered "safari" but I would try to get to Rwanda before it is too late or before the prices go any higher than they already are.

Me and another boots member (x00m) both did this last year and it was a pretty incredible experience and not something too many people actually do. I figure since you are doing RTW that you at least have the option of changing your itinerary if you want.

We did Rwanda but had heard that Uganda was cheaper and just on the other side of the Virunga Mountains.

I think now permits for a visit with the gorillas are at $500 (up from around $250-300) We weren't even passionate gorilla lovers and it was a pretty incredible experience to be in the rain forest on the slopes of volcanoes in some of the most amazing scenery in Africa. Not to mention Rwanda has some of the friendliest people in the world and you feel pretty engulfed in central/east African culture.

Hi there I second KathrynD

I loved the Serengueti, it didn't feel crowded (I was there at the end of August) and I nearly froze to death at Ngorongoro!!! (If you get cold easily, bring a lot of warm clothes including mitains and a hat!I'm not kidding...)

My greatest experience? My guide drove us (a lovely group of 3!)near the Kenyan border to see the gnu migration.We actually enterd Kenya since we are allowed to go 15km in without a visa... It was unbelievable to see that many animals (gnus travel with zebras) all around!!! Seriously amazing!

Good luck!

Joey, I actually have been thinking a lot about Uganda/
Rwanda because it seems that everyone who goes to see the mountain gorillas thinks it is an unforgettable experience.

Thanks all for the comments - keep them coming. It's a lot to think about!

quote:

Joey, I actually have been thinking a lot about Uganda/
Rwanda because it seems that everyone who goes to see the mountain gorillas thinks it is an unforgettable experience.

If you have any specific questions let me know. x00m was the one who got in touch with the office in Kigali, Rwanda so if you want I can give you any details she has.

quote:

Originally posted by Joey:

quote:

Joey, I actually have been thinking a lot about Uganda/
Rwanda because it seems that everyone who goes to see the mountain gorillas thinks it is an unforgettable experience.

If you have any specific questions let me know. x00m was the one who got in touch with the office in Kigali, Rwanda so if you want I can give you any details she has.

check this website for the rwandan tourism office: http://www.ortpn.gov.rw/indexe.htm you can get their email off of that website. booking the gorilla trekking permits required some patience since it was all about booking, confirming, and re-confirming.. and wiating a week or so in between each time! we paid when we got into kigali.. cash or mastercard only. when we arrived in ruhengeri, we re-confirmed at that office, and we met the guy that would pick us up, take us to the field office, and then drive us home later.

i don't think you can even compare gorilla trekking to the serengeti or ngorongoro. i think it's kind of hard to compare the serengeti to the crater for that matter. the serengeti is dry and dusty, what i think the stereotypical 'safari' is like. the crater was calm, wet and cool. in a weird way, the serengeti vibe was more edgy and upbeat, whereas the crater was more soft and slow. gorilla trekking was super muddy, hard, but exhilarating! standing in the middle of central africa underneath a horizon of volcanoes knee deep in mud, watching a mother mountain gorilla covering and holding her child three feet away from you while the cold rain pours down all over you and them, is almost surreal. with that said though, it's impossible to pick which of these was my favorite experience!

what do you think the 'real' african experience is like? i don't think you can go wrong with whichever itinerary you choose to do. keep us updated!