Cindi's Favorites

Kenya Most Romantic | Photographers Paradise - Kenya
Photographers Paradise - Tanzania | Tanzania Most Romantic | Wildest Most Remote Places

RATES 2008:
LOW SEASON :17678.00 per person twin share, and 2894.00 per person single supp
HIGH SEASON :18863.00 per person twin share, and 2894.00 per person single supp

(closed feb 11-may 31 2008 & dec 20-31 2008)

Please check for seasonality.

ITINERARY AT A GLANCE

ITINERARY DETAILS

Day 1 Nairobi
Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International airport you will be met by a Vintage Africa Representative who will meet and assist you then transfer you to your hotel for check-in with rest of the day at leisure with Dinner and Overnight at Macushla House DBB.

Day 2 Nyahururu
Breakfast at your hotel, check out and transferred to Wilson airport for your scheduled flights to Nanyuki departing at 0915hrs. On arrival at 1000hrs you will connect to your charter flight to Sarara. On arrival at Sarara camp you will be met by Lodge vehicles and transferred to your camp for check-in followed by lunch. Afternoon enjoy game activities at your lodge with dinner and Overnight at Sarara Camp Namunyak LDBB.

Day 3 Nyahururu
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Sarara Camp Namunyak LDBB.

Day 4 Nyahururu
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Sarara Camp Namunyak LDBB.

Day 5 Nyahururu
Breakfast, check out and transferred to the local airstrip for your charter flight to Loisaba, On arrival you will be met by lodge vehicles and transferred to your lodge for check-in followed by lunch. Afternoon enjoy game activities at your lodge with dinner and Overnight at Sabuk Lodge Laikipia LDBB.

Day 6 Nyahururu
Breakfast, depart for Camel trek with Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Sabuk Fly Camp Laikipia LDBB.

Day 7 Nyahururu
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Sabuk Fly Camp Laikipia LDBB.

Day 8 Central Serengeti
Breakfast, transferred to Loisaba airstrip for your charter flight to Nanyuki on arrival you will connect to your scheduled flight to Nairobi departing at 1100hrs. On arrival at 1200hrs you will be met by a Vintage Africa Representative who will assist you to have a light lunch at the Wilson restaurant before connecting to your onward flight to Kilimanjaro departing at 1300hrs. On arrival at 1345hrs in Kilimanjaro you will connect to your onward Charter On arrival at Kongatende you will be met by Lodge 4x4 safari vehicle and transferred to your lodge game drive enroute to arrive for check-in followed by dinner and Overnight at Sayari Camp LDBB.

Day 9 Central Serengeti
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Sayari Camp LDBB.

Day 10 Central Serengeti
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Sayari Camp LDBB.

Day 11 Central Serengeti
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Sayari Camp LDBB.

Day 12 Arusha
Breakfast at your lodge, depart for a morning game drive before transfer to the local airstrip for your scheduled flight to Arusha departing at 1005hrs. On arrival at 1230hrs you will be met by Grumeti Expenditions representative who will assist you and transfer you to your town hotel where you will spend your afternoon at leisure with Lunch & Dinner on own arrangements with Overnight at Arusha Hotel BB.

Day 13 Kigoma
Early breakfast, check out and transferred to Arusha airport for your scheduled flights to Katavi departing at 0800hrs. On arrival at 1200hrs you will be met by Camp vehicles and transferred to your camp to arrive for check-in followed by lunch. After lunch afternoon game activities with Dinner and Overnight at Chada Katavi Camp LDBB.

Day 14 Kigoma
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Chada Katavi Camp LDBB.

Day 15 Kigoma
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Chada Katavi Camp LDBB.

Day 16 Arusha
Breakfast at your lodge with morning activities with lunch before transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight back to Arusha at 1430hrs. On arrival at 1830hrs you will be met by A Grumeti Expenditions Representative and transferred to your town hotel for check with dinner on own arrangements with Overnight at Arusha Hotel BB.

Day 17 Ruaha National Park
Breakfast, check out and transferred to Arusha airport for your scheduled flight to Ruaha departing at 0900hrs. On arrival at 1130hrs you will be met by Lodge vehicles and transferred to your camp for check-in followed by lunch. Afternoon game viewing activities with Dinner and Overnight at Mwagusi Safari Camp LDBB.

Day 18 Ruaha National Park
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Mwagusi Safari Camp LDBB.

Day 19 Ruaha National Park
Game activities + Meals with Overnight at Mwagusi Safari Camp LDBB.

Day 20 Departure
Breakfast at your lodge followed by morning game activities before transfer to the local airstrip for your scheduled flights to Dar Es Salaam departing at 1145hrs. On arrival at 1400hrs you will connect to your onward departure flights. A Vintage Africa Representative will reconfirm your onward scheduled flights.

The Package Includes:

1Night Macushla House
3Nights Sarara Camp Namunyak Package( Includes: Fullboard accommodation,soft drink, beer,house wine, airstrip transfers, laundry, game drives,guided walks, hiking in the montane forest of the mathews mts, fly camping with camels)
3Nights Sabuk Lodge Package(Includes: Airstrip transfers, 2 extended game drives per day, fullboard accommodation, bush walks with camel, all soft drinks, mineral water & beer, wines & spirits (non-premiun brands) with dinner, laundry, horse rides, night game drives, fishing, 2Nights fly-camping )
4Nights Sayari Camp (Includes: Full board Accommodation, Game drives, arrival and departure airstrip transfers, All drinks (except champagne, cellar wines, premium brand spirits) and Laundry)
2Nights Arusha Hotel
3Nights Chada Katavi Camp Package ( Includes: Fullboard accommodation, all drinks except champagne, laundry, airport transfers, all safari activities except fly camping)
3Nights Mwangusi Camp Package ( Includes: Fullboard accommodation, 2 game drives a day, laundry, tea , coffee, filtered water, park fees, airstrip transfers)
Light Lunch at Wilson airport on day 08
All transfers by use of 07-Seater Safari Minivan/ Game drives by use of 4x4 lodge shared
vehicles with services of an English speaking driver guide.
All meals as per Itinerary
All game drives as specified in the itinerary.
Transport in 4 x 4 Grumeti Safari vehicle in Serengeti
Services of a qualified English Speaking Driver Guide
1 Litre bottle of mineral water per person per day while on a road safari in a VINTAGE AFRICA vehicle 

The Package Excludes:

All International Flights + Taxes
Visas
Travel & Personal accident insurance
Tips & personal expenses such as telephone calls...etc.
Excursions not detailed in above program

Included flights:

Scheduled flights Wilson - Nanyuki on day 02
Charter flights Nanyuki - Sarara On day 2
Charter flights Sarara - Loisaba on day 5
Charter flights Loisaba - Nanyuki on day 08
Scheduled flights Nanyuki - Wilson on day 08
Scheduled flights Wilson - Kilimanjaro on day 08
Charter flights Kilimanjaro - Kongatende on day 08
Scheduled flights Kongatede - Arusha on day 12
Scheduled flights Arusha - Chada Katavi on day 13
Scheduled flights Chada Katavi - Arusha on day 16
Scheduled flights Arusha - Ruaha on day 17
Scheduled flights Ruaha - Dar Es Salaam on day 20

Added Value:

Vintage Africa Gift Pack
Complimenmtary 188 pages Vintage Africa Safari Guide covering the whole of East Africa
Complimentatry Vintage Africa Safari Pouch with a pen
Complimentary Vintage Africa Hat

Optional services:

Flying Doctor Rescue & Evacuation Service  US$ 25.00 Per Person (Subject to change and vendor terms & conditions).
Supplement for charter flight Kongatende - Katavi direct excluding overnight at Arusha
Min 2 Pax at  US$ 3785.00 Per Person
**Cost is less with more people**

Supplement for Charter flight Katavi - Ruaha direct excluding overnight at Arusha
Min 2 Pax at  US$ 2810.00 Per Person
**Cost is less with more people**

NB: FLIGHT COST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION

Macushla House

The peaceful and charming Macushla House is located in Langata, a wealthy suburb west of Nairobi, close to the Nairobi National Park, the Ngong Hills, the Karen Blixen Museum, Daphne Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage and the Giraffe Centre. This immaculate six-bedroomed house at the edge of an indigenous forest is like a private home and provides excellent facilities, food and personalised service in comfortable surroundings.

Open beamed ceilings, natural woodwork, log fires and a private study give the house a unique country-house flavour. Fabulous wholesome meals are prepared with care and attention using the freshest of ingredients and served in the intimate dining room or by the swimming pool. Traditional English Tea with scones can be taken in the garden or the bar which has a large selection of alternative types of drinks. The airy bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms have large windows which overlook the natural gardens of Macushla. Macushla allows you to get away from the city and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the country-side.

Sarara Camp Namunyak

Namunyak, meaning "place of joy" in the language of the local Samburu people, is a vast tribal community wilderness area administered by the recently formed Namunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust, in close conjunction with Acacia Trails and the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The camp is situated to the north of Ol Donyo Sabache (Mount Ololokwe), just below Warguas peak, in the fabled Mathews mountains of northern Kenya.

Sarara tented camp has five luxury tents, each with its own flush loo and open air bush shower (think Ava Gardner in "Mogambo"). Comfortable beds, plus quality bed linen, bathrobes, towels and other essentials are provided.

There is a beautiful thatched lounge and dining banda which overlooks a natural swimming pool and waterhole and has unrivalled views of the Mathews mountains beyond. Expert safari cooks are delighted to cater to visitors' preferences. Food is the highest quality simple 'home cooking' and is prepared over an open wood fire. The scent of fresh-baked bread fills the camp on a daily basis.

Namunyak is a truly unspoilt wilderness conservation area with few roads. The emphasis here is mainly on walking excursions, with local Namunyak community game scouts as guides, who will share their specialist knowledge with you.

Sarara is a dry season refuge for several hundred elephant and numbers increase dramatically, to over a thousand, during the rainy seasons. Lion and leopard are resident and there are two separate groups of the endangered, and fascinating, wild dog with one pack numbering at least thirty. Other species of particular interest include kudu, Grevy's zebra, giraffe, striped hyena and the peculiarly long-necked gerenuk. There are black and white colobus monkeys in the forest.

Sarara is a wonderful place to come for a wilderness holiday. The area is ringed by natural defences, the hills and mountains of the area, and so is totally unspoilt and appears to be part of an earlier Africa. Remote and gloriously beautiful, Sarara is a haven from the modern world.

·       Natural swimming pool and waterhole
·       Walking excursions with local guides
·       Sundowners
·       Fascinating flora, including Kenyan giant cycad
·       Supports the local Samburu community
·       Stunning views
·       5 luxury-sleeping tents with flush loo and open air bush shower. Bathrobes provided.

Sabuk Lodge Laikipia

Sabuk Lodge is utterly charming. Perched high above the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River in Kenya's Laikipia district, close to Mt. Kenya, this delightful lodge with only five spectacular open-fronted cottages is the most perfect place in Africa for recuperation, relaxation, wilderness walks and camel safaris.

Sabuk is home to Simon Evans, a Professional Safari Guide specializing in camel treks across the beautiful, unspoiled Laikipia country, which is fast growing into a haven for exclusive lodges and eco-tourism in Africa. When not guiding clients, Simon lives with his family in a beautiful cottage on the premises, which has provided the inspiration for Sabuk's appealing open-plan architecture.

The thatched central living area, where guests wine, dine and relax while overlooking the river gorge, is stunningly designed and furnished using local materials and artefacts. In the sitting areas, expansive platforms built into stone walls contain huge khanga-clad mattresses and cushions for guests to relax on, while comfy chairs and sofas provide additional sitting. A convivial bar in one corner adds great character and is the source of wine, cold beer or soft drinks which all are included in the price. A wooden deck with a small fireplace extends to the edge of the cliff from where the views of the gorge and the river are mesmerizing.

A long, wide wooden dining table in the adjacent area, masterfully fabricated from trees destroyed by elephant, plays host to most enjoyable dinner parties. All meals are generous and healthy, with particular emphasis on fresh ingredients. At breakfast, expect 3 varieties of fruit, meusli, porridge, yogurt, almost any type of egg with bacon and sausage and the best Kenyan coffee. Lunch and dinner are exceptional too.

Each of Sabuk's 5 cottages is built into the cliff overlooking the river and fashioned out of local materials, twisted wood and stone boulders with great ingenuity. Each room is unique: Cottage No 1. is ideal for children and contains 4 large beds which can accommodate up to 6 children; another cottage has a loft and a bath overlooking the gorge, while the one next door has an outside bath and a shower! The honeymoon suite has its own fireplace while its neighbouring cottage has an outdoor platform made from sisal where one can enjoy an open-air siesta! Each cottage is unique and enchanting.

Sabuk's scenery of hills, kopjes, riverine forest and dense acacia bush is compelling and hides a variety of game; Greater Kudu, Reticulated Giraffe, Buffalo, Impala, Elephant, Warthog, Klipspringer, Zebra, Eland, DikDik, Waterbuck, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and several other smaller mammals. Sabuk offers game drives, horse riding, bird watching but above all it is a renowned walking venue, especially with camels. Guided short or long walks, depending on your stamina, are undertaken over the hills or along the river and accompanied by excellent picnic or sundowner stops at scenic spots. Highly recommended is a night out with camels and a full entourage of Masai and Ndorobo staff, sleeping in fly camps by the river. This is when you can experience the real magic of the Africa bush. In the evening, a gentle fire burns on the banks of the river, delicious meals cooked by the Ndorobo staff on improvised stoves are washed down with wine under the stars and experiences of the day are exchanged late into the African night.

For the more adventurous, there are 3 to 6 day camel safaris also available, which guide you in the footsteps of that great Africa explorer, Wilfred Thesiger. Each trip is tailor-made to suit the group and is suitable for children, who can ride camels, walk, swim and fish in the river, or learn special bushcraft skills from the local guides, some of whom are ex-poachers turned conservationists.

Sabuk will surely cast its magic spell on you!

Facilities and activities:
- 5 individually designed cottages with private bathrooms - one sleeping 4 to children, two with king-size beds, two with twin beds
- Most activities, all meals and drinks except champagne and laundry are include in the package rate
- Game drives
- Guided nature walks
- Horse Riding - subject to availability
- Line fishing
- Sundowners and bushmeals
- Fly Camping as a free alternative to lodge accommodation
- Camel Assisted Safaris - optional extra
- 6 hours by road from Nairobi and 3 hrs from Nanyuki or private air charters.

Arusha Hotel

Located Right at clock tower, in the center of Arusha town, with a total of 65 rooms, 2 suites, 6 deluxe rooms en-suite bathroom, With each room having:

· tea and coffee making facilities
· satellite television with a selection of channels
· hair dryer
· electronic safe
· international direct dial phones
· data port for Internet access
· 24 hours room service
· smoking and non-smoking rooms available

Facilities

· bar/café
· restaurant
· swimming pool
· 3 acres of lush tropical gardens
· ballroom
· conference rooms
· meetings and banqueting facilities
· access to nearby gym
· business center with secretarial services
· car parking
· curio shop
· baby sitting and airport shuttle services at minimal charge

Chada Katavi Camp

Chada Camp Have you ever dreamed of the wildest safari on earth? Well, it can be yours at a game park in a remote part of Tanzania that is virtually unknown to the outside world - the Katavi National Park. The park lies south of the Mahale Mountains near Lake Tanganyika. Recent studies have found that the park's million acres may contain higher density of wildlife than either Ngorongoro or Serengeti. Vast herds of elephant and buffalo (sometimes as large as a 1000), hippo, crocodile, lion, leopard, hyena and rare antelopes, such as puku, sable and roan, roam the flood plains of Katavi undisturbed. Katavi is also the place to find over 400 species of birds many of which some are rare.

Fortunately for the die-hard safarists, there is an excellent camp inside the park which truly does justice to this raw, alluring wilderness. Chada Camp (formerly Katavi Tented Camp) has intentionally been kept small and as simple as the old-style camps of the early 1900s, not only to cause minimal impact on the environment but also to relive the golden era of the Roosevelt and Hemingway safaris. The four accommodation tents are classic old bush style yet very comfortable, furnished with two beds, blankets, linen sheets and mosquito nets. Each tent has a long drop loo and its own hot bucket shower hung from a tree at the back of the tent. There is also an exotic bathhouse with splendid view of the swamps. Meals are served in a simple mess tent or in the open air, while paraffin lamps and candles light the camp, just like they used to in the old days. Solar lighting has recently had to be introduced to satisfy the demands of modern digital equipment.

From your camp you may often observe vast herds of elephant and buffalo, waist deep in the reeds, wandering in and out of the Chada flood plains and occasionally sneaking past your tent. Roland Purcell, who also owns the exotic Greystoke Camp at the foot of Mahale Mountains, enjoys giving guests a first-hand experience of these untamed wilds of Africa. He will organize walking safaris to more remote areas of the park and encourage sleepovers in fly camps or under the stars (costs extra). Landrovers are however at your disposal if the walking proves too tiresome. Katavi has not been affected by mass tourism nor human encroachment like other parks in East and Southern Africa and therefore remains one of the most natural, undisturbed game parks in the world. Now that makes it a hugely exciting park to visit - try to make it there once in your lifetime.

- Game drives in 4x4 vehicles
- Walking Safaris with fly camps
- Video batteries can be charged in camp
- Bathhouse next to the swamp
- 4 twin tents with private bucket shower and loo and with sweepings views of the flood plains where elephants saunter through in the mornings and evenings
- Entry into the camp is either by way of a dhow sailing from Mahale or private charter from Arusha or Mahale. There is a small strip beside the camp suitable for Cessna 206's or similar. Another strip, 45 minutes' drive from the camp, is suitable for larger aircraft up to 10 seaters. It is a 45-minute flight from Mahale, 4 hours from Nairobi and 3 hours from Arusha.
- Closed during the rainy season (mid-October to mid-December and mid-March to May).

Mwagusi Safari Camp

The Ruaha National Park is of particular interest in that animals from both East Africa and Southern Africa may be found here - for example you may see hunting dog, roan antelope, sable antelope, lesser kudu and Grant's gazelle. The variety is amazing and there are also large herds of elephant, buffalo and predators aplenty. It is one of the wildest, most remote and relatively little visited Tanzanian parks and offers about five thousand square miles of wilderness.

Mwagusi Safari Camp looks out over the dry bed of a sand river where animals come to dig for water. The large main "banda" has a grass thatched  roof supported by a wooden sub-structure. Half-walls allow views of the sand river and serve to support a collection of objects found in the Park. Buffalo horns, delicate snail shells and the beautiful shapes of weathered wood lie side-by-side with local carvings and hand-woven basketry. A long table flanked by safari chairs runs the length of the central portion. At either end are comfortable seating areas with big sofas and a barwhich has a surprisingly wide selection of drinks.

In the mornings guests often ask to be woken with tea or coffee in their private tent, shaded by a thatched roof and overlooking the sand river. A short guided walk before breakfast is a good way to see some of the amazing variety of birds. Breakfast features tropical fruits and juices, mouth-watering, freshly-baked cinnamon bread and eggs from the nearest village. Dinner is almost always cooked and eaten under the stars, after drinks and good conversation around the crackling campfire.

Your first game drive takes you out into the amazing variety of habitat. Miombo woodland, acacia tortilis, rough hilly terrain, grassy plains, stunning granite ridges and the sand river bed. The guides are extremely knowledgeable and may offer English, Latin and local names for fauna and flora. During the dry season the buffalo come to drink twice daily at the waterholes in the seasonal rivers where lions lie in wait. From here you may be lucky enough to observe the natural interaction of predator and prey. Mwagusi promises a special and truly memorable African wilderness safari for both the first-timer and the seasoned safari enthusiast.

Ruaha National Park

Bounded by the Ruaha river the Ruaha National Park is the second largest in the country. Its 10,300 square kilometres of plateau, kopjes and wooded hills lies in the central region of Tanzania. The Ruaha is particularly fascinating to those interested in natural history because this is the only protected area where the flora and fauna of eastern and southern Africa overlap. Animals are nowhere else seen in these combinations -both roan antelope and sable antelope, greater kudu and lesser kudu and this is the furthest south that you will find the Grant's gazelle. There are about 8,000 elephant, the largest population of any national park in East Africa. The intriguing wild dog, once hunted almost to extinction partly because of its perceived cruelty to its prey, still runs in packs here. 

The terrain in the Ruaha is nothing if not varied: acacia tortilis woodland; grassy plains; miombo woodland; stunning granite ridges; and the lifeblood of the park, the great Ruaha river. As in most areas of such variety the birding is excellent. During the dry season, from May to December, the buffalo come to drink twice a day at the waterholes in the dry beds of the seasonal rivers where lions lie in wait for them.  These sand rivers, tributaries of or even the Ruaha itself, are the gathering place for wildlife.Troops of baboons play along the river bank, elephants dig for water, lizards bask on the rocky outcrops, gazelle leap away at any imagined sound. This is the wilderness experience par excellence.

Luggage:
PLEASE be reminded that the luggage allowance on our schedule flights is strictly 15KGS PER PERSON and that SOFT BAGS are highly recommended, if not essential.  In light aircraft the baggage area and weight allowance is limited. Hard Samsonite type suitcases do not fit into the cargo compartment easily, if at all. Due to limited space available for storage in safari vehicles, we strongly recommend use soft duffle bags rather than hard suitcases.

Contact Cindi at Africa Discovery to reserve your spot!

For more information
Contact:
Africa Discovery
@
1-800-886-7321 • phone: (415) 444-5100 • fax: (415) 444-5560
or
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