I'm off to the Serengeti national park (or possibly the Masai Mara) next september and wondered if anyone has experience of the area who could possibly offer kit, clothing, footwear, sleeping gear tips & advice?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Anyone been to the Serengeti?
- Thread starter Martyn
- Start date
Paganwolf
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Get a guide with a big GUN!! :shock: , you lucky thing you, thats on my list of places to visit before i snuff it!!!Martyn said:
LOL, it's a 40th birthday thing. Was going somewhere cold, but my other half (fairly easily) persuaded me a week in the Serengeti and a week on the beach would be nicer. 
The temp drops a bit at nicht, down to a low of around 5C I think, so I'm thinking softie3's for sleeping gear. I think I've probably got everything I need already, I just wondered if anyone had any insider tips.
The temp drops a bit at nicht, down to a low of around 5C I think, so I'm thinking softie3's for sleeping gear. I think I've probably got everything I need already, I just wondered if anyone had any insider tips.
Paganwolf
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Good old SWMBO :rolmao: i agree with her!! that will be great, i wasnt joking about the gun thing eather lolMartyn said:LOL, it's a 40th birthday thing. Was going somewhere cold, but my other half (fairly easily) persuaded me a week in the Serengeti and a week on the beach would be nicer.
Well they dont call em SWMBO for nothing.
Camping at night, game drives during the day, lots of 4x4 travelling with relaxing campfire evenings. Tents, matresses and food are provided. I'm told sunrise there is something special.
Camping at night, game drives during the day, lots of 4x4 travelling with relaxing campfire evenings. Tents, matresses and food are provided. I'm told sunrise there is something special.
Paganwolf
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
:mrgreen:Martyn said:Well they dont call em SWMBO for nothing.
Camping at night, game drives during the day, lots of 4x4 travelling with relaxing campfire evenings. Tents, matresses and food are provided. I'm told sunrise there is something special.
): :wave: : -l) 
ive gone the same colour as these guys..... 
Hi Martyn,
It will be cool at night but not quite 5 degrees ........ more like 15 possibly 10 degrees and then gets quite hot during the day (although it can vary i.e. if you're up on the Ngorongoro Crater rim then it will be cooler both day and night). What I do is take my 2/3 season sleeping bag and a blanket (poncho liner type or just buy a regular one locally) ....... if the temperature is a little too cool just wrap the blanket around the sleeping bag. The blanket and a warm jacket are also very good for the early morning game drives as the wind chill when driving in the open vehicle will make it feel colder! It'll be alot warmer at the coast.
Get the best pair of binoculars you can afford. If you intend to go walking etc then take a decent pair of walking boots with you (non gortex lined!) and maybe some boot top canvas gaiters as there is this stuff called spear grass that lodges itself in socks etc and is a right pain in the neck (and ankle) to get out. I've also seen some thorns go straight through a pair of Teva's!
The Wildebeest migration should be moving/have moved from the Serengeti into the Mara by September this website has regular updates on the migration location. You'll see so many that once you get back you'll never want to see another Wildebeest!
Hope thats of some interest. You'll have great time. Any more questions just PM me and I'll try and answer them.
Calum
P.S. I work for a tailormade safari company so hopefully all the info above is correct ....... if not the boss will have my guts for garters! :shock:
It will be cool at night but not quite 5 degrees ........ more like 15 possibly 10 degrees and then gets quite hot during the day (although it can vary i.e. if you're up on the Ngorongoro Crater rim then it will be cooler both day and night). What I do is take my 2/3 season sleeping bag and a blanket (poncho liner type or just buy a regular one locally) ....... if the temperature is a little too cool just wrap the blanket around the sleeping bag. The blanket and a warm jacket are also very good for the early morning game drives as the wind chill when driving in the open vehicle will make it feel colder! It'll be alot warmer at the coast.
Get the best pair of binoculars you can afford. If you intend to go walking etc then take a decent pair of walking boots with you (non gortex lined!) and maybe some boot top canvas gaiters as there is this stuff called spear grass that lodges itself in socks etc and is a right pain in the neck (and ankle) to get out. I've also seen some thorns go straight through a pair of Teva's!
The Wildebeest migration should be moving/have moved from the Serengeti into the Mara by September this website has regular updates on the migration location. You'll see so many that once you get back you'll never want to see another Wildebeest!
Hope thats of some interest. You'll have great time. Any more questions just PM me and I'll try and answer them.
Calum
P.S. I work for a tailormade safari company so hopefully all the info above is correct ....... if not the boss will have my guts for garters! :shock:
Many, many thanks beermonster, that's exactly the kind of info i was looking for. :biggthump As the majority iof the wildebeast are in the Mara in September (do the cats follow them?), would you suggest that would be a better place to go rather than the Serengeti?
The migration is a difficult thing as more often than not it doesn't do what its supposed to! The big cats fortunately are territorial so they don't follow the migration but instead lie in wait for it to pass through their territory ...... then pounce!
When people think of the migration they think of the wildebeest crossing the mara river but this is in actual fact a quite a rare occurence and can happen anywhere on the river so you'd be lucky to see it. The camera crews on the Big Cat diary etc hang around the river for weeks at a time waiting to see it but having said that many of our clients have been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time ..... one couple saw it 3 times in one trip!
Wether you go to the Mara or the Serengeti in September you're going to see a lot of Wildebeest! The migration stretches for miles and miles so even if you catch the tail end of it it's still going to be spectacular. In light of this I think Tanzania (Serengeti) would be your best bet. In Tanzania there are a couple of "circuits" between national parks that you can do. The northern circuit is the most popular as the parks are quite close to one another so less driving involved. Here is what we normally suggest:-
Fly into Kilimanjaro Airport this is a day flight so you have to stay overnight in Arusha. Drive down to Tarangire NP and spend a couple of days there. It is a really beautiful place with amazing rugged scenery and large herds of ele. From there head up to Lake Manyara and spend 1 maybe 2 nights there. It's beautiful compact wilderness area with a supprisingly large variety of flora and fauna! It is one of my favorite areas in Tanzania and should not be passed through too quickly. Take time to stay at one water source for a while, just relax and watch what passes through. A huge number of species are supported due to the diversity in habitat, within 330 square kilometres (the majority of this is the lake) you will find: the rift valley wall, the ground water forest, acacia woodland, areas of open grassland, the lake shore, swamp and the lake itself ....... truly stunning. It also helps break down the journey up to the Crater.
From here drive up into the Ngorongoro Highlands, past tea plantations and through villages to the gates of the Ngorongoro Conservancy; keep climbing through the rain forest till you reach the rim of the Ngorongoro crater. Two and a half million years ago the Ngorongoro rivalled Mount Kilimanjaro but the cone collapsed and after some time settled to form the crater. Now a days the crater is a combination of Noahs Arch and the Garden of Eden. It is an astonishing self supporting ecosystem sustaining many of the species found in Eastern Africa. The crater is only 20 kilometres wide with walls 600 metres high, it is a stunning spectacle from either the rim or the floor. Having said that I'd only spend 1 maybe 2 days here as it's quite small and it tends to be the preserve of the minibus brigade! On the other hand if you are interested in a bit of walking the Ngorongoro highlands are fantastic and the crater floor provides some of the best photographic opportunities as you can get quite close to the game.
From here you can drive down from the crater passing the Olduvia gorge "the cradle of mankind" where the first hominid fossils were found by Leaky and co. You'll pass the Masai with their cattle who co-exist with the 40,000 head of wildlife in a unique venture of wildlife and pastoralists sharing the land. You'll drive out of the mountains and onto the endless plain, the Serengeti. With 14,763 sq kms this is Tanzanias largest National Park and indisputably one of the finest wildlife areas anywhere in Africa with a huge variety of mammals and nearly 500 bird species. Spend as much time here as you like ..... the game is fantastic and there's plenty of room for everyone, it's the quintessential africa that everyone has in their minds eye ..... wide open grasslands dotted with acacia and large herds of game. Cold G&T/Beer in hand siting on the bonnet of your landrover watching the sunset. This is big sky country.
The northern circuit involves bigger distances and generally we suggest people fly around but if you've got the time drive it. It involves going to some of the largest but more remote and less disturbed parks such as the Selous and Ruaha. With such few visitors (quite hard to reach so people don't bother!) you'll discover this is wild africa! The game in most instances is still quite weary of humans and vehicles and is correspondingly a bit harder to spot (its all there though!) but is truly wild. Walking safaris in both these parks are mind blowing ............. ever stood 30 meters from a pride of lions on a kill? ...... go to Selous. These are some of my favorite parks in Africa as so few people go to them ....... makes you feel like an explorer!
Coast wise you also have a few options Zanzibar and its sister island Pemba are beautiful. Zanzibar can be a bit crowded but has alot to do and see (Stone Town spice markets, scuba diving, ruins etc). Pemba is more laid back a bit more rugged with forest covered hills fewer people but still has white beaches, ruins to visits, great diving etc ........ and 10 different mango varieties! Mafia Island is still blissfully undeveloped and beautiful but apart from watersports etc theres not much to do ..... depends on how active you want to be really!
Hope that gives you some food for thought. If this is your first time to africa than the northern circuit is probably a good introduction ....... save the southern one for next time and the time after that Botswana and then Namibia .... Uganda .....Rwanda .... Malawi .... Kenya ..... Mozambique! Once you get bitten by the bug you'll keep coming back!
P.S. There's an article in the current "Travel Africa" magazine about one of Mr Mears trips/courses to Namibia ....... makes quite good reading.
When people think of the migration they think of the wildebeest crossing the mara river but this is in actual fact a quite a rare occurence and can happen anywhere on the river so you'd be lucky to see it. The camera crews on the Big Cat diary etc hang around the river for weeks at a time waiting to see it but having said that many of our clients have been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time ..... one couple saw it 3 times in one trip!
Wether you go to the Mara or the Serengeti in September you're going to see a lot of Wildebeest! The migration stretches for miles and miles so even if you catch the tail end of it it's still going to be spectacular. In light of this I think Tanzania (Serengeti) would be your best bet. In Tanzania there are a couple of "circuits" between national parks that you can do. The northern circuit is the most popular as the parks are quite close to one another so less driving involved. Here is what we normally suggest:-
Fly into Kilimanjaro Airport this is a day flight so you have to stay overnight in Arusha. Drive down to Tarangire NP and spend a couple of days there. It is a really beautiful place with amazing rugged scenery and large herds of ele. From there head up to Lake Manyara and spend 1 maybe 2 nights there. It's beautiful compact wilderness area with a supprisingly large variety of flora and fauna! It is one of my favorite areas in Tanzania and should not be passed through too quickly. Take time to stay at one water source for a while, just relax and watch what passes through. A huge number of species are supported due to the diversity in habitat, within 330 square kilometres (the majority of this is the lake) you will find: the rift valley wall, the ground water forest, acacia woodland, areas of open grassland, the lake shore, swamp and the lake itself ....... truly stunning. It also helps break down the journey up to the Crater.
From here drive up into the Ngorongoro Highlands, past tea plantations and through villages to the gates of the Ngorongoro Conservancy; keep climbing through the rain forest till you reach the rim of the Ngorongoro crater. Two and a half million years ago the Ngorongoro rivalled Mount Kilimanjaro but the cone collapsed and after some time settled to form the crater. Now a days the crater is a combination of Noahs Arch and the Garden of Eden. It is an astonishing self supporting ecosystem sustaining many of the species found in Eastern Africa. The crater is only 20 kilometres wide with walls 600 metres high, it is a stunning spectacle from either the rim or the floor. Having said that I'd only spend 1 maybe 2 days here as it's quite small and it tends to be the preserve of the minibus brigade! On the other hand if you are interested in a bit of walking the Ngorongoro highlands are fantastic and the crater floor provides some of the best photographic opportunities as you can get quite close to the game.
From here you can drive down from the crater passing the Olduvia gorge "the cradle of mankind" where the first hominid fossils were found by Leaky and co. You'll pass the Masai with their cattle who co-exist with the 40,000 head of wildlife in a unique venture of wildlife and pastoralists sharing the land. You'll drive out of the mountains and onto the endless plain, the Serengeti. With 14,763 sq kms this is Tanzanias largest National Park and indisputably one of the finest wildlife areas anywhere in Africa with a huge variety of mammals and nearly 500 bird species. Spend as much time here as you like ..... the game is fantastic and there's plenty of room for everyone, it's the quintessential africa that everyone has in their minds eye ..... wide open grasslands dotted with acacia and large herds of game. Cold G&T/Beer in hand siting on the bonnet of your landrover watching the sunset. This is big sky country.
The northern circuit involves bigger distances and generally we suggest people fly around but if you've got the time drive it. It involves going to some of the largest but more remote and less disturbed parks such as the Selous and Ruaha. With such few visitors (quite hard to reach so people don't bother!) you'll discover this is wild africa! The game in most instances is still quite weary of humans and vehicles and is correspondingly a bit harder to spot (its all there though!) but is truly wild. Walking safaris in both these parks are mind blowing ............. ever stood 30 meters from a pride of lions on a kill? ...... go to Selous. These are some of my favorite parks in Africa as so few people go to them ....... makes you feel like an explorer!
Coast wise you also have a few options Zanzibar and its sister island Pemba are beautiful. Zanzibar can be a bit crowded but has alot to do and see (Stone Town spice markets, scuba diving, ruins etc). Pemba is more laid back a bit more rugged with forest covered hills fewer people but still has white beaches, ruins to visits, great diving etc ........ and 10 different mango varieties! Mafia Island is still blissfully undeveloped and beautiful but apart from watersports etc theres not much to do ..... depends on how active you want to be really!
Hope that gives you some food for thought. If this is your first time to africa than the northern circuit is probably a good introduction ....... save the southern one for next time and the time after that Botswana and then Namibia .... Uganda .....Rwanda .... Malawi .... Kenya ..... Mozambique! Once you get bitten by the bug you'll keep coming back!
P.S. There's an article in the current "Travel Africa" magazine about one of Mr Mears trips/courses to Namibia ....... makes quite good reading.
Sorry Martyn, don't know anything about the Serengeti or the Mara, as it is a bit too far north for my usual haunts.Martyn said:
Beermonster seems to know the areas quite well though :biggthump Good advise too.
I'm almost envious, but if everything go as planned, I should be somewhere in the bush in the middle of Mozambique at the same time next year
):
Beermonster, I'm sold! :biggthump
I've been to Kenya before a few years ago, but didn't get out into the Mara (finances didn't permit) and was sorely dissapointed. We hung round the coast, near Mombasa and Diani, but never got inland. I always promised myself to return. Tanzania looks like the place then, can you recommend a tour operator or would you suggest simply going there and then sorting it? I dont mind the latter a bit, but I think SWMBO would prefer an organised itinery.
I've been to Kenya before a few years ago, but didn't get out into the Mara (finances didn't permit) and was sorely dissapointed. We hung round the coast, near Mombasa and Diani, but never got inland. I always promised myself to return. Tanzania looks like the place then, can you recommend a tour operator or would you suggest simply going there and then sorting it? I dont mind the latter a bit, but I think SWMBO would prefer an organised itinery.
jambo MArtyn
I used to live in Kenya, i've PM'd you with some more "food for thought"..hehe...
cheers
Jeelan
I used to live in Kenya, i've PM'd you with some more "food for thought"..hehe...
cheers
Jeelan
Beer Monster paints a compelling picture of Central African Safari possibilities and I have to say I am tempted to have a look first hand. However, as someone who grew up in Southern Africa, I am more au fait with the safari offerings down there and would like to put a word in for what you can enjoy there.
Although based in UK now, my wife and I often travel back to Southern Africa for family reunions and safari fairly regularly. I am not sure why Kruger National Park in South Africa does not share the public acclaim that the parks of Tanzania and Kenya do. Whilst it may not have the plains and huge herds of migrating herbivores, it has vast examples of anything that can be found in those environments. It is a dedicated national park that is bigger than Wales. And with recent trans border agreements with Mozambique, it is set to grow even larger.
Price-wise it is very accessible to westerners. I would recommend the government maintained sites found at this website: http://saparks.com/SouthAfrica/Kruger/index.htm
The great thing about South Africa is that it has such a varied terrain. You could be in the mountains of the Drakensberg in the morning, scuba diving that evening and on safari the next morning! Here are some recent pics: http://www.notquite.free-online.co.uk/page4.html
I could go on...If you have any questions, email.
Although based in UK now, my wife and I often travel back to Southern Africa for family reunions and safari fairly regularly. I am not sure why Kruger National Park in South Africa does not share the public acclaim that the parks of Tanzania and Kenya do. Whilst it may not have the plains and huge herds of migrating herbivores, it has vast examples of anything that can be found in those environments. It is a dedicated national park that is bigger than Wales. And with recent trans border agreements with Mozambique, it is set to grow even larger.
Price-wise it is very accessible to westerners. I would recommend the government maintained sites found at this website: http://saparks.com/SouthAfrica/Kruger/index.htm
The great thing about South Africa is that it has such a varied terrain. You could be in the mountains of the Drakensberg in the morning, scuba diving that evening and on safari the next morning! Here are some recent pics: http://www.notquite.free-online.co.uk/page4.html
I could go on...If you have any questions, email.
hi Martyn
Yep got your PM. Tanzania is awesome place. without sounding rude it's about 10yrs behind Kenya in terms of Tourism...that is to say that you still have the parks but without the crowds that you now see in places like Masai Mara and Amboseli and other Kenyan parks.
Having said that though, Ngorongoro gets fairly crowded, sometimes there are almost 20-25 vehicles around a single group of lions...animals are used to it though. Sad thing about all this now is that vehicles come with CB radios so if one spots something exciting like Rhino, before you know everyone's there.
Serengeti is great but if you want sheer concentration of game in a small area (ie great chance of seeing the "big five" in a single day) you cant go past Masai MAra. Serengeti, through sheer size makes it difficult to see that sort of game concentration. Also a couple of years ago a canine distemper epidemic decimated the lion population of Serengeti so i dont know if has started recovering yet or not.
My favourite park in northern tanzania is Tarangire. It has AWESOME scenery and some mind blowing vistas (not quite the vast endless plains of the serengeti) and its has large populations of elephant. Going to Tarangire is almost like going back into the cretaceous period, large ferns and palms and large swampy areas.
If you're going further south into tanzania definately look into Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve. Selous is about 50,000 sq km in size making it the largest game reserve in the world. It's wild dog population is incredible, i think the largest in africa but also it's virtually untouched by humans. tsetse flies make it uninhabitable by Masai because the flies affect their cattle so human habitation hasnt touched selous yet.
The only sad thing about Tanzanian tourism is that they allow hunting in places like selous and other reserves. Being a conversationist i'm not a fan of any hunting/culling etc.
anyway...i've rattled off enough, as you can no doubt tell, i'm passionate about africa and its resources. If you've any further questions please feel free to ask.
regards
Jeelan
Yep got your PM. Tanzania is awesome place. without sounding rude it's about 10yrs behind Kenya in terms of Tourism...that is to say that you still have the parks but without the crowds that you now see in places like Masai Mara and Amboseli and other Kenyan parks.
Having said that though, Ngorongoro gets fairly crowded, sometimes there are almost 20-25 vehicles around a single group of lions...animals are used to it though. Sad thing about all this now is that vehicles come with CB radios so if one spots something exciting like Rhino, before you know everyone's there.
Serengeti is great but if you want sheer concentration of game in a small area (ie great chance of seeing the "big five" in a single day) you cant go past Masai MAra. Serengeti, through sheer size makes it difficult to see that sort of game concentration. Also a couple of years ago a canine distemper epidemic decimated the lion population of Serengeti so i dont know if has started recovering yet or not.
My favourite park in northern tanzania is Tarangire. It has AWESOME scenery and some mind blowing vistas (not quite the vast endless plains of the serengeti) and its has large populations of elephant. Going to Tarangire is almost like going back into the cretaceous period, large ferns and palms and large swampy areas.
If you're going further south into tanzania definately look into Ruaha National Park and Selous Game Reserve. Selous is about 50,000 sq km in size making it the largest game reserve in the world. It's wild dog population is incredible, i think the largest in africa but also it's virtually untouched by humans. tsetse flies make it uninhabitable by Masai because the flies affect their cattle so human habitation hasnt touched selous yet.
The only sad thing about Tanzanian tourism is that they allow hunting in places like selous and other reserves. Being a conversationist i'm not a fan of any hunting/culling etc.
anyway...i've rattled off enough, as you can no doubt tell, i'm passionate about africa and its resources. If you've any further questions please feel free to ask.
regards
Jeelan
