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It's About
Photography — Lots of it!
This workshop will be very informal and fun. Randy Hanna 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:
*Accommodations in parenthesis*
January 27 - Depart home country.
January 28 - Amsterdam to Arusha, Tanzania.
(Mountain Village Lodge)
Connect in Amsterdam with your flight to Kilimanjaro Airport,
arriving late this evening. You will be met by Thomson Safaris staff and
transferred to your lodge in Arusha.
January 29 - Arusha to Ngorongoro Conservation
Area (Thomson Ngorongoro Nyumba - NMS)
You will awake to a new world this morning. Exotic birdcalls fill the
air as you walk up to the main dining room for breakfast and a safari
briefing with your guide. Then you’ll leave Arusha by Land Rover,
crossing the Maasai Steppe on your way to Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Soon, the impressive Great Rift Valley Escarpment will come into view –
a 2,000 foot high wall that rises up out of the flat plains. Head up the
winding, switch-back road, through bucolic rural farm land as you
approach Gibbs Farm, where you will stop for lunch. Then continue up to
Ngorongoro Crater itself. Arrive at your Thomson Nyumba camp and settle
in before visiting the nearby Maasai boma of Irkeepusi. Here you’ll meet
friends of Thomson Safaris who will give you a window into their
day-to-day lives. Maasai are pastoralists who tend sheep and goats, and
their most prized possessions: cattle.
Return to your Nyumba in
time for a delicious dinner this evening. Prepare for a full day of
wildlife viewing before heading to bed tonight. Please note, at this
elevation the nighttime temperatures are cool year-round (40-55 degrees
F or 4-10 degrees C). Make sure to bring warm layers with you on safari.
January 30 - Ngorongoro Crater (Thomson
Ngorongoro Nyumba - NMS)
Rise for a hearty camp breakfast before you spend a full day exploring
the crater floor. The area is world-renowned in its reputation and very
small in its scale, so you will see other safari goers. Don’t let that
distract you from the beauty of the place or from the fact that this
remains one of the only places on earth where you may see all of the Big
Five at once: Lion, Leopard, Bull Elephant, African Buffalo and Black
Rhino. To maximize your time on the crater floor you will enjoy a picnic
lunch at a scenic picnic spot.
Your journey will take you
throughout this tremendous landscape that is constantly changing as
animals move to and fro in search of pasture, water or easy prey. Before
sunset, it is time to depart this Garden of Eden for the comfort of your
Nyumba, which is nestled in the lush forested landscape that is so
typical of the fertile Ngorongoro region. Relax with some palate teasers
before your evening meal. Sleep well tonight, before a busy day
tomorrow.
January 31 - Ngorongoro Crater (Thomson
Ngorongoro Nyumba - NMS)
Wake up early this morning so you can have a few bites to eat and a hot
cup of coffee before departing camp at 6am for the crater floor.
Maximize the light of the early morning and return to camp for a hearty
lunch and a brief afternoon repose. Then you’ll head to the crater floor
once again to capture the best afternoon light on film. Before sunset,
it is time to depart this Garden of Eden for the comfort of your Nyumba,
where you will have time to discuss the multitude of sightings today and
log them in your safari journal.
February 1 - Ngorongoro Conservation Area to
Serengeti National Park via Olduvai Gorge (Ndutu Safari Lodge)
Rise early today. As the cool, fresh air fills your lungs you’ll feel
invigorated and rejuvenated, ready for another great day on safari.
Departing after breakfast for the Serengeti, you will make your way
around the southern edge of the crater rim, spotting the occasional
buffalo along the way. At Olduvai Gorge, make a brief stop at the museum
to view some of the incredible finds of Drs. Louis and Mary Leakey.
By late morning, you will arrive at famed Serengeti National Park.
The plains seem endless as you meander through the wildlife-rich central
and southern Serengeti plains. Arrive at Ndutu Safari Lodge in time to
refresh before dinner. Enjoy engaging conversation around the crackling
night fire this evening.
February 2 - Serengeti National Park (Ndutu Safari
Lodge)
More wildlife viewing is on the agenda today as you explore the fertile
Serengeti. Out on the plains, you will be looking for warthog, jackal,
eland, kudu, reedbuck, baboon, topi, hyena, gerenuk and giraffe. You may
also see tightly grouped herds of wildebeest, which often gather
together during their prolific calving season. Keep an eye open for
newly born calves frolicking on the open plains.
Stop for a
picnic lunch at your leisure and later today, after a wealth of
opportunities for more wildlife photography, you’ll return to the
comforts of your lodge. Dinner is sure to be a lively, engaging affair
as guests swap stories about all that you saw. Continue your
conversation around the campfire tonight and then head off to bed for a
good rest.
February 3 - Serengeti National Park (Thomson
Serengeti Nyumba - Central - SWCS)
Spanning nearly 6,000 square miles, the Serengeti has even more to offer
you today. For a different perspective on the scenery, you will move to
a Nyumba. Arrive at camp in time for lunch and return to the bush to
capture the late afternoon light on film.
This area is home to
more lion than any place on the planet. You may also spot illusive
predators like leopard and cheetah; keep your eyes peeled and your
cameras at the ready should you spot these lithe cats on the prowl,
lazing in the shadows or atop a lookout point. In the Seronera river
system that flows through the heart of the park you can spot some of the
largest crocodiles in Africa, hippos, kingfishers, egrets, monitor
lizards and more.
Return to your Nyumba. Having experienced
wonderful wildlife viewing throughout the day, dinner is sure to be a
lively, engaging affair as guests swap stories about all that you saw.
Continue your conversation around the crackling night fire this evening.
As you gaze up at the stars over southern hemisphere, you will feel
privileged to have personally experienced this special place.
February 4 - Serengeti National Park (Thomson
Serengeti Nyumba - Central - SWCS)
Today you have the option of joining a Serengeti balloon safari
(additional fee and advance reservations required-if needed, the back up
ballooning day would be tomorrow morning). The experience begins with an
early rise (approx 4am) and pre-dawn drive to the balloon launch site,
where you will be given a balloon briefing prior to take-off. 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 touch down. You’ll be greeted with a champagne toast
and treated to a full English breakfast.
For those who do not
join the balloon ride this morning, you’ll awaken instead to the calls
of the African dove or superb starling. Enjoy hot tea or coffee as you
sit comfortably on your verandah watching the day break; you may even
spot giraffe or zebra grazing in the distance. After breakfast, another
fascinating day of wildlife viewing begins.
Later this morning
you’ll all regroup to continue your wildlife viewing for the rest of the
day, stopping to enjoy a picnic lunch at your leisure.
Upon your
return to camp this afternoon you can relax in the tranquility of your
Nyumba as you reflect on today’s activities; your exploration of the
heart of the park has been both informative and adventurous and you’ll
relish each moment in your unique surrounds. Few travelers ever have the
privilege of seeing, “the world as it was in the beginning.” Under your
dining tent, hot soup, fresh bread, entrees and a scrumptious dessert
await your evening indulgence. Retire to your comfortable camp beds
after a full and satisfying day.
February 5 - Serengeti National Park (Lake Masek
Tented Camp)
Rise early for a quick breakfast and hit the road by 6am. Photograph in
the pristine, first light of day before returning to camp for an early
lunch. Then you’ll depart for a new location in the south eastern part
of the ecosystem near Lake Masek.
Stopping for wildlife viewing
along the way, you’ll want to roll down the windows or stand up to take
advantage of the customized roof hatch. Feel 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!
After settling in at camp this afternoon you’ll have
more time for exploration before the day comes to an end. Enjoy a drink
before sitting down for dinner with your group overlooking the majestic
Serengeti Plains.
February 6 - Serengeti National Park (Lake Masek
Tented Camp)
More wildlife viewing is on the agenda today, your last full day in the
Serengeti. Take a picnic lunch as you head out on the trail in your
trusted Land Rovers.
This evening you return to camp where you
can 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.
February 7 - Serengeti National Park to Arusha
to Amsterdam (Kia Lodge - Day Room)
Later this morning take a Regional flight to Arusha (50 lb baggage
limit). As you visually retrace your route from above, note the change
in landscape from the flat plains of the Serengeti to the verdant,
rolling hills of the Ngorongoro Highlands. Touch down at Arusha Airport
in time for a bit of shopping and a farewell lunch at Riverhouse with
your new safari friends. Day rooms are provided for you to rest and
relax before checking in for your departing KLM flight to Amsterdam.
Take dinner with you to the airport, which you can enjoy at your
leisure.
February 8 - Amsterdam to home
Connect in Amsterdam and arrive in the U.S. Please check your flight
itinerary for details.
"Testosterone" ©2009 Randy Hanna, all rights reserved
The Cost:
The cost of this all-inclusive trip is U.S. $9,590
per person (but not inclusive of airfare to Arusha, Tanzania).
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 $1200. Optional hot air balloon is $475 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 $1200.
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
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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
- Hot air balloon
flight of $475
- 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 using the contact
FORM.
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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. 