Tanzania-Sept-2015

About This Photographic Safaris

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. 

It's About Photography — Lots of it!

This workshop will be very informal and fun. Randy Hanna will be shooting alongside you throughout the safari. We will have discussion and assistance on specialized topics such as, long lens technique, 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 mandatory classroom sessions, lectures, 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.

Sept 20, 2015: Arrive into Kilimanjaro Airport late this evening. You will be met by Thomson Safaris staff and transferred to your lodge in Arusha.

Sept 21, 2015: Fly in a private charter from the busy town of Arusha to the quiet, open plains of the Serengeti. There are often stunning views during the one-hour flight over the farm-dotted highlands and valleys below. Upon landing in the Serengeti, you will be greeted by your guide and begin your safari adventure. The word “Serengeti” derives from the Maasai “Siringet” and has been artistically translated as “the land that flows on forever”. Serengeti National Park covers thousands of miles of pristine land and offers not only expansive vistas but the largest migration of mammals on earth, including 1.5 million wildebeest.  After arrival at the airstrip, we will make our way to our new home for the next several days.  Once settled in and have a hot lunch, we will depart for our first full safari drive.  The afternoon will be spent wildlife viewing in the Serengeti, usually witnessing the big cats lying drowsily about the plains and up in the trees while many antelope and other animals continue to graze.

While staying at the Thomson Camps, your group will have exclusive access to a photo tech tent, where you can clean and recharge your equipment, download your photos and share them with your adventure mates.

Sept 22-23, 2015:  We will enjoy two full days of wildlife viewing in the most northern reaches of the Serengeti National Park. You will be guided through Tanzania’s second largest park photographing the stunning plains, woodlands and a multitude of wildlife.  Beyond the heralded migration of wildebeest and zebra, the Serengeti is best known for its big predators, including cheetah and leopard, as well as large prides of lions and clans of hyenas. Other commonly seen animals include gazelle, buffalo, giraffe, topi, hartebeest, ostrich, and jackal, but it is the full diversity of wildlife and habitats that you will truly find amazing. After our full days on safari we will return to our camp for a wonderful meal and a chance to download your images and exchange safari tails around the traditional fire pit with your safari mates.

Sept 24, 2015:  We depart our Northern Serengeti Camp and safari along the way to our next camp in the Central Serengeti.  We will spend Spend more time along the way seeking out wildlife and exploring the Serengeti's rich landscapes. The Big Five and the Great Migration are the most well-known of the Serengeti's offerings, but there is much more to see. Thousands of equally fascinating dramas of a smaller scale play themselves out on these endless plains.

Sept 25, 2015:  Operating our of our Central Serengeti Nyumba, we will have a full day of wildlife viewing and another day long game drive in this rich area.  We will take our lunch at a scenic spot over looking the vast Serengeti Plains.  Those with advance reservations will have the opportunity to balloon across the plains during one of your mornings in the Serengeti. A pre-dawn wake-up call leaves you time to drive to the balloon launch site in order to catch the most dramatic light. Then take to the skies just as the sun rises.

Sept 26, 2015:  Today we drive from the Serengeti to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You will pass one of the greatest prehistoric sites in Olduvai Gorge, where archeologists have been making thrilling fossil discoveries for nearly a century. After cutting across the desert-like bush country, you will arrive at a range of hills that lead to Ngorongoro. You will pass Maasai herding their cattle alongside the road.  The famed Ngorongoro Crater has one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in the world.  You will have a chance to immerse yourself in the semi-nomadic culture of the Maasai by visiting a boma, which is a settlement of circular mud-and-dung Maasai homes. Many Maasai still roam the plains of northern Tanzania with their herds of cattle, maintaining their traditions while adapting to new ways of life. Learn more about their extraordinary culture as you tour the boma and take in the scenes of village life.  Following our village visit, we will arrive at our new Nyumba located high on the ridge of the Ngorongoro Crater amidst tower Flat Top Acacia trees.  A traditional Tanzania dinner will be served as our evening meal (this meal does not include game meat).

Sept 27, 2015:   We are up early  as we descend into the Ngorongoro Crater.  We will spend the entire day in Ngorongoro Crater, a habitat rich in culture and teeming with wildlife.  Sometimes there are more than 30,000 animals in and around the crater, including black rhino, cheetah, lion, hyena, eland, and numerous antelope. On the floor of the crater, the alkaline Lake Magadi serves as an important water source, also attracting flamingo flocks during the dry season. Nearby, the small Lerai Forest, with its yellow fever acacia trees, provides shade and shelter for wildlife. You will often see baboons, vervet monkeys, and even elephants in its thicket. Thorny bush, grasslands, hippo pools and a second small lake are also found on the floor. You’ll soon see why
Ngorongoro is considered to be among the world’s great wonders.

Sept 28, 2015:  Today we make a short drive from the Conservation Area to the Ngorongoro Highlands. As you travel down a winding road, you are rewarded with expansive vistas of the surrounding plains. At the top of the escarpment lie the lush Ngorongoro Highlands where the region's rich volcanic soil makes for some of the most fertile land in Tanzania.  Savor lunch at Gibb's Farm, where nearly every ingredient comes fresh from the estate's
organic farm. With delicacies to suit every palate, this is sure to be a memorable meal.  While at Gibbs Farm, there will be an optional workshop session on image management and processing for those that wish to participate.  For others, you may decide to take a tour of the Farm or simply photograph the ground and take in the incredible view from High Tea on the verandah.  In the evening, indulge yourself with a relaxing time around the Tembo Fire for story telling and star watching.

Sept 29, 2015:  Today we depart the highlands for Arusha, where, after a day of leisurely activities, you will catch your departing
flight. As you bid farewell to Tanzania, think of all the fabulous stories and photos of your adventure,which you will share with friends and family when you arrive home and for years to come.  We will be making a stop at the Cultural Heritage Center for shopping and to take in the collection of wooden carvings and artifacts that tell the story of Africa.  We will follow this visit with a wonderful farewell lunch at the River House.  A day room in Arusha will allow you to shower and repack before your trip homeward, then it is off to the airport.

Pricing: $8,490 Adult based on double occupancy.  A supplement of $1,500 is available for single accomidations.

Included on this Safari:

•Accommodations Based on Double Occupancy
•Meals as Noted in Itinerary, Inclusive of Restaurant Staff Tips
•All Park Fees
•Complete Preparation Materials Including Helpful Tips, Packing List, Trip Expectations, Tipping Guidelines, Etc.
•Access to a Personal Safari Consultant by Phone or Email, Five Days a Week
•Full-Color, 120-Page Safari Journal
•Safari Briefings Throughout Your Trip
•Services of Professional Photographer, Safari Guides and Drivers
•Services of Nyumba Camp Staff Including Chef and Wait Staff
•Tech Tent at Thomson Nyumbas for Charging Electronics until 9:00pm Each Night
•Land Transportation in a Customized, 4-Wheel Drive Safari Vehicle
•Maximum of 3 Travelers per Land Rover
•Unlimited Mileage in Safari Vehicles
•Guaranteed Window Seating in Safari Vehicles
•Complimentary Bottled Drinking Water in Your Vehicle Throughout Your Safari
•Snacks in the Vehicle
•Bean Bags
•Scenic Internal Flight(s) as Noted in Itinerary
•Extra Weight Allowance for Internal Flights up to 50 Pounds
•Guided Walks with a Naturalist, when Available
•Village, School, and Cultural Visits as Noted in Itinerary
•Keep Fit Kit at Each Nyumba Camp
•Special Tanzanian Dinner at Ngorongoro Crater
•Airport Transfers for Delta/KLM Flights on Scheduled Arrival and Departure Days
•Baggage Handling
•Farewell Lunch

Not included on this Safari:

*International Flight and Related Fees (Fuel, Baggage, Seat Assignments, etc.)
*Fees for Passport, Visa, or Immunizations
*Meals and Expenses en Route to Tanzania
*Cost of Hospitalization or Evacuation
*Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Soda
*Laundry, Phone, Internet, and Items of a Personal Nature
*Tips for Guides, Drivers, and Camp Staff