Affordable Calving Migration Safari

Calving Safari – Blue package

01 January 2013 – 31 March 2013

$2748.00 per person sharing

The Great Migration

The extraordinary annual Great Migration of wildebeest and other grazing herbivores across the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem is one of the greatest spectacles in the natural world. Over two million herbivores partake in this journey, with about 200 000 zebra and 500 000 Thomson’s gazelle behind the main players... one-and-a-half million wildebeest!

Itinerary Overview

Accommodation Day 1 – Day 2 Olasiti Lodge Day 2 – Day 4 Whistling Thorn Tented Camp Day 4 – Day 6 Endoro Lodge Day 6 – Day 9 Ndutu Safari Lodge General Day 2 Tarangire National Park Day 4 Lake Manyara National Park Day 5 Ngorongoro Crater Day 6 Serengeti National Park

Absolute Africa Safaris

Sales & Marketing Office: 3 Old Marine Drive, Cape Town, South Africa. PO Box 189, Cape Town, 8000 Operations Office: PO Box 1703, Arusha, Tanzania

SA Office: +27 (0)21 418 5170 SA Fax: +27 (0) 86 658 1713 Arusha Office: +255 757 800 000 [email protected] • www.absoluteafricasafaris.com

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.absoluteafricasafaris.com/


Olasiti Country Lodge - Arusha

DAY 1 Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro Airport, you will be met by your safari guide and transferred to your hotel, get in a good night's rest because your safari is starting in the morning.

Olasiti Lodge

Shaded by jacaranda, bougainvillaea and acacia trees, the Olasiti Lodge is a haven located just moments from the city’s business centre and also from most of its attractions, including art and cultural institutions, shopping, nightlife and entertainment.

The spacious rooms come complete with all the modern conveniences that the busy travelling executive requires. In house multi-cuisine restaurants, conference centers and business center facilities complete the package, all in an effort to make the corporate executive's life that much easier.

Olasiti has a wide range of conference and private function venues. The Gardens are ideal for cocktail parties, wedding receptions & sundowners and can accommodate up to 1000 guests. There are 3 main conference halls which can accommodated any number of delegates from 50 to 600..

DAY 2 & DAY 3

This morning after breakfast you are met at your hotel in Arusha, you receive a short briefing on your safari and then your safari starts! Travel with your guide to Tarangire National Park, where you will spend the next 2 nights at Whistling Thorn Tented Camp.

Tarangire National Park

Located approximately 110 kms southwest of Arusha, covering an area of approximately 2,600 sq kms, this park has a particularly high concentration of wildlife during the dry season from June to October, mainly congregating along the Tarangire River. The park is also an ornithologist’s paradise with more than 300 species of birds, including the largest bird in the world, the ostrich and the heaviest bird that can fly, the Kori Bustard.

The best game viewing months are between September and December but for bird viewing is best to come between the months of October and May.

Whistling Thorn Tented Camp

Set in classic African thorn-tree bush in the Great Rift Valley with stunning views of the Escarpment, Whistling Thorn Camp is a private concession adjacent to famed elephant haven Tarangire National Park. Whistling Thorn Camp is a perfect facility for groups or individuals who would like something out of the ordinary for their safari experience ~ where nature, culture, and conservation come together in the heart of wild Africa.

Whistling Thorn Camp offers up to 20 lucky guests full luxury canvas tents under romantic grass-thatched ramadas. Each tent, with either single or king-sized beds, has shelving, writing desk, en suite bathroom with flush toilet and luxurious hot showers.

Whistling Thorn Tented Camp


DAY 4

This morning you depart Tarangire National Park and travel with your safari guide to Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive before heading to Endoro Lodge in Karatu where you will spend the next 2 nights.

Lake Manyara National Park Located 130km west of Arusha, this park is 325 sq kms, of which 230 sq kms are the lake itself. Situated at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, the park consists of forest, woodland, grassland and swamps. This is the home of the famous tree-climbing lions as well as baboon, buffalo, zebra, hippo, giraffe; wildebeest, and more than 350 species of bird, including the beautiful flamingo. Endoro eco-friendly Lodge Located along the boundary of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority, 0.5 Km from the Endoro Gate. Located on the edge of the Northern Highland Forest Reserve, the Forest boasts of over one hundred bird species, as well as resident elephants, buffalo, baboon troops, and lion.Within a few minutes’ walk of Endoro Lodge, we have Endoro River Nature Trails suitable for hiking, bird watching, animal viewing and plant identification. Endoro Lodge has 26 rooms that are divided into 20 chalet rooms and 6 standard rooms, each room has a table and 2 chairs inside and outside on the veranda. Each chalet has a bathroom that has a shower and a bath tub as well as an outside shower, except in the family room. Dining at the lodge takes on one of two forms, these being Buffet or Table dot both options consist of meals made up of red meat, beef, fish, chicken, vegetables, fresh salad from the lodge’s garden, sausages, beacons, fresh juice and fruits. The lodge offers massage services for quick relief for those many tired muscles after an adventurous day partaking in the activities on offer at the lodge. These activities include an Elephant cave walk, Iraqw boma, Endoro waterfalls and bicycle ride.

Endoro Lodge - Karatu


Ngorongoro Crater - Tanzania

DAY 5

An early departure after breakfast, today you spend the most of the day on the floor of Ngorongoro Crater to experience this World Heritage Site.

Few things in Tanzania compare to the breathtaking natural beauty of the Ngorogoro Crater. Widely regarded as the “Eighth Wonder of the World” and a Unesco World Heritage Site, this collapsed volcanic caldera covers a area of 8300 square kilometres and encompasses several different ecosystems. What makes Ngorogoro special is its concentration of animals. An estimated 30 000 animals - including the famed Big 5 - inhabit an area of 260 square kilometres inside the 600m deep caldera, which forms its own, unique eco-system. Ngorogoro is literally “Wildlife Central”! Geologists believe that the Ngorogoro volcano was originally 1000m higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 5891m is the highest peak in Africa. Its eruptions regularly deposited ash to the west of Ngorongoro up until the volcano collapsed around 2-million years ago, cultivating the only habitat that can sustain the birth of half a million wildebeest calves in two months on a annual basis. The ash deposits also made for the ideal preservation of fossil remains in the area, and led to the archaeological discoveries of early human remains made by Dr Louis Leaky and his wife, Mary, at Olduvai Gorge just to the west of the Ngorongoro highlands. The greater Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also home to one of the most iconic tribes in Africa - the Maasai - who were moved here from the Serengeti. With their nomadic lifestyle, the Maasai co-exist with relatively minimal impact on their wild neighbours, helping to preserve this unique African treasure.

Sales & Marketing Office: 3 Old Marine Drive, Cape Town, South Africa. PO Box 189, Cape Town, 8000

SA Office: +27 (0)21 418 5170 SA Fax: +27 (0) 86 658 1713 Arusha Office: +255 757 800 000 [email protected] • www.absoluteafricasafaris.com




DAY 6 – DAY 8

This morning you depart Karatu and travel with your safari guide to the Serengeti National Park where you will spend the next 3 nights at Ndutu Safari Lodge. (see page 8) The Serengeti National Park is arguably the most famous in the world today, thanks largely to the millions of wildebeest which migrate across it every year. It is, quite literally, a paradise and in safari terms, if you have not experienced the magic of the Serengeti’s vast, sweeping plains, then you have not truly experienced Africa.

The Serengeti has three distinct areas, each of which is a must if you want to fully appreciate this magnificent place. By exploring the whole of the Serengeti, you are virtually assured of seeing the legendary wildebeest somewhere on your itinerary!

The “endless plains” to the south were formed more than 3-million years ago when the then active Ngorongoro volcano deposited ash onto granite bedrock. This is where the Great Migration reaches its peak, with more than 2-million wildebeest, accompanied by zebra and antelope spend three months of the year giving birth to their young. The woodlands area covers almost two thirds of the Serengeti, and this is the secret of its success as a wildlife paradise because the majority of animal species need a combination of open savannah and woodland habitat to survive.

The granite hills of the Serengeti form the third part of this incredible place, and play a crucial role in its ecosystem. If you imagine the Serengeti as a bath, then these rock hills are the plug, preventing the much needed ground water from seeping away and providing perennial springs and water holes.

Sales & Marketing Office: 3 Old Marine Drive, Cape Town, South Africa. PO Box 189, Cape Town, 8000 SA Office: +27 (0)21 418 5170 SA Fax: +27 (0) 86 658 1713 Arusha Office: +255 757 800 000

[email protected] • www.absoluteafricasafaris.com

Serengeti National Park - Tanzania




Seasons of the annual Wildebeest Migration

The annual Great Migration is a wonderful and exiting experience and regarded as “The Greatest Show on Earth”. The herds are difficult to predict but there is a general pattern that could be more or less as per the map. Please contact your consultant in regards to seasonal changes.

The herds generally move in a clockwise direction throughout the Serengeti / Mara ecosystem. The herds do split in smaller groups when they are on the move and the bulk of the herds would move north through the western part of the Serengeti into the Masai Mara and a much smaller part of the herds would move up through the east. The following times of the year would be ideal for viewing the migration and where you would expect them to be.

January - March The herds should be on the southern Serengeti plains / greater Ngorongoro Crater Conservation area and would be dropping their calves at the Ndutu area. Lake Ndutu is actually on the Ngorongoro Crater side of the Serengeti plains and you will have to pay park fees to enter the NCA from the Serengeti if you would want to see them. It is advisable to ask your consultant to make sure that you could access both the Serengeti and NCA during the months of January - March because the herds could be on either side of the invisible border






Ndutu Safari Lodge DAY 9

Today you travel with your private guide and safari vehicle back to Kilimanjaro Airport, where you bid your guide farewell and board your international flight. We hope you had a wonderful time in Tanzania and return with many happy memories.

Ndutu Safari Lodge Situated in the South-eastern part of the Serengeti ecosystem. Shaded by majestic acacia trees, each of the thirty four cottages, which are built of local materials, has a private verandah facing Lake Ndutu. The Lodge is surrounded by indigenous trees and shrubs which encourage a host of birds and mammals to come right to your front door. Tucked well away from the busy tourist circuit, Ndutu offers peace and tranquillity far from the madding crowd.

Stay close to the Lodge and enjoy the resident wildlife, or go for a drive and explore the range of habitats that lie within easy reach. After sunset return to the homely warmth and hospitality of Ndutu Safari Lodge.





Additional Information

Payment Details: Your reservation is confirmed upon the receipt of a written confirmation. Absolute Africa Safaris requires a 20% (twenty percent) non-refundable deposit immediately thereafter. The balance of payment is required to reflect in the Absolute Africa Safaris bank account 45 days prior to date of clients arrival. (Please allow sufficient time for international transfer) All payments are to be paid directly into Absolute Africa Safaris bank account as below, with the international transfer fees borne by the agent. It is required to send proof of payment directly to [email protected] immediately on payment.

Cancellation: Cancellation after confirmation will result in a 20% cancelation fee of the total booking cost. Cancellation at 35 days or less prior to clients arrival will incur a cancellation fee of a 90% of the total booking cost. Post clients arrival the cancellation fee is 100% of the total booking cost. Absolute Africa Safaris reserves the right to cancel all services booked should full payment not be made as per Payment Details.

Price Fluctuations and Itinerary Amendments: Safari itineraries may be subject to change due to circumstances out of the control of Absolute Africa Safaris. In this event Absolute Africa Safaris will undertake to amend the itinerary to an equal or better standard of the initial proposed itinerary. Certain 3rd party non-contracted services are subject to price changes without notice (i.e park fees, fuel surcharges, government levies and taxes) Whist Absolute Africa Safaris will always endeavor not to change the price of a confirmed itinerary, we reserve the right to amend the price where required.

Travel Insurance: Clients travelling with Absolute Africa Safaris are strongly advised to take out comprehensive travel insurance, covering them for personal effects, personal accident, medical and emergency travel expenses and cancellation and curtailment. Absolute Africa Safaris clients are automatically covered for all expenses relating to emergency evacuation expenses in Tanzania and Kenya. This cover guarantees admission to a suitable hospital or clinic as nominated by AAR Health Services. Our insurer liability ceases upon admission to hospital or clinic. Please contact us should you require further information.

Visas and Passports: Please ensure that clients thoroughly check visa requirements and passport expiry dates before intended dates of travel, as Absolute Africa Safaris cannot be held responsible should necessary visa and passport requirements not be fulfilled.

Air tickets: In order to comply with international insurance requirements, all airline tickets must clearly show the passenger’s title, name and surname (as indicated in their passport). As this applies to both scheduled and charter flights and this information needs to be provided at the time of reservation. The air fare and airport tax quoted are current and are subject to change without prior warning (due to fluctuations out of our Absolute Africa Safaris control) Should the fare quoted not be available at the time of booking the next applicable fare will be booked and amended costs advised accordingly. Please note that fares may increase between time of booking, time of payment and the ticket being issued. General

a) Malaria it is important that you take precautions against malaria prior to the commencement of your holiday. We recommend that you contact your doctor, pharmacist or travel advisory clinic for advice on the Malaria areas and as to which prophylactic is recommended.

b) Yellow fever Please confirm with a travel clinic prior to travel, as Yellow Fever vaccinations are requires for certain nationalities.

Dietary requirements Any special dietary requirements must be advised at time of booking or well in advance of check-in. We will do our utmost to comply with your requirements







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Affordable Calving Migration Safari