All photos by Bill Yancey

Your custom Safari will be led by our Board Chairman Bill Yancey, and his wife Eva.

In order to help conserve this unbelievable place on Earth, we joined this Non Profit organization 4 years ago whose Mission is to preserve the wildlife of East Africa.  Therefore we organize trips to Tanzania for two reasons:  First, we love to share this fantastic experience with friends.  Second, to support our science based Non Profit Organization, African Conservation Centre US, that is involved with conserving this precious eco system by helping the native people preserve the wildlife. 

 In order to make your Safari a successful experience our goal is to:

1.  Show you the amazing wildlife and landscape of the Great Rift Valley—East Africa.

2.  Keep you safe.  There will be somebody with you from the second you step off the plane until you clear the check-in at the airport to go back to Europe.  Our guide, Fredrick, caries 2 cellular phones with different carriers and can call anyone in the world, even from the middle of Serengeti (yes—that is way better service than we have).

3.  Pick the right time of the year to see the maximum number of animals. We go when there are green vistas after the rains (as opposed to tons of brown dust during the dry season).  Our timeline allows for optimum conditions for photography!!  As an example, all of these pictures (except the 2 birds) were taken by Eva with her unsophisticated point and shoot camera, so no matter what equipment you own—you’ll get good photos.

4.  To provide you with a great guide:  This is very important!!!  Actually, it is the Key to a successful trip. We have known our guide, Fredrick for 12 years.  He openly shares his abundance of knowledge, knows English well, will do ANYTHING for us, and most importantly, has unbelievable eyes: he is the master in spotting animals.  This allows us to get away from the rest of the tourists since he can find animals that nobody else can. Everybody who has been with Frederick just loves him!  He now has his own Safari Company and will get us as many cars as we need depending on the number of people.

5.  Stay in comfortable lodges that are clean, safe, and have good food.  Lets face it; you don’t go to Africa for the cuisine, but most of our guests are pleasantly surprised how good the food really is!  We will also stay at a few different lodges so that you’ll get a variety of experiences.  All of our choices are all of good quality, and we can accommodate your wishes according to your tastes and/or budget.

6. We will not overwhelm you with excessive travel transfers by car. This is the major negative scheduling aspect of most travel agency trips, and why we use internal flights.

7.  We avoid any heavily insect infested areas…. Tsetse flies and mosquitos. Neither Bill, Eva, nor Fredrick is fond of going to or staying in such areas (another travel agency itinerary drawback)!!!   However, we strongly recommend you take anti malaria medications as a precaution, and follow any other suggestions from your personal M.D.

This is the tentative itinerary for our May 2012 Trip:

Sunday May 13^th, 2012--Leave from USA (unless you want to come earlier to explore). Arrive in Amsterdam on Monday, May 14th in the afternoon.  Get out and walk the city. Enjoy a good meal, then get to sleep early at one of the Hotels close by the airport.

Tuesday 5/15

All of us catch the midmorning non-stop flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania. Arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport in the Evening. We will be picked up and transferred to a small Lodge outside Arusha for our first night.

Lodge in Arusha with friends
 

Wednesday 5/16

Leave around 8:30am for Arusha National Park, which is very close to our Lodge. Lunch at Lodge and leave for a drive through Arusha towards the Ngorongoro Crater. Over-night just outside the Ngorongoro Crater National Park.

Thursday 5/17

Enter the Ngorongoro Crater for an all day game drive. Over-night on the rim of the Crater.

   
Lodge at the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater

Friday 5/18

All day game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater. Over-night on the rim of the Crater.

   
View from the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.   The Crater: Our best chance to see Rhino

Saturday and Sunday 5/19 & 5/20
Drive To Ndutu, our secret find just south of the Serengeti:

Since Ndutu is just outside the Serengeti National Park, we can go “off-road” to follow game, something that Fredrick will gladly do! It can be very exciting!  This is also the homestead for cheetahs (which Fredrick is a specialist at finding) and lots of giraffes.  

We’ll stay in Lake Masek Tented Camp for the next 2 days

   
Lake Masek Tented Camp                                                                                        Your view from your porch

In Ndutu, we’ll have a great chance to spot cheetah—and plenty of giraffe

Monday 5/21 through Thursday 5/24

Leave after breakfast to drive to Serengeti, or as the Maasai call it:  the endless plain.

Four nights at the Lodge in the middle of the Serengeti National Park.

During this four day stay in the Serengeti, we will have game drives with an abundance of animals. The Serengeti is always fascinating!!.  If we are lucky enough to spot a Leopard, this area will offer our best opportunity.  

Lodge in the middle of Serengeti

Friday 5/25

After a morning game drive, we are taken to the airstrip and flown back to Arusha.  That afternoon, after lunch, is our time to go shopping for souvenirs, etc. before going back to the International Airport to catch our flight back to Europe. We’re home by Sat. May 26^th.

 
Our guide, Frederick, and us with his 4 wheel drive vehicle with a “pop-up” roof, which allows everyone the ability to stand up and rest their arms on the side of the roof to view the game and take photos.  It also helps keep the sun off our heads.

Some other points:

Your fee (approximately $6000. Per Person) will include everything: All lodging fees, all food, transportation and transfers, guide & vehicle, all Park fees, internal flights, and tips to driver/guide and hotel staff. It does not cover the flight from USA to Kilimanjaro, as many people use various means (like mileage) to obtain their international flights. The only other costs once you get to Africa are: small tips ($1 per bag for porters at lodges), sodas and alcoholic beverages (very close to US fees), souvenirs and internet access at lodges (about $10 per 30 min’s)—in other words…very little additional expense. Part of your fee will be a tax write-off for you. 100% of your fee is sent by check, or wired to the African Conservation Centre US, our non-profit organization. I/they then organize and pay all of the expenses.  Your tax write-off usually amounts to around $2000. Per person.

Pack very light.  Carry-ons only, as space is limited in our vehicle and on the internal flight.  Absolutely no need for any good clothes. Every place has laundry facilities. We will provide you with a packing list and some pictures as suggestions/guides.

Last, but not least, if you have any questions please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Asante Sana,
Bill and Eva…and Freddy