TANZANIA SAFARI
From the Shadow of Kilimanjaro to the Plains of the Serengeti
Friday, February 22 to Thursday, March 6, 2008
Optional 5-day extension to Zanzibar
Thursday, March 6 to Tuesday, March 11, 2008

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Northern Tanzania is on any naturalist’s short list of the greatest places on earth.  The region’s centerpiece is unquestionably the Serengeti; indeed, the very word captures the imagination.  With its vast open plains filled with wildlife, this rolling savannah is what everyone dreams of when they think of Africa. We’ve timed our trip to witness the most spectacular concentration of animals on earth, a phenomenal gathering of over one million wildebeest, along with half a million Thomson’s gazelles and a quarter-million common zebra, a glut of prey (most of which will have just given birth) that draws a dense gathering of predators, including lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, and smaller predators and scavengers such as jackals and vultures. By using mobile tented camps, we will be able to move with the herds and stay right in the middle of the action. Another advantage to being on our own in remote parts of the Park, is that we will see few other tourists and the feeling that this great ecosystem is ours alone.

Almost as famous as the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater has been called Africa in microcosm and the eighth wonder of the world. The crater is home to the highest density of lions in Africa, and contains more than 20,000 herbivores. The grasslands are filled with birds such as Common Ostriches and Secretary Birds, while the many marshes are home to flocks of ducks, geese, ibis, and other waterbirds. Part of our stay at Ngorongoro will include a dawn game drive with a picnic breakfast. The early morning is the best time to look for game including some of the last free-ranging black rhino in Africa. The animals at Ngorongoro are accustomed to vehicles and we will be able to get close enough to take excellent photographs. After leaving the Crater we will stop at Olduvai Gorge, made famous by the Leakeys as the home of the oldest known humanoid fossils.

Our other destinations on this trip add wonderful variety.  Tarangire National Park is more like the parks of southern Africa, with thick woodlands, large sandy rivers and huge baobab trees. The Park is famous for its elephants and is a great place to see leopards. Arusha National Park, near the airport, is a higher elevation park at the foot of Mount Meru and in the shadow of Kilimanjaro (hope for the clear weather needed for good views of both summits!).Lake Manyara National Park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, which are thought to exhibit this behavior as a way to reduce the number of tsetse fly bites. The birdlife at Manyara is fantastic, with waterbirds especially prevalent, and the view of Manyara from 3400 feet up, at the top of the Great Rift Valley wall, is equally impressive.

Those who opt for the Zanzibar extension will enjoy the distinctly Arabian flavor of this  exotic spice island, along with unique birds and animals and the opportunity, if desired,  for marvelous snorkeling and/or beach time. 

This trip will be a wildlife watcher’s dream and a birder’s pleasure.  Expect a bird list of  300+ species and 40+ species of mammals, including most of the classic African big game animals.

PACE, WEATHER, AND TRAVEL CONDITIONS:

General:  Like nearly all excursions to the dark continent, much of our field time on this trip will come in the form of “game drives” in comfortable off-road-type safari vehicles, with a window seat for each passenger and pop-up roofs to allow standing and game viewing.  Leaving the vehicle is not allowed while on safari in the National Parks.  It may be possible to take periodic short foot excursions near some of our lodges. Activities during the Zanzibar extension will be varied – see the daily itinerary for details.  The climate during this tour will vary from potentially hot and dry during the day to quite cool at night and the possibility of rain should be prepared for.

Leaders will escort the group from the gateway city onward.  Those not participating in the Zanzibar extension will be escorted back to the airport in Arusha for their departure to Europe and home.

Upon receiving your deposit and reservation form, we will send you an extensive information packet containing flight information, baggage requirements, hints on what to bring and other useful information.

Travel Documents: A passport valid for at least 6 months after our arrival is required for travel in Tanzania. A tourist visa, issued from the Tanzanian Embassy here in the US, is also required. The visa is called a “Single Entry Tourist” visa and is good for up to a three-month stay. Currently the visa application fee is $50.00. For full details on how to apply, including application forms, please see the Tanzanian Embassy website at: www.tanzaniaembassy-us.org  

Group Size: The trip cost is based on a minimum number of participants – 8 people. Although 8 people are required in order to make this trip a reality; we are able to accommodate up to a maximum of 12 people. The cost of the post-trip extension to the island of Zanzibar is based on a minimum of 6 participants.

Health Requirements: The Tanzanian Government requires vaccination against yellow fever for entry into the country. While this is the only vaccine required there are several others that would be prudent to consider prior to traveling in Africa. These include Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Meningococcal Meningitis, and Hepatitis B. One should also check to make sure that vaccines against Tetanus/Diphtheria and Polio are up to date. Malaria is present in East Africa and the use of anti-malarial medications should be considered mandatory for this trip. Information on travel related diseases and vaccines to prevent them can be found on the Centers for Disease Control website at: www.cdc.gov/travel  We highly recommend discussing all medical issues related to travel with your doctor well in advance of the proposed travel date (at least 6 months prior to departure).

DATES: Friday, February 22 (group departs the U.S. from our gateway city, most likely New York) to Thursday, March 6 (group departs our European transfer city, having flown from Tanzania the previous day, and arrives at our U.S. gateway city), 2008.

Optional 5-day extension to Zanzibar: Thursday, March 6(flight from Arusha to Zanzibar) to Tuesday, March 11(group departs our European transfer city, having flown from Tanzania the previous day, and arrives at our U.S. gateway city), 2008

PRICE:

$6,000/person tour package, double occupancy*

$1,500/person estimated international airfare**

$7,500/person

Single supplement for the main tour will be $385.

The 5-Day Post-trip Extension to Zanzibar Island is $1,650/person double occupancy, single supplement $360*.

* This price may increase slightly depending on 2008 pricing changes by our lodging and by the Tanzanian government for admission to national parks.

**Due to the volatile nature of the airline industry, we are only able to provide an estimated airfare at this time.  The actual date of ticketing will determine the price.  Typically, we are accurate in our estimates, but please note that there may be a slight difference in pricing at the time of ticketing. If ticket prices at the time of booking are lower than our estimates, the savings will be passed on to you. If they are higher, you will be billed the difference.

PRICE INCLUDES:

• Round-trip airfare from our US gateway city (likely New York) to Kilimanjaro International Airport, Arusha, Tanzania
• Land and air transportation within Tanzania
• All accommodations – based upon double occupancy (single supplement is available at an additional cost of $385.00 for the main trip and $360.00 for the extension)
• All tours within the scheduled itinerary
• Meals are included throughout the safari.  See itinerary for meals included on the extension. 
• Permits, National Park entrance fees and guides
• Expert leadership

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Transportation from your home city to our U.S. gateway city
• Gratuities (for drivers and Tanzanian guides)
• Passport and Visa fees
• Travel insurance (Contact NJAS Ecotravel for Travel Insurance information)
• Costs associated with pre-trip medical planning (such as vaccines)
• Gifts and items of a personal nature

PAYMENTS AND RESERVATIONS:

Send deposits and other payments to:

NJAS Eco-Travel,
9 Hardscrabble Road
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
(908) 204-8998
Make checks payable to the New Jersey Audubon Society.

A deposit of $1,000.00 per person is required along with your reservation form in order to reserve space on the trip. This ensures airline seating space and necessary early deposits. We encourage you to send the deposit well in advance of the date the first payment is due, as paying the deposit is the only way to secure your spot.

* A payment of at least $3,250, plus single supplement of $385 if applicable, is required no later than August 10, 2007.

* The remainder of the trip expense ($3,250), will be due on or before November 16, 2007.

If you are also going to participant in the optional extension to Zanzibar, payments differ as follows:

* $1,000 deposit per person to reserve your space.

* A payment of at least $4,075, plus single supplement of $745 if applicable, is required no later than August 10, 2007.

* The remainder of the trip expense ($4,075), will be due on or before November 16, 2007.

CANCELLATION:

The initial deposit, as well as subsequent payments, will be used to purchase airline tickets and pay deposits for accommodations, travel arrangements, etc. in Tanzania. Therefore, if you must withdraw from the trip, irrespective of reason, a refund will not be possible. We strongly suggest that you protect yourself with the purchase of trip cancellation insurance. We will try to retain a wait list for this trip and it is possible that if you end up not being able to participate we will attempt to find a replacement for you; however, it is your responsibility to find a replacement or to have insurance. In the event NJAS cancels this trip, due to circumstances beyond our control or low trip participant numbers, a refund of the initial deposit and any payments made will be issued.

TOUR LEADERS:

Dave Davenport is a zoologist and President of EcoQuest Travel, Inc. a global ecotourism company based in Minnesota and North Carolina. Dave has bachelor’s degrees in biology and biosocial bciences from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He also has a master’s degree in zoology from North Carolina State University, where he worked on red-cockaded woodpeckers and the relationship between habitat and reproductive fitness. While working on a PhD he worked for the Wildlife Conservation Society conducting research on reptiles and amphibians in Laos. In Southeast Asia, Dave also tracked the use of wildlife for food in local markets, and conducted bird surveys and camera-trap surveys for big cats, specifically tigers, leopards and clouded leopards. Dave taught numerous classes at NC State and continues to lecture around the country. After leaving NC State, Dave became Curator of Living Collections-Herpetologist for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, a position he held for over six years before leaving to devote all his attention to EcoQuest Travel. Currently, Dave leads nearly all of EcoQuest's trips and has led trips on six continents including trips to Africa each year for the past six years. Among the many destinations Dave has led trips to are: Uganda/Rwanda, Botswana, Peru, Patagonia, the Galapagos, Australia, India, Japan, Vietnam, Honduras, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. EcoQuest Travel has also sponsored conservation, research and education projects around the world. One of those long term projects that is currently underway is a collaborative bird banding project in Nicaragua. Dave is a respected naturalist and group leader and an avid birder.

Don Freiday is Director of New Jersey Audubon Society’s Scherman-Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary in Bernardsville.  A New Jersey native, Don’s degree in Natural Resource Management and Applied Ecology is from Rutgers University, where for several years he taught Wildlife Ecology to undergraduates.  Don has worked in the field of nature interpretation and/or wildlife biology for over 20 years, during which time he has led numerous nature tours to Arizona, Colorado, California, Montana, Texas, Wyoming, and Newfoundland, among others.  He has also studied wildlife in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Kenya. Don was a regional coordinator of the New Jersey Breeding Bird Atlas, and is a past member of the NJ Bird Records Committee.  Don is an author and columnist on nature, with two books to his credit:  A Precious Place: a Naturalist Explores New Jersey, and Wild Journeys:  Migration in New Jersey, which he co-authored with Brian Vernachio and Dale Rosselet. 

Expert local drivers/guides will accompany us throughout the safari.

For tour itineraries, to register, or for more information contact:

NJAS Eco-Travel at: (908)-204-8998
9 Hardscrabble Road
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
or email travel@njaudubon.org

If you are not a member and would like to become one, consider Joining New Jersey Audubon Society.