Circle of Life
African Wildlife Photo Safari in Tanzania
March 10 - 22, 2003
THE ULTIMATE SAFARI
All our lives we have heard about how marvelous it is to go to Africa on Safari.
It has been romanticized in wide-screen epic adventures and immortalized
by Ernest Hemingway in The Snows of Kilimanjaro. Kenya, once considered
the place to go, has now become over-commercialized and over-touristed.
There remains, however, an unblemished jewel in East Africa, where
game
reserves and parks contain the highest concentration of wildlife on the
continent. Tanzania is the Ultimate Safari Destination.
Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa
and boasts a remarkable number of World Heritage Sites, including two we will
visit on this tour: Serengeti National Park, and the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area. In fact, the Serengeti is so vast that you
can drive for an entire day and not encounter any other human beings.
Game viewing in Tanzania is more spectacular than anywhere in the world.
The country has dozens of
ecosystems that give rise to a host of different species of mammals and
birds. Here you can find everything you hope to see on Safari, including
wildebeest, elephant, buffalo, hippo, zebra, leopard, cheetah, lion,
giraffe, impala, oryx, monkey, baboon, rhino, dik-dik, waterbuck, jackal, gazelle,
hartebeest, topi, ostrich, flamingo, heron, kingfisher, egret, ibis, stork,
crested hawk eagle, and many more.
The countryside itself is part of the drama: bulbous
baobab trees with their massive trunks, kopjes (granite outcrops) that
stand alone on vast plains, the Great Rift Valley punctuated with soda
lakes covered white with salt, golden savannah to volcanic highlands,
and lush, green hills. The altitude ranges from sea level to 19,340 feet,
which contributes to the startlingly diverse landscape.
Here, you won’t have to share your experience with buses
carrying dozens of overexcited tourists. The country has more National
Parks and protected land than any country on the continent. It is one
of the few places left in Africa that can still be called “unspoiled.”
It is to this remnant of an Africa that
once existed but is quickly vanishing that Toto Tours takes you
on a classic wildlife Safari. We are going to do it in style, giving up
none of the comforts of home by staying in beautiful lodges erected in
the most striking settings to be found on earth, and in one deluxe tented
camp!
Breakfast and dinners at the lodges are
sumptuous. We pack a picnic lunch to enjoy during full-day game drives,
but often return to the lodge for lunch, giving you the option of sleeping
in or taking an afternoon off to lounge by the pool. In the evening you
can keep abreast of world news, sip cocktails at the bar, and enjoy educational
films or live performances of native music and dance.
Our days are spent enjoying
close-up game viewing from the comfort of our four-wheel drive Land Rovers.
Every passenger has a window seat, and the pop-up roof allows us to stand
for unimpeded views in every direction. Awake to the gentle cooing of
the African Dove, marvel at the vast and unspoiled landscape illuminated
by the African sun. Witness in awe thousands of wildebeest racing across
endless plains, the majesty of an elephant only yards away, and the supple
strength of a lioness stalking her prey.
Come and enjoy the unsurpassed safari experience
only Tanzania can promise! You will feel like you have been cast in a dramatic
episode of The Wild Kingdom. Grab your khakis, your pith helmet,
your camera and binoculars, and let’s go on Safari!
ITINERARY
Monday, March 10, 2003
U.S. Departure
Depart from any KLM / Northwest Gateway city this evening, bound for
Tanzania (via Amsterdam). Tour price includes departure
from NY or Boston. Add-on airfares are available from other cities for
approximately $200.
Tuesday, March 11, 2003
Touchdown in Tanzania
Stepping from the plane into the fragrant African night late today you realize
you are finally here, at the beginning of a long-awaited adventure.
Our
guide greets and transfers us to the Impala Hotel in Arusha.
Wednesday, March 12, 2003
Arusha National Park
After breakfast we have a safari briefing and get-acquainted meeting with our
guide. Spend the day in Arusha National Park which includes: the
Momella Lakes, Ngurdoto Crater and Meru Crater. Enjoy an easy walk on
Mt. Meru with spectacular views of Kilimanjaro. Return to the Impala
Hotel. (All Meals are included throughout the Safari)
Thursday, March 13, 2003
Tarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is the third largest in Tanzania covering
some 1,600 square miles. You will find a geologic landscape as diverse
as the wildlife, with nine distinct vegetation zones ranging from savanna
grassland to wooded thickets, and from deep gully vegetation to scattered
rocky hilltops.
Dotted with ancient baobab trees, the Tarangire
River valley attracts abundant wildlife including elephant, lion, antelope,
buffalo, and giraffe, as well as an array of vibrantly colored birds.
We arrive by noon, enjoy lunch, then spend the afternoon viewing wildlife
in the Park. Overnight Tarangire Tented Lodge.
Friday, March 14, 2003
Tarangire National Park
Enjoy a full day of wildlife viewing in this exceptional Park. Overnight Tarangire
Tented Lodge.
Saturday, March 15, 2003
Ngorongoro Highlands
Morning wildlife viewing in Tarangire National Park, with lunch at the Lodge
before departing for the Ngorongoro Highlands. We arrive at Gibbs
Farm in the late afternoon with time to relax and enjoy the beautiful
grounds. Overnight Gibbs Farm.
Sunday, March 16, 2003
Ngorongoro Crater
After breakfast enjoy a walk to a nearby waterfall and elephant salt lick.
Early lunch at the Farm, then depart for the Ngorongoro Crater. After
our first look at the collapsed caldera of Tanzania's “Garden of Eden,”
we descend 2000 feet to the crater floor for an afternoon of wildlife
viewing. Here, for the next day and a half, we’ll be enchanted by the
unforgettable spectacle of African wildlife—a teaming world of elephant,
rhinoceros, lion, hyena, zebra, wildebeest, and gazelle (to name a few),
living in perfect balance in this self-contained environment. Overnight
Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
Monday, March 17, 2003
Ngorongoro Crater
Enjoy a full day of wildlife viewing on the crater floor. Return to the lodge
in the late afternoon for overnight.
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Serengeti National Park
Morning departure to Serengeti National Park, stopping at Olduvai
Gorge. It was in these desolate gullies that the jawbone of Zinjanthropus
Man was discovered by the dedicated Leakey family. The Gorge Museum exhibits
their methods and remarkable finds.
We arrive in the heart of wild Africa, the great
Serengeti, undoubtedly the best known wildlife sanctuary in the world.
Endless plains roll into the distance as far as the eye can see, with
great herds of animals running swiftly across vast open spaces and predators
hunting their prey. We spend our days amidst this incredible untamed wilderness
where literally millions of animals roam, including the Big Five—lion,
leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. Overnight at our very own private
Classic Safari Camp.
Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Serengeti National Park
A full day of wildlife viewing in the Serengeti. Today you may also want to
experience an unforgettable balloon safari (optional). Overnight at
our
private Classic Safari Camp.
Thursday, March 20, 2003
Serengeti National Park
We depart our campsite this morning and go wildlife viewing into the Western
Corridor of the Serengeti, spending our final night at the Kirawira
Luxury Camp.
Friday, March 21, 2003
Return to Arusha / Depart
A final glimpse of the wildlife today as we drive from camp to to meet our
10:40am flight to Arusha (33 lbs. baggage limit). We enjoy a farewell
lunch at the Impala Hotel, where Day Rooms are provided to rest and
relax prior to our 6pm transfer to the airport for our flight to Amsterdam.
Saturday, March 22, 2003
Amsterdam / U.S.
Arrive in Amsterdam and connect to flights to the U.S., arriving home on the
same day.
ACCOMMODATIONS
(Most overnight stays are in lodges and tented camps, with
many unexpected creature comforts.)
Tarangire Tented Lodge—a small, remote camp within the National Park, with 35
deluxe double tents for a real African experience. Each private unit has
electricity, comfortable beds, running water, flush toilet, and solar
heated shower. Situated on a bluff overlooking the Tarangire River and
the baobab-studded landscape of the park., often the best game viewing
occurs sitting on your veranda or by the pool.
Gibbs Farm—a small, intimate lodge nestled on the outer slopes of
the Ngorongoro Crater Highlands. Surrounded by coffee plantations and
a vegetable farm, with the rain forest of Ngorongoro above, it offers
expansive views over this verdant agricultural country. The main communal
areas are situated in a restored, old farmhouse, while sleeping accommodations
are in 15 cozy bungalows set amidst colorful gardens. There are daily
guided walks into the hills, visiting a waterfall and an elephant mineral
lick along the way.
Ngorongoro Serena
Lodge—a modern lodge built in 1996 and set unobtrusively atop
the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. The 75 guestrooms are ornately decorated
with local materials, have modern bathrooms, and most have private terraces
with views of the crater floor. Relax on the veranda after a day on the
crater floor, or warm up near the fireplaces in the dining lodge and bar.
Classic Safari Camp—modeled after the traditional mobile safari camps enjoyed
by Ernest Hemingway and Karen Blixen (AKA Isak Dinesen), in which you
will be close to nature, but not too close for comfort. Each large, walk-in
tent has a straw mat floor, two beds complete with mattresses, pillows,
sheets and blankets, and a bedside table. The tents have mesh windows
and doors for ventilation and are completely mosquito and bug proof. Each
tent has a private veranda with table, safari chairs and a wash basin.
A sanitary portable toilet tent is attached to the sleeping tents, and
a shower tent is nearby, providing hot bucket showers at any time of the
day. Delicious, healthy food is prepared in an outdoor kitchen by our
expert camp chefs and served in the dining tent. Camp lighting is by kerosene
lamps, as there is no electricity. Share your stories sitting by campfire,
and marvel at the billions of stars in the Serengeti night.
Kirawira Luxury Tented
Camp—features 25 double tents with luxurious sleeping and
bath arrangements, complemented by valet service and superb meals made-to-order
from house cuisine or from guest recipes. Victorian and East African
elements
are blended artfully to create the ultimate safari ambience. Set upon
a hill with commanding views, the endless savanna below is home to a
wide
variety of big game including lion, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, baboon,
gazelle and wildebeest. From this location, you can observe crocodiles
feeding by the Grumeti River. Without leaving camp, one may encounter
much of the region’s extraordinary bird life.
Impala
Hotel—a large hotel, fully equipped with restaurant, bar/café,
swimming pool, gym, tennis courts, and sauna. Rooms have private baths,
double beds, TV, and minibar.
TOUR PREPARATION
Entry Requirements—For citizens of the United States and Canada, you need a passport valid
for six months after your date of entry into Tanzania. All U.S. citizens
must also have a visa when traveling to Tanzania. Detailed instructions
on obtaining the proper documentation will be forwarded to you once you
have reserved a place on this tour.
Immunizations
q Malaria. You will need to take malaria pills before,
during and after the Safari.
q Yellow Fever. Required for travel to Tanzania. Follow your doctor’s
advice regarding other immunizations mentioned here.
q Meningococcal Meningitis. Not required, but highly recommended
by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
q Tetanus & Measles. Recommended once every ten years.
Is yours current? If you have not had a case of the measles, get immunized
before this tour.
q Polio. Even if fully immunized as a child, the CDC currently
recommends a booster in adulthood.
q Hepatitis A. There is only a small risk of contracting
hepatitis A in the controlled environment of a Safari. However, we
visit remote
areas, so the CDC advises an immune globulin shot against Type A, which
should be given as close as possible to our departure date.
q Typhoid. Recommended by the CDC for travelers to
most areas of Africa.
Exit Requirements—Airport departure tax of about $22 U.S is included in your tour price
if you book your airfare through Toto Tours.
Remember: Plan ahead! This is not a tour that you can book at the last minute,
hop on a plane and go. (You will need at least one month prior to departure
to take care of the visa application and get your immunizations!)
WHAT TO BRING
A detailed packing list will be forwarded to you once we have received your
deposit for this tour. That list will focus on the gear needed for the
Safari.
LIABILITIES / DISCLAIMERS
Making a reservation with a deposit shall be deemed to be consent to these conditions:
Toto Tours does not accept responsibility in whole or in part for any
delay, loss, accidents, personal injury, sickness, medical expenses, or
property damage occasioned by fault of any person from whatever cause.
All tour participants are required to sign a standard liability form.
The tour
operators reserve the right to accept or decline any person as a member
of the tour at any time and to make whatever changes become necessary
with or without notice. Guaranteed departure with a minimum of 6 participants.
To reserve a place on this tour, click on the "Reservations" link
above. Complete
the information requested, sign and mail the form to Toto Tours with
your deposit of $500. The balance
of $5,495 is due 80 days prior to departure (by December 22, 2002). Toto
Tours does not accept credit cards as payment. Installment plan possible.
Make checks payable to: Toto Tours, Ltd. Our address: 1326 W. Albion
Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60626-4753.
THE TOTO SPIRIT
Toto Tours provides Adventure Travel Experiences as differentiated
from tours in the traditional sense. Adventure Travel allows (even encourages)
you to be an active participant. Adventurers can be identified by certain
traits. They are:
q fun-loving
optimists with a sense of humor and positive outlook;
q good
natured realists who are willing to accept things as they exist;
q undaunted
by the unexpected, like occasional delays or bad weather;
q willing
to forego some of the amenities we normally take for granted;
q eager
to try new things & test limits;
q punctual;
q not
whiners!
Bound like a Wildebeest to sign up for this once-in-a-lifetime
Safari! Do it now, before Africa changes forever! If you have any questions,
call: 800-565-1241.
THE BOTTOM LINE
(tour prices per person)
Price: $5,995
double occupancy
Private Room: Inquire. We arrange room-sharing.
Deposit: $500
Final Payment: $5,495
Final Payment Due: December
22, 2002
Included: Round-trip
airfare from New York or Boston on KLM (via Amsterdam); airport taxes;
all accommodations, meals & activities as listed in the itinerary;
all transfers as a group; services of safari guides & drivers; all
park entry fees; bottled water; ground transportation in 4-wheel drive
vehicles; return flight from the Serengeti to Arusha.
Not
Included: Add-on airfare from your home city to the
point of departure; visa fees; optional activities or transportation not
listed in the itinerary; alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; insurance;
laundry; telephone calls; faxes; or any other expenses of a personal nature.
Tips to drivers and guides not included. Tipping guidelines will be provided
prior to departure.
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