Safari: Serengeti National Park (Time to head home)
Plan of the Day: Depart the Ndutu Camp head to the Serengeti enjoying a game drive on the way to the Soroi Lodge for two nights.
Our Itinerary: February 2012
14th: Depart Naples, Italy
15th: Arrive Kilimanjaro, Africa *Transport to Arumeru River Lodge, Arusha (adjust for jet lag)
16th-17th: Tarangire National Park
*Stay two nights at the Kikoti Camp
18th: Lake Manyara National Park
*Stay one night Ngorongoro Farm House
19th-21st: Ngorongora Crater
Stay one night Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Stay two nights (20th-21st) Ndutu Camp
22nd-23rd: Serengeti National Park
*Stay two nights the Serengeti Soroi Lodge
24th: Depart Serengeti National Park for flight back to Seronera Airstrip and transfer to Kilimanjaro airport
25th: Arrive Naples, Italy
Serengeti National Park (Time to head home)
After one last morning game drive we bounced our way to the Seronera Airstrip, enjoying an "African massage" along the way.
Time to head home…
According to our trip advisor Justin, this is what you get from riding along the African road system. The pilot loaded our gear into the plane as we packed ourselves into the tiny airplane. I did a quick head count comparing it to the number of seats on the plane and figured pretty quickly that someone would get to sit up front in the right-hand seat, next to the pilot. I volunteered to take the seat, sparing the pilot having to ask anyone else.
It had been awhile since my cockpit days, so for the last adventure in the Serengeti I got to reminisce about the good ol' days of flying. Karen's warning statement as we taxied, "Don't touch anything!" I landed with a broad smile on my face, the flight capping one of the greatest adventures of my life. We flew to an intermediate airport just outside of Arusha where we were taken to a hotel to freshen up, have some lunch and get a nap before launching on our nearly 24 hours of travel to return to Naples, Italy.
I would like to thank Alana and her team at Born Free Safaris for the organization and coordination with Justin in Tanzania. Between the three of us we did our homework and got an A+ on our adventure. I would also like to thank Anthony our guide, not only for ensuring our safety in the wild, but also for making sure we truly had a grand adventure. He astonished us continually with his knowledge of the animals, birds and beauty of Tanzania. From our first WOW moment as we spotted the elephants to his "Crocodile Dundee moments" (spotting leopard tracks on the roadbed as we jounced by at 35kph) he never let us down and always guaranteed a pleasant, fun, safe and adventurous day. So many times I would yell "Stop. Back up. Shut the jeep off." Never once did he fail to comply, and each time, try to position the jeep for the best vantage possible for my photo. Even with limits imposed, he always made me feel like the jeep was ours and we could go just about anywhere.
Thank you, Anthony. Lastly, I would like to thank my wonderful wife, for it is she that makes my entire life an adventure. I am so thankful to be able to share this and all of our adventures.
Born Free Safaris Team
Alana-CEO
Nancy-Amy-Liza
Justin-Arusha
Anthorny-Guide
