Safari: Napoli-Italy to Arusha-Tanzania
Plan of the Day: Travel Day, Time to adjust at the Arumeru River Lodge
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 FarmHouse
19th-21st: Ngorongora Crater
Stay one night Ngorongoro SopaLodge
Stay two nights (20th-21st) NdutuCamp
22nd-23rd: Serengeti National Park
Stay two nights the Soroi SerengetiLodge
24th: Depart Serengeti National Park for flight back to Seronera Airstrip and transfer to Kilimanjaro airport
25th: Arrive Naples, Italy
Planning a trip of a lifetime requires thorough research to avoid potential pitfalls, especially when there are so many enticing options on a continent like Africa. Just like I tell my kids, do your homework. I dove deep into the world of safaris, spending hours scouring the internet and vetting around 50 companies. This painstaking process whittled down our choices to five, then interviewing three, before we finally settled on one. Along the way, we considered sharing a jeep with another couple to cut costs. However, my love for photography, our travel agent convinced us to go alone taking the entire jeep. Our agent said that squeezing into a shared jeep wouldn’t save us enough to justify the hassle, so we opted for a solo guide and jeep. In retrospect, this was undoubtedly the right choice; having our own guide allowed us to dictate our adventure. I found myself frequently calling out for the jeep to stop, back up, or turn off the engine so I could capture the perfect shot. The following pages detail our journey—born from hours of planning, scouting, and seizing the moment. I hope you enjoy our adventure as much as we did.
After a full day's travel with a layover in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, we finally landed at Mount Kilimanjaro Airport and eagerly awaited our transport. Our driver, Justin, greeted us warmly at the airport, but we quickly learned that our luggage had not made the transfer, adding a bit of unexpected chaos to our journey. Nonetheless, we were whisked away to the Arumeru River Lodge, a stunning resort that truly felt like something out of a movie, designed to help us adjust to the jet lag. After checking in at the lodge we headed to our room. As we strolled along the walkway, we passed a series of charming one-room cabins, each more inviting than the last. When we reached the back of the complex, we were amazed to find that our lodging was a complete house, it was at this time we realized we might have overpaid (compared to the quaint cabins that surrounded us). Dinner at the lodge was delightful, and the next morning we were warmly welcomed by Anthony, our guide for the next nine days, ready to embark on this incredible adventure together.
Before heading off to the stunning Tarangire National Park, we made a brief yet essential stop in the city of Arusha to hunt down some necessities from our missing luggage, such as tees, hats, and, most importantly, a good supply of sunscreen. In this remote part of beautiful Tanzania, we quickly realized there was no convenient Target or Walmart just around the corner to help us out. With a sense of excitement, Karen ventured into a local department store while I was assisted by our guide Anthony to a nearby pharmacy in hopes of finding sunscreen. Miraculously, Karen struck gold, scoring a couple tee-shirts and hats. My luck, however, turned out to be a bit lackluster; I couldn't find any effective sunscreen at the pharmacy. Despite this small hiccup, I finally hopped back into the jeep, ready for the next leg of our journey, the exhilarating adventure was just beginning, and I could hardly contain my excitement!
