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How many nights? Selous/Mahale/Serengeti

Florida
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35 posts
14 reviews
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How many nights? Selous/Mahale/Serengeti
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We are planning a trip. We can either go to the Selous, Mahale, and Serengeti for three nights each, or we can go for four nights per place, but eliminate either Selous or Mahale. What would you all recommend?

Thanks!

London, United...
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35,265 posts
93 reviews
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1. Re: How many nights? Selous/Mahale/Serengeti
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What are you interested in? Where have you been on safari before? What time of year are you going?

The Serengeti is a given, but why did you choose those other park over the many other superb park in Tanzania. EG Why not Ruaha, or Katavi or Tarangire?

I'm just trying to understand how you arrived at this point and what your interests are. There's no point in saying "Drop Selous", if you want off-road driving or boat trips.

But, whatever the above, I'd say 3 nights would be the minimum at these places. Have you also worked out the transfer times? Its a long time in a small plane.

Florida
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35 posts
14 reviews
10 helpful votes
2. Re: How many nights? Selous/Mahale/Serengeti
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Hi Peterscot -

Thanks for your quick and thoughtful reply. To answer some of your questions, we are going in early July of 2012 and we have never been to Africa before. We are very interested in seeing wildlife, we which we expect to see in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. We came up with our ideas of Selous and Mahale because we are interested in going somewhere truly peaceful and off the beaten track. And also to see nature and wildlife in its pristine condition.

With respect to Mahale, the chimpanzees seem absolutely fascinating, and if it weren't so far out of the way, I would be saying Mahale was a definite. With respect to Selous, one of the appeals is that we are very active and adventurous people, and we enjoy having a variety of activities to do and staying on-the-go. Selous seems to offer a variety of things you can do, such as boat safaris, walking, and "fly-camping."

Of course, I would love to do it all, but we can't extend the total number of days of our trip (real life obligations beckon). But I'm concerned that if we try to cram too much in, we will spend too much time hauling ourselves from Point A to Point B, and not giving any of the places enough time to really appreciate them. Also, I am concerned that in Mahale, if we only have two days of chimpanzee tracking, and we don't have good luck finding chimpanzees, we will feel we didn't get much for all the time and effort it took to get there.

I think you make a valid point about the plane. Mahale does add about 5 hours each way in the charter plane - and I have no idea what that plane is like. Our proposed itinerary states that there is a 100 kg weight limit per person including your luggage - do you know if that is typical and usually enforced, and does it indicate what type of plane it might be?

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions! And we are open to any other ideas, if you think we have overlooked someplace that is well matched to our interests.

nyc
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15,087 posts
3. Re: How many nights? Selous/Mahale/Serengeti
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100Kg - that's 220/lbs, so includes the human and their luggage. Know that the luggage limit is 15Kg (33/lbs). Sure can't be overdoing it at MickeyDs beforehand (LOL!).

Mahale is out of the way and your time there is dictated by "scheduled" flight service, unless willing to pay very expensive "charter" prices. If I recall correctly, there is no scheduled flight between Selous and Mahale, rather only charter, which is costly.

Nomad's has their own flight service between Serengeti and Mahale and another between Serengeti and Selous... is this who you'll be using/flying? If so, then it is what it is. Certainly long hauls, between all of these and they are small planes.

Three days is minimum at any of these areas, but when you consider the flight times, you wind up with only 2/days at each.

Decide whether the chimps are important enough, and if so, then Ngorongoro/ Serengeti, then onto Mahale. Trying to include the Selous is a bit much. Or just do Ngorongoro/Serengeti, then the Selous.

London, United...
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35,265 posts
93 reviews
106 helpful votes
4. Re: How many nights? Selous/Mahale/Serengeti
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I can't really advise, and I haven't answered any of your questions, but I hope I have helped by *asking* you more questions.

I'd say you are spreading yourself too thin, and in danger of not enjoying the locations because of the long transfers.

Some places almost need experience of other, more accessible, parks, before they can be appreciated.

You are diving into the deep end, but you will probably enjoy the Serengeti / Crater more if you see several locations and environments there, rather than spend 2/3 days on planes. The wilderness should still be there at a later date when you want to return, as you almost certainly will.

Luggage on small flights is 15kgs as sandi says. Some airlines ask you to tell them if you are "large". The planes will probably take about 12 passengers, so several 'large' passengers can make a difference.

Hope this helps,

5. Re: How many nights? Selous/Mahale/Serengeti

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