Safari status in Kenya/Tanzania?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
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Safari status in Kenya/Tanzania?
Hi all,
Kenya and Tanzania seem to be one of the few countries that are relatively open - does anyone know if Safaris are running or if they're currently closed? Most of the websites for individual camps seemed to have changed their booking engines to "enquire here" instead of being able to book directly online.
Kenya and Tanzania seem to be one of the few countries that are relatively open - does anyone know if Safaris are running or if they're currently closed? Most of the websites for individual camps seemed to have changed their booking engines to "enquire here" instead of being able to book directly online.
#3
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
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Follow Chris Liebenberg of Piper and Heath on Instagram. Search for Piperandheath. I can't get it to properly link here. He owns the agency and we have used him for safaris. He arrived in Tanzania today to check on the situation there.
#4
Join Date: Aug 2020
Programs: Qatar
Posts: 5
Have returned from a safari in Tanzania in late July, staying in Saadani National Park (Saadani Safari Lodge). Parks open and safaris generally run according to both my experience and park rangers.
According to Abercrombie & Kent with whom I’m (hopefully) travelling to the Mara in November, camps in Tanzania are now relatively open.
So if you’re after *a* safari, that’s definitely doable.
That said, if you would like a specific lodge harder to say.
According to Abercrombie & Kent with whom I’m (hopefully) travelling to the Mara in November, camps in Tanzania are now relatively open.
So if you’re after *a* safari, that’s definitely doable.
That said, if you would like a specific lodge harder to say.
#5
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Related: I had a South Africa/Botswana safari scheduled for September, 2020, and the S.A. travel agency (Rhino Tours) strongly encouraged delaying it for a year, which I did. If paid according to the original schedule, 2020 prices were honored otherwise the 2021 prices (about 6% higher) would be charged.
#6
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Location: New York
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So, I've e-mailed approximately 20 camps in the Mara. Generally speaking most of them are open, and a good number of them have some good deals that are generally valid for the next few months.
Right now I'm price-shopping between camps, but I'm wondering if a TA might get me better prices. I'm mainly interested in 4-5 nights total in the Mara. Anyone got any TAs they'd like to recommend? (Other than Rhino Africa, which seems to be well-recommended in this forum)
Right now I'm price-shopping between camps, but I'm wondering if a TA might get me better prices. I'm mainly interested in 4-5 nights total in the Mara. Anyone got any TAs they'd like to recommend? (Other than Rhino Africa, which seems to be well-recommended in this forum)
#7
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
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https://piperandheath.com/
https://piperandheath.com/contact/
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: New York
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 260
Chris Liebenberg, owner of Piper & Heath, is in Tanzania right now, seeing the great migration and learning what the status is of the various camps. He's done a superb job on two safaris for us.
https://piperandheath.com/
https://piperandheath.com/contact/
https://piperandheath.com/
https://piperandheath.com/contact/
#9
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: NY
Posts: 226
We used Linda Friedman at https://CustomSafaris.com/. We were very happy with the camps and the guides at the camps that she selected.
It appears that her website shows that it is not secure. You can send an email to [email protected].
It appears that her website shows that it is not secure. You can send an email to [email protected].
Last edited by LinLant; Aug 17, 2020 at 7:02 am Reason: Add info about website security
#10
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Hmm - does anyone know what the entry requirements into Tanzania are right now? Do we need a negative test to fly from Kenya to Tanzania? If we do, I'm considering switching to Northern Serengeti instead of the Masai Mara. That way, we don't have to get *two* sets of negative tests (one leaving the US going into Kenya, and another going from Kenya to Tanzania)
Last edited by Martellus; Aug 17, 2020 at 6:07 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,265
Hmm - does anyone know what the entry requirements into Tanzania are right now? Do we need a negative test to fly from Kenya to Tanzania? If we do, I'm considering switching to Northern Serengeti instead of the Masai Mara. That way, we don't have to get *two* sets of negative tests (one leaving the US going into Kenya, and another going from Kenya to Tanzania)
Anyway, given your dates: I think it's worth to track down the current movement of the great migration. Afaik they started early this year. Early October they are usually in Masai Mara but then will start to head back to Lamai as soon as the wet season is starting.
#12
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Interesting - the august 3rd US embassy health alert (https://tz.usembassy.gov/health-aler...august-3-2020/) states the following:
But the august 7th alert (https://tz.usembassy.gov/health-aler...august-7-2020/):
Which I guess means that no COVID-19 test is needed to go from Kenya -> Tanzania, since Kenya doesn't require any testing for *outbound* travel.
The Tanzanian Health Ministry put out a directive stating all travelers entering Tanzania are required to present a valid COVID-19 certificate from an approved laboratory in a departure country tested within 72 hours before travel.
All travelers whether foreigners or returning residents whose countries or airlines require them to provide negative testing for COVID-19 as a condition for traveling will be required to present a certificate on arrival. Travelers from other countries with symptoms and signs related to COVID-19 infection will undergo enhanced screening and may be tested on arrival.
#13
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Chris Liebenberg of Piper and Heath is home. This is what he had to say:
"The two biggest take-aways from my trip were that it is indeed possible to visit Africa right now (at least Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda!) and that Africa is virtually empty. It was an amazing and, frankly, unprecedented privilege to visit safari hotspots like Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti at a time when they are experiencing only a tiny fraction of the usual tourist numbers. The wildlife was spectacular, the experience was exclusive, and my reception by the local people was heartwarming."
"The two biggest take-aways from my trip were that it is indeed possible to visit Africa right now (at least Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda!) and that Africa is virtually empty. It was an amazing and, frankly, unprecedented privilege to visit safari hotspots like Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and the Serengeti at a time when they are experiencing only a tiny fraction of the usual tourist numbers. The wildlife was spectacular, the experience was exclusive, and my reception by the local people was heartwarming."
#14
Join Date: Aug 2020
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So, I've e-mailed approximately 20 camps in the Mara. Generally speaking most of them are open, and a good number of them have some good deals that are generally valid for the next few months.
Right now I'm price-shopping between camps, but I'm wondering if a TA might get me better prices. I'm mainly interested in 4-5 nights total in the Mara. Anyone got any TAs they'd like to recommend? (Other than Rhino Africa, which seems to be well-recommended in this forum)
Right now I'm price-shopping between camps, but I'm wondering if a TA might get me better prices. I'm mainly interested in 4-5 nights total in the Mara. Anyone got any TAs they'd like to recommend? (Other than Rhino Africa, which seems to be well-recommended in this forum)
Interesting - the august 3rd US embassy health alert (https://tz.usembassy.gov/health-aler...august-3-2020/) states the following:
But the august 7th alert (https://tz.usembassy.gov/health-aler...august-7-2020/):
Which I guess means that no COVID-19 test is needed to go from Kenya -> Tanzania, since Kenya doesn't require any testing for *outbound* travel.
But the august 7th alert (https://tz.usembassy.gov/health-aler...august-7-2020/):
Which I guess means that no COVID-19 test is needed to go from Kenya -> Tanzania, since Kenya doesn't require any testing for *outbound* travel.
All of that being said, if you have the means to get to Kenya, the payoff will be a dream. There likely won’t be another opportunity to experience Africa and the Great Migration quite like this in our lifetime!