Fiona Bickmore joins Nomads London office

We are delighted to welcome Fiona Bickmore to the team at Nomad Tanzania. Fi joins us from Scott Dunn and will further strengthen our London based trade sales team.

She’s currently on a 3 week educational around Tanzania and will start in earnest, alongside Vix Davies & Jill Bradley from mid November. We couldn't hope for a better team.

Big welcome to Fi - we all look forward to working with you.

The Nomad Trust

The Nomad Trust October Newsletter – download the PDF here for news and updates on the community and conservation projects that Nomad Tanzania supports.

Serengeti Migration Update

There are big herds around Bologonja, gradually heading south towards Lobo. There has been plenty of rain in the last couple weeks, so still lots of good grazing across much of the northern area.

Nomad guides at Serengeti Safari Camp continue to see impressive river crossings, with Chediel recently witnessing a large group of elephant crossing alongside thousands of wildebeest and zebra!

As always the cats are plentiful with lion everywhere and some spectacular cheetah sightings.

Concession fee change at Nduara Loliondo

Hard to believe that we've been hit twice in consecutive weeks with late Park/Concession fee revisions. No doubt a sign of the times.

As of 20 October 2010 we are now faced with a Govmt night driving fee of $20per person for guests staying at Nduara. We have resolved to absorb this for all existing bookings BUT have no other alternative than to pass this charge on for new enquiries.

Nightdrives are hugely popular at Nduara and integral to the experience there. To ensure we can continue operating them despite this new fee, we think the fairest approach is to simply add into our quotes a default $20 per person per stay.

Rates clarification - single travellers in SSC & Nduara

We've been asked to clarify the situation over a single traveller visiting Serengeti Safari Camp and/or Nduara Loliondo where private cars & guides are guaranteed in both camps.

Our rates in these camps are specifically based on minimum of 2 pax travelling together, with a single supplement applied to anyone wanting sole occupancy of a tent. On those few occasions when a single person is travelling alone and therefore requiring sole use of car & guide as well as sole occupancy of a tent, we would charge one full adult sharing rate plus 75% of a second full adult sharing but NO single supplement. 

This enables us to cover the cost of a private car & guide alongside accomodation, whilst discounting for savings on food & drink etc. We hope that approach sounds simple, fair & logical?

Changes to our invoicing procedures

As part of ongoing improvements in Nomads sales & marketing, we will be streamlining our invoicing procedures as of 01 Nov 2010. Further details will accompany all new invoices as of that date.

We fully expect this to simplify administration on all sides and ask that you bear with us during any transition phase.

And Beyond - new Red Hot Deals

And Beyond have just announced their Red Hot Deals - for their Under Canvas camps, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge and Kleins Camp. See their website for more details.

New regulation re fishing at Mahale

Tanzania National Parks have decided to implement a $50 fishing fee in Mahale, forthwith. Annoying for everyone - except possibly the fish. Sadly we are forced to pass on this fee to any guests who opt for a fishing trip during their stay. The managers will explain the situation fully to current guests, which should mitigate any misunderstandings over the next few months. 

On all future bookings we reckon the simplest approach is for us to add a single fishing fee per person on every Mahale stay, leaving you free to remove it if you think your clients would prefer to opt out. We of course continue to lay on boat, crew, fishing kit & coolbox of drinks as a part of any Mahale stay and we hope that fishing will remain a popular option for guests.

Zanzibar Palace Hotel - online availability and new spa

Zanzibar Palace have introduced real-time availability online at their website – http://www.zanzibarpalacehotel.com/. See the ‘Availability’ option.

They have also just opened their new Luxury Spa, adjacent to the hotel.

Singita Grumeti - temporary 2011 closure

The Singita Grumeti properties - Sasakwa, Sabora Plains and Faru Faru - will be closed from 21 June to 19 July 2011. 

Breezes Beach Club and Spa - closure

Following their ongoing commitment to improving and upgrading of  services at Breezes, they will close for approximately three and ½ weeks from May 3 to May 29 2011 inclusive.

For more details - contracts@breezes-zanzibar.com

Serengeti Balloons are flying again

There's been some confusion over whether Serengeti ballooning is or is not back on. We're happy to confirm that ballooning in the Serengeti IS once again underway.

Twiga Lodge - 'bush home' next to Arusha National Park

Small and friendly new ‘homestay’ lodge just outside of Arusha – Twiga Lodge – right on the boundry of Arusha National Park, and only 4 rooms. For more details www.shawsafaris.com

Fundu Lagoon - honeymoon offer

From 15th June 2011 until 14th April 2012 Fundu Lagoon are pleased to offer the following special honeymoon package

20% discount for the bride:

Bottle of champagnoise in room on arrival

His and hers massage

This is in addition to all the included activities and extras offered at the resort.

There is a minimum 5 night stay which applies to a Hillside or Beachfront Standard Room

For more details and their terms & conditions, please contact your Nomad sales rep or Fundu Lagoon on reservations@fundulagoon.com

New in Zanzibar - The Seyyida

Lizzie, our Sales Manager, recently checked out The Seyyida Hotel in Zanzibar, and she gives it the thumbs up. Described as an elegant 17-room boutique hotel located in the heart of the World Heritage Site of Stonetown, you can find more info at www.theseyyida-zanzibar.com

Katavi on National Geographic

Hope some of you managed to see the fantastic Katavi documentary on National Geographic recently. This is very much home turf for all of us at Chada Katavi, with Nomad founder Roland Purcell being for many years the pioneer of safaris in Katavi. This film is excellent in the way it gives a real taste of how magical Katavi is in the sometimes overlooked green season.

It'll certainly be reshown in the near future but in the meantime, you can see a preview video here.

http://natgeotv.com/uk/croc-caves-of-africa/videos/cave-dwellers

Zanzibar Kempinski - health retreat

Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski becomes a holistic health retreat early Jan 2011 – for more details visit www.kempinski.com

Katavi and nearest airstrip

Strange as it may seem, work at Ikuu airstrip is still ongoing. We'll be continuing to use Sitalike airstrip until further notice. The bad news is that this is approx two hours drive from Chada Katavi - the good news that it gets us into some areas of the park that we wouldn't ordinarily visit. We're continuing to push Tanapa for speedy completion of Ikuu but in the meantime please bear with us and warn your clients accordingly. Thank you.

Lake Duluti Lodge, Arusha - just opened

New lodge 10kms outside of Arusha; just opened with 18 en-suite chalets set near the shores of the lake. 

For more details: http://www.lakeduluti.com/

Serengeti Balloon accident - ATTAK news

Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA) has indefinitely banned hot air balloon operations in the Serengeti National Park in the aftermath of last week's accident.

A privately-owned hot air balloon with 10 tourists on board crashed on Wednesday in the Serengeti National park, killing two, from USA and Denmark leaving eight others seriously injured.

"We have suspended the hot air balloons in [the] Serengeti National Park until further notice, pending for mishap investigation, which is underway,"
TANAPA spokesperson, Mr. Pascal Shelutete said in Arusha.

"Investigators drawn from [the] Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, TANAPA, and Serengeti Balloon Safaris are currently analyzing the circumstances of the hot air balloon crash to establish the exact cause".


The African Travel & Tourism Association ATTAK Newsletter - http://www.atta.travel

Serengeti Migration Update

The wildebeest are stretched along the Mara River in large numbers with crossings happening most days during this last week. We followed one herd, on the opposite bank, that expanded in numbers until it was about 5000 strong. They headed east passing several possible crossings en route. It was like watching a tornado build up and build up, but one that you’re never sure where it’s going to actually touch down. They passed crossing points that were easy, shallow entries with fewer rocks but they kept going; the wind seemed to make them jumpy and restless and the slightest thing would set them off again. Nomad guide Emmanuel kept us on the trail of them all day…watching them from the opposite bank. 

We’d headed back to Serengeti Safari Camp at the end of the day so left them there in their numbers. The following morning they still hadn’t crossed over, but were now scattered in every direction. Rains in the north have kept a lot of the herds on the TZ side with good numbers crossing but then crossing back over again. We also saw lots of elephants, the resident cheetah brothers hunting (right alongside our car) and heard plenty of lion calling at night. 

Nomad Trust - October 2010 Newsletter

Read the latest Nomad Trust newsletter here - updates on our key projects including the Ololosokwan, Loliondo, school project, wild dog awareness, and a focus on what's happening in Katavi National Park.