Recommended Activities in Arusha?
Hi, We arrive in Arusha 2 days before the July 24 Great Migration tour. Does anyone have any recommendations for activities for 2 days in Arusha? We were thinking of visiting the Arusha National Park one day. We would be interested in sharing a tour if there is anyone else arriving early who is interested. This is our first trip to Africa.
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I'm leaving for the K&T tour in a couple of days--landing around 4pm. The following day is a recovery day around the hotel with a spa appointment. The next day ("Tour Day 1") for me is Arusha NP.
I've attached the brochure our TD sent to us with day trips from Arusha through Tauck's partner, Kearsley's. I booked via email as indicated on the brochure. Once we picked one (Arusha NP), I asked my TD to email our group so that anyone who wanted to join us would have the opportunity.
Also, point of note, our travel documents show NOTHING planned for Day 1. However, our TD is meeting with us at 4:30pm that day, so I've made sure to ask that Kearsley's get us back in time to clean up before that meeting. Not sure what your GM itinerary shows for Day 1.
More discussion here: https://forums.tauck.com/discussion/18660/july-26-trip (Under East Africa > Kenya & Tanzania > July 26 trip)
It is usual for a meeting in the afternoon to be scheduled but it never appears in the itinerary. So just be aware.
HooHeel, thank you for posting the brochure. How far ahead of your trip did you hear from your tour director? We still have 6 weeks until departure. We arrive at 7AM 2 days ahead so want to plan something for the following day. We are thinking of booking directly through the Rivertrees Inn. Now I can see what to expect for pricing for the different options.
I've already booked ours through the Gran Melia Arusha, I would imagine they use the same touring company? I did not know that Tauck would be sending this information.
I was able to answer my own question above. The Gran Melia Arusha uses Dolphin Tours for their excursions. Does anyone have any experience with that company? The pricing is a tiny bit more favorable but not enough to choose based on cost. We have not paid anything yet, and still have time to cancel.
I’m interesting to know how much they are charging and does that include admission to the park?
The price breakdown is the same for Dolphin's and Kearsleys. They describe the same fees.
Yes, but how much? It wasn’t very experienced when we went and there was just the two of us and it included the walking safari but we had to pay for the Park entry fee separate back then. I think the hotel provided a picnic lunch which we ate by the lake with all the flamingoes.
In the brochure posted by HooHeel above are prices for Kearsley's. For Dolphins, depending on how many in the jeep, it is something like $20-40 cheaper per person, but I could have been given last year's prices. Vehicle cost, Park entrance fees, and guide fees, with or without the walking part are posted for both companies. The hotel provides lunch for a fee in both cases.
It sounds like you get a park guide when you arrive, so it's not even clear that it's a company guide with you the whole time?
I've not had this situation before where Tauck is dealing in optional tours like this.
Tauck does not have it as an optional tour as far as I know. It’s just that many people chose to take the pre day to go there. When the tour stayed at a different resort by Lake Duluti, we took that tour by organizing it ourselves too.
If you look at the first page of the brochure above, there is clearly some sort of business association between Tauck and Kearsley's.
Yes Tauck subcontracts the vehicles to Tauck for the safari tours in K and T. The first time we went, Tauck had their own vehicles