RAW Worldwide Expeditions Serengeti Great Migration 2019 - Shane Ross
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RAW Worldwide Expeditions Serengeti Great Migration 2019
"There is a language going on out there – the language of the wild.
Roars, snorts, trumpets, squeals, whoops and chirps have meaning
derived over eons of expression… We have yet to become luent
in the language – and music – of the wild."
Travelling with RAW Worldwide 3
THE Great Migration Experience 4
Trip Itinerary 5
Part I & Part II - Finer Details 6
Accommodation & Daily Activities 7
Daily Schedule 8
Location & Migration Route 9
Getting There & What to Bring 10
Trip Costs & Preparation Timeline 11
About Your Guide & Contact Details 12
Travelling with RAW Worldwide - a Shane Ross Photography Experience
As of January 2019, we've improved our original tours and added some exciting new itineraries to the list, including:
1. THE Great Migration
Our original African Wilderness Safari, this 9-Day Expedition into remote northern Tanzania is all about pursuing Africa's two
biggest natural attractions - the Great Wildebeest Migration and The Big Five... Lion, Black Rhino, Elephant, Leopard and Buffalo.
We've tweaked the itinerary to include some new experiences, including visiting local art and cultural centres, community projects,
meeting members of local Maasai tribes, witnessing flocks of Flamingos in breeding plumage at Lake Natron, camping under the
impressive live volcano, Ol Doinyo Lengai (called the "Mountain of God" by Maasai), and, after several days of action-packed
game drives, a scenic flight out over the migrating herds and golden plains of northern Serengeti, on to your next adventure.
2. The Zambezi River Experience
The newest addition to our Flexible-Itinerary Safaris this year, the Zambezi River Experience is a 14-Day Canoe Expedition from
the Kafue River down the Zambezi River, including Tiger-fish fishing, daily treks and game viewing from canoes (with boat support),
plus some travel by boats and game drive vehicles, visiting Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park AND Zimbabwe's Mana Pools
National Park, as well as other game reserves along the way. Unique animals include Wild Dogs and big-tusker Elephants.
3. The Best of Botswana Tour (option to include Namibia in itinerary as well)
Hosting anywhere from 5-Day to 30-Day Overland Safaris, we offer an introductory 12-day Okavango Delta Safari where you can
see Leopards, Lions, Wild Dogs, Hippos and more Elephants than you could possibly imagine, up close from our game drive vehicle.
We also offer a +20-day Best of Botswana Expedition taking in the Okavango Delta, as well as Chobe National Park/Savute, the
unusual Nxai and Makgadikgadi Pans National Parks, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and one of Botswana's hidden secrets, the
Mabuasehuebe section of Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, home to Meerkats and a variety of other Kalahari desert-dwellers.
*We also offer Multi-Country Combo Tours eg. this year's 21-Day Great Migration-Okavango Delta combination trip, as well as
Custom Safaris to anywhere in Africa you wish to travel. You tell us what YOU want to do, and we'll organise the rest.
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography Experience
THE Great Migration Experience
They say, every year the Migration Experience is different. Rains fall in various places and times without reason.
Grasses grow, or don't grow, depending on those rains, and on natural and human-caused fires. And the scents of
those rains, fires and sweet grasses fill the nostrils of a pulsing 1.5-million-strong herd of Blue Wildebeest 800km away,
who migrate en-masse northwards in search of food and water in the world's greatest land-mammal migration.
In 2017, early rains promoted abundant grass growth in northern Tanzania and Kenya, and set a precedent for the best
migration season in 3 years. *We witnessed 5 migrations in 2 days in Northern Serengeti, the longest lasting over 1 hour.
Last year, in 2018, the migration began late and was spread out east-to-west across the Serengeti, trickling slowly
northwards to the Mara River. Thankfully, late rains in the north and even later grass fires triggered extreme grass
growth on both sides of the Mara, and migrations across the swollen river occurred from July well into November.
*From the 3 tours we hosted in 2018 we witnessed 18 full crossings, the longest lasting an incredible 1 1/2 hours.
The beauty of a natural event such as this is that you can never predict what will happen. Nature is raw, a power unto
itself. It comes down to the fickle behaviours of wild animals - to heed their instincts and their senses, as they have for
ten thousand years - and follow their noses into the wilds of northern Tanzania, into Kenya, and then back again.
Anticipating that the peak of their migrations will occur across the Mara River in northern Serengeti between late July
and early October, we will place ourselves directly in their paths - in an area far less busy with safari-goers than
Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve, aka the Mara Triangle. Instead, we access northern Serengeti National Park
via a gravel road that runs parallel to the Kenya/Tanzania border, and via Lake Natron and the Masaai grazing grounds
- also away from the touristy Central Serengeti (Seronera) region. Here, in an area known locally as the Lemai Wedge,
we have the best chance of witnessing one of the greatest animal migrations on the planet, especially as we spend up
to 6 days here, maximising our chances to watch this extreme natural event in it's full intensity.
After good rains in late 2018, in 2019 we're expecting another bumper Migration season... the herds are moving into the
breeding grounds in southern Serengeti/Ndutu region now, and will begin their northward migration around April -
once the February-born calves build up strength and are ready to face the long-distance marathon event.
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography Experience
9-Day Migration Itinerary: July - October Dates in 2019
Day 1 - Picked up by your Guide (Shane Ross) from airport or elsewhere in Arusha. Accommodation that night: Meserani Snake Park, Arusha.
Start day with coffee introductions at Shanga Community Project, followed by a tour of the Cultural Heritage Centre, lunch in Arusha and walk through
local markets. Travel to Meserani Snake Park, tour Maasai Village, Cultural Museum, Local Clinic (community project) and Snake Park itself.
Day 2 - Drive Arusha to Lake Natron (halfway to Serengeti). Accommodation: World View Campsite, Lake Natron (2 nights here).
Wake early, breakfast at Meserani Snake Park. Final shop visit after breakfast, then we travel from Arusha to Lake Natron via Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano
and Masaai grazing lands. Ample photographic opportunities on the way. Approx. 6 hours driving time.
Day 3 - Full day at Lake Natron incl. game drives, swimming and walking safari.
Morning game drive scouting around Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano for brown/spotted hyena, desert-adapted giraffe, zebra and various gazelles.
Lunch swim at Hidden Waterfall, afternoon photography training session, followed by late afternoon Lake Natron flamingo tour.
Day 4 - Drive Lake Natron to Serengeti National Park. Accommodation: Kogatende Campsite, Serengeti NP (5 nights here).
Leave Lake Natron early, aiming to arrive in Loliondo township by late morning to have an early lunch. From here we drive another 2 hours to the
Serengeti entry gate, from where we drive another 2-3 hours to reach our campsite though spectacular ever-changing Serengeti landscape.
Approx. 8-9 hours driving time (road conditions pending).
Day 5 - First full day in Serengeti NP. Today we figure out where the wildebeest herds are and attempt to see a crossing/s of the Mara River.
Start routine of 2 x game drives per day (0530-1100 and 1400-1830), with breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee/tea/snack breaks in-between.
Days 6/7/8 - As per Day 5, we spend Days 6/7/8 on full-day safari in northern Serengeti, Lemai Wedge, based out of our Kogatende camp.
Options include continue searching for migration crossings, target any of the big cats (cheetah, leopard, lion), black rhino or other species.
Day 9 - Sneak in one final morning game drive before departing Serengeti via Kogatende airstrip, returning via scenic flight to outbound flight port.
*If you arrive in Arusha prior to Day 1, or want to stay longer in Tanzania before or after, we can arrange activities or additional tours for those dates.
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography Experience
PART I - ARUSHA TOWN, MASAAI GRAZING LANDS,
LAKE NATRON & A LIVE VOLCANO
Part 1 of our trip (days 1 to 3) we'll be immersed in Tanzanian culture, and see people everyday
including traditional Maasai tribes. Arusha is a bustling city, with around 420,000 residents.
While we will be visiting the most impressive sights of Arusha, it is a busy African city and you'll be
amazed by it's sense of (dis)organised chaos. Once we've seen the local sights and we depart
the city, we'll see fewer and fewer people the closer we get to the Serengeti. We'll start to see
traditional Maasai huts and villages, and herd-boys and girls tending flocks. The most remarkable
part about this landscape, and the Maasai people's connection with the land, is that they don't
hunt the wild animals... so we should start seeing Zebra, Giraffe, Wildebeest, Steenbok, Grant's
Gazelles, Baboons, Hyena and other plains game as we drive through this region. Along with the
herds of plains game, we'll drive alongside a live volcano and over its aged lava flows, and visit
Lake Natron to watch flocks of both Greater and Lesser Flamingos feeding in brine-rich waters.
PART II - GREAT MIGRATION & THE BIG FIVE
On Day 4 we depart leave Lake Natron and strike for the Serengeti, where we'll spend the
remainder of our time (days 4-9). Once we reach the Serengeti entry gate, however, everything
we've been seeing will change... Most parks in Africa don't allow human settlement of any kind, so
we'll go from seeing people almost constantly to only seeing an occasional tourist vehicle looking
for wildlife... as we will be. Finally in Serengeti National Park, we'll be searching for all manner of
animals, from sunrise to sunset. The animal diversity here is incredible, so we'll get used to seeing
some of the more common species like Giraffe, Impala, Elephant and Zebra - and target those
which the Serengeti is known for, as well as the more cryptic animals. Our main aim will be to
catch several Wildebeest Migrations across the Mara River, though in doing so we'll also be looking
for plains game, all 3 big cats (Leopard, Lion and Cheetah), the smaller cats (Serval and Caracal),
Black Rhinoceros, Ostrich, Thomson's Gazelle and Topi antelope, several species of Mongoose,
Bat-eared Foxes, Jackals,and Buffalo... and hopefully be lucky enough to score a Big Five day!
Accommodation & Daily Activities
Accommodation
To keep to the raw brand and demonstrate how important it is to connect with nature,
we offer the most authentic accommodation option... the African Glamping Safari.
Along our journey we camp in 3 different locations, all carefully selected to capture the
essence of the African safari experience and connect you with local nature and culture.
Night 1 @ Meserani Snake Park, Arusha. A favourite of travellers across Africa for 25
years, resembling an Aussie outback pub and sporting owners with more charisma and
life experiences than the whole cast of Crocodile Dundee. *Single beds in twin-share
rooms with fans and power boards for charging before we go bush.
Nights 2-3 @ World View Campsite, Lake Natron. Best lodge-campsite real estate in the
area, situated on a hillside overlooking Lake Natron and the nearby Ol Doinyo Lengai
volcano. Masaai owned and operated. *Camping in large canvas dome tents, with
mattress, comfortable sleeping bag, pillow, sheets and liner and other comforts.
Nights 4-8 @ Kogatende Camp, Serengeti. Situated alongside the Mara River, by day
we're nestled beneath a shady grove of Umbrella Thorn Acacias, cooled by breeze from
the river; and at night, with fairy lights and lanterns lining the trees and lit paths from your
tents to the dining area and fireplace, it's more like an enchanted tea party. *Accom. in
canvas dome tents with well-provisioned and comfortable base camp facilities.
Daily Activities
Each day will be vastly different, packed full of nature-based experiences to make the
most of your time in Africa. While Day 1 will be about sampling the culture of Arusha, Days
2 and 4 will be spent travelling by road to the Serengeti, though including nature and
cultural experiences along the way and with a relax/explore Day 3 at Lake Natron. Once
we reach the Serengeti, Days 5-9 will become more structured, including 2 x Game
drives (minimum) per day, targeting whichever animals or experiences the group chooses.
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography Experience
Daily Schedule
Once in the swing of daily game drives, our days will
look something like this:
Breakfast 0500-0530 - Wake up call, eat breakfast
and get ready to hit the road for safari by 0530.
0530-1100 - Morning game drive until 0800-0830,
take a quick break (if time allows), then continue
game drive until 1100.
Lunch 1100-1400 - Return to camp, have lunch and
relax in hammocks through the heat of the day.
1400-1830 - Afternoon game drive including a
short break around 1700.
Sunset drinks 1830-1900.
Dinner and fireside chat 1900-2100.
Bedtime 2100-0500, then repeat!
*If we're on an important sighting (or have to head to one),
we'll always ensure we have food in the car to eat "on the run".
This way we we're always ready for a sighting, but never left
hungry and waiting in the car.
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography Experience
Location RAW Worldwide's
Serengeti Camp
Migration Route
X
Johannesburg
South Africa
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography Experience
Getting There... What to Bring
Clothing
Getting to/from Arusha can be tricky, so make sure you check
While daytime temperatures in September will be hot (30-40*C), it can fall to around 10*C
in with your guide prior to booking any flights (*we recommend overnight. We recommend 3-4 sets of casual summer clothing for day times, ideally light
using a travel agent). You must book flights arriving in Arusha, cotton/ blends; and 1 x warm set of clothes incl. jacket/long sleeve shirt, long pants and
either at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), or Arusha socks for cold weather. Please only bring natural, neutral colours (for the animals). You'll also
Domestic Airport (ARK), taking into consideration flight costs need: shoes eg. 1 x pair joggers, 1 x pair thongs/sandals (flip-flops); socks; hat; sunglasses;
and your arranged arrival time so you arrive around the time of water bottle; swimmers; sunscreen, mosquito repellent, lip balm and other personal items.
other trip guests. You may take alternate flights out of
Tanzania, however, starting with your departure flight from Tech/Other Equipment
Kogatende airstrip. We strongly suggest bringing aquality head-torch (AA-batteries pref.); camera/s, lenses,
spare batteries, charger and memory cards; binoculars; and any other hobby/leisure items
Once you arrive, I will be waiting in the arrivals area to pick you you might need eg. reading books/Kindle.
up. From that moment until our trip concludes, you will be 24/7
in my care and I will be your driver. Our Guidelines
Altogether your equipment shouldn't exceed 20kg - if it is, you've packed too much!
On your last day, Day 9, you'll be catching a flight from Conditions: Please only bring your kit in a soft bag eg. backpack. NO hard suitcases allowed.
Kogatende airstrip to your next destination or onward flight. I
*We provide tents and sleeping equipment, all cooking, eating and general camp equipment,
will arrange these flights for you so you don't have to.
so you shouldn't need loads of gear - just clothes, a small towel, camera gear and your head-
torch.
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography ExperienceTrip Costs & What's Included 2019 Trip Dates
Basic Safari Packages under AU $5,000 - Photographic Safari including Composition and Processing Training. 12 - 20 August 9-Day Great Migration PLUS Big Five Safari
Corporate Packages under AU $7,000 - Team-building, Survival Skills and "Business Development in the Bush", 25 Aug. - 2 Sept. 9-Day Great Migration PLUS Big Five Safari
where we use our daily safari sightings to relate to the nature of business development, and management.
5 - 12 September 8-Day Great Migration PLUS Big Five Safari
What's Included *Sold Out*
Park access, lodge/camping fees (these total $2,500 per person).
17 Sept. - 7 Oct. 21-Day COMBO Tanzania/Botswana Safari
Personal double tent and all bedding plus daytime hammocks, camp chairs and many other comforts.
*Sold Out*
All food, water and non-alcoholic beverages provided - 3 x main meals per day plus snacks/drinks during breaks.
Private vehicle supplied including 2 x Game Drives per day and your own Lead Guide to tend your needs 24/7.
Interpretive materials provided, personally-tailored photography or business training based on your package.
Outbound flight from Kogatende airstrip to Arusha (value: AU $400).
Preparation Timeline
What's NOT Included List of preparations you need to make prior to your Safari:
International flights and internal (domestic) connecting flights to/from Arusha.
Personal travel insurance (you MUST get this prior to trip). 1. Confirm trip booking with your Lead Guide, Shane Ross.
Alcoholic beverages and snacks. 2. Discuss payment plans or transfer of trip fee in full
Additional tours (see below). 3. Arrange trip information session with your Lead Guide.
4. Check travel documents - Passport must be valid to October
Additional Activities (before/during/after our Safari) 2020 or later.
1. *Hot Air Balloon Safari, 2-4 hours, additional activity during our safari. Estimated AU $600-800. 5. Book flights to/from destination airport (Arusha); book
2. *Climb Lengai Volcano, 1-day trek with overnight camp, additional activity during our safari. Est. AU $200. accommodation for before and after your trip.
3. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro, 4-8 days high-altitude trek, various routes possible. Est. AU $3,000-4,000. 6. Plan vaccinations including Yellow Fever (compulsory) and other
4. Climb Mt Meru and other surrounding peaks (near Arusha), 2-4 day lower-altitude climb. Est. AU $2,000. medical needs eg. anti-Malaria treatments.
5. Gorilla Trek in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo, all only 1-hour maximum spent with gorillas. Est. AU $1,500-4,000. 7. Purchase travel insurance policy for full duration of your overseas
6. Ngorongoro to Lake Natron overland trek, 3-5 days. Est. AU $2,000. travels (we recommend 1Cover Australia).
7. Additional Safaris with us eg. Botswana, Zambezi River or elsewhere in East Africa. 8. Final pre-trip briefing by Lead Guide, Shane Ross, prior to your
departure.
RAW Worldwide | Serengeti Great Migration Expedition 2019 | A Shane Ross Photography ExperienceAbout Your Guide: Shane Ross Expedition Leader, Nature Photographer & Writer Age: 34 Position: Expedition Leader and Owner of RAW Worldwide; Head Photographer for Shane Ross Photography. Background: Australian-born, raised in Cape York and Mission Beach (Far North Queensland), world traveller since 2006. Qualifications: FGASA Level 1 Nature Guide + Level 3 Track & Sign specialist (Africa); Wet Tropics Nature Guide (Australia). Experience: Travelled Africa 2015-19; self-drove every park from Kenya to South Africa; hosting tours since 2017. Passions: Any activity outdoors, travelling, wildlife photography and videography. Guide's Note: "I've been travelling to the remotest reaches of Southern and East Africa for 5 years now, and have covered almost every corner and every wildlife sanctuary, from Cape Town to the Maasai Mara. By making it my business to visit every park and travel every road personally, and immerse myself in local communities and culture, I've learnt where to experience the best of the best across this incredible continent - and bring that to you through my specially-developed flexible itinerary expeditions. Since commencing my expeditions in 2017, I've successfully lead clients onto 23 Great Migration crossings, had action-packed "Big Five days", tracked all of the big cats, African wild dogs, hippos and every other African animal you can imagine. We've driven the expansive Serengeti plains, trekked Africa's highest peak, and canoed the emerald-lined waters of the Okavango Delta. And we've camped in 5-billion-star locations, beneath volcanoes and beside mighty rivers, forests and lakes. THIS is how you're meant to Safari." The RAW Worldwide Vision It's always been my dream to design and lead unique global expeditions to remote, hidden locations where our small group tours have little to no impact on the natural environment - but immerse you in real wilderness. While other organisations are restricted to one location, compete with others to use the same nature hotspots, or are driven by growth more than their customers - I believe in catering to your needs, offering flexibility to fine- tune our expeditions at a moment's notice; and, by only leading small groups into "secret" locations limited times every year, we manage the impacts our presence might have on animals, culture and the wider envionment. That means 1) Leaving only footprints, and limiting those as much as possible; 2) Empowering you to live a minimalist, low-impact lifestyle, on safari and when you travel home; and 3) Showing you, through nature-based experiences, how to live a life filled with EPIC life-experiences rather than material things. * RAW Worldwide - otherwise standing for "Raw Adventures Worldwide" - is the newly adopted brand for expeditions run previously via Shane Ross Photography. With the name comes a LOT of meaning, too. That means raw nature-based expeditions, training and educational programs for all ages; raw, ultra-adventurous experiences, from kayaking and pack-rafting to snow-shoe trekking, long-distance multi-mode expeditions, and use of float planes, helicopters and charter flights to access remote areas for that more wild experience. Experiences that activate all of your senses, reach your rawest human needs. Incorporating the use of raw foods and materials, and showing you how to develop a close harmonious bond with nature that ensures you help conserve it, whether you're adventuring or at home. The raw mentality is in all things outdoors - we just have to know where to look, and how to access it, to live our most fulfilled lives.
RAW. WILD.
THIS IS AFRICA.
Shane Ross
RAW Worldwide
Tel +61 475 564 636
shane@shanerossphoto.com
For more information about our Expeditions, please visit: www.shanerossphoto.comYou can also read
