Dee Ann Pederson is a nature and wildlife photographer who enjoys sharing her passion through her images and leading photographic journeys across the globe. Her awareness and respect for nature began at a young age during family vacations to visit our national parks and natural wonders; and at the age of seventeen, Dee Ann began to cultivate her love for photography while working as a photographer’s assistant. Her abundant energy and wanderlust have led her around the world in search of nature’s splendor. She is at home in the frigid Arctic as she is in the heat of the Serengeti; nature offers her gifts independent of climate or location.
Dates: June 11 – 26, 2017
Professional Photo Leader: Dee Ann Pederson
To Insure an Intimate and Personal Experience: Max. Group Size 9
After a long journey, we will spend our first two nights in the comfort of Lake Duluti Serena Lodge. Nestled on the edge of Arusha at the foot of the wooded slopes of Mount Meru, The Lake Duluti Serena Lodge is also amidst surrounding coffee plantations on the shores of tranquil Lake Duluti.
Our first day has been designed to have a slow pace with breakfast and then an optional morning outing to the Cultural Heritage Center. Or, you may choose to relax while taking a walk through the lush gardens or just sipping your coffee while enjoying your first morning in Tanzania.
The Cultural Heritage Center (shops/museum) has so much to offer, guest have commented it is overwhelming to only have a brief time on the last day of the safari to see the museum, shop, and make decisions. This afternoon will give you a much more relaxed space of time; you will be able to make purchases you desire, they will package them and hold them for when we come back on the last day. Or you can, at the very least, get ideas about what you like and be able to compare as we see other shops along our safari.
We will return for lunch at Lake Duluti Serena Lodge and then a late afternoon orientation prior to dinner as a group. After the close of the orientation meeting our guides will depart to drive to the Serengeti where they will meet us at the air strip the next afternoon.
The next morning we will depart Lake Duluti Serena Lodge following breakfast for a warm and delightful welcome by the family who started, owns and operates Kimemo Coffee Plantation. You will have an introduction to coffee and personal history of coffee with this family. On our tour you will be guided through the many processes that takes the bean from the plant to the cup. And, if we are lucky, we may get the chance to watch local ladies hand picking only the perfectly ripe coffee beans during the harvest. After our tour we will have their “Master Brewers”, entertain us as they brew and design the gourmet coffee drinks of your choice.
Before departing for the local Arusha airport for our charter flight to the Serengeti we will sit on the lawn of Kimemo Café for lunch while we take in the majestic views of Mt. Meru.
Big cats (lions, leopards, cheetahs), along with wildebeest, gazelle, zebra, and millions upon millions of birds and insects, leave even the most casual visitor with a profound sense of wonder with both the richness of life here as well as the spaciousness of the landscape. The Serengeti is the largest wildlife sanctuary in the world and the site of one of the most breathtaking events in the animal kingdom – the migration of more than a million wildebeest.
With four days in the Serengeti, we’ll have time to experience what makes this place so breathtaking and unique. Daily game drives give us time in the field in many of the varied habitats here, highlighted by “up close and personal” encounters with the Africa you may have long held only in your dreams. Kubu Kubu Permanent Tented Lodge is home for our time here; the wilderness just off your porch, a sense of relaxation and community greeting us each evening upon our return to the lodge where we will reflect on the day’s memorable moments by the fire pit or over dinner – the perfect way to fully absorb the feeling of the Serengeti.
To take in all Ngorongoro Conservation Area has to offer and to experience yet another remarkable ecosystem of Tanzania, we will journey today from The Serengeti to Ndutu, where we will spend our next 3½ days. The wildlife and the habitat of this relatively small area will captivate you! Our second morning at Ndutu will offer an optional morning game drive or for those that would like to take this morning around the camp to rest, refresh and download your images you will have this option. We will then all enjoy lunch on the deck at the lodge and continue in the afternoon with our game drive in Ndutu. Ndutu area has been a favorite of professional wildlife photographers and film makers for several decades simply because it is one of the best places to see it all and unlike the other locations we will visit, we are permitted to go off road if we see a special subject to photograph!!
There will be a rather early breakfast to facilitate an early departure since we have a long journey today and we want to arrive for our Maasai Village visit before the light gets too harsh.
We will depart Ndutu on our way to the Maasai Village then continuing towards the Crater Highlands and Plantation Lodge. Our drive will take us through Ngorongoro Conservation Area into Maasai land where we will see glimpses of Maasai life and villages. This is where we will stop to visit the village Dee Ann has been visiting for almost 10 years. Following the village we ascend onto the rim road traveling around Ngorongoro Crater where we will make a scenic stop to view the crater floor from above. Continuing on the crater road we will officially leave Ngorongoro Conservations Area as we exit the gates of the crater on our way to the Crater Highlands.
If time allows we will make a short top at a tiny market near Lake Manyara to visit one of my long time friends and “Tingatinga” artist Suleman which is always a popular spot for those wanting to take home one of the vibrant animal caricature paintings. Tingatinga painting style was developed in the second half of the 20th century in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) by Edward Said Tingatinga.
We will have a late lunch upon arrival at Plantation Lodge and spend the remainder of our day/evening refreshing, relaxing and enjoying the lush grounds and gardens of Plantation Lodge.
Tarangire National Park is the most Southern of the accessible parks of Northern Tanzania. Named after River Tarangire, the park covers an area of 2,600 sq. kilometers. Much of the park is open grassy savannah, dotted with splendid specimens of Baobab trees, but there are also areas of swamp in the south. The park is spectacular in the dry season when many of the migratory wildlife species come back to the permanent waters of the river. With the onset of the rains they migrate again for better pastures. This animal phenomenon takes place from June to September. Tarangire possesses the second-highest concentration of wildlife during the dry season.
We’ll close out our safari with four nights at the Tarangire Ndova Camp located in the heart of Tarangire near the Tarangire River. Location, location, location…As mentioned above, Tarangire Nat’l Pk covers a very large area and lodging inside the park is limited with few places near the river. The location of our camp is perfectly situated for navigating all different directions of the park to optimize our photographic moments. The enchantment and sounds of nature abound beyond our spacious tents inclusive of a bedroom area separate from the toilet/vanity area (flushing toilets) and even another separate shower/dressing area. We will unwind after our day’s adventures with candle lit diners and sitting around the wood campfire with your favorite refreshing beverage.
Today we end this amazing journey as we enjoy our drive back to Arusha. We will stop for shopping and lunch at the Cultural Heritage Center and then on to our day room at Kimemo Cottages to refresh before our evening transfer to the airport for our departure back home.
Kimemo Cottages is set on a mature coffee farm; five cottages are fully equipped and comfortably furnished. Each enjoys its own beautiful spacious garden, surrounded by stunning panoramic views. Just open the door and make yourself at home. This is a perfect little retreat for peace and privacy, an afternoon nap and repacking your luggage before departing for the airport. We will all enjoy English tea / coffee and hors d’oeuvres on the lawn before our departure to the airport at 5:00 PM. Internet access is available, but can be slow.
The Cultural Heritage Center presents crafts and artifacts from hundreds of tribes both local and from other parts of Africa. The selection is amazing… so amazing it could be a museum. But of course it’s a store, so you can buy anything you see here; masks, carvings, paintings, beadwork, baskets, books, t-shirts and tanzanite from one of the most reputable sources in Tanzania. They’ll even ship your treasures anywhere in the world. And now, there is a museum too! Exhibiting one-of-a-kind African Ebony carvings, sculptures and art of all media.
Dates: June 11 – 26, 2017
Professional Photo Leader: Dee Ann Pederson
To Insure an Intimate and Personal Experience: Max. Group Size 9
