I can't tell you what an amazing experience it was to go to Africa with HLO Tours. I found the advertisement for the trip by accident and mentioned it to my mother. Without any hesitation we were scheduled to go. We were able to see and do so many things including the pyramids in Egypt, a dinner cruise on the Nile River, the countryside of Kenya and Tanzania, the Maasai tribe and their village, a rock in Tanzania that had dozens of lions on it, and animals - so many animals. I could never have imagined that so much could be packed into this trip. I've dreamed my entire life about visiting Africa, and this trip far surpassed my dreams. We went to 4 different game parks which each had different terrain, wildlife and splendor. Our drivers were extremely knowledgeable, personable, and could find animals that were so well camouflaged as we were driving down the road. I could never have imagined all the animals that we saw. Our Jeep kept a running tally of the different animals and it filled over three pages in a journal.

On the way to our first game parks our group found 3 zebras off the side of the
road. We were so excited and we made our driver, Charles, pull over so we could record them and take pictures. We never could have imagined that less than a week away we would be surrounded by the migration of the zebras and
wildebeest. In every direction there were literally thousands of zebras and wildebeests. I've seen the migration in the movies, but that could not compare to sitting in a Jeep with them completely surrounding us. It was magnificent. No wonder Charles was laughing at us when we made him pull off the road. In Lake Manyara, a park whose terrain resembles a Tarzan movie, an elephant down the road charged our Jeep. backwards. for over ten minutes. We watched lions on the hunt, giraffes grazing in the trees, troupes of baboons, cheetahs hidden in the grass, gazelles, hyenas, and a pond filled with hippopotamus. The list goes on. The experience was nothing less than spectacular.

Every day of this trip was filled with a new adventure and experience. There was
no opportunity to ever get bored. Everything on the trip was taken care of, including the transfer of all of the luggage, meals while in the game parks, and all of the transfers in and out of different countries. There were very few out of pocket expenses once the trip was paid for. HLO Tours ran one of the best- planned excursions I have ever been on. Their staff worked continually to make sure that every person on the trip was enjoying their experience, and that every little detail was taken care of. I am a regular world traveler and I have never been on a more phenomenal and rewarding trip. Upon returning home I was already planning the next excursion back to Africa - and I know who to book the trip with.

Vickie Lewis
Indian Trail Middle School, Video Production Teacher


($4,858.00 per person in double from New York & $875.00 single supplement)

Customized Educational, Private Safari & Tour Program Prepared For
Central Florida Educators & their families or companions, by HLO Tours

Departure on Thursday & Return on Tuesday

ITINERARY

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
EGYPT
Cairo: July 16 - 19 Three (3) nights at the Ramses Hilton Hotel
TANZANIA
Serengeti Park: July 19 - 21 Two (2) nights at Serengeti Sopa Lodge
Ngorongoro Park: July 21 - 23 Two (2) nights at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge
Tarangire Park: July 23 - 25 Two (2) nights at Tarangire Sopa Lodge
KENYA        
Nairobi:          July 25 - 26 One (1) night at Nairobi Serena Hotel

EGYPT
Cairo: July 26 - 27 One (1) night at the Ramses or Nile Hilton Hotel
MEALS:
  • Buffet breakfast daily in Cairo & Nairobi Hotels
  • Three meals daily at lodges
  • Two lunches at Impala Lodge in Arusha (Tanzania)
TRANSFERS - AIRPORTS / HOTELS:
  • Four transfers in Cairo, Two transfers in Nairobi
  • One transfer in Arusha to Namanga border
  • All transfers in Cairo, Kenya private coach / Van and English Speaking HLO Representative & driver / Guide
TOURS & SERVICES:
  • Half day tour in Cairo as per the itinerary
  • Entrance fees to the Pyramids area
  • All park fees as per the safari program
  • Tours by private coach and English speaking guide
  • All safaris by private 4X4 land rover with English speaking driver/guide
    (Max 6 persons per van)
  • HLO Tours representative assistance in Cairo & Nairobi airports and at Namanga border
  • Handling of two (2) pieces of standard size luggage per person
AIR TRANSPORTATION: (EGYPT AIR  & KENYA AIRLINES)
July 15 New York (JFK) / Cairo Egypt Air Flight #986 6:30P  - 10:45A
July 18 Cairo / Nairobi Egypt Air Flight # 849 11:20P  - 4:15A
July 19 Arusha / Serengeti Regional Air Flight 2:30PM – 4:30PM
July 25 Arusha / Nairobi Precision Air Flight 3:30PM – 4:50PM
July 26 Nairobi / Cairo Egypt Air Flight #850 5:15A  - 10:00AM
July 27 Cairo / (JFK) New York Egypt Air Flight #985 10:10AM  - 3:15pm
Air schedule & Flights are subject to change without prior notice.
FLYING & DRIVING TIMES:

From / To Destination and Comments

Driving Time
New York (JFK) to Cairo by Air - nonstop 9.5 hours
Cairo to Nairobi by Air - nonstop 5 hours

Nairobi To Namanga Border (by van) (All on Paved Road)

 2.5 hours

Namanga to Arusha city (by van) (All on Paved Road)

 1.5 hour

Arusha to Tarangire National Park (by van) (Hour and half on a dirt road)

 2.5 hours

Tarangire Park to Lake Manyara National Park (by van) (2.5 hours on a dirt road)

 3.00 hours

Lake Manyara Natl Park to Ngorongoro National park (by van) (All on a dirt road)

 2.00 hours

Ngorongoro Natl Park to Serengeti National Park (by van) (All driving time on a dirt road)

 4 hours

Cairo to New York (BY AIR)

 12.5 hours
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY:

Day 1
Thu
Jul 15

USA/Cairo, Egypt

Depart from New York (JFK) International Airport on Egypt Air non-stop flight to Cairo.  Overnight on board the plane.  Dinner & Breakfast served en-route.

Day 02
Fri
Jul 16

Cairo

11:30AM: arrive Cairo International airport where you will be met by an HLO representative, assisted through formalities and transferred to the Ramses Hilton hotel for overnight.

PM: Optional tour to attend Sound & Light show at the Pyramids, Sphinx and its Temples.

Day 03
Sat
Jul 17

Cairo:  Pyramids, Sphinx and its Temples

6:30AM: Wake up call

7:15AM: Buffet breakfast at the coffee shop at the hotel

8:00AM: (Meet in hotel lobby) for our departure to begin our Egyptian adventure, where you will have a half-day tour to visit the world famous Great Pyramids and the legendary Sphinx and its temples with an optional tour to the Solar Boat Museum.  

PM: Afternoon return to the hotel to relax and spend the remaining of the day at leisure or Optional half-day visit to Memphis and Sakkara including lunch.

Day 04
Sun
Jul 18

Cairo / Nairobi (Kenya)

AM: Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure           OR

Optional tours to visit:  Old Cairo (Abu Serga Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue). Also visit to Salah El Din Citadel, Mohamed Ali’s Mosque and Khan El Khalili Bazaars.

7:30 Eve: Luggage outside your room door

7:30 Eve: Transfer to Cairo airport for your 10:15PM Egypt Air flight to Nairobi

Day 05
Mon
Jul 19

Nairobi / Arusha / Serengeti National Park (Sopa Lodge)

4:15AM: arrive Nairobi where you will be met, and transferred by HLO Tours Representative & your driver / guide to Nairobi Serena hotel for breakfast and briefing.  After breakfast drive to Namanga where you cross the boarder into Tanzania.  Lunch in Arusha - on a clear day you can see Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Soak up the scenery as you pass villages, herdsmen tending their animals, markets and daily life, which differs vastly from your own. Lunch will be served at Impala Lodge in Arusha. 

PM: After lunch, you will be picked up by our transfer vans & drivers to Arusha airport for your short flight to Seronera airstrip in central Serengeti.

Arrive Serengeti National Park, where you will be met by your excellent safari Guides / drivers & Safari land rovers, to take you in a game drive around the park which is filled with big game animals such as Lion, Buffalo, Cheetah, Giraffe, Baboon, Gazelle, Wildebeest, Zebra as well as abundant bird life.  Dinner & overnight.   B, L, D

Day 06
Tue
Jul 20

Central Serengeti National Park (Sopa Lodge)

5:30AM: Optional Serengeti hot air balloon: For those who choose to take the hot air balloon option.

The view is so different from the air, sometimes so high you can see for hundreds of miles in every direction.

Pass directly over vulture nests in acacia tortillas, float silently over the Seronera river watching hippos yawn and seeing Giraffe, Waterbuck, Buffalo and Cats. Upon our landing, you will be congratulated with Champagne and full English breakfast cooked on the balloon burner.

Morning and afternoon game drives in this leading park of Tanzania are dominated by grassy savannahs that appear to stretch to infinity.  Granite outcrops rise from the swaying sea of grass giving families of lions and leopards an elevated view from which to survey their surroundings, teeming with wildlife all seemingly relaxed but always alert for approaching danger.  Three million large mammals live in total freedom including (the big five) Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and Buffalo. Overnight.    B, L, D

Day 07
Wed
Jul 21

Serengeti / Ngorongoro National Park (Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge)

AM: After breakfast view game as you once again cross the vast Serengeti plains on your drive from Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater. Stop to visit Olduvai Gorge then continue driving through the seemingly endless Serengeti plains viewing the dramatic scenery and numerous animals indigenous to the area during your morning and afternoon game drives. Arrive at Ngorongoro Serena Lodge to spend the next two nights. Note: this is the day where we are offering an optional visit to Maasai Village. Overnight. B, L, D

Day 08
Thu
Jul 22

Ngorongoro Crater  (Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge)

This morning descend into the morning mists to the floor of the 2,000 foot deep crater for game viewing at its best in the world’s largest natural zoo!  Your accommodations provide breathtaking views of the crater floor far below and spectacular game viewing. Picnic lunch will be provided on the Crater floor.  Overnight.    B, L, D

Day 09
Fri
Jul 23

Ngorongoro / Tarangire National Park (Tarangire Sopa Lodge)

Game drive in Tarangire continuing to Ngorongoro where the animals of the crater can be approached at very close quarters giving you wonderful photographic opportunities! Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera in the world surrounded by steep hills rising 610 meters from the floor. Arrive at Sopa Lodge, home for two nights.  Overnight.   B, L D

Day 10
Sat
Jul 24

Tarangire National Park

Full day game drive in Tarangire National Park with lunch break at the lodge. B, L, D

Day 11
Sun
Jul 25

Tarangire / Arusha / Nairobi (Nairobi Serena hotel)

AM: Buffet breakfast at the lodge, followed by our drive to Arusha. Arrive Arusha where we have lunch at Impala Lodge. After lunch we will proceed to Arusha airport for our short flight to Nairobi. Arrive Nairobi Wilson airport where we will be met and transferred to Nairobi Serena Hotel for overnight.  BB, L

Day 12
Mon
Jul 26

Nairobi / Cairo

AM: Breakfast followed by your transfer to Nairobi airport for your flight to Cairo. Arrive Cairo airport where you will be met and assisted through formalities & customs then proceed to your hotel. Remainder of the day at leisure or optional tours or shopping. Overnight. BB

Day 13
Tue
Jul 27

Cairo / USA

AM: : Transfer to Cairo International Airport for your morning flight to New York (JFK) airport.

PM: Arrive New York (JFK) to connect with your domestic flight and welcome back home.
SAFARI INFORMATION & REQUIREMENTS

The Best Of Tanzania National Parks
July 15- July 27, 2010
TO ALL GUESTS:

Please ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your return back home July 27, 2010. Also, make sure that your passport has a minimum of 4 blank pages (If there is insufficient space in the passport, your departure from the USA will be denied) to enable the entry visa to be issued.

SUGGESTED LUGGAGE LIST:
  1. Good quality sunglasses – preferably polarized.
  2. Sun hat
  3. Golf-shirts, T-shirts and long-sleeved cotton shirts
  4. Shorts / Skirts
  5. Long trousers / slacks
  6. Good walking shoes (running / tennis shoes are fine)
  7. Sandals
  8. Swimming suits
  9. Warm winter jersey (Sweater)
  10. Camera, batteries and plenty of film
  11. If you wear contact lenses, we recommend that you bring along a pair of glasses in case you get irritation from the dust.
  12. BINOCULARS – ESSENTIAL (Night vision binoculars are not essential but highly recommended)
  13. Malaria tablets
  14. Moisturizing cream & suntan lotion
  15. Insect repellent.
  16. Basic medical kit: aspirin, Imodium. etc
  17. Tissues (Wet Ones)
Please note that bright colors and white are not advised while on safari
RESPECTING WILDLIFE & SAFETY WHEN STAYING AT SAFARI LODGES:
  • Most of the safari camps are unfenced and dangerous animals can (and do!) wonder through the camps. Many of the animals and reptiles you will see are potentially dangerous. Attacks by wild animals are rare. However, there are no guarantees that such incidents will not occur. None of HLO Tours can be held liable for any injuries caused during an incident involving the behavior of wild animals.
  • Please listen to the camp staff and guides. The safety precautions need to be taken seriously and strictly adhered to.
  • Don’t go wandering off on your own without a guide – even to your rooms. After retiring to your room at night, don’t leave them.
  • Observe animals silently and with a minimum of disturbance to their natural activities. Loud talking on game drives can frighten the animals away.
  • Never attempt to attract an animal’s attention. Don’t imitate animal sounds, clap your hands, pound the vehicle or throw objects.
  • Please respect your driver – guide’s judgment about proximity to lions, cheetahs and leopards. Don’t insist that he take the vehicle closer so you can get a better photograph. A vehicle driven too close can hinder a hunt or cause animals to abandon a hard-earned meal.
  • Litter tossed on the ground can choke or poison animals and birds and is unsightly.
  • Never attempt to feed or approach any wild animals on foot. This is especially important near lodges or in campsites where animals may have become accustomed to human visitors.
  • Refrain from smoking on game drives. The dry African bush ignites very easily, and a flash fire can kill animals

 Have a wonderful, educational visit and enjoy the living wild.

Hamdy Nossair
President, HLO Tours
Florida State License # ST10157
Tel: 407-330-3464
E-mail: hlotours@yahoo.com


HLO Tours
PHONE: 800/736-4456 ( 9AM-5PM M-F EST) • FAX: 407/322-3691 • E-MAIL: hlotours@yahoo.com

HLO HOMEPAGE • TEACHERS TOURS
Botswana • Egypt • Israel • Jordan • Kenya • Morocco • Sinai
South Africa • Tanzania • Turkey • Uganda • Zimbabwe