Anyone been to Kenya?
Discussion
Yes - I've been to Kenya on Safari.
ing loved it - seriously, I would honestly say that a Safari is one of the things you MUST experience in your life time. Expensive but worth it.
We stayed at an "eco" lodge which meant the structures were temporary (and therefore not as damaging to the environment apparently) but the tents were made from very heavy canvass, were lined and had flushing loos!
Just the best time I have ever had anywhere (well joint 1st I'd say). Do it!
Oh - I didn't like Tanzania. It felt like a differnt culture completely. Someone told us that it is because Kenya was colonised by christians/westerners and Tanzania was by Arabs/muslims etc. Make of that what you will.
ing loved it - seriously, I would honestly say that a Safari is one of the things you MUST experience in your life time. Expensive but worth it. We stayed at an "eco" lodge which meant the structures were temporary (and therefore not as damaging to the environment apparently) but the tents were made from very heavy canvass, were lined and had flushing loos!
Just the best time I have ever had anywhere (well joint 1st I'd say). Do it!
Oh - I didn't like Tanzania. It felt like a differnt culture completely. Someone told us that it is because Kenya was colonised by christians/westerners and Tanzania was by Arabs/muslims etc. Make of that what you will.
I spent my honeymoon in Zanzibar, just off the Tanzanian coast. Lovely place but very poor. Most of the honeymoon couples had done the week's safari and all spoke very highly of the experience (this being October which coincided with the gnu migration) and I wish we'd done it now. I was told that some of it, like the Masai camps was a bit commercialised (warriors with digital watches trying to sell you lots of tat). There is a whole culture difference between Africa and India which are both poor but far you're more likely to get robbed in Africa. Much of the time was spent in the hotel complex and wandering abroad was not recommended. I love Kerala in Southern India myself and you're free to wander as far as you like.
yep, although a while ago, I got married there in 96. we did the weeks safari and then the week in a hotel jobbby.
the best bit was the safari. the safari lodges were great. if i did it again i'd skip the week in a hotel that could be anywhere and do the 1 week safari in 2 weeks staying at the lodges for longer and chilling out there instead.
my best man and parents in law have both been back in the last 2 years to do that and said it was great...
I still remember standing out side our hut dressed in a towel watching as the mother of all storms came rolling in over the masi mara I've never seen colors like that at any other time...
G
the best bit was the safari. the safari lodges were great. if i did it again i'd skip the week in a hotel that could be anywhere and do the 1 week safari in 2 weeks staying at the lodges for longer and chilling out there instead.
my best man and parents in law have both been back in the last 2 years to do that and said it was great...
I still remember standing out side our hut dressed in a towel watching as the mother of all storms came rolling in over the masi mara I've never seen colors like that at any other time...
G
We went a few years back. Better to get a guided tour of a few lodges, rather than a Kuoni style 'stay in a lodge for a week then stay on the coast for a week'. We booked through a safari company (can't remember the name off hand) who basically gave us a driver who took us from one lodge to the next, and on safaris at each lodge. It made for a fantastically relaxed trip, as we just had to turn up at the right time(s) each day. He was also really keen to make sure we saw good wildlife, rather than just following the standard trails for a set time.
We stayed in the Ark (night time safari lodge), on the shores of lake Navasha, in the Masai Mara and Samburu and a couple of other places (all from memory... forgive the spelling). Touched a rhino, stood on the equator, visited a 'traditional' village, stayed in a volcano and had a great time.
Useful hints - begging is rife, and the locals work very hard to con you out of your money. Most tourist stops will have you surrounded by friendly faces who want you to visit their brother's shop. Divide their initial prices by ten, be prepared to walk away and keep the exchange rate in mind before buying trinkets. This is where having your own guide helps as they should be able to get the more persistent people to leave you alone. However, you'll still be taken to a few places where the object is to sell you tat at silly prices.
Take the best camera you can lay your hands on - ideally with a big zoom lens. Then take a second backup camera. Make sure you can take at least a few hundred photos - most will end up boring shots of grass, but you might just get that perfect image.
We stayed in the Ark (night time safari lodge), on the shores of lake Navasha, in the Masai Mara and Samburu and a couple of other places (all from memory... forgive the spelling). Touched a rhino, stood on the equator, visited a 'traditional' village, stayed in a volcano and had a great time.
Useful hints - begging is rife, and the locals work very hard to con you out of your money. Most tourist stops will have you surrounded by friendly faces who want you to visit their brother's shop. Divide their initial prices by ten, be prepared to walk away and keep the exchange rate in mind before buying trinkets. This is where having your own guide helps as they should be able to get the more persistent people to leave you alone. However, you'll still be taken to a few places where the object is to sell you tat at silly prices.
Take the best camera you can lay your hands on - ideally with a big zoom lens. Then take a second backup camera. Make sure you can take at least a few hundred photos - most will end up boring shots of grass, but you might just get that perfect image.
MBH said:
sounds superb... anyone have any particular recommendations on places to stay or agents to use?
You wont go wrong with the Turtle Bay Beach club, been 4 times now, others we know have been 10 times. When you have been 4 times you get a little brass plaque on a wall there, this wall has literary hundreds of plaques on it ,that says it all doesn't it, people returning again & again when they could & have been to other places.
We book through Tropical places, approx £900 PP ALL inclusive for 14 days
www.turtlebay.co.ke/index_news.htm
Did I say its great there
I went to Kenya as part of my honeymoon and booked the 'wings over africa' safari package through Somak.
We stayed at Amboseli, Samburu and the Masai Mara.
The best thing for me was that we flew in a light aircraft between lodges, so saw a lot from above as well as during the game drives.
Thoroughly recommend it.
We stayed at Amboseli, Samburu and the Masai Mara.
The best thing for me was that we flew in a light aircraft between lodges, so saw a lot from above as well as during the game drives.
Thoroughly recommend it.
Been there done that, Samburu, Masai mara, lake Nkuru, Lake Naivasha....you get the picture, oh and Tree tops....Which I found to be overrated.
Loved the early morning safari's people were impoverished but great, don't go out after 10 in Nairobi they said, being white you'll be robbed, and maybe shot......yikes...
10 days on safari, I would if I go again make it longer, loved nearly every minute of it.
kevin
Loved the early morning safari's people were impoverished but great, don't go out after 10 in Nairobi they said, being white you'll be robbed, and maybe shot......yikes...
10 days on safari, I would if I go again make it longer, loved nearly every minute of it.
kevin
We went to Kenya on safrai too. Booked it through a company called www.ultimatehoneymoons.co.uk who were fantastic, we just told them the sort of thing we were looking for and a budget, they did the rest, which was great because we did a hell of a lot of travelling, via large aeroplanes and also small 4 seater jobs.
Typical airport
They don't just deal in honeymoons btw, they cater for any type of holiday, that is in Africa.
We started off doing a Safari in the Masai Mara, at a camp called Mara Camp, we stayed here for 3 days, I see it has since been renamed www.chelipeacock.com/camps/e-pepper.htm, it also looks far more swish than when we stayed there. This was through a company called Cheli & Peacock www.chelipeacock.com This was a very basic campsite with tents,
but they did have proper porcelain toilets which flushed, as long as the containers outside were filled with water Also when you wanted a shower you would radio ahead if coming back off safari and there would be hot water waiting for you This was just like stepping back into the 1900's, with hurricane lamps and sitting round a campfire, I didn't think I would enjoy it seeing as I like my home comforts but it was just great and you really felt like part of the wildlife.
We then took two flights (one a private charter) to our next safari stop which was in the Meru National Park. This was in a more luxurious camp called Elsa'a Kopje, we stayed here for 3 days too. Totally different landscape to the Mara, far more overgrown. www.chelipeacock.com/gallery/elsa/elsa-gallery.htm
Our room and view from room
I have nothing but good things to say about this company, the two places we stayed at were completely different but both excellent.
I definitely want to go on safari again one day, it was fabulous. If you want to know any more details just email me.
A few of my fave pics
There are loads more, but I'll be here all day
Typical airport
They don't just deal in honeymoons btw, they cater for any type of holiday, that is in Africa.
We started off doing a Safari in the Masai Mara, at a camp called Mara Camp, we stayed here for 3 days, I see it has since been renamed www.chelipeacock.com/camps/e-pepper.htm, it also looks far more swish than when we stayed there. This was through a company called Cheli & Peacock www.chelipeacock.com This was a very basic campsite with tents,
but they did have proper porcelain toilets which flushed, as long as the containers outside were filled with water
Also when you wanted a shower you would radio ahead if coming back off safari and there would be hot water waiting for you This was just like stepping back into the 1900's, with hurricane lamps and sitting round a campfire, I didn't think I would enjoy it seeing as I like my home comforts but it was just great and you really felt like part of the wildlife. We then took two flights (one a private charter) to our next safari stop which was in the Meru National Park. This was in a more luxurious camp called Elsa'a Kopje, we stayed here for 3 days too. Totally different landscape to the Mara, far more overgrown. www.chelipeacock.com/gallery/elsa/elsa-gallery.htm
Our room and view from room
I have nothing but good things to say about this company, the two places we stayed at were completely different but both excellent.
I definitely want to go on safari again one day, it was fabulous. If you want to know any more details just email me.
A few of my fave pics
There are loads more, but I'll be here all day
philip_cooke said:
mkgriff, Which hotel did you stay in? I'm looking at the Somak holidays together with the Kuoni ones and would lie to hear first hand experiences. It will also be for our honeymoon - seems to be quite a popular place to go.
Aboseli Serena, Samburu Serena (are you seeing a pattern forming here?) and Mara Serena.
As far as safari accomodation goes, all were comfortable and well situated. Would not hesitate to stay in each of them again.
We started out honeymoon in Dubai, then flew to Nairobi, where we stayed for one night before and one night after the safari. Then onto Mauritius, which we found to be a lot busier than the brochure indicates.
What ever you do, I hope it all goes well for you.
We booked through Rajair www.africanholiday.com/ and would HIGHLY recommend them.
Get a driver, work out which itinery suits you, or make a list of the places you want to visit and how long you want to stay and they can work out an itinery to match. Kenya is a big place, so plan on moving around rather than staying in one place. If you stay at one lodge, you run the risk that they're having a 'slow week' and you won't see much.
Get a driver, work out which itinery suits you, or make a list of the places you want to visit and how long you want to stay and they can work out an itinery to match. Kenya is a big place, so plan on moving around rather than staying in one place. If you stay at one lodge, you run the risk that they're having a 'slow week' and you won't see much.
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