Kenya Safari Advice

[Wilko]

Trip Advisor is probaly better than NSC for this sort of thing.

I actually find NSC a really good site to talk about travel. You get some crackin advice on here.

 

[SeagullSongs]

Plan was to spend week chilling on Mombssa. It possible to do a safari that takes in Masia Mara, then moves west to Tsavo West, removing the need to get a flight from Nairobi to Mombassa

It's quite a distance from Tsavo to Masai, we got an internal flight directly from Kilimanjaro-Kimana to the Masai Mara, and Kimana is closer than Tsavo.

 

[n1 gull]

Was hoping to only spend about £3,000 for 2 of us. Is that unrealistic? I have seen reasonable flights for about £650 each and hotels for £50 a night

It's less than we paid, but we have kids so had to play it safer than if it was just 2 adults. We flew to Nairobi then Wilson airport to a tiny ranch. Just avoid the big tour firms as you are herded around like you are in a safari park. We met people who went on big tours and they hated it, but at the end of the day it's horses for courses etc..

 

[Geriatric Seagull]

The Voyager in Mombasa very good all-inclusive. Right on the beach. All the Safari parks were good in different ways though didn't get to Masai Mara. After a few days of elephants and giraffes you get a bit blasé about them! Oh, whatever you do, don't fly Kenya Airways - they must be the world's worst!!!

 

[emphyrian]

for safari I went to kichwa tembo ( don't think its spelt like that though is sounds right) the place was amazing. we stayed for four nights and saw everything. we also went to a place called mountain lodge. the rooms all have viewing platforms and if an animal you want to see comes to the waterhole when your in bed they come and wake you so you can go view it. Also the meals there are 7 course and excellent. we also had a balloon ride over the plains and you have breakfast in the middle of nowhere which is quite a strange feeling knowing that there could be any number of beasties coming close. I also recommend a restaurant called 'carnivore' they cook all the meat on a giant bbq and walk it around on spears and swords. you have a little flag on the table which, all the while it up they will serve you and once your beaten you push the flag over and they clear your table. Not good if your a veggie though.

 

[reigate]

Try African Big Five (africanbigfivesafaris.com). They are based in Uganda but do great safaris across east Africa. They are also great value. Have done a few safaris and they are by far the best operator I've used.

Cheers - I have messaged them

 

[n1 gull]

I actually find NSC a really good site to talk about travel. You get some crackin advice on here.

Totally agree

 

[willyfantastic]

driving around there is madness - we had a coach crash on the way from the airport to the hotel

our beach resort was nice, but couldnt go anywhere near the beach as you would be attacked by 10 men trying to sell you tat

we stayed in a treehouse hotel after the beach resort which was amazing - then did a safari - think it was in july - saw loads of animals

 

[glasfryn]

never been but am temped to say don't take beef sandwiches with you

 

[Berty23]

I had my honeymoon in Kenya in 2007. We stayed at the voyager beach resort near Mombasa. It was fantastic. We spoke to some people by one of the pools and they had booked a safari from guy on the beach. We did the same. We paid about 300 quid each to fly from Mombasa to Maasai mara. Three day two night safari. We saw all the big five and stayed at the David livingstone lodge on the bank of the mara river where there were loads of hippos and crocs to watch while having a beer.

We were on the same plane and staying in the room next door to people who paid twice as much with Thompson

I would recommend Maasai mara over tsavo. Apparently the vehicles don't leave the tracks there but in the Maasai mara they roam freely.

I would suggest three days is plenty for safari.

In Kenya when buying anything a safe rule is to offer quarter the quoted price.

 

[Berty23]

The Voyager in Mombasa very good all-inclusive. Right on the beach. All the Safari parks were good in different ways though didn't get to Masai Mara. After a few days of elephants and giraffes you get a bit blasé about them! Oh, whatever you do, don't fly Kenya Airways - they must be the world's worst!!!

Just seen this. It is a great hotel. I loved the idea of it being a ship and you dock in a different country each day Nd te food and entertainment is themed based on that.

 

[bluenitsuj]

I have stayed at Southern Palms a couple of times at New Year. Great place. Lets Go Travel are all over Kenya and excellent in organising trips, hotels etc. my dad worked in Nairobi for 15 yrs so I was fortunate to have many holidays there and see things off the tourist trail. Fantastic country that I will hopefully visit again very soon. Enjoy your trip. I know you will.

 

[Wilko]

I have stayed at Southern Palms a couple of times at New Year. Great place. Lets Go Travel are all over Kenya and excellent in organising trips, hotels etc. my dad worked in Nairobi for 15 yrs so I was fortunate to have many holidays there and see things off the tourist trail. Fantastic country that I will hopefully visit again very soon. Enjoy your trip. I know you will.

Any top tips?

 

[portslade seagull]

went to Kenya in February with another couple 7-days on safari and 7 recovering on the beach in Mombasa. All agreed Best holiday we have ever had. Booked through Virgin and stayed at heritage safari in four different game parks . we had our own landrover between the four of us and we saw everything. def take a good pair of binoculars and a good camera, you won't regret it and the people are really friendly

 

[bluenitsuj]

Any top tips?

Depends where you are staying. In Mombasa, if you are staying along Diani beach, take a taxi to the beach bar which is called Fourty Thieves, great place to sit and enjoy a tusker. The same owner has a restaurant Ali Baba's which is built into caves, great experience ( not neccesarily off the beaten track but you dont know about these places unless told ). While I stayed at the hotel I was lucky enough to do one of my Bucket List items which was to go Game Fishing, ended up catching a 60kg striped Marlin - an experience I will never forget. You can also book from Mombasa a drive to Shimba Hills which is a reserve that includes Elephant.

If staying in Nairobi you have to go to The Carnivore restaurant, fabulous place with live music, all the game meat you can dream of and a disco ( beware all the prostitutes who may try it on with you whether you are with your partner or not).

The most beautiful and scenic place I have ever stayed, anywhere is Lake Baringo Island Camp. It is a long drive from Nairobi but if you get the chance then have a look. When you get to the Lake they take you across on a boat, avoiding the hippos and crocs, to your tented camp. This is luxury and during the day we fished in the Lake, surrounded by crocs while catching catfish. Nairobi National Park for the day, there is also the orphanage and also the Giraffe centre where you can feed them.

I could go on, but I am getting sad now that you are going and that I am not.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Love Kenya, backpacked around there several times and spent some very happy months doing research on giraffes. A few places for your consideration then...

Sweetwaters reserve, at the foot of Mt. Kenya near Nanyuki about two hours north of Nairobi, on a private ranch, lovely tented camp, really worth it if you want to push the boat out a but and have some luxury, great for wildlife watching of all kinds, there is so much there.

In fact going north has some of the lesser-known gems including Samburu National Reserve. Gets more arid up here and its really interesting, there'll be far fewer people around too.

Going out West to the Mara is always worth it, its very hard not to enjoy a visit to the greatest concentration of wildlife in the world! If you time your trip with the migration it'll blow your mind, but the place is stuffed with wildlife any time of the year. The cheapest trips will stay in the tented camps on the eastern park boundary, thats the way I always did it (I just booked up direct in Nairobi) but if you spend more for the nicer camps on the Mara river further into the park you'll have more space and more chance of seeing a leopard or cheetah. I've never done it that way, its probably expensive but I imagine its worth it.

That whole trip would be a days minibus from Nairobi, not so dull though as you drive down the spectacular rift valley escarpment, right through Masai country and the wildlife starts long before the park. There'll be time for an afternoon safari, then a full next-day. If you're going west you should then incorporate it with a trip to one or more of the rift valley lakes; Lake Nakuru is good for rhinos; the flamingo flock will either be here, at Naivasha or Baringo. Another big thumbs-up for Lake Baringo from me, one of my favourite places out there.

Also another shout for the Carnivore restaurant in Nairobi.

on the coast, Diana beach is where most of the resorts are and some decent hangouts, probably changed since I was last there a long-time ago. I always stayed at Tiwi beach in between Mombasa and Diana, far more of a backpackers place, used to camp at Twiga Lodge. This is where I laid in my tent listening to score updates of Hereford v Brighton one night in 1997 on my world service radio....

You'll love it, enjoy.

 

[spooky]

I have stayed at Southern Palms a couple of times at New Year. Great place. Lets Go Travel are all over Kenya and excellent in organising trips, hotels etc. my dad worked in Nairobi for 15 yrs so I was fortunate to have many holidays there and see things off the tourist trail. Fantastic country that I will hopefully visit again very soon. Enjoy your trip. I know you will.

I visited Mombassa just after 9/11 kicked off, stayed there for 2 weeks in Southern Palms great little hotel, we did get stuck for about an extra 5 days though as it was rumoured a terrorist organisation had entered Mombassa and was threatning to shoot down western airlines,so they grounded all flights out and in, so when it was time to leave we were flown out by Kenyan Airlines.. everyone was bricking it on the plane waiting for it to be shot down...

So back to the Holiday..LOL....Brilliant time we done the Maasai mara Safari the best by far, we managed to see everything even a cheetah, and was chased by a Rhino..boy can they bloody run.got some amazing pictures

What i will say is when you go take plenty of pens and pencils and any spare clothes you was going to donate to charity with you, they have nothing out there it is very poverty stricken, the kids love to get pens and pencils.

We gave our chambermaid a good tip after the first day and we got fresh fruit everyday and proper looked after by her, clean sheets etc..
i also left a few clothes for her..these people have nothing so i said she could keep them for her family or sell them to make more money the woman was in tears nearly, if memory serves me correct but it probabaly won't so check but i think they prefered the dollar and the english pound coin, becarefull venturing out at night it can be dangerous for the white's, other than that you will have a blast

 

[The Wookiee]

I went mid 90's stayed at a hotel in Mombasa right on the beach, can't recall it's name but it was fantastic. Booked a 3 day safari whilst out there, went to tsarvo east and stayed at voi lodge I think it was called. Probably the best holiday I have ever had !!

 

[eggshell blonde]

I had my honeymoon in Kenya in 2007. We stayed at the voyager beach resort near Mombasa. It was fantastic. We spoke to some people by one of the pools and they had booked a safari from guy on the beach. We did the same. We paid about 300 quid each to fly from Mombasa to Maasai mara. Three day two night safari. We saw all the big five and stayed at the David livingstone lodge on the bank of the mara river where there were loads of hippos and crocs to watch while having a beer.

We were on the same plane and staying in the room next door to people who paid twice as much with Thompson

I would recommend Maasai mara over tsavo. Apparently the vehicles don't leave the tracks there but in the Maasai mara they roam freely.

I would suggest three days is plenty for safari.

In Kenya when buying anything a safe rule is to offer quarter the quoted price.

THIS!!

We stayed at the Voyager Beach resort hotel in Mombasa, 3 nights, then flew to Masai Mara, 3 days 2 nights (plenty of time) where we saw all Big 5. Stunning scenery, blows you away. If you can, do the dawn balloon ride and watch the sun break over the plains.......absolutely beautiful scene that will stay with you forever.
We then flew back to the Mombasa hotel to relax for the rest of the holiday. had a look around Mombasa which is an eye opener to say the least! Still managed to fit in the usual scuba trips too so.....holiday of a lifetime.

 

[Safeway]

We had our honeymoon in Mombasa in 2010 and loved it. Booked the safari over there through Ringo Safaris and they were brilliant (had a jeep to ourselves, not rammed full of other tourists). Reckon it was far cheaper than pre-booking in the UK. Were on a slight budget so only did three days in Tsavo East and West, but we saw all of the Big Five apart from Rhinos, and a whole load of other animals, and with the very long days it was probably enough to be honest. There's plenty of other things to do (boat trips, wildlife parks etc), it's not ALL about safari, plus you want to have some decent time to relax.

My only piece of advice would be do NOT fly with Monarch. Nine hours with one little TV every ten rows is not what you need on a nine hour flight. Definitely make sure your airline has seat-back screens otherwise you will spend a lot on alcohol.