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Original poster

Please send me any tips on going on SAFARI in Kenya or Namibia????

35 replies

RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 21:45

Have you driven between safari areas or have you gone in light aircraft?

During the long drives do you see wildlife or is it on more central roads?

Did you go in 4x4 or mini-bus ?

Were you alone as a family or were there others with you?

Did you feel safe?

Were there loads of flies?

Did you go in hot air balloon?

How many days SAFARI did you have and was it long enough or too long?

What essential stuff did you take?

Did you wish you had anything else you had forgotten?

Where did you stay?

Did you go to Mombassa or somewhere else?

Which company did you go with?

Would you recommend them or stay away from them?

PLEASE POST ANY OTHER TIPS OR ADVICE

TIA

.

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cece · 19/02/2006 21:53

Me and Dh went on safari wiht Kuoni in 1999.

Have you driven between safari areas or have you gone in light aircraft? Driven

During the long drives do you see wildlife or is it on more central roads? On central roads, quite bumpy as they are not always in very good repair, so take a cushion to sit on! We were in the same van in which we did the safari.

Did you go in 4x4 or mini-bus ? mini-bus for safari and for drives between areas.

Were you alone as a family or were there others with you? there was a family of 4 wiht us plus the driver/guide

Did you feel safe? yes

Were there loads of flies? not tthat I remember

Did you go in hot air balloon? no

How many days SAFARI did you have and was it long enough or too long? 7 days and it was not enough - we loved it!

What essential stuff did you take? binoculars for everyone, camera, wamr clothes (which we did not take)

Did you wish you had anything else you had forgotten? warm clothes it was freezing some places and especially in the Highlands when we stayed at Treetops..

Where did you stay? lots of different places, can't remember the names now except Treetops. They were all nice though

Did you go to Mombassa or somewhere else? We did the safari from Niarobi - whihc is nearer to better parks and then went to beach resort near Mombassa for a week.

Which company did you go with? Kuoni - they were fine.

Would you recommend them or stay away from them? No problems...

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 22:00

Deffo brill

Thank you

I think we will go for the flying option then as we will have DS with us and I think he won't like the driving for so many hours. I just didn't want to miss out on seeing wildlife iyswim

Will take fleeces for nightime

Will go for 7 days will look into going for extension

Thank you

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LIZS · 19/02/2006 22:21

We did Nairobi, Samburu ( in a tent !), Treetops, Lake Naivasha and Masai Mara about 10 years ago - pre kids- with Elite Vacations. Our mini bus was shared with a motley crew who all came with Cosmos on same itinerary but had stayed at a different hotel in Nairobi so we weren't really accepted as part of the group from the start. The "main" roads were ok but the drive into/out of Masai Mara was quite trying, about 6 hours over very bumpy, rutted dust tracks, few places to stop, so not for the readily travel sick or faint hearted and by then the camaraderie in the bus was somewhat jaded - if you can fly there it would be better. We really only saw wildlife once into the parks apart from around the obligatory tourist stops. Ours was a total of about 7 days and it was long enough as you have early starts and long days closetted in a bus with a few days of game drives and relaxing in between. We took a large backpack between us and left the suitcase at the hotel in Nairobi. No flies or bugs iirc (and dh is one to get bitten anywhere). Food was far superior to expectations but dh was still sick one day. We didn't do the balloon trip and in retrospect it would have been fun but we got a lie-in and exclusive game drive instead. Afterwards we spent a couple of nights back at the hotel in Nairobi (Safari Park iirc)and did go into Nairobi which was an experience but couldn't wait to return to safety of hotel. On the actual safari had felt very safe. We flew onto Dubai from there but the rest headed off to Mombasa.

To take - zoom lens camera, far more film than you think you'll need, sun cream and insect repellant, binoculars, neutral coloured (bright colours phase the animals), light layers of clothing and solid footwear for safari plus something more comfortable to relax in , shady hat.

hth

Caligula · 19/02/2006 22:22

Don't get eaten.

Sorry, that's the only tip I can give you.

LIZS · 19/02/2006 22:24

Nothing quite like lying in a (admittedly luxury !) tent and hearing lions roaring nearby ....

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 22:29

I hope we won't get eaten

I think we will fly then

I am also wondering whether it will be better to have a 4x4 to ourselves I don't fancy joining a group already formed iyswim

Did you see other cars when you were on safari or are you alone?

Wondered about the tent option

I want luxury as it is to celebrate my 40th birthday

OP posts:
cece · 19/02/2006 22:32

You will definitely see a lot of other vans!

The guides all radio each other so when one of the big five is spotted it is a bit of a traffic jam!

cece · 19/02/2006 22:34

Agree the food and accommodation was nicer than expectations.

We did a similar itinery as LIZS. How old is your ds as I think there is an age limit on some safaris (11 or 13 I think)

LIZS · 19/02/2006 22:37

Occasionally we'd see another vehicle on game drives but not that often unless we were at a particular watering hole. They carried radios so each driver could tip the others off about sitings but the first would usually be leaving as we arrived. The camp was great - I'll look out where we went if you're interested - tent had ensuite, raised wooden deck floor and mossie nets - but they may have a minmum age.

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 22:42

DS will be 11 years old

I had a feeling it would be like that -- traffic etc.

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Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 22:43

The camp sound deffo brill

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Milge · 19/02/2006 22:46

RTKM, we went on honeymoon to Kenya -
ave you driven between safari areas or have you gone in light aircraft?- both, we drove from Nairobi up to the Aberdares, then back to nairobi, then flew in light aircraft down to masai mara, and moved between camps by 4x4

During the long drives do you see wildlife or is it on more central roads? long drives

Did you go in 4x4 or mini-bus ?4x4

Were you alone as a family or were there others with you?private party

Did you feel safe?yes from wildlife, not particularly in other respects, esp in Nairobi.

Were there loads of flies?no

Did you go in hot air balloon?no

How many days SAFARI did you have and was it long enough or too long?10 days, enough time to take an afternoon off and sit by the pool, or miss an early morning game drive, without feeling you were missing out. Managed to see all the Big 5

What essential stuff did you take?binoculars, zoom lense on camera, fleeces, walking boots, suntan lotion, hat, sunglasses

Did you wish you had anything else you had forgotten?can't remember

Where did you stay?the ark, sweetwaters, two places in masai mara, i can't remember, govenors something, i think

Did you go to Mombassa or somewhere else?mombassa, serena beach i think

Which company did you go with?can't remember

Would you recommend them or stay away from them?

cece · 19/02/2006 22:47

The hotel we satyed in on the Masai Mara was open to the wild. We had the room furthest from reception so there was nothing between us and the wildlife. We had to be walked back to the room by the member of staff! Who was armed with a stick!?

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 22:50

milge

I meant personal safety more than animals

what do you mean about not feeling safe?

was it because yopu were alone in 4x4 with guide?

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Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 22:52

cece armed with a stick !!!!!!!!!!!

perhaps they were friendly lions !!!!!!!!!!!!

or they would run after a stick like a dog

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Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 22:53

I wondered about this hotel in the masi mara

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Milge · 19/02/2006 22:54

no,RTKM, it was in nairobi that i felt most uneasy - felt quite obviously out of place. Also not helped by the fact that we visited friends there who lived in a house completely surrounded by electrified gates and patrolled by security men. Kenya is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, and this was quite apparant. A couple of tourist buses in Mombassa were blown up a month or two before we went, which didn't add to my sense of ease. Felt most happy "up country".

cece · 19/02/2006 22:55

He was a Masai warrior and it was called a bombyknocker (sp). They use them to kill lions apparently...

Milge · 19/02/2006 22:56

We went here and it was fab. Serena is a reputable company with good properties.

Mytwopenceworth · 19/02/2006 22:56

if you are going to kenya i would be happy to give you a few people's details for you to contact when there, if you feel like getting away from the tourist routes!

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 23:03

WOW cece

Milge that looks deffo brill so did they organize your safari or from UK

MTPW That would be deffo brill too

Thanks guys

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Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 23:04

Perhaps we will not go to mombassa then

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Milge · 19/02/2006 23:07

Go to Mombasa - the beach is beautiful, so is the creek area, with a gorgeous fort looking out onto the ocean. I organised the trip from the UK, our friends in Kenya made us swap hotels/lodges, recommending the serena group, hence sweetwaters and the serena beach club. I think I used a company called Tropical Places, not sure if they are still going or not.

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 23:10

oke doke

did you find lots of beach sellers?

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Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 19/02/2006 23:11

so did the =safaris come from the hotel or from the uk travel company iyswim

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