WOW, I feel so blessed that I got so many feedback and great
experiences sharing.

Bill, are you a professional photogragher? Those photos in the link are
so beautiful and more than eligible to publish in National Geography.

I think I would adjust my plan based on the suggestions: skip Tanzania
and arrange more budget for better travel quality. Good news is 2 of my
friends might join me, therefore, we could share vans to have more
flexible schedule at reasonable price, comparing if I travel alone. We
will also stop by Dubai for 2-3 days (we need to take connecting flight
there anyway).

I've got few itinerary from Safari operators today. Below one looks
good to me and in very details (sorry, it's long). My concerns is
whether it's typical and worthy to spend several hrs in vans traveling
among different places. Would it be also possible if my friends and I
want to cover mombasa, as Paul mentioned. pretty far though (we will
stay 7-8 days total in Kenya). I know I need to prioritize....just like
to experiences different things in Kenya.

Bill, Lisa and Paul. Thanks again.

Eunice


Day 1: Nairobi/Samburu
Depart Nairobi (morning) and drive across to Samburu, arriving Samburu
Serena Lodge in time lunch. Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight
at Sarova shaba lodge.
Approx Transit time: 5½ hrs

Day 2: Samburu
Full day in Samburu, with an early morning and late afternoon game
drive.
All meals and overnight at Sarova shaba lodge.

Day 3: Mountain Lodge
Depart Samburu after breakfast and drive to the lower slopes of Mt.
Kenya arriving Mountain Rock Lodge for lunch. Relax the afternoon away
as you watch game from the balcony with an optional guided nature walk.
Overnight floodlit game viewing - Mountain Lodge rightfully boasts of
having the highest record of animal visits and sightings in the area.
Dinner and overnight..
Approx Transit time: 3½ hrs

Day 4: Lake Nakuru
Depart Mountain Lodge (morning) and drive to the floor of the Rift
Valley - to Lake Nakuru National Park making a brief stop at Nyahururu
Thomson Falls. Arrive Sarova Lion Hill Lodge in time for lunch.
Afternoon game drive. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Approx Transit time: 3 hrs

Day 5: Lake Nakuru/Maasai Mara
Depart Lake Nakuru after breakfast and drive along the floor of the
Rift Valley to Maasai Mara, arriving Mara Sopa Lodge for lunch.
Afternoon game drive. Dinner at the lodge.
Approx Transit time: 6 hrs

Day 6: Maasai Mara
Spend the day in Maasai Mara. Game drives are flexible, with the option
of going out with picnic lunch boxes to spend entire day in the the
park, or you can choose to have early morning and late afternoon game
drives. All meals and overnight Mara Sopa Lodge.

Day 7: Maasai Mara/Nairobi
Another early morning game drive in Maasai Mara, then depart after
breakfast and drive back to Nairobi arriving approx 13:00hrs. Drop at
your hotel or transfer to the airport Approx Transit time: 5½ hrs

2006 Prices:
High season: US$1469 per person sharing







Bill wrote:
LisaG wrote:

If you want to go for a quality experience, I would suggest spending
the money required to match your expectations. I don't mean dishing
$600 per day ...

I agree with Lisa ... we are using a well-regarded ground agent in
Arusha, booking directly with them because we know exactly where we
wish to go, and it's costing in the range of $350 - 400 per day for two
people staying at Serena - Sopa class lodges with a private guide and
an over-sized vehicle set up for long-lens photography. We could shave
off some costs with another person in the jeep or getting a smaller
jeep or not spending so many days at the more expensive parks like
Serengeti or Ngorongoro, but with a private driver it's probably hard
to get this below $250/day or so.

Then there are people paying $1,400 per night for a double at the CCA
lodges and finding they have to share a vehicle on their game drive ...
but they are happy because they have a deluxe luxury lodging
experience.

Sorry there's no good Cheap safari out there that will give you the
experience you hope to have.

Sad but true, due to the high cost of park fees and need to have a
driver/guide.

PS: the Crater is one of the most expensive parks with a daily entry
fee AND a "service fee"... the Serengeti has the daily fee and a
"transit fee" tagged on.

We didn't break out our costs all the way to the entrance fees, but I
think it's still only $25 per day at Lake Manyara and Tarangire ... you
can actually find cheap lodging outside Manyara in the aptly named Mto
Wa Mbu ("Mosquito River") and do a cheap safari there, but it's a small
park ... but Serengeti is I think $50 per tourist per day plus $6 for
the jeep plus $1.50 for the driver or $107.50 per day for two people
just to get in ... and add another $10 "guide fee" (though you don't
get the guide) if going off the main road to the good stuff like Gol
Kopjes ... Ngorongoro is even worse, I think $30 per day per person
just to be in the Conservation Area and $100 per jeep to descend to the
crater floor, now limited to only 6 hours per day to boot ... so $160
per day for two at Ngorongoro crater ... that's why I was skeptical
about the $100/day or cheaper trips ... I think Kenya fees are lower
than Tanzania fees though (for now).

Bill