Kenya Safari Information

We are looking to go to Kenya for our Honeymoon in early August 2004.
Have done loads of research about the different National Parks and
Camps etc, and have narrowed our choice to Safaris offered by Kuoni
and Somak (being 1st timers, we want everything organised) A weeks
Safari will be followed by a week on the coast, possibly at the
Leopard Beach or Serena Beach Hotel(s).

Does anyone have any opinions / experiences of the following Camps?

* Samburu Intrepids Club
* Mara Intrepids Club
* Governors Loldia House
* Governors IL Moran

One last question is whether those that have been on Safari see the
availability of a Swimming Pool as an 'Essential' to while away the
time between Drives.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Paul&Claire wrote:

A weeks
Safari will be followed by a week on the coast, possibly at the
Leopard Beach or Serena Beach Hotel(s).

Serena Beach - absolutely wonderful.

Does anyone have any opinions / experiences of the following Camps?

* Samburu Intrepids Club
* Mara Intrepids Club

Both very nice - Mara Intrepids wouldn't offer enough difference
to stay both there and IL Moran (see below)

* Governors Loldia House

This is not a safari stop - as long as you understand that,
you may enjoy it.

* Governors IL Moran

Never seen it. Photos look quite nice and the Governors Camps
generally have a strong reputation.

One last question is whether those that have been on Safari see the
availability of a Swimming Pool as an 'Essential' to while away the
time between Drives.

It could be chilly enough in August that you wouldn't be
tempted anyway.

(Paul&Claire) wrote:

We are looking to go to Kenya for our Honeymoon in early August 2004.
Have done loads of research about the different National Parks and
Camps etc, and have narrowed our choice to Safaris offered by Kuoni
and Somak (being 1st timers, we want everything organised) A weeks
Safari will be followed by a week on the coast, possibly at the
Leopard Beach or Serena Beach Hotel(s).

Paul & Claire,

oh, that same mistake again! I highly recommend not to stay at
the coast at the end of your trip. The reason? It is boring. I
know what I'm talking about, have done all these things many
times.

Of course things may be different if you have something
particular in mind, like if you were avid divers or some such.
But otherwise my recommendations a

* Skip the coast altogether.
* Visit Lamu for two days or three.
* If you must, stay at the coast for no more than 4 days either
in the beginning or between wildlife safaris, but not at the
end.

Otherwise I think you idea to spend honeymoon time in Kenya is
excellent and you will most likely come home with the best
memories (and visit Africa again later).

One last question is whether those that have been on Safari see the
availability of a Swimming Pool as an 'Essential' to while away the
time between Drives.

No, it's clearly not essential. Kenya is not as hot as that. If
you spend the hottest part of the day being lazy in your hut or
tent or elsewhere in the shade, you will not sweat all the time.
It's not like the hot times in India or Thailand. Particularly
not in Maasai Mara, which is not really hot at all, unless
you're in the sun.

The Kenyan coast is different. It is always, even at night, so
warm that you will continuously sweat a little. Still not as hot
as the places I mentioned, but different from upcountry Kenya.

For details and checklists of what to bring along please have a
look at http://www.michna.com/kenya.htm.

Hans-Georg

--
No mail, please.

"Paul&Claire" wrote in message
om...

One last question is whether those that have been on Safari see the
availability of a Swimming Pool as an 'Essential' to while away the
time between Drives.

No - the pools are often very small and not very warm (I recall sitting with
my legs in the pool at Keekorok once - my shoulders were burning and my legs
freezing!).
Between drives is a great time to relax around the camp/lodge and watch
birds, or to catch up on sleep as you will be getting up early in the
morning!
(Contrary to what Hans advises, I'd say for a first-time visit and esp
honeymoon, a week at the beach at the end is not a bad idea. My ideal would
be a few days at the beginning (to get over the flight and acclimatise;
beware trips that arrive in Nairobi and then start off immediately on a long
overland trip) and again at the end, but the package ones dont do this!)
--
Rita Daggett

In message
"Rita Daggett" wrote:

"Paul&Claire" wrote in message
om...

One last question is whether those that have been on Safari see the
availability of a Swimming Pool as an 'Essential' to while away the
time between Drives.

No - the pools are often very small and not very warm (I recall sitting with
my legs in the pool at Keekorok once - my shoulders were burning and my legs
freezing!).
Between drives is a great time to relax around the camp/lodge and watch
birds, or to catch up on sleep as you will be getting up early in the
morning!
(Contrary to what Hans advises, I'd say for a first-time visit and esp
honeymoon, a week at the beach at the end is not a bad idea. My ideal would
be a few days at the beginning (to get over the flight and acclimatise;
beware trips that arrive in Nairobi and then start off immediately on a long
overland trip) and again at the end, but the package ones dont do this!)


I *wonder* if you could do this with Kuoni?
Bangs for bucks, Kuoni IMO is about best of the UK operators for standard
one-night, two-night group safaris. They seem to get phenomenal prices from
the lodges, probably because of their sheer size/purchasing power! I haven't
got their brochure for this year, but in the past they've done
semi-tailor-mades. 'Semi' meaning you can add up different 'offerings' from
their brochure to get your own trip, you can't ask for things they don't
have, or alter the 'bits' on safari. So since they offer weeks on the coast,
or shorter stays there, it might be that you could do it first. It all
depends on how their flights would tie in with the rest of what you wanted
to do. We did Kenya (Leopard safari)/Seychelles with them on our first trip,
and changed what we did in the Seychelles from what was directly offered in
their brochure (still had to stay at hotels they featured). Worth getting a
good travel agent who can actually be bothered to investigate what can be
done.

We stayed at Loldia House in July 02 and very much enjoyed it. As Dave says,
it's not a safari stop as such. I don't know how it would be if you were in
an organised group, but as we were on our own, basically we got a choice of
activities, like going out on a boat on the lake to see birds (fantastic, if
you're interested), going a guided nature walk in the private reserve,
visiting Crater Lake Sanctuary (fka 'Crescent Island') and walking among the
wildlife there (some natural, some introduced), visiting a local school,
night drive. can't remember what else. I think two 'activities' per day are
included in the very high rates. Lovely grounds, great food, knowlegeable
staff. A nice place for a mid-safari 'rest'!

You can get an idea of the place on my site, starting at:
http://www.v-liz.co.uk/safari/naivasha/loldia.htm

On the pool issue, it depends on your trip (I think on Kuoni and probalby
Somak you're on 'two game drives a day', which leaves a long time (from
late-ish breakfast until about 3.30) 'hanging around the lodges. You can opt
to go out to local villages or do bird walks around the grounds with a
guide, both at extra cost, if you're interested. If you're interested in
birds, the guides are usually well worth the money. Or you can lie around.
We are on three game drives a day (or out all day depending on what's
happening), and if it's hot, I often like a quick cool splash before lunch.
As Dave and Rita have said, in July/August, it's not always too hot.
Also depends on whether you actually *like* lazing by a pool!

On our Kuoni trip, I found the 'downtime' far too long, and sadly, m-o-l all
the pools were being upgraded just when we were there (Block seemed to think
it was a good idea to do them all in peak season!!!) and it did get a bit
tedious. However, nowadays, most of the lodges seem to offer bird walks,
cultural visits and/or talks, etc., realising that they have a 'captive
market' for interesting offerings.

Safari njema!

Liz

--
Virtual Liz at http://www.v-liz.co.uk
Kenya; Tanzania; India; Seychelles; Namibia
"I speak of Africa and golden joys"

"Hans-Georg Michna" wrote in message
...
(Paul&Claire) wrote:
snip
Of course things may be different if you have something
particular in mind, like if you were avid divers or some such.
But otherwise my recommendations a

Serena Beach hotel is lovely, but being an avid diver I would
still not stay more than a couple of days there are far better
places for diving on the coast. The fish life on reefs in that area is
extremely limited, worth a couple of dives at most.

* Skip the coast altogether.
* Visit Lamu for two days or three.

Lamu is lovely well worth a visit.

snip
The Kenyan coast is different. It is always, even at night, so
warm that you will continuously sweat a little. Still not as hot
as the places I mentioned, but different from upcountry Kenya.

Up country will be very pleasent for you coming from Europe
but the coast will be warm and humid. Where you go and stay
depends also on the type of people you are do you like tourist
places or more out of the way retreats with less people. Where
ever you stay, you will find Kenya one of the nicest of African
countries, that treat tourists well. Tourism forms a large portion
of their national income. Even during a national strike people
involved with tourism were asked to work, so as to not inconvienience
the tourists, which they did. For Africa that is really something.
Have a great time
Richard

For details and checklists of what to bring along please have a
look at http://www.michna.com/kenya.htm.

Hans-Georg

--
No mail, please.

In message
Liz wrote:


We stayed at Loldia House in July 02 and very much enjoyed it. As Dave says,
it's not a safari stop as such. I don't know how it would be if you were in
an organised group, but as we were on our own, basically we got a choice of
activities, like going out on a boat on the lake to see birds (fantastic, if
you're interested), going a guided nature walk in the private reserve,
visiting Crater Lake Sanctuary (fka 'Crescent Island') and walking among the
wildlife there (some natural, some introduced), visiting a local school,
night drive. can't remember what else.

The other options were Hell's Gate and Lake Nakuru for sure, maybe Lake
Bogoria?

Slainte

Liz
--
Virtual Liz at http://www.v-liz.co.uk
Kenya; Tanzania; India; Seychelles; Namibia
"I speak of Africa and golden joys"

Hi

We did the Cheetah Safari with Kuoni a couple of years back which was very
good. We also went in August and did find the pools useful - at Samburu (v.
hot) and at Keekorok (not much else to do there mid afternoon - although we
did go to the Mara River one day, much recommended).

In terms of a week at the coast I would absolutely recommend Zanzibar. It is
a fascinating island with lots of - history, culture, wildlife, diving, as
well as beaches/lodges etc. The people there are very relaxed and don't
hassle the tourists either. I think the Kenya/Tanzania coasts are pretty
dull in comparison, and I think I would tend to stay in the hotel complexes
there rather than get out and about.

Kuoni were happy to add days to our Zanzibar stay, and were very well
organised throughout.

There is a (medium quality) diary at our site at
http://www.tomalin.org/bedford/africa/index.htm

Do get in touch if you want any specific info (e.g. safari photography - see
www.wildviews.com)

Charles
www.wildviews.com
Natural History Photography

--

"Paul&Claire" wrote in message
om...
We are looking to go to Kenya for our Honeymoon in early August 2004.
Have done loads of research about the different National Parks and
Camps etc, and have narrowed our choice to Safaris offered by Kuoni
and Somak (being 1st timers, we want everything organised) A weeks
Safari will be followed by a week on the coast, possibly at the
Leopard Beach or Serena Beach Hotel(s).

Does anyone have any opinions / experiences of the following Camps?

* Samburu Intrepids Club
* Mara Intrepids Club
* Governors Loldia House
* Governors IL Moran

One last question is whether those that have been on Safari see the
availability of a Swimming Pool as an 'Essential' to while away the
time between Drives.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Don't know about the lodges, but the pool is not really important as we
found that the first drive was early, before sunrise, and lasts until
lunch, when you eat and relax, catch up with an hour snooze, then you
are off on an evening drive. I certainly didn't feel tempted to go in
the pool.
We went for a week in Mombasa after 3 weeks in the parks and
were very disappointed, Fort Jesus is interseting when it is quiet, but
after you've been in the bush for a few weeks, a crocodile farm, or
'local' village is a very tame way of spending time and being hassled
for money. We went to Zanzibar for 10 days right after mombasa and had
an amazing time, we wished we had gone there earlier. We hired a Suzuki
jeep for 4 days and drove down every pot-holed, dirt road on the island,
visited every beach and found some of the most amazing and romantic
beach villas. Pemba is another place you can visit from there, as is Dar
Es Salaam.
Someone also mentioned Lamu in Kenya, we wanted to go there
but there had been problems with the bus route and hijackings so didn't
go. Apparently it is a really cool place and great for a couple of days,
and no more, of chilling.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

In message
Desert Dweller wrote:


Don't know about the lodges, but the pool is not really important as we
found that the first drive was early, before sunrise, and lasts until
lunch, when you eat and relax, catch up with an hour snooze, then you
are off on an evening drive. I certainly didn't feel tempted to go in
the pool.

This depends entirely on your itinerary.
It seems on most 'normal' brochure safaris, you either leave camp/lodge
around 6.30 and come back around 9.30 for breakfast, then are 'on your own'
until about 3.30 when you go for your afternoon drive. Or if it's a 'moving
on' day, you have an early breakfast and then do your game drive on the way
out of the park.

It always pays to scour the proposed itinerary thoroughly to check on these
things. What you don't see in the itinerary is what you definitely don't
get, unless you pay extra.

Liz

--
Virtual Liz at http://www.v-liz.co.uk
Kenya; Tanzania; India; Seychelles; Namibia
"I speak of Africa and golden joys"