Elderhostel Kenya--a bargain or ?

We have never been to Africa and are intrigued with the Kenya Safari
offered by ELDERHOSTEL

http://www.elderhostel.org/programs/...DId=1%2D1BQ4JP

The price seems to be a bargain at $3,300 for 15 nights--but do we miss
important things on this trip?

thank you in advance for any suggestions

John

wrote:

We have never been to Africa and are intrigued with the Kenya Safari
offered by ELDERHOSTEL

http://www.elderhostel.org/programs/...DId=1%2D1BQ4JP

The price seems to be a bargain at $3,300 for 15 nights--but do we miss
important things on this trip?

The flights? The price you mention is the 'program only' price, which
doesn't include the flights. From New York it becomes $ 4765.


--
Johan W. Elzenga johanatjohanfoto.nl
Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl/

you are correct about the with flight price--but still very
inexpensive.

John

wrote:

you are correct about the with flight price--but still very
inexpensive.

You have to realise that three nights out of that 15 nights is spend in
London or Nairobi. For the remainder the program looks allright to me.


--
Johan W. Elzenga johanatjohanfoto.nl
Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl/

Hard to understand how Elderhostel could goof up the
itinerary - but you will see that they have shown the
Lake Nakuru Lodge as the accommodation for the
nights at Swee****ers and vice versa.

The trip is a good one with mostly good properties
(the Serenas, especially). Good value as well.

But how does the Holiday Inn at Heathrow actually
fit in? The itinerary shows you arriving in London in
the morning and continuing that same day to Nairobi.
Is there something there I don't see?

If I chose to spend about double this, what would I get? what would the
principal differences be? mostly better accomodations or better guides
or? I am a neophyte at this, thank you in advance for your patience.
John

wrote in message
ups.com...
If I chose to spend about double this, what would I get? what would the
principal differences be? mostly better accomodations or better guides
or? I am a neophyte at this, thank you in advance for your patience.
John

I'm with Dave on this - I dont quite understand the bit about Heathrow; part
of the time it sounds as tho the itinerary starts in London (ie includes
flight H'row to Nairobi) and part of the time it doesnt. It also doesnt say
(or at least, I couldnt find it) how many people per vehicle on the game
drives and who the guides are - is there going to be one Elderhostel
'academic' on the trip (for how many people?) and then local driver/guides?
In terms of what you could get for twice as much money - probably a vehicle
to yourself (assuming two of you travelling together) with your own
driver-guide (which has its pros and cons!), and possibly a few more game
drives. Or you could possibly do more flying between places (I assume the
itinerary quoted is driving unless it says 'fly') and fewer long road trips
(again, there are pros and cons!). The accommodation Elderhostel is using is
not bottom-of-the-range. And the itinerary is not too rushed.

--
Rita Daggett

In message . com
" wrote:

If I chose to spend about double this, what would I get? what would the
principal differences be? mostly better accomodations or better guides
or? I am a neophyte at this, thank you in advance for your patience.
John

Once in Kenya we bumped a few times into a group of American Seniors
(maybe Elderhostellers, I don't know): there were five minibusses full
of them and they went around everywhere in convoy!

So they had their very own viewing circle around everything they
stopped for: not just the usual big cats.

It might be worth asking about this, if it's likely to bother you,
also as Rita says, how many people are in each vehicle - six it tight,
any more than that would be pretty uncomfortable, and people should
rotate for the window seats and roof hatch (e.g. the seventh person
sits in front with the driver, no access to roof hatch)

Slainte

Liz


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

I assume it's a day room to accommodate the early morning arrival, and then
late night departure to Nairobi.

" The trip is a good one with mostly good properties
(the Serenas, especially). Good value as well.

But how does the Holiday Inn at Heathrow actually
fit in? The itinerary shows you arriving in London in
the morning and continuing that same day to Nairobi.
Is there something there I don't see?

In message . com
" wrote:

If I chose to spend about double this, what would I get? what would the
principal differences be? mostly better accomodations or better guides
or? I am a neophyte at this, thank you in advance for your patience.
John


The Mara will be pretty quiet in January: most of the game is in
Serengeti dropping calves about this time.

The accommodations are fine: Serena and Block lodges are well run and
very comfortable. You pay more money for smaller 'luxury tented
camps'.

Slainte

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