Brief safari in Kenya
We visited Kenya for a few days before going to Tanzania. We spent some time in Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara Park. All safaris were excellent and although I had heard a lot about Tanzania surpassing Kenya in wildlife, we had similar experiences. Fantastic landscape, lots of wild animals and birds, and excellent service from Serene East Africa Safaris. I recommend a 4x4 Jeep and not a van, because the roads are not in good condition. Finally, we visited Mombasa, which really did not meet our expectations, we found Zanzibar much better.
Amazing place . Nice people and beautiful scenery
We really had our best experience ever. The trip was very nice and like an eye opening experience. We loved everything about Kenya. We love you very much and we hope to see you soon.
ES
Email Miguel Peran | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful
Kenya is a fantástic country with an amazing wildlife. The acomodación in tentada was correct and food normal. Our guide Richie aré the best and i recommended him to all!
Just go.
1. Wildlife
You get to see what you only saw in books and TV. The animals feel more real than when you see them in zoos.
2. Scenery
I can only speak for Nairobi, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara and the roads in between. I loved all of it. Nairobi is not as prim as Tokyo, which in a way adds to its vibrancy. Lake Nakuru gives you green forests. Masai Mara is the typical savanna plain you imagined but never really got to know. The roads in between gives you a glimpse into what Kenya is really like, with lots of villages, plantations, livestock, empty fields and lots and lots of dirt road.
3. Weather
Early October is pleasant and not so extreme, both in Nairobi and in the wild. Chilly in morning and night(13 degrees Celsius), warm in day(about 24 degrees). Mostly dry with occasional rain.
4. Accommodations
Accommodations in Nairobi are relatively inexpensive if you are from a developed country. However, you really need to research how much time it takes from your hotel to the airport. Because of traffic jams and roads that go roundabout, it takes more time to get to the airport than, for example, Google Map's estimation based on straight distance. Look into other travelers' reviews.
Accommodations in the safari area depend on how much money you spend. Safaribookings sort them into Budget, Mid-range and Luxury. I can only speak for Mid to Luxury(Sarova Lion Hill, Mara Serena Lodge). They provide great services, up to standards of good hotels in big cities. However, I think their real value is in their location. Lodges or camps on hills provide breathtaking views. Sometimes wild animals such as hyrax or baboons wander about near your room(so keep your windows closed, and get your camera ready for a close shot).
5. Food
Food is actually quite nice. Kenyan cuisine came across as hearty and healthy to me. Try staples like sukumawiki(a vegetable dish tastes something like kale and spinach) and ugali(steamed starch that is the Kenyan equivalent of rice in Asian food. They give you fork, but try them with your hands like the locals do if you want more cultural experience; it's oddly satisfying to handle your food like a bit of clay to soften it). The influence of Indian food is really strong too - you will find bits of Indian cuisine pretty much everywhere. You can also experience Ethiopian food in Nairobi, they have some good restaurants. And try tea. Kenyan black tea is great. They also have good coffee.
6. Transportation
As I mentioned in 'accommodations', traffic situation in Nairobi isn't great. Give yourself enough time for moving around when you plan your trip. And you really need to take into account the ever-present dirt cloud and extreme bumpiness if you go by car to the safari region.
I recommend Uber in city and safari vehicle driven by a hired guide/driver outside the city. Reasons are because, in Nairobi, you stand out too much if you take local public transportation, and outside Nairobi, the road conditions are so bad you need a big vehicle made for such roads, and a local guide/driver who will be in charge of things so that you won't find yourself stranded in middle of nowhere if your car breaks down(I saw three safari vehicles with flat tires on the road. There is always a chance of a breakdown not only because are the roads bad but also because cars in Kenya are usually old and much worn down in the first place).
Of course, you can simply take airplane from Nairobi to Masai Mara(I think it costs about 300-400 USD, I'm not too sure). It would then take about an hour and you would have a view from above but miss out on the 6 hour trip, it really depends on your preference and budget.
7. Guide
Stephen, my driver for safari was also my guide. He is good at his job. He speaks good English(Kenyans usually speak English well because English is an official language there), gives enough commentary and explanation about things when needed but doesn't really tire you with too much talk. He knows his way around well and is both a good driver on the road and a good guide on the safari(we got to see all of Big 5 plus cheetas).
8. Other Highlights
If you go to Masai Mara, balloon safari is a great idea. It is definitely worth the money(430-450 USD).
I recommend that you try to buy or borrow good cameras and get some practice months before the trip. If you have a phone with a good camera it's usually fine, but sometimes you want to zoom in or open your aperture a bit more to give your photo some style and so on. Action cams(such as Go-Pros) are a great idea too, since you sometimes want to take videos of things while moving in a car on a bumpy road. It also helps that action cameras usually have a wide-angle lens that allows to capture more of the vast scenery.
The experience with karibu has exceeded all my expectations , God bless you.
The wildlife, scenery, weather, accommodations, transportation, our guide, all were excelent however the food could improve but not bad either.
Saw more wildlife than imagined
The wildlife we saw was amazing, it was just like being in the middle of a BBC animal planet doco. The scenery was beautiful. The camp we stayed in was amazing, so cool to have a tent with a bathroom. The food was fantastic, always got to love the all you eat buffets. It was the most amazing experience and I feel so lucky to of been to this special part of the world.
Great animals, great nature and especially great people
We had a 5 days trip to Masai Mara, Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha. The Landscape, the animals and the people where amazing!
An amazing country
Loved everything about the trip with the following exceptions..........Too many guide changes. Wanted Eric start to finish, the others were limited in their communication and social skills............Some days were just to much driving, at least 2 were just travel days only...........Be honest about the bucket showers in your description of certain facilities and also, if I were a birder, I would have been very disappointed that there were no Flamingo's, as you prominently display in your advertising. These reasons are why I gave an overall 4 Star rating instead of 5....... I would also like to note that I was happy to give my business to Kenyan and Tanzanian business owners, as opposed to safari companies owned outside of Africa.
US
Email Dan McCoy | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Beautiful country
I went on a 16 day safari with Kenya Walking Survivors Safaris and was very happy with the overall experience. The wildlife was amazing and the food and transportation was really good. I ended up going to Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania on the first part of the trip and might have skipped this had I known how long it would take to get there and the hassle of the border crossings. By the time I arrived I think we only had 2.5 hours in the park before we had to leave. Aside from that though, the rest of the trip was great. Went to Amboseli, Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Samburu, Lake Naivasha, and Maasai Mara. I think Tsavo East and Maasai Mara were the highlights. Each park was unique and offered different types of habitat and wildlife. My guide Tom was great and made sure I was well taken care of. I would definitely book with them again in the future.
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Email Paula | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
So much to see
This was my third trip to Kenya and it seems to get better every time! We went to four different parks/reserves (Samburu, Maasai Mara, Aberdares (moorlands), and Lake Nakuru.) All were very different. Samburu was the most intimate, with abundant game and fascinating landscape (I'd stay at the Samburu Intrepids again in a heartbeat!). Maasai Mara is so very spectacular (wildebeest migration season), with countless animals in every direction. Entim Camp was perfectly positioned and had great service. In the Aberdares, we stayed in the Kenya Wildlife Service 'lodge' -- a unique spot in the high moorlands (quiet, solitary, a world away). Our final stop was Lake Nakuru where we finally saw rhinos.
