josabermo

I posted this question in another thread but am asking it again hoping that more peolke will see it. Now the question is, is adding a trip to Amboseli worth it? It is adding an additional $500 per person to our sarfari cost. Ouch! Pretty tight for us- my fiance is going to kill me if he knows I want to add more money to our trip! People say it is a small park and that it is pretty crowded but there is Kilimanjaro and Oct is supposed to be a good time to go... Or do you think it is better to relax spend a night in Nairobi before flying out to LA- we are not staying there at all this trip.

Sept 29: Serena Mountain Lodge - OK
Sept 30: Larsens Tented Camp - OK
Oct 1: Larsens Tented Camp - OK
Oct 2: Mount Kenya Safari Club - OK
Oct 3: Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, suite - OK
Oct 4: Mara Sarova Tented Camp - OK
Oct 5: Mara Sarova Tented Camp - OK
Oct 6: Mara Sarova Tented Camp - OK
Oct 7: Peponi Hotel, Lamu - to be advised
Oct 8: Peponi Hotel, Lamu - to be advised
Oct 9: Peponi Hotel, Lamu - to be advised

Or


Sept 29: Mount Kenya - Serena Mountain Lodge - OK
Sept 30: Samburu - Larsens Tented Camp - OK
Oct 1: Samburu - Larsens Tented Camp - OK
Oct 2: Mount Kenya - Mount Kenya Safari Club - OK
Oct 3: Lake Nakuru - Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, suite - OK
Oct 4: Maasai Mara - Ilkeliani Camp - OK
Oct 5: Maasai Mara - Ilkeliani Camp - OK
Oct 6: Maasai Mara - Ilkeliani Camp - OK
Oct 7: Fly back to Nairobi, drive to Amboseli - Amboseli Serena Lodge - to be advised
Oct 8: Amboseli - Amboseli Serena Lodge - to be advised
Oct 9: Back to Nairobi/fly to Lamu - Peponi Hotel - OK
Oct 10: Lamu - Peponi Hotel - OK
Oct 11: Lamu - Peponi Hotel - OK
Oct 12: Out

Is Amboseli worth the additional cost and hassle? Is it a hard trip? Please advise -I think I need to book ASAP.

Max_Sattler

I don't know the answer to your question but the Kenyan tour operator I've been emailing about a future safari in Tanzania and Kenya said:
"forget Kenya. Once you've seen the Masai Mara there's nothing."

His words.

Nyamera

Now I’m hyperventilating and will soon pass out. Max, I really hope that you’re a troll. Your tour operator is the supremest idiot I’ve ever heard of. Is he a member of KATO? If so, I won’t rest until I have him excluded.

Nyamera

Josabermo,

I haven’t been to Amboseli, but if +$500pp means that you’ll end up in the street because you can’t pay the rent, I wouldn’t do it. If it means that you’ll have to wait a little longer to get a new bathroom floor it’s definitely worth it. Adding one night each to the Mara and Samburu would also be worth it (it´s what I would do), as would some time in Nairobi, though that would be less expensive. It’s not a hard trip.

Nyamera

Adding nights to the Mara and Samburu should cost less than $250pppn. I’ve never paid that much for a night as a solo traveller.

Africa

Max....you need to find a new tour operator, at least someone who is a bit more educated.

I have travelled east Africa many times - most of Kenya and the northern circuit of Tanzania.

If I had to choose one of these options for my next safari - I would choose Kenya.

As for Amboseli, it's not the best park in Kenya, but it is nice for the swamps, elephants and the Kilimanjaro backdrop. I would definately choose it ahead of somewhere like the Ngorongoro Crater.

If you are planning to go to the south east of Kenya - Tsavo would be a nice option ahead of Amboseli (more peaceful and remote).

Max_Sattler

I'm not agreeing with the guy - just reporting what he said! It did take me by surprise too. Why would he say it? Motive? Sheer stupidity hardly explains it.

He was recommended to me by a work colleague who's a Kenyan resident and who knows the guy.

Maybe he is a jerk. Either way, I'd already decided on an alternative for this safari.

I'm not a troll but I am glad to hear such dissenting views.

Nyamera

Max,
I’m so sorry you don’t have a tail. So this guy really exists? The only motive, besides stupidity, would be that he earned more money selling Tanzania safaris.

Africa

Hi Max

Good to hear that you have found an alternative tour operator.

Regarding the motive, I totally agree with Nyamera.

I hope your trip plans out well

thit_cho

I have been to the Masai Mara, Amboseli and Samburu, and I would rank Amboseli as my least favorite for game viewing (and the postcard view of Kiliminjaro is surely not guaranteed). I would take Option 1 (with the extra beach day).

Patty

I'm sorry to say that Amboseli isn't one of my favorite parks either (for the reasons that you stated). If you had extra nights available, I'd add them to the Mara and Samburu or go with one of the suggestions on your other thread where you asked for locations that offered riding/walking opportunities.

Assuming both have availability, I would stay at Ilkeliani rather than Mara Sarova. Ilkeliani is better located and a smaller, more intimate camp (I think you mentioned that was your preference).

Nyamera,
I'm not sure that adding another night in Samburu would cost less than $250pppn unless another property was chosen. You saved me from having to hyperventilate

richardfh

I also visited Samburu, Mara, and Amboseli. We did have some excellent views of Mt. Kili, and there are a lot of elephants. But for overall game viewing, it doesnt compare to Samburu or Mara.
Dont get me wrong, I liked Amboseli, but if I were to go back to Kenya, I probably wouldnt go there again, where I would for Samburu and Mara.

waynehazle

I was in Amboseli in October and it was dry and incredibly dusty. If you really want great closeups of elephants, it is the place to go. We pulled right up to several groups of elephants right at the side of the road. We watched babies nurse.
http://waynehazle.com/eastafrica/amb...22/022_19.html

We also saw lots of ostriches.

Yes the elepahnts were great, but they were great in the Mara and in the Serengeti also though at a further distance. The view of Kilimanjaro was cool.

Nevertheless, on a tight budger and schedule I would SKIP Amboseli, especially in a dry October. Another day in the Mara is 1000 times better.

waynehazle

I will admit one of my favorite sites of my whole time in Africa was in Amboseli. I was just griping about how god-awful dry it was and how most of the animals were staying in the water FAR from the road, when we pulled up to a hippo that had come out of the water and right to the edge of the road.
http://waynehazle.com/eastafrica/amb...l22/007_4.html
The best hippo view of the trip.

We also went to a Masai Village there. Interesting, but not overly thrilling.

atravelynn

Max,

I am a huge Masai Mara fan but I think your agent is either uninformed or making his money off of selling Tanzania. Please don't take his advice to heart because your safari will suffer.

Josabermo,

If you already posted this question, I may have answered in this same manner. On my 1st Kenya-Tanzania safari, I did not go to Amboseli. When I went back to Africa the next year for Uganda (I got hooked), I made a point to include a night in Amboseli because I heard such good things about it. Glad I did. But $500 per person for a night seems a bit high.

Patty

I think the $500pp is for 2 nights?

josabermo

Yes, the $500 is for 2 nights. Hmmm... I am torn. It is so hard to choose!

atravelynn

Oh, for two nights. Much better.

Some of the other posts mentioned places they would prefer instead of Amboseli. If you broaden your question to: What should I do with 2 extra nights? Then I'd agree with other posters who suggested either spending 2 nights in Samburu or adding more nights to the Mara. Amboseli would be choice #3, behind those two options.

But I wouldn't just relax in Nairobi.

santharamhari

If i were you, i would spend more time in the Mara.....especially that time of the year....the more time you give yourself, the better your chances of seeing great game.

Hari