twaffle

It seems like aeons ago now, but on New Year’s Eve, 2010, my sister and I left Melbourne for a 3 week safari in Kenya. The full trip report with photos can be read on Safaritalk http://safaritalk.net/index.php?showtopic=6135&st=40

This is an abridged version only because a lot of the writing depended on the photos and I can’t post photos here.

Our itinerary was:

Macushla House - 2 nights
Lake Nakuru - 2 nights Lake Nakuru Lodge
The Aberdares - 2 nights Tusk Bandas - self catering
Meru National Park - 3 nights Kinna Bandas - self catering
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy - 3 nights Wilderness Trails
Masai Mara - 3 nights Nkorombo Mobile Camp (Serian) in the Reserve
Masai Mara - 4 nights Serian Main Camp - Mara North Conservancy
Macushla House - 2 nights

I flew from Australia with Qatar Airways through Doha. Excellent airline … highly recommended.

For my transfers I contacted my taxi driver from the previous year, David Kimani. He owns a fleet of 5 modern vehicles and is an excellent companion. [email protected]
I contacted him by email and booked him for my transfers and for a couple of full day excursions. 6000shillings for a full day (roughly $94), the transfer HKIA to Macushla (Karen) was 2000shillings ($30) and the transfer from Macushla to Wilsons was 1200 shillings ($14). I have yet to find anything this economical. His vehicles are modern and immaculate and the service was impeccable. So I will definitely use him again. I always like to share lunch with my driver and David is great company and I can catch up on all the local political issues.

I stayed 2 nights at Macushla on arrival and 2 nights on departure. A small, boutique hotel with a pretty garden, swimming pool, nice little restaurant and very reasonable. $120 bed and breakfast and although I booked a twin room for my sister and me, they gave us separate rooms for no extra cost and also charged us the previous year's rates. Highly recommended. I usually leave my excess luggage there for safe keeping. One of the Maasai staff members found out we were heading to the Mara and he was just off for a few days to visit his mum in the Mara himself. When we got back to Macushla he was there and had brought back some beautiful necklaces and bracelets which his mum made for us especially. They were beautiful and he would accept no payment.

I booked the first part of the trip through Thomas Njanga at Sunworld Safaris in Nairobi. Very prompt with replies and getting quotes to me, I was more than happy with the service despite one little niggle. This was the only company which charged the international bank fees for the direct transfer back to us. So we ended up owing over $100 in charges.

We hired a 4x4 vehicle with a driver/guide, Ken Naikuni, who I knew from a previous trip. Excellent guide and fun company. Felt very at home. We also hired a chef for the self catering nights and this was Amos who was an astounding cook. Highly recommend him also. The chef cost an extra $35 per day (for the 2 of us) plus $40 per person per day for food. A bargain on top of the very cheap accommodation at the self catering bandas. The food price included soft drinks and Tuskers (local beers) and, of course, all the bottled water we needed.
We stayed 2 nights at Lake Nakuru lodge at $145 pppn. A large lodge with buffet meals. Nice views towards the lake. Not very personal but perfect for our needs in this area.

The Tusk Bandas cost $120 per night for the whole banda and Kinna Bandas were $100. If there were several in a group it would be very cheap per person.

The vehicle and driver cost $335 per day (for both) which included all fuel, unlimited game drives, park fees for the vehicle (provided it was registered in Kenya … haha! ).

Sunworld do charge a $150 booking fee per person. Not quite sure why but c'est la vie.

Ken dropped us off at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy where we were met by Simon from Wilderness Trails. I had booked this part of the trip through Bush and Beyond who handle the WT bookings. I paid for 1 full day with a private vehicle and guide which cost an extra $300 so couldn't justify more than the one day. However, we were very fortunate that we ended up having Simon to ourselves for the whole time we were there and as he is their senior guide we felt very lucky. Perhaps one of the perks of revisiting a place and being really, really nice to everyone!
Conservancy fees are $90 pppd.
Accommodation was $560 pppn and the Lewa - Mara direct flight with Safarilink was $320 each.

Wilderness Trails includes all drinks and has beautiful rooms with lovely views. Simon was just the most fantastic guide and is working towards his Gold.

We stayed 7 nights at Serian camp, 3 in their mobile at Nkorombo and 4 at Main camp. Although the rates quoted were $675pppn Alex gave us a very good deal as I was a returning guest and they always deserve something extra (or at least, that's what I think). This price includes a private 4x4 vehicle, a guide AND a driver plus all drinks plus, plus. I booked all the Serian part through Rhoda from their Nairobi office.

The flight from the Mara back to Wilson's was about $200 each but I can't find where I wrote down the price.

Park fees were on top of all those prices.

I was happy with the mix of accommodations, loved the self catering but it was nice to finish on a pampered note.

I had been in contact with Atravelynn some time before her safari last year and she had first alerted me to the self catering bandas. Although she stayed at a different banda in The Aberdares, we shared the experience of the Kinna Bandas in Meru. She didn’t go to Lake Nakuru or Lewa, chosing a Samburu/Shaba combination but we both ended up in the Mara.

We both had some funny experiences with the KWS self catering bandas. She needed towels at Kinna so I purchased towels and found that they had been provided but we didn’t have cooking utensils provided whereas she did. Same bandas - makes it hard to plan in advance.

There is nothing I would have changed except perhaps the weather and staying longer in Meru National Park, which is a really beautiful, isolated, wonderful wilderness.

Back to planning the next trip.

Femi

I can't think of anyone whose footsteps I would rather follow than Atravelynn

The prices and other details in your report are helpful.

cary999

Thanks twaffle. I'll get over to safaritalk and read more. You've been to how many different camps in Kenya now, 10-12? When I someday, soon I hope, get around to going back to Kenya I'll be asking you lots. And in meantime, if you hear of any small photo groups being organized, please let me know.

regards - tom

atravelynn

I thought I heard something creeping up behind me! And I don't mean the lizard in my toilet.

Towels but no utensils could be a problem. Time for an extra good scrubbing of the nails in preparation to dine with the fingers.

I would imagine you are really, really nice to everyone whether you will be revisiting or not!

Great itinerary and I've seen the photos to match!

kimburu

This is an excellent 'executive summary' version. Have enjoyed the full report already and highly recommend it.

twaffle

Thanks Femi; Tom, if I hear of any suitable groups I'll keep you in mind; Lynn, as long as I'm not considered a safari stalker! ; kimburu, thanks also.

samcat

Thanks for this report. There is some really helpful info. Though we don't plan Kenya again (there in 2007 and several times before), I'll be referring to your comments at some future time, I hope. We plan South Africa next time. Maybe Namibia, too.

twaffle

Samcat, I have Namibia on my self drive plan for a future trip. A friend of my husband's is a Namibian private guide and an artist and I'm quite sold on the idea of wandering around under his guidance.

I've posted a very short youtube audio visual of the Serian camp part of my safari which can be seen here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR9Hhv0_LOU

Mainly to show the camp but with some animal sightings. I'll upload some of the other parts of the trip when I have finished them, especially the self catering section.

lurker

DELIGHTFUL! - THANKS FOR THE LINK TWAFFlE TOO.

twaffle

Thanks Lurker

crosscheck

I just discovered this - can't wait to read the entire report.