Kenya Safari Tour Operator Recommendations

Old Dec 3rd, 2016, 06:11 AM
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Kenya Safari Tour Operator Recommendations

Good morning

We welcome everyone's experiences and recommendation on the following:

We are seeking proven high quality and RELIABLE Tour Operator (TO) to help us plan, book, and arrange our 25th Wedding Anniversary Kenya Photo Safari Holiday. TO must be an active member, in good standing, with KATO (Kenya Assoc of Tour Operators).

What we want from TO:
- Professional and reliable camp selection & booking: obtain lowest Game Pkg rates for highest quality safari guiding & photo experience.
- Intercamp Travel by Private, 4x4 vehicle + TO guide/driver.

What we don't want from TO:
- Safari guiding/tracking services. These will be included in Camp Game Pkg.
- Intercamp Travel by Flight. We will arrange these on our own.
- Airport transfer services at camps. These will be included in Camp Game Pkg.
- NBO hotel and airport transfers. We will arrange these on our own.
- International Flights. We will arrange these on our own.

Outline of our Kenya Safari Trip:
- Mid to late June dates
- 4 adults (seeking family tent accommodations)
- 3/4 nights in Mara North/Olare Conservancy Camp
- 3/4 nights in Chyulu Hills or Amboseli Camp
- 2/3 nights hotel in NBO

Thank you for your feedback!

Best Regards & Happy Holidays
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Old Dec 4th, 2016, 08:57 AM
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Your request seems a bit counter-intuitive. You don't want flights between camps, you want to book that yourself? Really??? But you want to be picked up by the "camp package". Hmm. Part of the beauty of the TO is that they do it all. You have your list of expectations, they work to meet it. I wouldn't be surprised if you negate the value of the "camp package" by cherry picking what you want and don't want from them. I may be wrong, but it seems like an odd request.

In my experience, the airfare and transfers are PART OF the "camp package" that you desire.

Have you floated this or your itinerary by any operators yet? Are any willing to cut the flights out for you? I've been following your posts and you mention Africa Travel Resource, and have already had many of the most popular (and respected) TOs like Offbeat, Porini/Gamewatchers and Asilia mentioned to you. Expert Africa have contacted you directly twice on here. Have you reached out to any of them yet? I'm not sure what more anyone can offer you that we haven't before. Write emails or pick up the phone and start having conversations with these TOs!
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Old Dec 4th, 2016, 11:33 AM
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I've also seen your posts on here, TA and Safaritalk and they have a rather demanding tone, and yet quite a few people have been kind enough to spend time answering your questions. Yet you haven't returned to any of these threads to provide any further input, acknowledge the responses or thank people for their effort. You have just moved on to post another question.

I gave up answering after the first time, amyb obviously has a bit more patience than me. But I entirely agree with her points. I suggest you contact some TOs that have already been suggested and get people to answer your questions who are paid to do so.
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Old Dec 4th, 2016, 07:29 PM
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A few years ago I booked with an outfit based out of Arusha called Base Camp Tanzania; the owner is an amazing man named Achmed and his terrific wife Zainab. Achmed knows Tanzania like the back of his hand, he treats his employees very well and was extremely helpful. I booked a 19 day safari and was driven and guided by Joseph. In case you do book with them, bring EXTRA bubble gum for Joseph; he loved this gum!
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 05:23 AM
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Bush woman - thank you for your referral! Much appreciated.

Stokeygirl - May I suggest that if you can't say anything positive, then don't say anything at all. Please don't respond to any of our requests in the future.

Amyb - we have emailed and spoken directly with a number of TOs and TAs and all have pushed itineraries with inter-camp flights. Yes, they are included but at a steep price and our experience is that they essentially get a quote from the airline (Air Kenya or Safarilink) that is higher than posted on the airline's website. As such, I am having difficulty in finding the value of a TO or TA re: inter-camp air travel.

However, we do have the patience and time for inter-camp travel by private vehicle/driver. We only recently inquired with TOs and TAs re: a simple quote for this service alone since it appears so much less costly than inter-camp air travel. Unfortunately, aside from your response, cricket chirping has been "the response." I'd like to know why private vehicle/driver is such an under-promoted method of inter-camp travel.

In regards to flights and inclusive transfers: TOs and TAs offer to take care of all transfers at the camp as a separate line item charge. From our research, the camps already offer this service as part of their Full Board or Game Pkg products. If we booked with a TO or TA, why wouldn't this equate to double charging for the same service (TOs and TAs have line item - airport transfers)?

I am admittedly a novice (no kidding) re the safari ecosystem. If my inquiries try the patience of a TA or TO or Safari Camp, the I believe those individuals are merely trying to sell their package and are not meeting our needs.

At the end of the day, we do not have endless financial resources (2 kids in college with one of them private) and we want to identify the owner of every service and product that comprises the $20K+ quotes we have received to date.

From prior feedback from TAs and TOs, there are quite a few unreptuable TAs and TOs out there - even some of the KATO members based locally in Kenya. So if someone has a better way of identifying which TAs and TOs are reputable and offer the greatest discounts, then please feel free to share. Otherwise, we will continue to inquire and educate ourselves - both online and offline.
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 06:30 AM
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>> I'd like to know why private vehicle/driver is such an under-promoted method of inter-camp travel.
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 11:03 AM
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Hi Amyb

Thanks for the insight. In regards to cost difference. ATR proposed a set of flights that were 40% above what we could get on the airline website. Believe me when I say, we were flabbergasted.
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Old Dec 5th, 2016, 02:04 PM
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Hi dmiclat,

ATR is one of our most lethal competitors (and I meant that as a compliment). I have seen many of their proposals over the years as clients have considered our service vs. theirs and sent us their proposals. As you know, this is an excel based program that itemizes everything. I can say with great confidence that you are very likely not comparing apples to apples. ATR sells flights at cost. Perhaps you are comparing Safari Link non-stop with a Kenya Air flight that changes planes at Wilson? As much as it pains me to say it, you are in very good hands with ATR and I highly doubt you can beat their price by booking online for anything anywhere in safari Africa.


Craig Beal - owner - Travel Beyond
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 06:18 PM
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dmiclat, it seems you are looking for some contradictory things.

for example,
"lowest Game Pkg rates for highest quality"
==> sometimes you get what you pay for. It is a trade-off. What is your value point? Do you want luxury? eco-friendly? lodges? tented camps? What size camps?

It seems like you are really doing most of your own planning. It seems like - for Africa itineraries - that most TO's are full-service. Making recommendations, arranging flights, drivers, camps, etc.

Most of this you want to do on your own. What exactly do you want to TO to do?

If you are asking them for "camp selection", why should they waste their time and expertise when you are booking everything? Perhaps you should consider asking them to work on an hourly basis and review their personal recommendations for camps based on your preferred itinerary? You can then take that information and book everything yourself.
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Old Dec 7th, 2016, 06:23 PM
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me again. looks like you've gotten some answers in other threads - including a proposed itinerary and camp selection? I'm not sure which came first, but it looks like a number of threads.

Craig seems to be a great resource and very knowledgeable. He certainly is generous with his time by patiently answering your questions. He may be a great resource to do some of your booking?
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Old Dec 8th, 2016, 03:43 PM
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Hi Dmiclat. I won't repeat others' comments/suggestions, except to say that most of the reason I and others others book all with one tour operator, is that in the end, they get better total rates. For example, you mention booking your own Nairobi airport transfers and hotels. All TOs can arrange that, as you know. Even if it were NOT cheaper to do it that way, for me (and i know that everyone is different!) the hassle of the parts vs whole approach is just not worth it in terms of time or many.

Also, if you want to transfer between camps in a vehicle vs flying, perhaps reconsider the camps, and chose some that are closer together? Having done both, methods, I add to the "vote" for flights instead of driving between parks. It is a matter not just of time, but also comfort. If you are talking about just between camps in ONE area (e.g. Masai Mara to one of the surrounding conservancies) then yes, vehicle is do-able...and fun when I did it. But i see two different plans from you :''Intercamp Travel by Flight. We will arrange these on our own" and then "we do have the patience and time for inter-camp travel by private vehicle/driver." Sounds like you're still deciding on the best way.

Re ATR, I would NEVER book with them! Reading their opinions of a place I've actually stayed at demonstrates to me that what they look for in a place, vs what I want, is quite different.. so I do not trust their judgment to agree with mine. But that isn't why I would never use them. It is their snooty review comments--some blatant, some more subtle--that are, from the first time I checked the site five yrs ago, a total turn-off. What is worse is when their facts are just plain wrong. In but one of several examples (there are probably more I'm not aware of) : ATR's review of a wonderful remote lodge in Uganda. They give it a lukewarm review. Ok--i don't agree, but that is their opinion vs mine. But then they go on to (incorrectly) say the place gets mediocre reviews, and directs to a linked tripadvisor review site which is NOT for the place they reviewed!!! (Incidentally, the tripadvisor reviews are in fact excellent for the place they maligned!). Sloppy and inexcusable of them as a professional company; negative and unfair consequences for both the lodge and potential visitors who, did they not know better, might have missed a great experience.

If it were a choice between ATR and TravelBeyond for me, choosing the latter is a no-brainer.
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Old Dec 9th, 2016, 11:33 AM
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You want someone from a camp to drive you 12 hours to the next camp......and then what? Is he supposed to drive back empty? How on earth can that be cost effective? Having been to Africa three times and done both....drive and fly transfers, I can say with absolute certainty driving is a waste of precious time.

I did a cost analysis between our first trip to Kenya and N. Tanzania and the second trip which was 22 days in Southern Tanzania. (Booked with ATR by the way) Our first trip was a total of 17 days for about $15,000 (for 2) of which we spent only 5 or 6 full days on game drives. The rest was all moving from one place to the other in vehicles. Making the cost per game drive day nearly $3000 each.

Compared to the ATR itinerary of 22 full days in the bush with flight transfers between camps for $18,000 (for 2). Making those game drive days cost a little over $800 each. Definitely more bang for the buck.

Have you heard the phrase......"penny wise, pound foolish"?
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Old Dec 14th, 2016, 06:30 AM
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I have used Gamewatchers and highly recommend them. I'd compare prices for things you are looking at--like SafariLink. Gamewatchers can often
negotiate better deals than you can on your own.

I agree with the previous comments about driving between camps. It's a waste of precious time. It's not like driving places here and you will waste a whole day bouncing around on bad roads.
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Old Jan 24th, 2017, 07:43 PM
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You may have resolved everything at this point, but I thought I would offer some thoughts on car trips in Kenya. We have been to Masai Mara twice, hiring a driver both times because we were traveling there from the Kisii area. We have also hired a driver to take us from Nairobi to the Kisii area and back again.

We have enjoyed seeing the countryside from the car. But car trips in Kenya are often long, dusty, and uncomfortable. And rain can make the roads quite muddy. (On our first trip to Kenya, a vehicle transporting us was extricated from the mud by some Masai men.)

On a trip from Nairobi to Kisii (in 2014), our driver had car trouble and we were lucky to reach our destination that night. If you decide to hire a driver, I suggest bringing along plenty of bottled water, some power bars and a cell phone that you know will work outside of Nairobi. When the driver's cell phone died, we only had two of out three covered. My extra water helped us cool down the engine and we finally reached a place where we could buy a local phone.

Hope you have a wonderful time, however you end up traveling!
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