sallysaab

I’d appreciate some constructive criticism on the below itinerary for September:

J’burg – Vic Falls Hotel 2 nights
Vic Falls – Hwange. The Hide 3 nights
Hwange – J’burg 1 night I’m assuming there’s no other way
J’burg – Nairobi 1 night
Nairobi – Voi (Sheldricks) 2 nights (accommodation suggestions appreciated)
Voi – Tsavo 2 nights at Ithumba
Tsavo – Amboseli 3 nights (accommodation suggestions appreciated)
Amboseli – Tarangerie 3 nights (accommodation suggestions appreciated)
Kili – Samburu via Nairobi flying 3 nights Samburu Serena if it’s finished
Samburu – Nairobi 1 night
Nairobi – J’burg - Sydney

We'd prefer smaller accommodations, and happy with tents as long they have proper beds, some people just wont sleep on the ground!

We know it’s a lot of moving around but unfortunately don’t have any choice at the moment.
Samburu, we just loved it, and hoped if we were there in September we might see water in the river.

Thanks
Dot

twaffle

Some swinging around the continent in this itinerary! I assume that there are reasons you are travelling this route … for example 'elephants'?

I stayed at Tarhi Camp when I visited the Tsavo orphans at Voi. I think it may be under another name now but it was a nice, small tented camp with a waterhole in front of the dining tent where elephants come and drink. It is where Sheldrick's rescued the calf last week and reunited it with its mother.

Have fun planning.

sallysaab

Haha, Hilary is there anything but elephants, whoops, okay I guess there's zebs as well.
Did you go to Voi on your last visit?
It would be really nice to be able to go from Vic Falls to Nairobi.
Also I was thinking maybe the way I've tried to do it, would make it easier for our friends to see more of Kenya when we head home, and Samburu has been a last minute add on.
Are you still thinking of relocating?

twaffle

My Voi trip was back in '05. Would love to go back. I'm always thinking of relocating (or should I say dreaming) but I think at my age visiting regularly is my best and most realistic option. Visits can, of course, take any length of time

ShayTay

Consider staying at Somalisa Camp in Hwange, rather than The Hide. It's a great camp with its own concession within the park where you can sit 10 feet away from eles drinking from their pool. One night, I had one running its trunk along the top of my tent, looking for acacia seed pods... quite an experience at 3am! Dudley is the camp manager and also an excellent guide.

Are you doing transfer to and from Hwange by road? That's easily doable. There are no morning flights from VFA to JNB that I can see, so you can't make the afternoon NBO flights. However, there is a "red eye" Kenya Airways flight from JNB to NBO departing at 12:40am, arriving at 5:45am. That would preclude the overnight stays in Jo'burg and Nairobi. You could then head out to Voi immediately after your arrival, saving a day of your schedule.

The very first safari camp I ever stayed in was Tortilis at Amboseli... wonderful tented camp with great views of Mt. Kili.

I've stayed at various camps around Tarangire. One of the closer ones to the front gate (20 mins) is Tarangire River Camp. It's now an Mbali Mbali property, but was a TWC property when I stayed there. It has great views over the river and lots of eles, sometimes right in camp. Next year, I'm staying at Boundary Hill Lodge on the far side of Tarangire, just outside the park boundary. It's not tented, though.

In Nairobi, I'd recommend the Fairvew Hotel. It's a nice, family-owned property in Nairobi, an oasis of calm in that busy city.

sallysaab

Thanks ShayTay I'll check out your suggestions.
Twaffle, I agree regular visits are the way to go, and longer visits will happen when our last dog leaves us.

luangwablondes

Why not enhance your safari with two of Africa's top safari guides and work in some of the above around this:
http://www.johnstevenssafaris.com/ma..._itinerary.php

sperraglia

Recently stayed at elephant bedroom camp in Samburu and loved it. Huge tent and lots of ambiance. I think they have around 10 tents and I would definitely stay there if I return to Samburu.

Treepol

I highly recommend Tarangire Safari Camp. Its reasonably priced (some would say rustic!) and well located along a ridge with commanding views of the park.

They have both tents and bungalows - I've stayed in both and definitely prefer the tents. The food is tasty and plentiful and the camp has a wonderful outdoor terrace just perfect for a drink and to write postcards or keep an eye on the animals below. Last time I was there both waterhogs and dikdik ran through the terraced area.

The camp is unfenced.

Happy planning,


Pol

sandi

At Samburu, "Elephant Bedroom Camp" is an excellent choice and the price is competitive. Also, Larsen's or Intrepid's Camps. While the latter two had been damaged during the floods 2/yrs back, both were up/running soon after. The Serena Lodge, decided to move their location and seems to be taking forever for the new lodge to be completed... hopefully by next summer.

At Tarangire, while many like the "Tarangire Safari Lodge" (it's actually a mostly tented camp, with some stone bandas at the end for use by 3+/guests)... and the price is right, I personally find the tents too close to one another... lined up like little soldiers, not at all private. You hear all sounds, can hand a cup of coffee to neighbor without leaving your own tent, that's how close. Also, if tall, some might find the beds a bit short. Though admittedly, their location is great, in the middle of the park, as are the views.

Other options here could be: "River Camp", "Kikoti Camp" or "Boundary Hill." Each located a short distance outside the park, but you have the benefit of being able to do bush walks, night game drives (not allowed if staying inside the park) and village visits that aren't touristy.

sallysaab

Thanks for the suggestions, much appreciated, just wish it was for tomorrow!

losaltos

I just returned from Kenya. My stay at Tortilis/Amboseli was lovely! Andrea and Manuela, the managers, are delightful Italians. The grounds are lovely, with views of Mt. Kili. And they have taught the cooks to make delicious pasta. What more could one want...oh yeah, the eles all around!

sandi

Tortilis at Amboseli is lovely, but depending on your budget might be up there... it doesn't come cheap.

Other choices here in the mid-price range would be Serena Lor Ol Tukai Lodges. The latter has a water hole right there and seems always to have hundreds of ellees.

gigib

Sallysaab, may I ask if you are using an agent to put your itinerary together, or are you piecing it all together by yourself? How do you get from place to place, so to speak?

I am scouting around for ideas for our 2nd trip to Africa next fall, our first trip was to Kruger and Sabi Sands 2 years ago, it was easy to plan myself, we rented a car and drove about, and cost relatively little money. We want to return for a few days we had so much fun, but I'd like to consider flying to a different area into and out of Johannesburg.

sandi

Just noticed that in Kenya you have both (Amboseli & Samburu... so too is Tsavo as at Ithumba) elephant parks, and then another elephant park (Tarangire) in Tanzania.

And, no Masai Mara! September is great here.

Any particular reason?

I'd also suggest for Ithumba 3/nts as when spending time with the ellees, it takes time for them to get used to you.

sallysaab

gigib, I'm putting it together, but will get someone in Kenya to drive us around, probably DK Grand Safaris or Sunworld.

Sandi it's a long story but twaffle got it right it's about our ele's & Samburu is a last minute spanner in the works.
Keeping in mind we will keep returning and we have been to the Mara before and yes Sept would be awesome, and I would imagine Samburu will end up being put off until another visit.

We thought we'd duck down to Arusha to meet the 2 children we sponsor at St Judes and see Tarangire while we were there.

3 nights at Ithumba, no problem, probably the same at Voi?

Thanks again for your help.

sandi

Thought I recognized your screen name and that you're a return visitor, but had to ask.

Absolutely makes sense if visiting your kids in Arusha to stop at Tarangire.

So then... you've got it under control. You go girl!