baloubear

Hi everyone.
1st post and i am looking for advice- looking through the forums this appears to be a good place to get good advice.
I am planning to climb kili in october and would like to do a safari in kenya- masai mara afterwards, (visited tanzania- serengeti/lake manyara/ngorongoro in september 2007 so looking for somewhere different). Plan on a 6 day stay and like the idea of one fixed base- the thinking being to get a better relationship with our guide and maximise the chance of good wildlife experiences.
So- looking so far at Little Governors, Mara Explorer or Porini Lion Camp. Does anyone have any recommendations in relation to these- or indeed others we may not have considered. Porini is outside triangle so can do night drives but ?? same wildlife (espc big cat) experiences. Any thoughts.
I know we souldn't have definate aims in terms of sightings but husband is keen to see a leopard as we didnt last year and i would like to see cheetahs closer- would like to maximise the possibility of this but know there are no guarantees. Also is this a good time to travel- would be about mid october- saw the migration last year- northern serengeti in early october.
Lots of questions sorry, any help/advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Baloubear.

Bill_H

We had good luck with cats at Mara Intrepids ... dunno how Intrepids compares with the other lodges (actually a large tented camp) you mention on price and luxury, but lions, leopards and cheetahs were easily located a short distance from camp. 29 lions, 9 cheetahs, 2 leopards close-by and on the ground in good light in five days ... not as many cats as we typically see in Tanzania but still not bad ... YMMV.

Bill

steffid

Hi Baloubear,

Sandi and Patty would give you perfect advice. But as I am informed, Porini Lion Camp is outside the Mara NP. So better for night drives but rather bad for money because you will have to pay day-entry.

We will hopefully be at Mara Explorer in August, I can tell you more beginnig of September ;-)))
Mara Interpids as Bill mentioned is close by Explorer and therefore would be the same game sightings.

Little Governors (we just visited while staying at Olonana's) is a nice camp and has a good location in the swamps. It's always difficult to decide...

Steff

Patty

We've had luck with leopards in the Talek area - Intrepids, Explorer, Rekero, etc. - but it could be just that, luck.

Mohammed

During October the migration is veering back towards Tanzania. Suggest look at the Sand River area Masai Mara - Keekorok is nicely located for this.

baloubear

Thanks for all the advice.
At the moment think i am veering towards Mara Explorer- too many decisions to make.
Do you think it would be worth splitting time between Porini and Explorer or just slick to the one.
Re Keekorok- am i right in thinking this is a large lodge- was trying to stick to smaller ones- they were our fave's in Tanzania.
All the others are smaller tented camps- i think! Title of post a bit misleading sorry.
Baloubear.

steffid

Baloubear,

Keekorok is a large lodge and not comparable to the camps you chose.

But there is Cottars which is a very luxury and nice and small camp (as to pics in the net and as to fodorite's reports).
But Cottars is expensive (high end;-) I think even a bit more than Explorer.

Nice thing with Cottars: you can go on night drives (you see I like night drives) and on walking safari.

Changing Camps is personal: the Mara is very big and you wont see more than a small part of it while staying in one camp. Explorer is very good located in the center of the Mara and Cottars will give you a complete diffrent view...

Patty

Sala's Camp is another option in the southwestern area.

steffid

Patty,

is Sala's still run by Private Wilderness? (as is SaSaab)

I remember reading report regarding PW that they are not managing their camps in a good manner. Did you hear about this?

Sorry, Baloubear, didn't want to disturb your questions...

Patty

I remember reading comments about Bedouin Camp but I got the impression that the camp wasn't operated by PW. Does PW actually operate the camps or are they a marketing arm? Or are they like Cheli & Peacock where they operate some camps but market others? I'm curious too.

steffid

I dont know but they have it on their homepage http://www.privatewilderness.com/section.asp?ID=13

There they mention the following
LOCATION

Located in northern Kenya, Samburu has a wild beauty of its own. The descent from the lush slopes of Mount Kenya, into the semi-desert of Kenya "NFD" - the Northern Frontier District, is breathtaking. Sasaab is on the Ngutuk Ongiron Group Ranch in the West Gate community. Sasaab is owned by the same owners of Sala's Camp in the Maasai Mara; Mikey & Tanya Carr-Hartley.

So prbably they just do the marketing but do not operate them (just like Cheli & Peacock??)

sandi

October is one of those cusp months. The wildies can be anywhere... inside the Triangle or Reserve, on the group ranches, some heading back to Serengeti, besides the resident herds that never migrate. You will never see ALL the wildies in one place, even in Aug or Sept.

For 6/days, I would suggest splitting the time between a camp inside the reserve and one on the group ranch. So Porini Lion is good and it's just a stones throw from the reserve; then another camp inside, i.e., Rekero (if they even have space) or Explorer as these are the ones you're focused on. Know, however, if splitting time between two camps you will incur a road transfer fee between the two.

I am assuming you'll be flying into and out of the Mara! Yes! And, won't have your own private guide/vehicle.

Leopards... I was in Africa 5/times before I saw my first, and have only seen 1 or 2 since. Never any guarantees and I've never given it much thought. Have always seen lions and cheetah.

baloubear

Sandi,
Thanks for advice. May split time between 2 depending on costs involved. No private guide so will be relying on road transfers yes.
We dont pin all our hopes on seeing leopard but would like to maximise chances- well hubby would anyway- i prefer cheetah! The highlight of our last safari (amoungst lots of highlights) was seeing an ostrich family with 8 chicks tiptoeing along like they were on their way to the shops, v cute- we are easily pleased.

pippa13

would choose a camp outside the reserve and save the money for a "sole use of vehicle"
try ilkeliani, close to talek gate. not fency and very moderately priced. you choose fullboard and hire your own guide and car. there you have a good chance of meeting with the leopardess bella (big cat diary). you can do night drives outside the reserve. and go in to the reserve to your liking.
we did this in 2007 fpr a week which was excellent. we left camp each morning at 06.30 and came back for dinner!
our guide was edward. a massai who loves the wildlife and also driving which is important in that case. a guide who doesn't like driving would have been a nightmare!
our safari has been planned by
www.marketconsultkeller.de
they charge net rates plus service fee.
we were very pleased with the service!

but i definately would do the mara sequence prior to TZ in order to have a good chance to see river crossings (wildebeest and zebra crossing the mara river).

Patty

pippa,
Was the night drive done in your private vehicle or an Ilkeliani vehicle? If your vehicle, did you need permission from any authority, take a ranger or anything else? The area just outside the Talek gate is somewhat built up with villages so I'm curious what direction you went and how the night viewing was.