We want to take a group tour as there is only the two of us. I have been looking at Good Earth and Vantage Travel. (We traveled to Egypt with Vantage and it was very good). I have ruled out Grand Circle. Has anyone done a safari with a group? Our children are trying to talk us into a private safari but I do not think that is going to be possible. We are seventy but in excellent health, but I want good lodges, such as Serena. Are there any other reasonable priced tours out there? Vantage is around 7,000. USD pp including air.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Why not post the itinerary (a link will be fine) that Vantage is offering. Then we can see what's what and comment. Also, from where are you traveling? And, what time of year?

However, have to agree with your grown children, no reason not to consider a private safari. Many safari goers are "mature adults" anywhere from 50-85, so you're right in there. You will have your own guide/vehicle, design your own routing, select your own accommodations, depart/return on your dates, not those of the operator. You won't have to deal with personalities who may not have the same interests; those are are satisfied to see a lion and be ready to move on, while you'd rather sit for awhile; schedule your game drives as you wish, and on and on.

Why not ask Good Earth (and even Vantage if they offer) for a private itinerary pricing, which can't be all that more expensive than with a group. There are also many other reputable outfitters from whom you should get quotes for private safaris as comparison.

Hi, please tell us from where you are travelling, which month you're looking at and if you would want your international flights included. We would also highly recommend a private tour just as Sandi says, for very much the same reasons given.

Thanks for your responses.
We would be traveling from the US in June, July or August. Here Vantage tour in brief.

Day 1-Arrive in Nairobi 0 o/n
2-Tour Nairobi. o/n
3-Travel to Amboseli. Afternoon game drive
4-Morning and afternoon game drive in Amboseli. o/n in Amboseli.
5-Morning transfer to Lake Manyara. Lunch in Arusha. o/n at Lake Manyara.
6-Morning visit to Mto Wa Mbu Village with a short game drive in the NP. Afternoon game drive in Lake Manyara NP. o/n at Lake Manyara.
7-Transfer to Ng. Crater. Stop at Gibbs Farm. o/n at the crater.
8-Full day game drive in the crater. O/n at the crater
9-Drive to Serengeti NP. Afternoon game drive. o/n
10-Serengeti NP with morning and afternoon game drives.
11-Drive to KiriWira Tented Camp. afternoon game drive.
12-drive to Masai Mara NP with game drive enroute. o/n at Masai Mara
13-Morning and afternnoon game drive in the Mara.
14-Drive to Nairobi and then fly home to the US.

I hope this is not too confusing. All lodges are Serena. We are not in the process of searching and are really enjoying this forum.

Our son and daughter-in-law went to SA on their honeymoon. They keep telling me all I have to do if I went to the BR in the middle of the night is take my "whistle" and if I encounter an animal, "blow" and the guards or whoever will come quickly to rescue me!!?? Funny!! I would freeze in my tracks. Their tents were not ensuite.

I would want to visit some school as I have already started collecting crayons, pencils, etc. We were both school teachers and have a great interest in the children.

Thanks alot for your input and help. I have to go in their winter because we are from Florida and we do not need to go on vacation and have any more heat! Sorry this is so long.

Day 5 - Manyara - after lunch Arusha, it's only a 2.5/hr drive, so you have time for afternoon game drive; next morning Day 6, you can visit Mto-wa-Mbu and head (1/hr) to Gibb's for lunch and then (2/hrs) to Ngorongoro for o/n
Day 7 would then be time to do half-day crater tour (these limited to 6/hrs, full-day crater tours no longer permitted).
You can then on Day 8 have option for a morning crater tour (this would give you the "whole" day - back-to-backs are permitted), then with picnic lunch head to Central Serengeti (1/nt only)
Day 9 to Western Serengeti, also in West on Day 10

Then, Day 11, I'd fly (not drive) to Arusha connect to flight to Nairobi and another flight to the Masai Mara
Days 12 & 13 - Masai Mara
Day 14 - Fly to NBO and home.
As you show:
Day 12 - Western Serengeti (Kirawira) will take 8-10/hrs to get to the the Masai Mara in Kenya and then you have only 1/full-day in the Mara.

If traveling June, being in the central and western Serengeti is good. By mid-July thru August, better to be in the Masai Mara, which would deserve a different itinerary as I show above.

Unfortunately, when you travel on a pre-set itinerary, rare for operators to redesign routing to consider best game viewing areas.

I'd choose private and give yourself options for some tented camps (while Kirawira is), there are others that are "ensuite" and there's nothing like sleeping under canvas when in Africa for a true experience.

Sylbea - We worked with both Good Earth and Africa Serendipity in planning and obtaining quotes for a private safari to Tanzania (4 days) and Kenya (6 days) in 2007-2008. Both gave great advice and reasonable quotes for our trip. I would recommend either company to you. Don't assume that you can't afford a private safari. You'll see plenty of other people at the lodge or camp each evening and the ability to have total control over the safari drives is worth it. Jim.

Like the others, I'd get a private trip costed, which may pleasantly surprise you. On your own itinerary you can do just what you want, for example making some extra stops at schools/orphanages and perhaps donating supples. You can buy the supplies in Africa, putting more money into the economy and saving yourself from hauling the items over there. Let your agent know up front about your interest in child-related stops and they arrange some special activities. Your guide may also have insight into where to go for kids once you get there. If you have a vehicle full of people, they may not want to spend time in school settings.

In Kenya and Tanzania you would have ensuite facilities so no need to tote a whistle to an outdoor loo. There are many nice lodges in Kenya and Tanzania (such as Serenas) with solid walls and in general lodges are less costly than the luxury tented camps. Even the tented camps would have ensuite facilities. Including at least one tented camp is a good idea if it fits your budget because "there's nothing like sleeping under canvas when in Africa for a true experience."

Out of June, July, Aug, I think Aug is best for wildlife because you are further into the dry season with fewer sources of water around so animals are less dispersed and because the grass has been chomped so you have better viewing. If going to the Maasai Mara in July or Aug, I would not spend less than 3 nights there.

You have some exciting planning to do.

sylbea,
We took our first (and so far, only) safari as a private tour with Good Earth Tours in August 2008. We really enjoyed having the the freedom to move around inside our Land Cruiser, stop as long as we wanted to watch animals, and visit the areas we wanted to. An unexpected pleasure was being able to have some interesting conversations with our guide, Joseph, about a wide range of topics; personal, professional, and cultural. I don't recall making a thorough price comparison between private and group, but I do recall that it wasn't that much more expensive. Or it wouldn't have been had we not selected the budget busting Sayari and Migration Camps for our last 3 days. Oh, but they were worth it!
I believe Good Earth, and I'm sure other operators, offer their scheduled safaris on a private basis for not much more than the group rate. It's definitely worth inquiring.
The safari veterans on this board are steering you in the right direction and have some excellent insights. Atravelynn is right about the experience of sleeping under canvas; it's wonderful to fall asleep to sounds of wildebeest grunting and wake to sounds of birds singing and lions roaring. Below is a link to our trip report, which you may find useful.
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...rip-report.cfm

sylbea,
I got caught up in giving advice and forgot to tell you..
You're going to have a great trip. Safari is fun! We can't wait to go again.