We are on our initial stages of planning a safari to Kenya.We would like to visit the must visit places without driving for long hours. This is what we have come up with:

Day 1: Nairobi - Ark
Day 2: Ark - Samburu ( Larsens camp)
Day 3: Samburu ( Larsens camp)
Day 4: Samburu - Sweetwaters
Day 5: Sweetwaters
Day 6: Lake Nakuru ( sarova Lion hill)
Day 7: Lake Nakuru - Masai Mara ( Keekrok Lodge)
Day 8: Masai Mara ( Keekrok Lodge)
Day 9: Mara - Nairobi ( Stanely hotel)
Day 10:Nairobi - Mombasa ( Whitesands)
Day 11:Mombasa ( Whitesands)
Day 12:Mombasa ( Whitesands)
Day 13:Mombasa - Nairobi ( Stanely)

Do you think is worth spending 2 nights at sweet waters? again we do not want to spend all our time driving but still we do not want to spend too long time in a certain place...with no much to see/do.

What about the accomodation? any suggestions?. We will appreciate you help in planning our dream holiday to Kenya.

We are planning to travel in early September.

Thanks,
Amanda

Hi Amanda

<i>Do you think (it) is worth spending 2 nights at sweet waters?</i>
IMHO - absolutely NO... &amp; even more so when you have only 2 nights at Mara (And during the migration season)
<font color="red">A</font> So i bet there will be a wide concensus on shifting 1 night over to Mara...
<font color="red">B</font>
If this stays the basic itinerary (w/out 1 night shift) i would recommend doing Sweetwaters first
{actually i don't recommend SW at all ;-)} because at the ARK on the first night you may be tired (flights etc') &amp; Ark is a night-viewing Lodge... others may argue that also in SW you have night observations - i prefer to stay awake at the Ark (chances, statistics &amp; rhinos)
option B means the order is: SW-Samburu-Ark
<font color="red">C</font>
Taking a one-way flight to Samburu &amp; come back driving to Ark / SW
less driving &amp; no need for a &quot;stop over&quot; at SW so more time to Mara
<font color="red">D</font>
I would add a sweet-water lake (instead of SW) like Naivasha with boating (&amp; hippo-watch), walking among wildlife on Crescent Island, birding etc' - search &quot;Naivasha&quot; on this board's top box
<font color="red">E</font>
maybe an unconventional question:
Is the Beach a &quot;must&quot;?? (&amp; how do you like the humidity + great heat ?)
If you'd like a rest with good views &amp; food etc' - why not do it at the highlands on an altitude of 1600-2000m
(~5000-6000 ft) in a cool weather with no humidity ?? There are so mant amazing properties with special atmosphere (<i>our dream holiday to Kenya</i with cultural experinces, vistas, wildlife or lakeside...

as for accomodation:
Larsen's is considered Samburu's best
it is a <u>camp</u>... Keekorok is a <u>Lodge</u> most people here will advuse you to stay in a (smaller more intimate) camp in Mara... so many to choose from; but more costly !

So search for &quot;Mara camps&quot; on this board

aby

PS Homework - read LyndaS
<font color="red">New</font>EAST AFRICA Trip Report Index

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...en_name=LyndaS

to be half-fair about Sweet-Waters: if u dream of patting a rhino - i think this is the only place you can actually touch a &quot;black&quot; rhino.
also seeing a chimpanzee rehabilitation project...
&amp; good chances of watching wildlife, even elephants,at the water-hole across from your tent.

Aby has hit all the key points regarding your itinerary.

Early Sept. means you must spend at least 3 nights in the Maasai Mara. I am part of that wide consensus. Only 2 nights is the only outright flaw in your itinerary in my opinion.

I also will pose the question: Must your &quot;dream holiday to Kenya&quot; include the beach? You can do beach time elsewhere but you cannot do an African safari elsewhere. Plus you will be on safari at an optimal time for wildlife viewing. Why cut it short for the beach?

Without the beach, you could easily spend the 2 nights in Sweetwaters. Two nights may give you more standing in requesting a tent with a view of the waterhole.

Without the beach, you could also add 2 more nights in the Maasai Mara for a total of 4. You mention &quot;so much to see and do.&quot; The Mara is where you will see huge herds, diverse species, lots of cats. You want to maximize your time in a place that offers all this.

If these plans are for this Sept., availability will be tight.

Good luck.

i once had an all around tour of Kenya and that lond drive to the Samburu was a prob...so just like been adviced in btn take flights esp btn samburu and sweeters and try to spend one night in sweetwaters and the rest add it in Keekorok making it three nights. the rest is ok but for coast wld prefer like voyager.