Help with trip to Kenya, please!
 

I am thinking of doing a Satao Safari with Kuoni in early July:

Mombasa coast: 1 night

Tsavo West: 2 nights (Severin Safari Camp)

Amboseli/Elerai: 2 nights (Satao Elerai Camp)

Tsavo East: 2 nights ( Satao Camp)

Mombasa coast: 4 nights (Leopard Beach Resort )

It will be my first safari and my first trip to Kenya and I am a 50 year woman travelling alone.I can get a good price for this safari, 1.700GBP, flights from London included.

What do you think?
I would appreciate your comments.

Thanks in advance

Teresa

Hello Teresa

Congratulations for your decision on a safari to Kenya!

I think the price tag is quite favourable under consideration of pek season incl. long-haul.
I assume park fees are also included!?

Anyway - based on your itinerary you are going more for the beach. aren't you?

Is this "package" selected by yourself or is it a "pre-packed" thing?

If i were in your shoes i would definately stay in each camp for 3 nights or only go to 2 camps/3 nights each - both satao camps.
Or all three camps/3 respectively 4 nights at one and skip the beach stay.

But i am not a "beach person".

SV

Another non-beach person here who was wondering the same thing--do you really want to go to the beach and throw in some safari time or do you want to maximize nature and wildlife on safari?

This looks like a nice price for a trip that caters to people who want to spend time on the beach and include some conveniently located safari parks. If that's you and <b>you will have your own window seat on the safari part of the trip</b>, then go for it.

I personally would not do a first safari in Kenya in July without visiting the Maasai Mara.

I agree with Lynn, a first trip on safari in July really must include the Mara. Both Tsavos are really special and I wouldn't cut them, but I would cut some beach time and include the Mara. Still, I am not a beach person either!

Thanks for your replies.
I am not a beach person either , but I like the sea and I want to rela´x on the beach after the safari. And it's a tour from Kuoni. First safari but I think 6 days in safari is enough for a first timer.

hi Tere

first of all it seems like a good price for this package.

The first question we should ask: if you would like to pay substantially more for a &quot;better&quot; safari??
if not, than there's no question of Mara etc...
taking some of the advices here may even double the price you're paying

You must understand something about this forum: most participants are in favour of staying at least, a good 4 days in a camp; they prefer small intimate (expensive in many cases) camps in contrast to big built Lodges or &quot;quickie&quot; tours...
They'll also be paying around $6000 on the average average (maybe i'm wrong?)
BTW the camps on your itinerary qualify for the preferences of 'Fodorites'

Now about your safari - i'm sure you'll really enjoy it, as i've had experince with people on a similar itinerary, without visiting the &quot;better&quot;parks like Mara and Samburu. It would be really exciting for you (&amp; you wouldn't know what you may have missed...) You'll most probably see less predators, but you may have a less touristic safari altogether...
In Amboseli, on a private conservancy, you may enjoy a night safari or a walking safari (really appreciated in the eyes of Fodorites)

you wrote
<i>&quot;but I think 6 days in safari is enough for a first timer.&quot;</i>
well, it's never enough!! even for a first timer... but having a taste for more'is nice too

seems like a bargain
have an amazing safari

aby

If you decide to go, Tere, report back. There are not that many accounts of trips like you describe.

You mention this is your first safari, so if you think there could be more should the experience be to your liking, then you can spend more time in the Maasai Mara or other places on subsequent trips.

Aby's description of frequent posters here, like me, is not too far off. We tend to be thrilled with any little lizard that shares our tent, we become misty eyed at the mention of wild dogs, and we love to share albums full of wildlife photos.

Six nights is a nice amount of time on safari, more than a mere glimpse. You are going to good places for elephants.