missmac

I wonder which is the better place to be in Sept for game viewing - in Amboseli or up north Mt Kenya, Nakura, Sweetwaters area? I am trying to finalize an itinerary. Thanks for your input!

raykingsay

well it depends on how many days you are on safari--if its like 2 days only then my choice would be Amboseli and TSavo.
DAY 1:
ACCOMMODATION:KILAGUNI SERENA LODGE
SECTOR:NAIROBI- TSAVO WEST NATIONAL PARK

Depart Nairobi to arrive in time for lunch at the Kilaguni Serena followed by a late afternoon game viewing drives in this geologically rich park with a climax at Mzima Springs. Dinner and accommodation at the Kilaguni Serena Lodge.

DAY 2:
ACCOMMODATION: AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE
SECTOR: TSAVO WEST-AMBOSELI N. PARK Dist:105kmsApprox time:1.5hrs

After breakfast, depart west to the nearby Amboseli National Park to arrive in time for lunch at the Amboseli Serena Lodge. Late afternoon game viewing with dinner and accommodation at the base lodge.

Day 3:
ACCOMMODATION:AMBOSELI SERENA LODGE
SECTOR: AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK

Morning and late afternoon game viewing with all the meals and accommodation at the Amboseli Serena Lodge.
(Lying at an altitude of about 1,200-1,400m, Amboseli National Park is Kenya’s international biosphere reserve, Amboseli in Maasai Language means “place of water”. The park has an endless supply of water, which is filtered through thousands of metres of volcanic rock from Mount Kilimanjaro. During the dry season a captivating feature is the simmering dry lake bed where false mirages of populated horizons,. Home to the abudant elephant population with landscape everywhere dominated by the glistening majestic snowcap of Mount Kilimanjaro, an extinct volcano of 5,895 m the highest point in Africa commonly known as the “roof of Africa”)


Day 4:
Sunday July 31st ACCOMMODATION: N/A
SECTOR: AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK-NAIROBI
After breakfast,Embark on your return journey to Nbo.


if choosing the Aberdares,Mount Kenya side wid more days.



Day 1:
ACCOMMODATION: LAKE NAKURU LODGE
SECTOR: NAIROBI-LAKE NAKURU NATIONAL PARK

Commence drive South west to arrive in time for lunch at the Lake Nakuru Lodge. Late afternoon game viewing and birdwatching drives with dinner and accommodation at the Lake Nakuru Lodge.
(Lake Nakuru is a shallow alkaline lake but is world famous as it is home to the millions of flamingoes, which numbers varies depending on the water level, which determines the quantity of algae on which the birds feed on. The 188 sq. Kms small park surrounds the lake and was gazetted to protected the colony of flamingoes as well as provide sanctuary for such endangered species as the Rhino –(A colony of about twenty five white and black rhinos-one of the largest concentrations in the country). Predators are also residents of the park. The rare Rothschild giraffe have been translocated into the park for safety.)

Day 2:

ACCOMMODATION: TREETOPS LODGE
SECTOR: ABERDARES (Outspan-Treetops)

Proceed to Nyeri town for lunch at the Outspan Hotel.In the afternoon transferred by the lodge vehicles into the Aberdare National Park where you will be able to watch the animals from the lodge precincts as they come to salt lick and drink water from the nearby pond. Dinner and accommodation at the Treetops Lodge.

Day 3:
ACCOMMODATION: SAMBURU SOPA LODGE
SECTOR: ABERDARES-SAMBURU N.RESERVE Dist 190kms Approx. time. 3hrs

After breakfast, transferred back to the Outspan Hotel where you rejoin your driver/guide. Commence drive North to arrive in time for lunch at the Samburu Sopa Lodge. Late afternoon game drive with dinner and accommodation at the Lodge.

Day 4:
ACCOMMODATION: SAMBURU SOPA LODGE
SECTOR: SAMBURU NATIONAL RESERVE

Morning and late afternoon game viewing drive with all the meals and accommodation at the Samburu Sopa Lodge.

(The reserve lies within the fascinating semi-desert Northern Frontier District of Kenya with the tranquil Ewaso Nyiro River attracting a wide number of rare wildlife and provide a natural habitat for crocodile, the rare Somali Ostrich, long necked Gerenuk, Grevy’s Zebra and reticulated giraffe with over three hundred and sixty five species of birds been recorded.)

Day 5:

SECTOR: SAMBURU-NAIROBI Dist: 310kms Approx. time:5.5hrs

After breakfast, embark on your journey back to Nairobi.

NB:This is from an itinerary we provide to clients on safari from our company
www.diwakasafaris.com

cary999

raykingsay is your post promoting your company?
"NB:This is from an itinerary we provide to clients on safari from our company
www.diwakasafaris.com"
regards - tom

Patty

What's with all the touts lately!

missmac,
You'll get better advice if we knew where else you're going. You have another thread with an itinerary http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34981207 but I don't know what, if any, modifications you've made. What would the itinerary with Amboseli look like versus the itinerary with Mt Kenya/Sweetwaters/Nakuru?

missmac

Patty, I am still debating operators. That is why this new post. It is for 15 days and looks likethis: Itinerary at a Glance
1. NBO Norfolk
2. Amboseli Serena
3. Amboseli Serena
4. Samburu Intrepids
5. Samburu Intrepids
6. MM Mara Intrepids
7. MM Mara Intrepids
8. MM Mara Intrepids
9. MM Mara Intrepids
10. Ngo Serena
11. Ngo Serena
12. Manyara Serena
13. Tarangire Treetops
14. Tarangire Treetops
It is a flying Safari with 7 flights and short drives. What do you think? It is over my budget and have asked if we can eliminate a couple of flights and maybe downgrade Mara camp. Any suggestions? I thought it might be better to go to the Mt Kenya area instead of Amboseli to save on flights.

Patty

I think it would be fine to drop Amboseli in this case (plus it'll be very dusty there in Sep). Any property or combination of properties in the Mt Kenya or even Aberdares region would work if you wanted to drive there from Nairobi, then drive to Samburu. If you add Nakuru, it will be a much longer drive to Samburu.

For the Mara, you could try pricing Basecamp, Ilkeliani, Kichwa Tembo or even the Serena lodge and see how those compare to Intrepids. You could also downgrade your Tarangire accomodations, if necessary.

I only count 7 flight segments:

Nairobi-Amboseli
Amboseli-Nairobi
Nairobi-Samburu
Samburu-Mara
Mara-Nairobi
Nairobi-Kili/Arusha

Where's the 7th? Maybe you could cut that one depending on what it is.

missmac

I finally got to go over this itinerary with my hubby (who I was afraid would not like the price) but he thinks it sounds great (he loves the flying vs driving). hooray for that! That 7th flight is on day 10: MM to Nairobi, Wilson to Kili, then a flight to Manyara airstrip and drive to Ngo. So maybe we could just drive to Ngo from Arusha as that is a rather short distance. (However, they may not have anyone to drive us from Arusha to Ngo.) I assume on a flying safari, we use the camps/lodges vehicles and not use the same driver? and I understand we may share with other people that way. Correct?

Patty

Yes, that's correct, unless you choose to pay extra for a private camp/lodge vehicle, subject to availability.

I think it would be just as easy for you to do the Tanzania portion as an all drive safari. The distances aren't that long and much of it is on paved roads. Plus from the Manyara airstrip, you still have a bit of a drive to Ngorongoro. My guess is that the vehicle/guide you're using in Tanzania is coming from Arusha anyway to meet you at the Manyara airstrip, continue the drive to Ngorongoro and stay with you through the duration on your Tanzanian safari. So this portion is probably private (ask). No reason why you can't just ride with him from Arusha.

Patty

Or from Arusha you could go to Manyara or Tarangire first with Ngorongoro, which is the farthest point, in the middle (if there's availability).

raykingsay

@ Carry

No no I'm new here I didnt know it was illegal,sorry abt that.

@miss Mac
yeah I think that can work out

missmac

This itinerary above is a flying safari. I wonder what people's opinions are of flying instead of driving. I know we use the camp's vehicles and guides and probably more people with us. We enjoy meeting other people but not sure about this setup. Of course, flying is more expensive, but am I losing quality with the game drives?