susan

Want some ideas for travel in these areas. Perhaps a safari or? Planning to spend approximatley 3 weeks in Africa and want to see vistas, big game and natural beauty of these areas. Any help will be appreciated. Had thought of hiring a private guide- any thoughts on this idea?

Richard Briant

Hi,
I haven't been to Kenya yet but as far as Tanzania is concerned, you couldn't be going to a better place for a safari.
You must see Ngorongoro Crater, The Seerengeti and Mount Killimanjaro. All these places are just magic.
There are numerous safari companies in Tanzania and most of them have offices in Dar es Salaam so you should be able to find one there.
Contact them first, maybe Fodors have some names of safari operators.
Take all the precautions, especially for malaria.
Whilst you are in Tanzania you must visit Zanzibar, it is great.

Penelope Campbell

I have been in Tanzania and Kenya a number of times, most recently in June, 1997, with my husband. Friends are medical missionaries in Arusha and recommended Hoopee Travel, which we used and were pleased with. I second the comments of the earlier respondent about places to go. I would skip Manyara and go, instead, to Tarangire and stay at the tented camp overlooking the escarpment. The tsetse fly is bad there, but the setting, animal viewing, and accommodations are excellent. I would skip most places in Kenya, esp. Tsavo and Treetops (or whatever it's called). There is good van service from Nairobi to Arusha. A good hotel in Nairobi is the Boulevard, just a block from the much more expensive Norfolk. Be careful everywhere and use that moneybelt! Contact me if you wish more opinions.

Jackie

we planned a great trip for ourselves withthe helof Vincent atLETS GO TRAVEL in NAIROBI .We think we
saved about 30%25 off other ways of arranging things.
Governors Camp at the Masai Mara is very very
comfortable-permanent tented sites and it is well
located by a river. Not cheap however but the
service was great and so were the animals.

Jackie

Have been in East Africa twice and like the Fairview
hotel in Nairobi-it is cosmopolitan and reasonably
priced.
We like the Indian ocean coast, and Lamu is very
exotic as it is a former arab settlement. Fly to
Malindi-stay at Hemingways then fly to Lamu and stay
at Peponi's. It is an island in a estuary-no cars
allowed. The mangrove crab is a local specialty andnototo be missed. There is also a donkey sanctuary there which is a most unusual thing!

Sally

I have to second the recommendation for Ngorongora Crater in Tanzania. Don't miss it, it's spectacular! Stay in one of the lodges on the rim. <BR>

Lisa

I went to Kenya 3 yrs ago with Chili and Peacock. Excellent safari company. Very small groups and wonderful service. They have a web site. I booked thru Bushtracks. This is a small company owned by a California couple. All they book is Africa. Really set me up with exactly what I wanted. E-mail me if you need more info. Good luck!!

Marie

I was in Kenya 1 year ago. I also would recommend staying in the fairview hotel in Nairobi. We arranged our tours through a fellow by the name of Jack Mosse. His e-mail address is [email protected] I would highly recommend his services. We told him what we wanted...and he booked everything. A camping safari is not as bad as it may sound, and great if you are on a budget. The accomidations are minimal (a tent on the ground, outhouse) but the food was great!! I am usually a five star type, but with alot of begging from my boyfriend, I tried the camping and loved it!!

TC

We're headed to Kenya and Tanzania next month with Big Five Safari. So far we couldn't be happier with the service or itinerary. Friends made the exact trip last year and raved so much about the excellent service, camps, food that we had to sign up. We will stay at Larsen's @ Samburu Reserve, Kirawira Camp @ Serengeti, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Oliver's Camp @ Tarangire, Governor's, Mt. Kenya Club and Windsor Hotel. We will fly between camps for the maximim time game viewing. All camps are small and very close to game. Our group will be six people. If you are interested in this contact me or Jane at Big Five - email: janebigfive.com Enjoy!

Al

After visiting Kenya and Tanzania on safari tour, several things stick in our memories most. First, the awful washboard roads, especially in Tanzania. <BR>Second, the tireless enthusiasm of our guide. Third, the Ngorongoro Crater and our tented camp in the Masai Mara Game Reserve -- both spectacular places. We never made it to Serengeti because bandits had shot up a tourist group the month before, slaying a South African woman tourist. Fourth, the contrast between how people acted in the two countries. Kenya: energetic, striving to please, friendly. Tanzania: sullen, offhand, lazy. We learned later than some of the tourist hotels in Tanzania sent their staff to Nairobi for training and indoctrination. Many years under a quasi-Communist dictatorship had sapped all enthusiasm from the people -- they simply did not know how to deal with guests. We wondered later if this was true.