How many days in the Mara for Migration in Sept 2006?
 

Hello,

Having just booked my Botswana trip, quite naturally I've moved to booking my following trip...

Before you all read this proposed itinerary and think I've gone mad, I wanted to remind people that I'm coming from London, so it's possible to do the Mara as a long weekend (!) -- it's an 8 hour flight with a 2 hour time difference. There's a three-day weekend at the end of August so I'm aiming for that time to minimise days taken off work.

I plan to go to Kenya for a week in September 2006 to see the Migration, and I was wondering how long the migration veterans think I should spend in the Mara. I'm considering spending 3-4 days in a camp near the crossing point (near Mara Serena) and another 3-4 days in a camp outside the reserve where I could do night drives, etc (like Kichwa Tembo Bateleur or Cottars). Or is this too much time in the Mara?

Another option I'm looking into is spending 4 days in the Mara and 2 days at the Crater if the logistics can be worked out for some reasonable amount. If I go to the Crater, it will have to be Crater Lodge -- but the rates for 2006 are really making me wince. Ah yes, I remember the good old days, when it was a paltry $500 a night...

Cheers,
Julian

ttt

Why not spend a week in the Mara. Think of how many others would love to be able to do so and there are many who have actually done so.

If I recall correctly, believe that Kavey's dad did just that last year (also from the UK)... might have been a few days less then a week; believe he stayed at the Mara Explorer camp located where the Mara and Talek Rivers meet.

Breaking it up with 4-days inside the Reserve and then 3-days on the pvt conservations areas would also be nice. In addition to considering Cottars of KWBateleur also check out Saruni Camp (not far from Bateleur) but further up in the forested hills with amazing views into the Mara.

Not mad! So go for it.

Hi Sandi.

Thanks for the suggestion -- I was looking at Rekero Camp, which is in the same area as Mara Explorer, so I'll look into that camp as well.

Did you stay at Saruni?

Cheers,
Julian

jasher -

Just read that you're meeting up with Rocco and Kavey when he's in London on his way to SA. Ask Kavey about her dad's trip... though the girl has been on so many trips herself, of late, who knows whether she'll remember her dad's adventures.

But yes, we did stay at Saruni on our recent trip in June. When this camp first opened and I saw the web site and brochure - the camp was immediately in my sight and didn't disappoint once we visited here. There are a few photos of Saruni in the album link I posted here about a month back. If you haven't seen, you'll find at:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/BrowsePh...p;sort_order=0

It's a big album (600+ pics) so figure the Saruni photos are somewhere after #500.

I should be posting the last two days of my trip report... containing our stay at Saruni. So with a bit of patience, all who have been following will be glad that I finally finished this epic.

Thanks Sandi -- I look forward to reading the rest of your report. I'll take a look at those pics too.

Cheers,
Julian