I need help deciding between the following camps/lodges in Kenya
 

Hi. I know you are sick of hearing from me. We are STILL trying to book for Aug. 07 and it is getting so booked up that we don't have alot of choice. Here is the places we have been offered:
in Samburu, the Sarova Shaba or Samburu Sopa
in Masai Mara, the David Livingstone Safari Resort, or Mara Porini camp or Porini Lion camp or Mara Sopa or Mara Sarova or JK Mara Tented camp.

Can anyone offer any advice. We are travelling with our children who will be 16, 13 and 11. I'm not as concerned about luxury as I am about good location for game viewing and decent meals.

I've read poor reviews about the David Livingstone stating that they didn't have enough vehicles for everyone. I've heard the Sopa's are run down and I also think their NE location isn't ideal in Aug. JK Mara tented camp is new I think and I can't find anything about it. The 2 Porini camps sound very quaint to me----is there any drawback to them being such small camps---only 12 people in one of them and only 6 tents in the other???

Please, I need advice back very quickly as I'm afraid if we don't book within the next 24 to 48hr we'll have even less choice.

Thanks so much!

JK's Mara Camp is Leleshwa Camp, www.leleshwacamps.com

In Samburu, the Sopa is a newly built lodge which just opened last year so shouldn't be run down. It's located north of the other camps and lodges away from the river. I didn't get a chance to check it out but being located higher up, I think it might have some good views.

The Sarova Shaba is located not far from the entrance to Shaba reserve. It does have a nice location on the river gorge but isn't as convenient of a base if you plan to do all or the majority of your game drives in Samburu. If you were planning to do game drives in both Shaba and Samburu, then I think it would be fine.

In the Mara, I'd probably pick Porini Lion camp based on the location alone. Leleshwa camp is located quite a bit outside of the reserve to the northeast.

Thank you all for the wonderful advice. We have finally booked!!! We've ended up at the Sarova Shaba in Samburu and at the Kichwa Tembo tented camp in Mara. Boy what an arduous process! I'd love some advice but it's booked now so don't crush me.

Are game drives in Shaba as good as Samburu? Should we do them in both places? just one? Insist on Samburu? Any suggestions?

Also, I can't believe what the tour operators try to charge you for a room in Nairobi so we're going to book it ourselves online. Any suggestions? We arrive at the airport at 11:20pm so I know safety getting to the hotel is an issue but do some of the reputable hotels have a shuttle service to the hotel at all?

How many nights will be you staying at the Sarova Shaba? Game wise, I think you'll see a greater variety and have closer encounters in Samburu because the game is much more habituated to vehicles. Shaba is stunningly beautiful though. Maybe you could do your first afternoon drive there since you're staying on that side and head over to Samburu the following day.

I have photos from both Samburu and Shaba in this album if you want to get a sense of what the reserves are like http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...0&y=drl4tc

I believe the Hilton has a shuttle that costs around $15 per person or so. I always book our Nairobi hotel on my own because I use points but have my tour operator include the transfer. You could check with them to see how much just the transfer costs. You can also just take a taxi from the airport.