Best places Kenya/Tanzinia

Old Jul 23rd, 2001, 05:45 PM
  #1  
Ellen
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Best places Kenya/Tanzinia

I'd love to hear opinions on the best tent camps and lodges to stay in Kenya and Tanzinia. Also, if anyone has recommendations about tour operators would appreciate that, too. I've heard that some companies sub-contract tours out to local African companies, and that you can save money that way. Thanks!
 
Old Jul 23rd, 2001, 07:47 PM
  #2  
Hans
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We were in Kenya last year and loved Olanana in the Masai Mara (a new camp owned by Abercrombie & Kent) and Tortilis in Amboseli National Park. Olanana was perfect-the tents were as nice as any Four Seasons and with only 12 tents along the river, the setting is perfect. The food and staff were wonderful. Tortilis was a little less luxurious but still it exceeded our expectations and the views of Mt. Kilimanjaro were amazing! I would highly recommend both camps!
 
Old Jul 24th, 2001, 03:57 AM
  #3  
Myriam
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Hi Ellen,
We booked out safari + beach holiday with a Belgium tour operator who, indeed, subcontracted to Pollman's Travel Kenya. Probably you can save money by booking directly with them. I found these people to be very reliable and they gave very good service. Their website: http://www.pollmans.com/

As far as lodging is concerned I would hihgly recommend the lodges of the Serena group. We stayed in their Amboseli Serena lodge and Nairobi Serena hotel and both were magnificent.
 
Old Jul 24th, 2001, 07:50 AM
  #4  
Dave
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We loved Olonana, which you can book witout going through A&K. Liked Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi. Samburu Intrepids was fair to good. You can see my "Kenya trip report".

Also, my report of Tanzania, "The Road to Zanzibar", talks about Ngorongoro and Serengeti Sopas, which were very good.
 
Old Jul 25th, 2001, 07:31 AM
  #5  
laura
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Ellen:

We traveled in Kenya and Tanzania last year and are going back in 2002...here are some thoughts...

First and foremost, spend more time in each place (and select fewer places) than most tour operators recommend...take time to pause and really take in the essence of Africa and its wildlife (in other words, I strongly, strongly recommend selecting a park...like the Serengeti...and spending at least a week there...and then looking at some other areas).

As far as camps/lodges:

In Kenya, our favorite camp was the Mara River Camp. It is not as posh as some of the others, but it is definitely very comfortable and the staff is incredible. It has a neat setting right on the river, and hippos walk by the tents at night...you can hear their feet squishing like wet sponges!

We also really enjoyed Lerai Tented Camp at Lewa Downs in norhthern Kenya. Again, the staff was wonderful. This Park's focus is on rhinos...and, they have them everywhere!

If you're looking to stop in the rift valley to see the flamingos, I would recommend Delameres Camp....we really enjoyed our 2 night stay there. They do a really neat sundowner where they take you up on a bluff in the evening for wine and game meat hordoerves. However, the whole rift valley is very overdeveloped...so don't bother spending much time here...just go to see the flamingoes.

Our one bad experience was at Sangare Camp just outside of Aberdare. Aberdare is a neat park to see...different than most of the other places...but Sangare camp just had a bad feel to it...maybe it was the drought (which really affected this area)...or more likely it was the overall ambiance created by the kids from the local town carrying rifle and knives just outside camp, or the guys guarding the elephants from poachers, or the armed "guards" who sat outside the tents all night, supposedly to keep the elephants away...I would recommend you stay away from this camp.

At Ngorongoro, the Serena Lodge was very comfortable and reasonably priced...we also have read that Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is posh beyond compare (with a posh price)...but we're going to treat ourselves to this accomodation on our next trip, just for fun.

For this next trip, we plan to stay 11 nights in the Serengeti, 2 nights Ngorongoro, and 5 nights Tarangire. In the Serengeti....from what I've read, Grumeti River Camp, Kirawira, and Migration are all wonderful...we're planning on staying at Grumeti and Migration with an additional few nights at Serengeti Serena Lodge. Someone told me that Migration Camp was their favorite of their entire Tanzania trip.

Hope that helps....feel free to email me directly if I can be of further help.
 
Old Jul 25th, 2001, 08:50 AM
  #6  
melissa
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We indulged on the Crater Lodge for our honeymoon - amazing; the staff, food, lodging, views, animals...everything was wonderful. Klein's Camp was next - up in a private reserve bordering the Serengeti (which we would drive through for game viewing). Klein's was more low key, but still wonderful. Since it is private land, you can take night drives - an amazing experience. We used African Portfolio out of Greenwich, CT. They arranged everything for us - even the next week in the Seychelles. They have a website I think. Check out CCA (Conservation Corporation of Africa) website to see the two lodges we stayed at. Grumeti, Kirawira and Migration are other lodges/camps we hope to get to some day! Have fun.
 
Old Jul 25th, 2001, 10:36 PM
  #7  
Karen
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We have been in Tanzania and we stay at Serena Lodges in Ngorongoro and Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp and in Tarangire we have been booked in Tarangire Tented Camp. We do this directly to the Local Tour Operator and it was well organized and reasonable price compare with what we have been give here in europe. Contact this company for more info: [email protected]
 
Old Jul 27th, 2001, 03:24 PM
  #8  
buck
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What ever you do, check out Vintage Africa on the web. They are the best in Africa IMO, alot of us tour companines us them for their land operator there. Buck
 
Old Aug 1st, 2001, 07:38 PM
  #9  
Ellen
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Thanks to everyone who replied to my original query—you were all incredibly insightful.

Ellen
 

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