Last minute plans
 

Thanks to alot of help from all of you Bob and I now have our long awaited safari to Kenya/Tanzania and Rwanda locked in and just have a few last minute questions....We are looking into taking a balloon ride while in the Serengeti our Safari planner(African Adventures) has offered us a price of $395/per person..is this reasonable? Any other suggested companies to go with?.....We are also looking at some activities in Nairobi ( we will be there on 3 different days)...Suggested tours include Karen Blixen Museum and Giraffe Center ($50/person)/Nairobi City Tour and visit to Childrens Orphanage ($35.00/person)....Elephant Orphanage/Natl. park($125/person!!) and dinner at Carnivore Rest. to include transportation ($50/person). Any comments concerning any of these would be appreciated. We will be staying at the Norfolk Hotel but don't know how far from the restaurant....It would seem to me that we should be able to take a taxi and just pay there much cheaper. Would we need reservations...any other restaurant suggestions?
I have read any number of posts etc. concerning adapters for our battery chargers but it seems to me that the type D/G are most recommended...comments?
And finally since we will be flying AA into London and BA to and from Nairobi I understand that we can only bring one carry on of limited size on the BA portion of the trip as well as only one checked bag. Has anyone found this to be so or something different? Thanks again so much for all of you help
Ruth

If you have one single ticket, the more generous allowance applies throughout which is 2 checked bags (max 50 lbs each) in economy class for itineraries that include travel to/from North America. If you have two separate tickets, then you have to follow the rules that apply specifically to each portion.

You can only have one carry on item while going through UK security, but that doesn't mean you can't have separate items before and after security. As long as your smaller item can be stuffed inside the larger one and still fall within the size restrictions of 56x45x25cm http://tinyurl.com/gwd4a

The plug adapter you need for Kenya and Tanzania is type G http://kropla.com/!g.htm

As long as you're appliances are all dual voltage, that's all you need. I've never seen type D in either Kenya or Tanzania, but I don't know about Rwanda.

My guess is a taxi from the Norfolk to Carnivore should cost no more than 1000 KES each way. I don't know how much they charge for dinner. Similarly, you could hire a taxi to visit the other attractions (I'd recommend negotiating a day rate and just have the taxi wait for you). Keep in mind that the entrance fee to Nairobi National Park is now $40 per adult, I believe, plus there's a vehicle entrance fee of around $10 or something like that. That's only if you want to do game drives. You don't have to pay the NP entrance fee if just going to the Sheldrick elephant orphanage (they may have there own entrance fee, I'm not sure, I'm a foster parent). There are separate fees charged for the KWS orphanage and Safari Walk at Nairobi NP of $10 per adult at each attraction.

$395 sounds like the going rate for the balloon ride.

Hope this helps.

Other restaurant suggestions here http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35022572

I'd make reservations for dinner.

$400 is about right for the balloon ride, and you probably can't justify trying to get someone other than your planner to arrange it for you. There is only one company that does balloon flights in the Serengeti (see balloonsafaris dot com), so there isn't much point in shopping around. In the Masai Mara there are quite a few different balloon flights in several locations, but not so in the Serengeti.

They fly two balloons every day in the Serengeti (assuming there are enough customers), with each of them (the third largest in the world, they told us) holding up to 16 people and taking off from and landing in about the same place.

You didn't ask, but we enjoyed the balloon flight, if the pricetag doesn't scare you off. Despite what some sites say, you may not (indeed likely will not) go very high, certainly not "at least 1,000 feet" as one safari planner advertises. We stayed fairly low, so we could see the animals the captain said. It is a unique experience in a lovely location, and the champagne toasts and breakfasts afterwards were fun. They pick you up at your lodge and drop you off after at the Wildlife Lodge.

The balloon price can range from $390-$425 (and good for 2007, especially in the Serengeti which is usually higher than in Kenya... prices will probably be higher in 2008), so you're ok with what AA is offering.

If you'll be on safari most of your stay in Kenya/Tanzania, I'd pass on the National Park and just visit the Elephant Orphange which you can actually include with Blixen and Giraffe Center. The Ellee visit is at 11am, you can then have lunch at Carnivore (or elsewhere) and in the afternoon visit Blixen, Giraffe Center and maybe some shopping. Or start early and do Blixen, Ellees, lunch, Giraffe. All depends on whether you have a full day in NBO.

You can book any of these tours through your agent or the Tour Desk at the Norfolk. Prices will be about the same.

Patty's figure for estimated taxi cost to Carnivore from Norfolk @ 1000KES (o/w) = approx. US$15;may be a bit high. The meal itself for dinner (lunch is a bit less) is either $25 or $30, so the $50/person is reasonable.

As to adapter plug, in Kenya and most of Tanzania (don't know about Rwanda) is the three-flat prong, as used in the UK. If you have dual voltage devices you don't need a converter. If dual voltage and device has a switch to the 220V (or 230, 240) be sure it's set for this or else you'll have a piece of melted plastic.

You heard it from the expert, Ms. Patty, regarding baggage allowances, weight and carryon.

Thanks so much to hguy47, Sandi and especially to Patty for all the great advice...we are now definitley planning to do the balloon safari and will try the Canivore one of our days in Nairobi..also some of the others suggested. We have also contacted Kenndy about some tours of the area. We do also have 4 free hours at the airport prior to our departure so will try and get in another of the recommended restuarants that evening and are taking another hard look at our carry on bags from London to Nairobi. I did have hopefully only one other question. We will have to make a couple of calls back to the US and am wondering how effective just buying a phone card would be and using it....any suggestions? Thanks so much again for all your help...can't wait to go! Ruth

Do you only plan to make a few outgoing calls without the need to receive calls? If so, and you don't already have a GSM 900/1800 phone, then the easiest solution would probably be to borrow your guide's cell phone and pay him for the calls you make (either in cash or buy him an airtime card).

If you have a GSM 900/1800 phone, then bring that along and either use your current cellular provider's international roaming service (you need to call and activate it first) or if your phone is unlocked (or you get it unlocked), buy a local SIM card and airtime upon arrival.

See the links under this thread if you need more info on cell phones http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35025137