pdxatty

How bad? Advice.
Our itinerary starting July 9, 2005: Nyeri-Ark Lodge, Mt. Kenya Safari Lodge, Lake Nakuru Lodge,Masai Mara, Siana Springs Tented Camp, Nairobi, Norfolk Loddge,Amboseli, Ol Tukai Lodge.

TravelMaster

Hi:

My limited experience with Kenya was that its low risk, I was there for 8 days in Oct '02 and think I was only bitten by mosquitos 3 time.

A few of the lodges you've referenced we stayed at - Mt Kenya Safari Lodge is at such a high elivation that mosquito netting for the beds aren't needed (& cool enough that you'll have little expose areas anyway, as during the evening it was down to about 6c/40f), Lake Nakuru Lodge I don't even recall seeing mosquito and as for Nairobi I doubt you will be out walking much anyway.

My travling companion was bitten by an insect other than a mosquito at the Masa Sopa Lodge & the lodge medical staff cleaned the bit immediately.

And the only place where I noticed any bugs to be a nuicanse was at Samburu (as warmer & near a 'muddy' river).

But just keep covered up as much as possible (even though you'll be at the equator, due to the elivation of most of Kenya, the impact of Mt Kenya on the climate & the time of year it will not be as hot as you might expect), wear DEET bug spray, take your anti-malaria medication and you chances of getting impacted by any insect is remote.

As long as you take normal precautions you have little to worry about, so just relax and enjoy the safari.

Z

Patty

TravelMaster,
How bad were the bugs at Samburu and what kind? We plan to include Samburu in Nov. Thanks.

pdxatty,
Of the places you listed I was only in Amboseli in Feb and didn't notice any tsetse flies.

sandi

I've never seen a tsetse fly in Kenya; doesn't mean there aren't any. Also have been in both Kenya and Tanzania during the wet November, and few mossies or tsetses. Sorry, yes, some tsetses in the Serengeti, but no bother to me or our guide, but they just loved my friend.

As TravelMaster states and I've mentioned previously, most places that are visited by tourists are at high altitude 5000' above, and with cool/cold nites not likely to find mossies. And if mossie nets aren't provided (if so, often just for show), then they're not needed.

At the Mt.Kenya Safari Club is was so cold, that some of the entertaining dancers were wearing socks.

We had no problems at The Ark, Samburu, Lake Nakuru, the Mara or Amboseli.

Just take your meds, coverup from dusk to dawn and use your repellent and you should be fine.

JanGoss

pdxatty:

I'll ditto what Sandi says. I've been to Kenya seven times (Amboseli, Samburu, Tsavo, Shimba Hills and Mombasa) and have never seen a tsetse fly. There are supposed to be lots of them at Tsavo but I've never seen one.

July is in their winter season and the rains should be over, so I don't think you need to worry about it.

Have a super trip!

Jan

rsnyder

For what it is worth my observations during our trip to Kenya (Mt Lodge, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara, Ammboseli in Kenya and other places in Tanzania)in June, 2004 certainly agree with that of previous posters. The only little "critters" that gave us concern were the safari ants we saw near the Mountain Lodge and at the Sienna Springs Tented Lodge. Even then we had no problem as we paid attention to where we sat and walked. I don't recall seeing any mosquitoes and certainly not tsetse flies in our travels in 2004, and only a couple of mosquitoes in the Tanzania 2002 trip. Bear in mind June is start of fall there and as mentioned earlier in the higher elevations it was simply too chilly for them.

TravelMaster

Patty:

We were at the Samburu Serena Lodge and the porch on our cabin faced the river (maybe 50' from the river).

It was a lot warmer (& more humid) than the other areas where we stayed in Kenya, as it was north of Mt Kenya. So it was more uncomfortable in the evenings to 'bundle up' as protection against mosquito.

Since I find reading in the evening to be relaxing, at Samburu it was full pant, socks, longsleeved shirt & hat so only exposed skin was hands & face which were coated in repellant & even in the evenings it was in the 30c/85f range.

I live in Canada and Samburu had about the same anount of mosquitos as I would expect in the evening around my house), just in Canada those mosquito don't carry malaria.

As for the rest of the places where we stayed there were slightly fewer mosquitos but it was much cooler in the evenings so the same attire wasn't as uncomfortable.

Z

Patty

Thanks, what were the day time temps when you were there?

TravelMaster

Just margionally warmer but more humid during the days at Samburu but we were only 2 days there, the next day was at the Mt Kenya Lodge where I wished I had woolen socks & mittens. And overall the weather was a little cooler than I had expected (which was good, in fact since we were at the equator, I'd expect Samburu to be the norm, not the warmest)

Jed

We were at Samburu Intrepids for 3 nights. On safari, there were a few Tsetse flies. The driver had a spray can which he used. Obviously, we did not get sleeping sickness.

Jed

Also, we used insect repellent liberally.