Nairobi Airport--how to get to hotel
 

My hotel charges $160 for the transfer which seems outrageous. Is it safe to hire the cars I see on websites? Are the taxi cos.registered and safe?

Talk to your safari planner (are you seeing a theme here?) The transfer should be included in your itinerary with them.

Actually I'm doing my first leg on my own so they will only help me when my safari starts. The Fairmont in Masai Mara has good reviews on Trip Ad. and the package is half what a safari op is.
then I'll go private. What do you think?

YES!! Talk to the person planning your trip. I hope you investigate farther than Kensington.
You are taking on too much unnecessary time/expense by doing this yourself. it will be part of the entire package cost you'll get. You should not be booking your hotel or the transfer to it. That's what the travel planner can and should do.
You may be working under the misconception that you are saving money by d.i.y. It is NOT any cheaper to do book these yourself. Don't assume that the travel company is adding fees on top of the prices YOU are finding. They get different prices, and those prices are often proprietary info.
HOW did yo chose the hotel you are talking about? A travel planner can book you wherever you want, but they may have better ideas. As i wrote in a post yesterday, the Norfolk is not the only good Nairobi Hotel. A travel planner will know if a hotel location is good , for example, for getting to the airport or out of town.
Which and how many companies' package prices have you compared? should get quotes from at least three reputable ones .Many are mentioned boht in your thread and others over the yrs.

LOTS and LOTS of camps/lodges in the MM and tis surrounding conservancies have great reviews, on TA and elsewhere. What do YOU want? Do you know about the MM Reserve vs surrounding conservancies? the Fairmont has FIFTY tents. Do you want that large a place? What is most important to you on this trip--seeing animals, ? Having a swimming pool? Having a four-poster bed in the tent/ etc etc. No value on this--each person has his/her priorities.
The Fairmont half the price? Are you sure you are comparing apples to apples?

AmyB and Cali Nurse Thanks for taking the time to give me so much advice. I hadn't thought of those things. I booked the Fairmont because I travel with them a lot and got an upgrade for a suite. But I think you're right. That I should just have the co. make the arrangements and request those hotels. I didn't think of that, I just assumed they would charge a premium. It surprised me that the package was so good in Masai Mara. Less than $400 a day for three meals and two game drives. That of course won't be private but I don't mind since I'll have many days of my own driver and guide. I have 22 days for Kenya, Tanzania and now I will add Uganda and leave out the beach. Are there conservancies in Tanzania as well? If not, then I'll consider spending more time in Kenya and seeking that out. That is really my thing. I like luxury but most of all I like feeling I am really experiencing nature in a special way. I have a friend who knows people working in the field all over Africa and figured if I have a private driver I can go anywhere that's allowed. I'll be back in touch when i'm able to talk to Kensington and ATR on Mon.

And lol, d'oh I'm finally getting the theme. Its even the first thing Fodors says. Don't do it yourself.

To my knowledge, Tanzania doesn't have the conservancies. I also think that since I went in 2013, they are higher priced due to an increased VAT tax or something similar. You may find it cheaper to stay in just Kenya/Uganda. I LOVED gorilla trekking. It is, quite honestly, a life changing experience. There is nothing so humbling or memorable. And I absolutely love safari. I've tried going back to old haunts in Europe since I've been to Africa, and do nothing but wish I was back in Africa the whole time I'm not. Prepare yourself, because it's like opening a bag of potato chips, you can't have just one!

Again,thanks. How many safari guides should I research? Are two enough?

Me again. I love the idea of the conservancies. Can any safari co. book this? I read a little about this on another website.

Yes, all safari planners should be able to book you into conservancies. Some of the more common and well-respected camps in the Mara are Porini, Kicheche, Offbeat, Serian. They are all considered mid-range, non-luxury (no soaker tubs, no infinity pools, but nice tents with beds and well known for guiding).

I'm not sure I understand your question about safari guides though. You are assigned guides and driver (if you have one of each) when you arrive at camp and usually have the same guide and driver the whole time you are there. If you change camps, you usually get a new guide and driver at that camp. In Tanzania however, we had the same guide/driver (one person) for the entire trip, and he stayed with us at each camp or nearby. That isn't as common in Kenya, at least in my experience.

I think she may mean safari planners.

Terry I hope you don't take this as a negative comment but you really ought to do some further reading before making important decisions about camps and all the rest. I think you would SAVE money by booking with a planner/agency. I am very well traveled and almost always plan y own trips, the exception being southern Africa where I leave it to my wonderful safari planner in CapeTown. It makes very little sense to book these things on your own. What if something does not go according to plan. Who are you going to call if your flight is delayed?

Why would you want to be in a camp with 50 tents? The places I like have 4 or 6 tents, maybe even 10, but after that, its bound to be a place that takes in large groups. Do you want that? A suite???? In a game lodge??? What does that even mean..what would the difference between a suite and a regular room?
Have you looked into the game sightings in the area traversed by the vehicles at that hotel? What kind of vehicles do they use, and how many people in each vehicle?