Hi
Myself and my wife are driving Kenya (4WD) for 10 days in Oct. We are heading from Nairobi to the Masai Mara and then probably to Lake Nakuru but after this I'm looking for something a bit different to go/do/see aside from the usual game parks. Also, can you recommend any accom.? I can't afford the lodges and ranches at $150 - $200 per night?

Thanks,

How many days do you have after the Masai Mara and Nakuru? Anything specific that you're interested in doing?

Mbweha Camp located just outside Nakuru NP has cottages and a campsite. In the Masai Mara, I think Fig Tree is fairly inexpensive but I'm not sure if it's under $150 for a double.

Hi Laax,
KWS has some interesting looking self-catering bandas, but it looks like in Lake Nakuru you’ll have to pay $200 for the entire 8 pax house.
http://www.kws.org/accommodation.html

I can’t find a website for the Wildlife Club of Kenya Guesthouse inside L. Nakuru NP. It sounds nice and not too expensive in the Lonely Planet guide

Mbweha Camp is here:
http://www.mbwehacamp.com/
It’s kind of expensive, but probably less than $ 150 for a double.

Unless you’re camping it’s very difficult to find reasonably priced accommodation in the Mara. Maybe Olperr Elongo:
http://www.biketreks.co.ke/camp.html

Hi Patty

We are booked for 3 nights in the Mara but nothing after that. Plan on heading towards Nakuru for a couple of nights (will look into Mbweha Camp, thanks) and then have 4/5 days before we are due back in Nairobi. We are thinking about the other lakes or laikipia region (do you know of Solio reserve or Lewa, can they be visited?)or down to Amboseli...? Any suggestions

There are lots of "Mid" Hotels which should cost around $30-50 a night. I would check out the Kenya Rough Guide.

Laax -

You might have better luck for responses by posting on the Lonely Planet Thorntree site.

Solio can be visited together with Aberdare NP, Mount Kenya NP (for hiking, rafting and a few other things) and Sweetwaters from the many accomodations in your price range in the Nyeri and Nanyuki area. Lewa I think cannot - unless as a guest or on an organised safari. Meru NP has a very comfortable KWS guesthouse and it is also feasible to camp there. There is apparently also basic self-catering accommodation with a "green swimming pool" but you should probably try KWS first. Self-drive there are lots and lots of options in and around Tsavo. The ones in the park would be mostly outside your budget (presuming that's for two) but there are towns right near the gates and cheap accommodation there.

Where are you staying in the Masaai Mara?

Are you camping? If so there are quite a few options in Laikipia? If not there is Bobong, which is beyond Rumuruti - drive there via Lake Nakuru or via Mount Kenya and the Aberdares. Roads are better than average in that area - with exceptions, of course. It runs camel safaris which can be tailored to your budget and has inexpensive basic accommodation, a well-equipped camp site and a swimming pool. There is a pet cheetah too!

No guarantees on this budget, but I guess this will be what you want to know... You will get a lot more info from the guide books, but that always sounds like a good circuit to me - Mara - Nakuru NP - Bobong - Mount Kenya NP/ Sweetwaters/ Solio/ Aberdare NP (choose one or two of four) - Nairobi. I did it last year (but with Lake Baringo instead of Bobong and different stops) and it is beautiful country.

Meru NP would be very interesting too, if you can get accommodation sorted and are really able to be independent - no towns nearby and only a few tourists - but not sure if you would classify it as "the usual game parks".

I've visited Solio but not Lewa. There aren't any inexpensive accomodations on Lewa that I know of. I believe day visitors are allowed but I don't think they'll let you self drive. Email them and see what they say.

Self drive shouldn't be a problem on Solio and you'll likely be the only visitors there. When we visited Solio, we stayed at Olea Africana www.farmurlaub-afrika.de a homestay operated by Petra Allmendinger located half an hour north of Solio. A double cottage here with full board costs 100 euro a night. Petra will pack you a great picnic for your outing.

Or any other accomodation in the Mweiga/Nyeri area would be close enough for a day visit to Solio. Aberare NP is also very close by so you can easily visit both.

From Nakuru, you could actually drive across the Aberdares to the Mweiga/Nyeri area and that's the route I'd suggest. It's a spectacular drive that takes you above 3,000 meters in elevation. There are several waterfalls you can visit and some unique species not easily found elsewhere are in this park (though the forest is thick so you'll need some patience or luck or both). You're unlikely to see many other vehicles, if any, on this drive.

From Nakuru, it's about a 2.5 hour drive to reach the Mutubio gate on the western side of Aberdare NP. If you've spent the previous night in Naivasha, it will be a shorter drive to this gate. It will take you 3-4 hours to drive across the park depending on how many stops and detours you make. When you come out of the Ark gate on the eastern side, you'll be near the town of Mweiga.

Instead of driving straight through (long day), you could also spend a night in Aberdare NP and then continue on the next day giving you more time to enjoy the park. KWS operates some self catering houses and bandas within the park -

http://www.kws.org/fishing.html
http://www.kws.org/tusk-camp.html
http://www.kws.org/sapper.html

In Laikipia, I've stayed at El Karama Ranch. They have 6 guest cottages overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro river. Rates here last year were 2500 KES per person per night. That includes your accomodation and the services of a cook and ranch guide. You bring your own provisions and use your own vehicle for game drives. The ranch guide will accompany you on game drives and acts as a spotter. He can also take you on game walks on the ranch (highly recommended). Night drives are possible as you're on private land and horse riding is available at extra cost.

The ranch is about 40 km (1.5 hours) northwest from Nanyuki. The only other vehicles you might see here are those of the few other guests on the ranch or you may find that you have the whole place to yourselves like we did.

El Karama doesn't have a website for their cottage accomodations just their horseback safari operation www.horsebackinkenya.com but you can email them at [email protected]

With 4/5 days, you can visit all of the above areas. More information is available in my trip report. Scroll down the thread for the photo link if you want to see what these places look like http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34719569

We also visited Naivasha and Baringo on the same trip and you'll find details in my report. That would be another possibility if you want to skip the Aberdares/Solio. Or you could visit one of the lakes plus Aberdares/Solio or Laikipia. I don't think you have time to cover it all so I'd concentrate on two locations.

Amboseli would be out of the way if you're coming from Nakuru and I don't think it fits your description of something a bit different from the usual game parks.

Hope this helps.