Hi everyone,

This is my first post on this forum, but I've been lurking for a while and the information is wonderful. I'm hoping your collective expertise can help us out here.

We're flying into and out of Nairobi, and planning on a safari, probably 4-6 days, plus 4-6 days in Zanzibar. We probably have a few extra days where we could go somewhere either near Nairobi or near Arusha or Dar. Flights to Western Tanzania or adding extra safari days would probably bust out budget, so we'd probably need to go somewhere not too far. I would really love to get to know that part of the world a bit more, but I have the feeling we wouldn't get much out of hanging out in Arusha or Dar or Nairobi - but I'm happy to be persuaded otherwise.

I'd like to go independently, both for budget reasons and because one gets tired of organized multi-day excursions - it's more interesting just to wander around. Any suggestions?

The other consideration is that the last part of our trip will be in Turkey, so the longer we spend in Africa, the less time we'll get to spend there... but I feel like we'll have more of a chance to get back to Turkey than we will to Kenya, so I'm looking for reasons to stick around a bit.

Right now, the itinerary looks something like this:

Day 1 - Arrive Nairobi

Day 2 - Recover from 20 hours on plane, or begin safari straight away, or travel to the place the Safari will begin

Days 3-8 Safari

Days 9-13 Zanzibar

Days 14-16?

There is a little give in there, so I'm wondering if we should try to work in another spot... would love to hear what the group says.

Thanks!

Sorry for the double-posting - it was an accident!

Apparently you fixed your double-post... only seeing one here. I'd use the extra days for safari; 6 aren't nearly enough! In Nairobi, you could set up a day with our favorite guide, Kennedy Muthoka. He could gear it to things of interest for your kids. He could also put together a safari in Kenya for you (www.waymarksafari.com). One does not just "wander around" on safari. You'll want to have it planned in advance, accommodations booked, guides and vehicles lined up, etc.

If you're already in Kenya, you might consider going to one of Kenya's beach resort areas, rather than Zanzibar, which is in Tanzania. Current Tanzania visa rates for US citizens is $100 ($50 for most others.) I think Kenya is still holding their visa rates to $25. If budget is an issue, then you might find Kenya to be less expensive than Tanzania. In any case, you'd probably want to stick to one country or the other for budgetary reasons.

Thanks, ShayTay. Just a couple things might make our situation a bit clearer...
- we actually don't have kids, so we're not too worried about kid-friendly activities
- We do plan to organize the safari ahead of time; the wandering around would be for the time we're NOT on safari. I'm sure we'll love it, but I don't want to commit to a longer safari our first time out, and the budget may not permit it.
- We're also definitely not looking for any type of "resort" experience. The pull of Zanzibar is wandering the streets of Stone Town, then relaxing for a few days, maybe snorkeling or just reading a book in a simple place on the Indian ocean.

Cheers,
Tom

If you'd like to stay within Kenya and get a feel similar to Stone Town in Zanzibar then you might want to consider visiting the old Swahili Town in Mombasa but staying possibly in Lamu or Malindi away from the touristy areas around Mombasa. Ask the guide who's organising the safari for you if they have any Malindi/Lamu packages. It might work out more affordable than you planning it separately.
Have a great time!

porinisafaricamps.com

smaller campy eco-friendly esperiences

work well for independent travel.

might check those out...

Porini would be too expensive for the OP.
Lamu or Malindi are as charming, if not more so than Stone Town and way less tourists.
Sticking with one country saves on USD$100 Visa fee for Tanzania along with Yellow Fever inoculation (expensive... besides need for malaria meds) to enter and travel between the two countries.
Kenya Visa is currently USD$25, due to go back to the USD$50 as 1st July.
You can certainly arrange with the tour outfitter for a day of sightseeing around Nairobi. Kennedy mentioned above is a good resource.