Just wanted to thank everyone on this board that have been so helpful in putting our trip together for this December. My son, who is now 17, has been asking to go to Africa since he was 6 and has sadly had to wait for first one sister (now 15) and then another (now 9) to be old enough! Just in time for a high school graduation trip...

Our itinerary is now:

Day 1Arrive NBO - overnight

Day 2 Do the elephant orphanage, giraffe centre, drive to Arusha, overnight Arumera River Lodge

Days 3 / 4 Fly to Serengeti, overnight Serena

Days 4/5 Camp Olakira in Ndutu

Days 5/6 Sopa Ngorongoro

Days 7/8 Ngorongoro Farmhouse

Days 9/10 Treetops Tarangire

Day 11 Back to Nairobi for overnight

Day 12 - back home, will be spending New Year's eve and doing the countdown in Doha Airport in Qatar!

We went back and forth between Kenya and Tanzania, while Tanzania was probably our first choice, Daniel from DK was so helpful he made the decision quite hard!

Well, we will go back in a year or two, in the right months, and do Laikipia, Amboseli and Mara, most likely with Daniel.

Now I can start shopping, packing and counting down!!!

Any further advice, tips on restaurants in Nairobi, activities and things to look out for at the points in our itinerary (room requests at lodges, activities to do on top of drives etc.) will be deeply, deeply appreciated.

Nairobi:
If you are going to be schlepped to Carnivore be prepared it's a touristy experience mainly focusing on to MEAT!

If you want a more autenthic experience try either a good Indian restaurant or if you are more into Mediterranean cuisine book with Mediterraneo at Ngong Rd or Westlands. It's fantastic Italian down to earth but with great fare and wine.

Enjoy your Nairobi stay and you safari!

Happy landings!

SV

Have a look at Percy's recent list of things to do in Nairobi. Robin

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...rip-report.cfm

Agree with SV about Carnivore.

regards - tom

I am not sure, after all that I have read, about Carnivore - I was there 20 years ago and remember it being kind of fun, and certainly different. Probably will do it, though, just so the kids can say they've had crocodile! That's still on offer, isn't it?

Believe croc is still on the menu. Though actual game animals are now limited, Carnivore can be fun, especially for the kids. There is a vegetarian menu (kind of Indian) for those not interested in meat. But the chicken and ribs are good. Do take a table outside in the garden rather indoors where many "groups" eat.

Otherwise, for fish, Tamarind is excellent. And, for Italian, Mediterraneo is wonderful - there are a few of these in town - I like the one out in Karen. Your hotel concierge will have a list of many other choices... and there are many cuisines from which to choose.

We will have two dinners in Nairobi - probably will go for one at Carnivore, and the other either Mediterraneo, I have also read about a very good Japanese restaurant called Furosato, and an Indian one called Haandi (#s 1 and 2 on tripadvisor), anyone been to either?

By the way, we chose to stay at Country Lodge in Nairobi - it had great reviews and is seemingly new, clean and safe, basically all we were asking for for our first and last nights in Nairobi. Anyone out there who have had experiences to the contrary please alert us!

Have a good safari with your family.

Three times there, and I still love the Carnivore, I find it fun! Call me a tourist, what can I say

Croc is still on the menu - the three 'wild' meats they are allowed to serve is croc, ostrich & camel. One of them they do up as meatballs (can't remember which) and they are delicious!

It might be ostrich which I recall once eating as a burger. So meatballs would make sense.

Country Lodge is new addition to the Fairview Hotel, a bit lower in price oft used by business travelers. You can use the facilities and restaurants of the Fairview.

Thanks Sandi - You, LyndaS and others have helped me more than you could imagine.

Now psyching up for the trip, any recommended reading? I've bought the safari guides....