shothyme77

Our travel agent is suggested finch hatton's as an amazing experience, but given our limited timing we can't do both finch hatton's an Amboseli. My one concern about Tsavo is that we won't see Kilamanjaro. We'll be there the end of December 07 so I would love your thoughts. Thanks so much!

Patty

I enjoyed Tsavo West more than Amboseli and Finch Hattons is one of my favorite camps. However, I don't recall seeing Kili from here. On the other hand, we weren't really looking either since we went to Amboseli on the same trip. We did see Kili from Amboseli but there's no guarantee there either if the clouds don't cooperate.

What's the rest of your itinerary like?

shothyme77

thanks for your feedback...our itinerary is as follows:
12/29: nairobi
12/30:to finch hattons or amboseli
12/31: finch hattons or amboseli
1/1: to bouganvillea - crater
1/2: crater - sopa
1/3: serengeti serena
1/4: serengeti serena
1/5: serengeti serena
1/6: kichwa tembo - mara
1/7: kichwa tembo - mara
1/8:kichwa tembo - mara
1/9:nairobi

woul love any thoughts you have given this short trip and time of year! thanks.

Patty

I think I found it, is this it?

29 Dec overnight Nairobi

30 Dec drive or fly to Amboseli or Tsavo for 2 nights
31 Dec Amboseli or Tsavo

01 Jan drive to Crater for 2 nights

02 Jan Crater

03 Jan drive via Olduvai Gorge to Serengeti for 3 nights

04 Jan Serengeti

05 Jan Serengeti

06 Jan Drive Serengeti to Masai Mara for 3 nights

07 Jan Masai Mara

08 Jan Masai Mara

09 Jan fly Mara to Nairobi to depart late in the evening

How will you be transferring from Tsavo (or Amboseli) to the crater?

Patty

Our posts crossed. Same question applies about transfer to crater. I can't imagine actually driving from Tsavo.

Also I think you may want some time in the southern Serengeti in Jan. Are you still driving from the Serengeti to the Mara? If so, I'd keep 1 night in the Seronera area to shorten the drive to the Mara, but understand that it will still be very, very long like 10 hours.

aby

shothyme77

I like your itinerary.
is it a flying safari ?

since this is a wildlife oriented tour, my view has always been to prefer Samburu - special & rare fauna
you cannot see in all the other parks you visit...

Kilimanjaro: you may be lucky to see it on the way to Tsavo or back
but since sunrise and sunset are the more likely times to see it - and if it is a must - then Amboseli is the choice

have a ggreat time

aby

sandi

We were able to see Kili from Finch Hatton's, both when flying in from Shompole and from the ground once in Tsavo.

Finch Hatton's is a lovely camp. Tsavo is a very diverse environment (Mzima Springs, the lava fields, game) vs Amboseli which is mostly flat and open. However, if seeking an elephant experience (which Tsavo has, but more dispersed), I believe Amboseli would be a better option.

And since you're not visiting Samburu up north or Tarangire in Tanzania, I'd consider Amboseli. With limited properties in Amboseli especially over the holiday period, you may want to inquire about Porini Camp which is located right outside of Amboseli on their own private (Selekany) conservation land; they do game drives both on the conservation (night drives) and inside Amboseli.

shothyme77

I think it's flying. I'll confirm when I get all specifics today.

I must say I am torn and sitting here contemplating what to do. We only have 10 days and are trying to create the best itinerary possible and not "miss anything"...

Should Kili be a must? I think it kind of is.

MY TA is convinced that Finch Hatton's is s a special place with the hippo pools, etc. But, I do want elephants too...Do you think I would get the elephant experience somewhere else on my itinerary?

divewop

shothyme-
You should see lots and lots of eles in the Mara. My favorite place for seeing eles in Kenya.

sandi

Views of Kili are a bonus as this can't be guaranteed... those darn clouds. As you'll find large herds of ellees at Amboseli or Samburu, there will also be ellees in the Mara and Serengeti, if not in the same numbers. But I can assure you, you'll be able to tick this animals off in various places on the itinerary.

Yes, Finch Hatton's is lovely and will offer a different experience, beside, their chef is outstand, the dining room is lovely... we had some of our best meals here.

Patty

We saw some eles in Tsavo West but not the herds like in Amboseli. You'll see eles in the Mara. Spending your down time with the hippos at Finch Hattons is a really unique experience that you won't find at your other locations.

aby

<i> &quot;Mara. My favorite place for seeing eles in Kenya. &quot;</i>
Divewop - Mara is not really the best place to see elephants in Kenya. in fact it is even possible to miss them there...
I agree with sandi <i> &quot;As you'll find large herds of ellees at Amboseli or Samburu, there will also be ellees in the Mara and Serengeti, if not in the same numbers.&quot; </i>
Amboseli &amp; Samburu r good sites for elees (&amp; for close observations too). In Tsavo East you may find large herds (sometimes in Tsavo west too).
Night viewing lodges are really an experience for elephant lovers (in case they show up; on most nights they do): Ark, Mt.Lodge, TreeTops, also Voi safari lodge (East), Kilaguni &amp; Salt Lick in Taita hills bordering Tsavo; Though the first three provide a very close observation especially from the hide/bunker.
<b> of course, this is all atatistically &quot;chances&quot;. we know that on any one safari not all statistical laws are valid...</b>

aby

PS
whatever you decide to do, it is no &quot;miss&quot;

On the other hand if one does a 20 or 30 day safari she/he still feels a &quot;cruel&quot; choice must be made between 'worthy' spots

divewop

aby-
I am speaking from my own personal experience. That's why I prefaced it with saying &quot;My favorite place for seeing eles in Kenya.&quot;

I have been to the Mara several times and have seen herds upon herds of elephants, never to be disappointed. From young calves to old bulls.

And they are, many times, right outside of the camps and sometimes even in the camps where I've stayed.

I don't know too many people who haven't seen eles in the Mara. I'm betting it's a very low percentage for those who haven't.

So maybe you're speaking from your own personal experience?

sunshine007

I'm a little slow. What does Divewop mean or how did you come up with the name? And how do you pronounce it? I think it's Dive Wop, but my delicate American politically correct sensibilities refuse to accept that someone would use a name which also is a slur toward Italian-Americans. (Some percentage of that comment is a joke, but I cannot tell you how big a percentage)

divewop

Sunshine-
Since I am of Sicilian heritage (2nd generation) on both sides, and also a scuba diver, you are correct in your pronunciation of dive-wop.

I'm very proud to be of Sicilian heritage and never looked at it as a slur but I'm not one to worry about being politically correct either.

I was given that name many years ago by some fellow divers and it stuck. I didn't see anything wrong with it so I thought what the heck. It's cute and I like it. ;-)

carolines

Hi Shothyme77, we went through the same quandary for our safari this past February - Amboseli or Finch-hatton's? Seeing Kilimanjaro was very important to me - part of that archetypal African landscape that I've dreamed of since childhood - and an up-close ellie experience was a must, so we chose Amboseli. We were lucky , &quot;Kili&quot; loomed large over us both days, all day. We stayed at Tortilis, which was just fabulous, in tent #9 as recommended by sandi, for its own personal view of Kili. I highly recommend this camp as the guides are terrific, the vehicles completely open and having a private concession means off road driving. Even if Kili hadn't shown up for us, our experience at Amboseli was still a dream come true. The elephant experience was phenomenal. One evening we were completely surrounded by over 100 &quot;ellies&quot; near sunset. Our guide was expert at manoeuvering so that we managed multiple postcard shots of ellies in front of Kili. We had numerous elephants walk right up to our vehicle. The landscape was still wet from the rains and the scenery was jewel coloured, absolutely beautiful. I don't know what it would be like in December but the landscape at Amboseli was certainly a delightful contrast to that of the Mara and Serengeti. We are already planning our next safari and guess what - it's back to &quot;Amboseli or Finch-hatton's ?&quot; again!!

sunshine007

I've got it now, Divewop. I went to school in Eugene Oregon where they nicknamed me Pohlperson b/c my last name (Pohlman) was sexist. Their children also played Native Americans and Bovine People. Sunshine

shothyme77

thanks everyone for all your feedback. in all truth, I am just torn. I am debating if I should cut down the nights at each place and do more hopping, but that was the original itinerary and the TA thought if we move around so much, we'd have less time to enjoy. I agree with that point, but can't decide if lots of elephants with the famed kili in the background is more important than the unique hippo experiences and mzima springs, etc of tsavo.

So torn! If I could &quot;guarantee&quot; (and I know there are none) that I would see kili from my tsavo trip, I would pick tsavo.

oh goodness! decisions decisions!

shothyme77

For those of you who have been to finch hattons, how was your animal viewing?

Patty

You've probably already seen this, but in case you haven't http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=...0&amp;y=ya8mkx

I thought we saw a good variety of species though none in large numbers. At camp, we saw hippos, crocs, turtles, vervet monkeys, bushbabies and impala.