GoCathy

Thanks to all who made suggestions for our Kenya safari. We booked our trip and now my husband realizes he got our return day wrong and we have one extra day. That's great, but we need to figure out what to do with it!

Here's our itinerary so far:

2 nights - 1 day - in Nairobi. We'll go to Sheldrick's, see the giraffes, etc. and have dinner with friends.

1 night Sweetwaters (our tour operator said he thought one night was plenty at Sweetwaters)

2 nights Samburu

Fly to Mara:
2 nights Serena
2 nights Mara Intrepids

Fly to Mombassa:
3 nights Mombassa Serena (is this place okay?) I know you guys think we shouldn't go to the beach but my kids have been on safari before and I know they will need a break from game drives.

Fly to Nairobi to catch our flight.

With one extra day, what would you do?
Stay an extra night at Sweetwaters?
Go somewhere else on the way to Samburu and make it 2 nights?
Is there anywhere to drive (not too far) from Mombassa so we could just spend two nights at the beach and 2 nights somewhere else, or will "somewhere else" be a let down after the Mara?
We could go back to Nairobi the day before our evening flight but it seems like a waste.

None of our reservations are dipped in stone yet, so we can change things around a bit.
Any thoughts welcome, and thanks everybody for all your help in planning our safari.

Our tour operator has clearly been steering us to Serena properties, but then again we cannot afford the luxe camps, though we did splurge on the Mara Intrepids. Also, it appears the tour operators get better rates at the Serenas than you get booking yourself (I tried that).

Treepol

GoCathy,

how about a visit to the Aberdares NP which is a forest habitat, then a trip to Solio Rhino Sanctuary or maybe lunch at the Mount Kenya Safari Club and a visit to the Club's animal orphanage. Sandai has received excellent reviews from some Fodorites and is a place I am keen to stay, http://www.africanfootprints.de/eabenteuer.html and is well located for all of these attractions.

Cheers,



Pol

sandi

Many people spend only 1/nt at Sweetwater's as it's an ideal stop going north or south on a driving safari. That said, however, many who have stayed feel that 2/nts is worthy. Besides the usual game drives, they offer night drives, and you can arrange "lion tracking" (if no age limits for the kids), there's the chimp sanctuary.

Otherwise, on the way north instead of Sweetwater's being the first stop, consider the Aberdares with overnight at The Ark where you can view game that come to the waterhole at night. The kids might find it fun to stay up in their PJs wrapped in blankets waiting for the bell to ring advising that game has arrived. If not The Ark, there is the Serena Mountain Lodge, not far from Sweetwater's and also offers the night game viewing, but instead from your room's balcony.

The Serena properties are fine and using mainly these, yes there is a cost advantage. With your budget constraints, a good deal. And, then once at Intrepid's, the camp will be a nice change.

GoCathy

Thanks. I will check out the Serena Mountain Lodge or possibly staying at Sweetwaters 2 nights.
My "kids" are not that young - youngest is 11 - then a teen then a college student. They are overly well travelled. Last summer was Peru and the Galapagos but that was a bargain compared to Kenya!

They loved Wilderness Trails and Little Governor's last trip to Kenya but can't afford that this time. Is there anything near Sweetwaters that is not that much more expensive but might be more interesting for 2 nights? So many of the places around there are so expensive but then I only see the rack rates.

I also wondered if we should break up the beach with Shimba Hills, or if that would be a let down after the Masai Mara.

Our friends in Nairobi (actually we don't know them that well) are horrified we are going to Mombassa instead of Malindi. The several tour operators we contacted all suggested Mombassa. I am not familiar with either place.

sandi

Shimba Hills will be a disappointment after the Mara.

Going to Malindi which is way north of Mombasa will only cost more to get there. Mombasa is fine and if you prefer to pass on the beach during your stay, there's sightseeing in/around. Hotel tour desk will have info.

"kids" - believe me, there were plenty of older "kids" (though not us), out there in their PJs waiting for the animals.

GoCathy

Thanks Sandi! I will check out the Ark and Serena Mountain House and Sweetwaters and put the extra night into one of those.

DanaPhx

Do a Google search for Mwaluganje Elephant sanctuary - it's 45 kilometers from Mombassa and looks interesting. Personally I would rather spend a couple of days at Sweetwaters - they have lovely grounds and you can do gamedrives or just take it easy. I myself was disappointed in the Ark and Mountain Lodge - saw at few animals at the night viewing waterhole, but not worth it to me.

atravelynn

"Also, it appears the tour operators get better rates at the Serenas than you get booking yourself (I tried that)." I've heard that before and when I checked, it appeared to be true as well.

If anyone in your party has an interest in Jane Goodall, the SW chimp sanctuary might be good. It's the only place in Kenya to see chimps, though they are not wild but hopefully will someday be returned to the wild. Though I've never been to SW, it just seems like there's lots of possibilities from rhino viewing to villages to walking to chimps, to regular game drives. It also gives you a couple shots at night drives for about an addtional $100/per person. I think Mara Serena does night drives too. If you stay 2 nights, it may be more likely that you can request and receive a tent with a view of the waterhole at night.

I was recently told that the best waterhole for wildlife activity is now Mountain Serena Lodge, rather than The Ark. But The Ark is an experience. A little too festive for some, but well placed early on in an itinerary.

Here is something you might consider enroute to The Ark. I think I am going to do it. It is not very common so your agent will have to ask KWS about it and use them to get the armed guide to accompany you.

"Kenya Wildlife Service says there's a hike in the moorlands and visits to the various waterfalls where the day is spent on an exclusive guided walk along the Kiandongoro Nature Trail as well as visiting the various waterfalls, the tallest and most impressive being Karuru and Gura that fall almost 300m. This will also included game viewing at the Salient where you are likely to spot elephants and rhinos, warthog, bush pig and giant forest hog, waterbuck, duiker, suni, dikdik, bongo and reedbuck. In the canopy the black and white Colobus monkey perform their aerial acrobatics and Sykes' monkey and the black-faced vervet. I am afraid the soils are red and of volcanic origin and the topography is diverse with deep ravines that cut through the forested eastern and western slopes and with many clear streams hence you will require a 4x4 Land Cruiser/rover to access this part of the park. You will also require an armed ranger to guide you through meaning there will be additional costs to be incurred."

The additional cost was not much, but I don't have the exact amount.

Do you have the drive times for your current trip? Ask for the drive times if you add another stop to see if that breaks up the driving to your liking.