Versus
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,520
Re: Versus
Yes. Go to Tanzania - more expensive, more animals and less people.
In all cases, don't stay looking at animals for too long. I got bored quite quickly.
If Kenya and you spend time in Nairobi let me know and I'll point you to some decent places. Mombasa (I'm told as not been) is a bit of a dump and full of sex-pests.
In all cases, don't stay looking at animals for too long. I got bored quite quickly.
If Kenya and you spend time in Nairobi let me know and I'll point you to some decent places. Mombasa (I'm told as not been) is a bit of a dump and full of sex-pests.
The parks themselves do not allow off-road driving, but Kenya also has the private conservancies surrounding the main parks (tens of thousands of acres in size) where off-roading is accepted and that offers a different drive experience than sticking to the main park roads). Some of the conservancies have their resident lion prides, which makes it more likely to see groups of lions, whereas at the parks it's more of a hit or miss as lions are mainly nocturnal. The conservancies are also private so you will only see the other guests at your lodge/camp when you do the drives.
I still vote for Kenya for the first time because you can split your time between Amboseli and Masa, which are two quite different ecosystems. And it's a bit easier from a logistics perspective. And spending a day in Nairobi at the onset of the trip offers some distractions (Elephant Manor, Karen Blixen museum, the bead factory), if animals aren't your thing or you only have a low tolerance for looking at so many giraffes and elephants.
Scamp - it's a bit tricky doing safaris that combine Kenya and Tanzania these days. If you're keen at finishing a safari with a few days in Zanzibar then it makes sense to be based in Tanzania the entire time. I remember you mentioning you weren't keen on beaches so what about Zambia as an alternative? South Luangwa easily rivals Masa/Serengeti (potentially even better with bigger leopard populations and plenty of lions and a much better chance of seeing the ever so elusive African wild dogs). Then wrap it up with a few days at Victoria Falls.
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 547
Re: Versus
We stayed in this place a couple of years ago:
https://www.asiliaafrica.com/east-af...ncy/ol-pejeta/
It's a small privately run camp, in a private reserve. The owner is a 3rd generation Kenyan of British extraction. It was extremely good value compared to many of the other places we looked at, and could not have been a friendlier place to stay - he treats you as an honoured guest (more like an old friend than a guest), price includes all the food and drink you could want (really, really good food), the staff are the friendliest people you can imagine. They'll take you out as often as you like. We saw lion, elephant, buffalo and others without even leaving our tent (there is an electric fence around the outside!), and much more on the drives. As Ol Pejeta Conservancy is privately run, and is not one of the bigger tourist destinations, it is not at all crowded - we rarely saw other people. He'll arrange collection and return to the airport if you want that, and if you want to do a multi-park holiday he'll advise you on other good places also (for a while we thought about doing that, and he made several introductions to other, hard to find, small private lodges). Can't recommend it highly enough - one of the best holidays I have ever had.
This is the conservancy website: https://www.olpejetaconservancy.org/
https://www.asiliaafrica.com/east-af...ncy/ol-pejeta/
It's a small privately run camp, in a private reserve. The owner is a 3rd generation Kenyan of British extraction. It was extremely good value compared to many of the other places we looked at, and could not have been a friendlier place to stay - he treats you as an honoured guest (more like an old friend than a guest), price includes all the food and drink you could want (really, really good food), the staff are the friendliest people you can imagine. They'll take you out as often as you like. We saw lion, elephant, buffalo and others without even leaving our tent (there is an electric fence around the outside!), and much more on the drives. As Ol Pejeta Conservancy is privately run, and is not one of the bigger tourist destinations, it is not at all crowded - we rarely saw other people. He'll arrange collection and return to the airport if you want that, and if you want to do a multi-park holiday he'll advise you on other good places also (for a while we thought about doing that, and he made several introductions to other, hard to find, small private lodges). Can't recommend it highly enough - one of the best holidays I have ever had.
This is the conservancy website: https://www.olpejetaconservancy.org/
Last edited by archie159; Apr 9th 2018 at 2:11 pm.
#23
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
Re: Versus
Safari chat! Awesome! So want to do this next year after a jaunt up Kilimanjaro.
Top info DtoD
Top info DtoD
#24
peterparker
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 196
Re: Versus
Serengeti is much bigger than Masai Mara and has the Ngorongoro Crater.
Wildlife is otherwise the same. And Masai is still huge enough. Push come to shove, I'd go with Serengeti because of the Ngorongoro (note that the two parks are two parts of the same huge ecosystem, if you go to Masai you will likely drive slightly into the Serengeti as there's no hard border between the two parks).
But this is strictly between the two parks. For the larger holiday Kenya may be easier and slightly cheaper. If I had to chose between a holiday split between Masai Mara and Amboseli in Kenya versus Serengeti and Ruaha in Tanzania, I'd pick Kenya over Tanzania. The logistics of travelling around Kenya is a bit easier and budget friendly while Tanzania is ever so slightly more "bush" but not so much that the first time visitor would notice
I'm off to Zambia in June myself. 12 days in the bush at South Luangwa then Victoria Falls. Can't wait!
BTW, when are you going?
Wildlife is otherwise the same. And Masai is still huge enough. Push come to shove, I'd go with Serengeti because of the Ngorongoro (note that the two parks are two parts of the same huge ecosystem, if you go to Masai you will likely drive slightly into the Serengeti as there's no hard border between the two parks).
But this is strictly between the two parks. For the larger holiday Kenya may be easier and slightly cheaper. If I had to chose between a holiday split between Masai Mara and Amboseli in Kenya versus Serengeti and Ruaha in Tanzania, I'd pick Kenya over Tanzania. The logistics of travelling around Kenya is a bit easier and budget friendly while Tanzania is ever so slightly more "bush" but not so much that the first time visitor would notice
I'm off to Zambia in June myself. 12 days in the bush at South Luangwa then Victoria Falls. Can't wait!
BTW, when are you going?
#26
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
#28
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,520
Re: Versus
Namibia is visually stunning in a way the traditional safari countries aren't. The landscape is much more desert with a deep red coloured sand in parts. As a drier nation you won't see the animals in the volumes you find in the big parks in Kenya/Tanzania/Zambia/Botswana and South Africa and birdwatching isn't anywhere as good.
I would not say no to a Namibia safari and it may actually be ideal for someone who isn't keen on solely animals but wants to mix it up with a geographically distinct place. It's currently a "hot" place to go to. But I'd pay careful attention to what wildlife and in what volume and decide how important it is to you.
I would not say no to a Namibia safari and it may actually be ideal for someone who isn't keen on solely animals but wants to mix it up with a geographically distinct place. It's currently a "hot" place to go to. But I'd pay careful attention to what wildlife and in what volume and decide how important it is to you.
#30
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112