Hello,
My girlfriend & I are off to Kenya within a month and would like some advice as to where to stay initially in Nairobi then where to go along the coast for some diving (away from the big hotels ala Sharm El Sheik but more Dahab of Egypt) Watamu had been suggested.

We are going to visit the elephant orphanage and a 2/3 day safari which hopefully won't cost us literally an arm or a leg, any suggestions?. Are there also little gems in Kenya which are worth visiting during our limited visit?

Your suggestions will be most valued.

Rhubarb

any suggestions? cheers.

Hi,we've been going to Watamu for many years and will be based there for 6 months commencing on April 1,there is a lot to do,we shall probably do a diving course this year ,they say the diving is excellent ,although i prefer the game fishing which is second to none.u are also 4 hrs from Tsavo,Shimba Hills are closer,birdwatching is v good,ruins at Gede,chk out the website of www.turtltebay.co.ke , they have a good site and u can see whats on offer although there is more tha that,mail me if u like @ agy.hill@skynet.be or u can also contact www.steenboksafaris.com,ask George for a deal on what u want and he will better any offer u had,just mention u know me,Richard (Agy) Argiriou and good luck.

thanks richard,

a colleague of mine went there very recently and said it was pretty good.

will need to sort out the wildlife stuff before getting to the beach and the scuba diving. any suggestions as to places to stay in nairobi?

thanks.

Hello Jan,

Many thanks for your reccommendation. I have popped an email to the safari company to see what they can offer. Another one I had tips from were GameTracker. Looking forward to going though it will be in the wet season - oh well, just need to take large binoculars and plenty of mosquito repellent.

In Naribo, can you suggest anywhere to stay? I have also been using another travel forum which I am sure you can guess and there were suggestions of staying in Westlands area rather than central Nariobi itself.

Did you get a chance to visit the coast? I have an adversity to deck chairs and aqua bananas so like to steer clear of large 'bulit' resorts (eg. no to Sharm El Sheik & yes to Dahab in Egypt)but with scuba diving companies preferably. Watamu had been suggested to me.

Anyway, I'm very envious of your job. All the best and thanks once more.

Rhubarb

Thanks Jan, still considering hiring a car but this doesn't look too bad.



From Rahelian Africa:

Thank you very much for your email and enquiry about our services. We are glad that you have Mr. Jan Tulane's recomendation of us after we hosted his family of 6 in a 10 Day Kenya and Tanzania safari last year. We have a policy of offering a special discount to every recommendation that we have from a past client and this means you qualify under this arrangement if you book with us.

Please below find the respective rates (per person sharing based on two people) as per your query:

RA58: 3 days Masai Mara: Lodge Safari - USD 500 / Camping Safari - USD 300
RA59: 4 days Masai Mara/Nakuru - Lodge Safari USD 750 / Camping Safari - USD 400
RA61: 5 days Tree Hotel/Nakuru/Masai Mara - USD 1200 / Camping Safari - USD 500

The above price includes:1. All game park entrance fees
2. Transport based on a tour minibus in the game parks, including fuel for 2minimum persons
3. Services of a qualified tour driver/guide (and safari cook for camping option).
4. Hotel accommodation (or accommodation in spacious tents for camping option).
5. Three meals a day throughout the safari.
6. All vehicle park entrance fees
7. Drivers allowanceFor your Mombasa accommodation we can arrange for you 5-star services at the rate of USD 90 per person per night.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further queries that you may have. In the meantime, please let us know how many people are coming on your party and the prospective dates so we can go ahead immediately with your reservations once you confirm after which we shall advise you of our bank details for a wire transfer.

We sincerely and greatly appreciate you.

Best regards,

Sam.

--
Sam Aola Ooko
Managing Director
Rahelian Africa Limited
POB 62469, 00200
NAIROBI, Kenya

Cell: 254 720 467102
www.rahelianafrica.com

Am surprised you got these rates from Sam. Not very bad, eh? Yes, I do agree. His response was very inviting. Are you going for the 5 day options or still keen on 17 days?

If you are traveling more than two of you for more than two weeks, ask if they can give you something off the quoted prices...

Mombassa, am told, is cool but sunny and humid now. You gotta see Fort Jesus built in 1593 by the Portuguese and have a boat ride with a special dinner aboard the Tamarind Dhow. My wife and I enjoyed every bit of it!

Sam remembers you and your family well despite the fact I only mentioned Jan as your name.

We are looking to go on Safari for 3 to 5 days and are also considered hiring a 4x4 from a company (Tough Tracks)where you can get vehicles with tents on the roof! That could be fun/scarey but it does allows more freedom to see whta you want (on the tracks) and ditch early if need be.

The rough plan so far is to arrive in Nairobi and hang around for a few days seeing all the local attractions and sorting out the Safari. 4 days in the bush, then a week on the coast before back to Nairobi for shopping (girlfriend's insistence!)
Will check out Mombasa but will most likely head to Watamu/Malindi.

Still deciding where to stay in Nairobi. Where do you reccommend;in the centre, slightly out or in a suburb eg Westlands?

Thanks again,

Rhubarb

rhubarb. We travelled in Kenya a few years ago and instead of an organised safari we decided to rent a self-drive. I have great memories of that holiday. It gave us the freedom to stop where we wanted and visit some wonderful places, first from Nairobi up the rift valley to Lake Naivasha (nice B&Bs around the lake) and then to see the amazing flamingos on Lake Nakuru. Then later drove down to the Masai Mara.
I felt it was a really good decision and not too expensive (can't remember the cost but we negotiated a good deal at the Avis office in Nairobi).
I'll try to dig out some contacts for you.
Sorry can't personally help on a Dahab-like coast spot but I know exactly what you mean!

ps: I have to wonder if Jan Tulane might be related to Mr Ooko at Rahelian Africa... hmm ;-)

Thanks Patcha,

We are covering all options and have been in contact with a company to hire 4x4 as well as companies who offer no brainer trips. I think we would prefer to go on a self drive but not sure about how dodgy the police are as well as where to find the creatures as we are there at the beginning of April at the beginning of the wet season! I find it is generally easier to sort out when there in person but many thanks for sharing your advice and experience and it certainly is swaying me more towards a self drive. Did you have any trouble finding camping pitches?

Re beach, we will head to Malindi/Watamu and dive the Marine Parks there as there may be whale sharks and manta rays lurking there!

thanks once more, rhubarb

Hello Patcha,

Can you remember roughly how much vehicle and individual fees were for the national parks? We are thinking of heading to the Masai Mara reserve and up to Nakuru, similar to what you did.

Thanks once more,

Rhubarb

Unfortunately I really can't remember the entry fee for the Masai Mara, sorry. I'm sure it's possible to find out on the web. We stayed one night in a lodge. If like us, you're not spending much time there it can help to get one of the rangers to come with you in the early morning if you want to quickly find the best areas for different animals. Just ask at the entry point to the reserve. Make sure you allow plenty of time to drive to the Mara, i.e. arrive before nightfall.

All the best

Thanks once more.

The fee is currently $30 per person/day but I cannot find a fee for a car as yet. Like the idea of going around by ourselves but will no doubt see nothing but grass and trees!

Cheers,

Rhubarb

Rhubarb,

Might be better to hire a guide rather than going solo or as you say,you might only see trees :(!!

Its a good ten years since I was out in that neck of the woods but the guides/trackers are good - they seem to know exactly where all the game are at any given time of the day.

DaveG

Thanks Dave,

Found out vehicle fee is 500KSH (£4!).

We are going early April and being the start of the wet season and if the rains do come, I'm sure the critters will all bog off all over the place (was in Royal Badia in Nepal in the wet season again, walked around for 8 hours and saw not too much despite it being swamped with elephants, rhinos and tigers!)

Currently doing the sums and for the cost of 4 days hire, fees etc, it works out roughly the same as a trip with a tour.

Hmmm, decisions.

Cheers

Rhubarb

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