Blumie

My 10-year-old daughter and I are booked on a safari next month, for which we have to fly to Kilimanjaro (JRO). I used VS miles to fly to NBO, and now have to figure out how to get from NBO to JRO. We arrive at NBO early in the morning -- around 800a -- and the next flight to JRO is not until 600p Our options are (1) hang around NBO for 10 hours until our flight (and I've read on this board how unpleasant that is), (2) pay our tour operator a several hundred dollar premium (see below) to arrange all transfers, including meeting us at NBO, transfering us to WIL for an afternoon flight to JRO, meeting us at JRO, and transfering us to our lodge in Tanzania, or (3) making our way on our own from NBO to WIL for a flight to JRO.

The tour operator is quoting $800 per person for the above services, or a total of $1,600. This includes the cost of the WIL-JRO and JRO-NBO (for our retrun flight) air tickets, one night in a hotel they're recommending in Nairobi (we have to overnight on the return), and all ground transfers. If I did it on my own, the airline tickets would cost less than $400 per person, round trip. Budgeting around $200 or so for a hotel, that brings the cost to $1,000 total, not including taxis and other ground transfers.

Should I just bite the bullet and pay the tour operator its inflated price, or should I just do this on my own?

roadwarriorafrica

I would book it yourself. There is an excellent, safe and reliable taxi service at Nairobi (JKIA) airport and they have a fixed rate to Wilson. Straight after customs you will see a taxi desk where you pay for a cab. Then you head out, there is a line of yellow taxi's and take the first one. Should cost no more than Kshs 1500.

Which hotel are you looking at booking direct in Nairobi? What have they recommended?

Nairobi is not as bad as people make it sound like.

I would do it yourself.

i'mlovin'it

If you have to kill the day in NBO, try this.

http://www.giraffemanor.com/

TrophyCollector

Although this is Flyertalk and not Drivertalk, why not drive yourself in a rent-a-car to Tanzania and back?

Even with a chauffeur (kind of included in the rental prices), the cost will be less than flying.

Take a nice Landrover, Toyota Prado or at least RAV4 - and you are right inside the beauty of Africa from the moment you exit Nairobi.

aglp2k

How about taking a bus from NBO to JRO? The cost will be around $40 round-trip. It's about a 5 hour trip each way and you will get to see the country side as well.

Here are links to some bus companies. Search google for more.

http://www.riverside-shuttle.com/
http://www.eastafricashuttles.com/shuttle/riverside.htm

Manoa Chris

Looking for advice on traveling from Nairobi to Arusha. My wife and I arrive at NBO in 10 days. Air travel seems excessively expensive between these two relatively nearby cities ($450 USD), so we are considering alternatives:

1. Rental car
2. Bus
3. Something else?

We've driven extensively in Europe, South Africa, and parts of Mexico, but Kenya and Tanzania are a bit more intimidating. Can anyone share recent experience on the road between Nairobi and Arusha?

I am loath to take the bus, but that seems to be the only cost-effective option. Is there anything else in between? Hired car/driver? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!
Chris

Tacazze

Hello Chris,

You have a number of options. You could either use the shuttle bus to arusha, the cost is about 25 USD per person. You could hire a car and drive for approx
200 USD.

I live in Kenya Nairobi, in the event you need further assistance you coiuld get in touch with me.

Thanks

Evans

kevinsac

Wow....welcome to FT Evans -- it's good to have a resident expert on the Board!

Chris, I can't provide better advice than Evans' suggestion for the bus or car/driver. I simply was going to suggest that you not drive on your own.

Manoa Chris

Thanks -- exactly the information I needed!

jbcarioca

I have driven that route myself several times without incident. Otehrs may well be less adventurous than ma I. The route is easy, the scenery is magnificent and going on your own gives much more choice.

Tacazze obviously is better equipped than am I to judge the advisability of doing that now.

Welcome to FlyerTalk Tacazze; we are lucky to have a resident expert on the board. We appreciate your presence here.

Austinrunner

Take the shuttle bus. Just be aware that the road between Nairobi and Arusha is being reconstructed and expanded. There will be long, rough, dusty stretches. I've used the Riverside Shuttle several times during the last year. http://www.riverside-shuttle.com/

stimpy

I've had no problems driving myself in Kenya. There is nothing difficult about it, at least during the daytime.

jbcarioca

I still prefer to drive myself and enjoy the freedom that gives. The roads in that area are always either in construction or other disarray. One should not try to have a rigid timetable, not least because you'll want to stop to enjoy the scenery along the way. Since 1976 I have been driving this route from time to time. The only problems I ever have had have been flat tires, a few of those. Thus I always make certain to carry two spares and the car hire agency has always been happy to oblige.

ramsfan

i took the riverside bus on the Arusha to Nairobi route instead of the flight my safari company recommended. It was fine. they picked me up at my hotel in arusha as promised, the bus trip was about the time expected, i met local people at a one to one level. We had a breakdown just outside Nirobi , but another bus stopped and we transferred. no problems. New bus dropped me at the market instead of at hotel, but arranged a $5 taxi that got me there.

UA Fan

I'm looking for transport from Amboseli to JRO or vice-versa. Has anyone used these services?

https://www.kilimanjaroshuttle.com/book-now/
https://arushatransfers.com/amboseli...njaro-airport/
https://darshuttle.com/kilimanjaro-airport-transfers-to-amboseli/

They are quoting some $120 for a private service and it seems low. Are taxis easily available at JRO and will they go all the way to Amboseli or do they need to transfer to a Kenya vehicle at the border?

Do we need a sticky for Kilimanjaro airport?