NBO
 

Hi,
We are arriving into NBO around 11PM on Mon Aug 28 and departing a week later (mon) at 1230AM. I'm trying to figure out what to do for a week. One option was to fly to Mombasa, spend a few days around there on a beach resort and then do a safari trip and head back to NBO. Any tips, thoughts on possible options on what to do? Any tour companies that anyone can recommend who can be our driver for the time in Kenya?

Visit Karen Blixen's house.

We are going for a week in September. Staying at Giraffe Manor the first two nights, then flying to Masai Mara for a 5 day safari.

Highest recommendation for Micato safaris. http://www.micato.com
I have never experienced the level of professionalism that this company delivered, both in NBO and in the Masai Mara Safari.

We are going on safari in Kenya with Gamewatchers
The can customise for your dates, they are highly recommended and are established in Nairobi https://www.porini.com/kenya/

Mombasa beaches are pretty ordinary, and no true 5 star hotels and resorts. My suggestion would be to avoid the coast, and instead do a safari.

On arrival, you can get a hotel near the airport - Lazizi, Ole Sereni or Eka. Then start a safari the next day, ending the day you need to check in for your flight home. That evening, you can have dinner at Carnivore, and then head to the airport.

With safari's, there are two types:

1. Flying Safari - where you fly from park to park, stay in quality intimate camps, and use the camp vehicles and guides.

2. Driving Safari - you stay with the same driver/guide in a 4wd or safari van and drive from camp/park to camp/park. Kenyan roads are pretty crap, and a 200km journey can take upwards of 5-6 hours.

I would always suggest a flying safari.

Secondly for 6 nights, I would suggest two parks. The Masai Mara is a must (3-4 nights), and then the balance of the nights at either Samburu, Ol Pejeta, Lewa or Meru.

Let us know what your thoughts and budgets are, and then I could make some suggestions.

One day in NBO
 

HI,
Unlike the original poster, a team of 17 will be spending one day together in Nairobi. Looking for alternative options of things we can do. So far we are considering:

Karen Blixen house
or
Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - for the (11:00am) viewing

In addition to finding other cool things to do, are hoping to isolate one or two restaurants that are not European style. As in, something favoring local dishes.

Otherwise, the current favorites for lunch are the Sarova Stanley in town, or the Hotel Ole Sereni out near the park.

Thoughts?

Sheldrick, hands down, no contest.

Then head to Talisman for lunch from there. Zanzibar soup and coriander samosas are great, classics of their menu.

I second Carnivore! I barely ate anything there since I do not eat meat off the bone, BUT they have cats freely roaming around the restaurant. I miss my cats when I travel, so it was nice to have some interactions with friendly kitties. Also, it was a way for me to make the meat on my plate disappear. I think that the cats knew I would be an easy mark because they flocked to me immediately at a table of about 20 of us. :)