Ghentleman

I can recommend Wildebeest Eco Camp in Nairobi (Karen area, not far from Wilson). We stayed in a luxury tents with own bathroom. I haven't seen the budget accommodation (shared tents/bathrooms). Breakfast very good, lunch options not bad, good evening buffet (need to sign-up in the morning). Large, beautiful garden. They run a safari company as well (Wildebeest travel, focussing on more budget-friendly options). We did two day trips with them: one day Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, Giraffe Center, Karen Blixen Museum. Very good but on hindsight would probably been cheaper is we had just hired a taxi for the day ourselves. For the National Park I would recommend working with an agency that can provide a guide with a good vehicle and knowledge of the park and the animals. Picnic is a nice addition as it gives you some time to stretch your legs.
As this is FT, I would add that the small airplanes coming overhead in the morning are a nice feature (mostly between 7 and 9 am), not a nuisance!
I would be surprised if they wouldn't hold your luggage if you booked a safari with them, but haven't tried myself.

londonfog

My personal recommendations for Safaris out of Nairobi are as follows:

1) If it is your first time in the area you have to see Kilimanjaro. Book a Safari with at least 2 nights at the Amboseli Park. Early in the morning you can see "The Princess without her necklace", i.e. the snowy top of the Kilimanjaro without the clouds.

2) Another must is a night in one of the lakes of the Rift Valley for the flamingos (Nakuru, Naivasha are two that come to my mind). That is another must (in my opinion)

3) Masai Mara is on the most beaten tracks. If you want something different try Mount Kenya or the Lakipia area.

Masai Mara is gorgeous but very popular, sometimes there are more mini-buses doing the rounds than at any time in a Nairobi street junction ( :-) ). Lake Victoria is also interesting.

I grew up in Kenya (a long time ago), last time I visited was in 2008 and the Stanley Hotel stored my luggage between Safari trips (I was booked to go back there), previously the Norfolk stored my luggage for free for four nights without any bookings (I had to take the night train to Mombasa after my trip to Lake Nakuru). Things may have changed now. I suggest you check with the hotel before you book.

Hope this helps

DaveInLA

Thanks for the suggestions! Has anybody ever been on an air Safari?

Ghentleman

Not a proper air safari where you fly from park to park, but flew from the coast to the Mara and back with Mombasa Air Safari. Great experience and given the limited time we had, quite sensible, money-wise.

YVR Cockroach

My wife and I organised wildlife watching excursions ex-NBO a few years ago (when we could get N.Am-HKG_JNB in CX F for 140k AA miles each).

Safari operators and bush airlines were surprised by how light we packed (you don't need that much stuff). Common question was, "where's the rest of your bags?" and looked at us in astounded when we said, "that's all we have".

This was for layovers in HKG each way, connecting onto KQ flights to and from JNB (1 nt layover), 6 nights for the Hilton Salt Lick Lodge award, and going on to Tanzania (by air) to Ngorongoro and Serengeti (3 nts each) and then Zanzibar (2 nts).

roadwarriorafrica

9 days in Kenya.

All hotels usually store your luggage for you at no cost.

You could look at an "air" Flying Safari where you spend 3 nights in the Mara, and then 2 + 2 or 4 nights elsewhere. Places that I like include Laikipia, Samburu, Meru National Park, etc. All these are around the Mt. Kenya region.

Flying safari's can be expensive, so most people opt for a road safari. However with these you can spend between 1/2 to a full day transferring from one park to the other.

On safari, it is best to wear layers of clothing, so as the day warms up, you peel off your layers, and then vice-versa. All camps have laundry service, so you can get same day laundry done.

Have a look at http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum...216-Kenya.html for more advice.

RWA

DaveInLA

When you guys say that hotels offer storage for luggage, you're referring to hotels in Nairobi (or other main airport city)? So you fly in, stay a night, and they'll hold your luggage for 3-7 days while you're on safari so that you can pick it up on the way back?

I haven't planned out the details, but it looks like I'm going to do a 5-6 day road safari. I fly into NBO on 7/24 in the VERY early morning and will probably be jet-lagged. I fly out of CPT on 8/5 in the early evening. I want to spend most of my time in East Africa on safari or similar, and only a few days in Cape Town, where I really have one goal, and that's to see white sharks. I figure I'll rest all of 7/24, and start safari on 7/25 for 5-7 days, returning to Nairobi on 7/29-7/31, and fly to Cape Town on 8/1-8/2 (haven't set up this flight yet). I think 3 days should be enough for white shark cage diving, but I want a few back-up days in case weather isn't great on any particular day, especially since this will be their winter.

JDiver

Trust me, it's more than enough, because that is what you are allowed. Dress in layers, think it out carefully and leave the big bag in left luggage at your hotel.

Much better idea - spend your time in South Africa rather than adding Kenya - this is not enough time to do them both justice. There is plenty to do and see in South Africa. Even Botswana. NB)-CPT is about the same as a US transcon, 2,540 miles (assuming there's a nonstop flight and you don't have to connect at O. Tambo / JNB).

For white sharks, you don't have to go so far afield - check Nautilus Explorer (Canadian boat, lots of safety and attention to detail, and you do not have to be a certified diver as it's with surface supplied air) out to Guadalupe Island, 160 miles out of Ensenada for three glorious days with whites. Did it last October, saved Africa for safaris. See this four minute video by Chris Weech, a fellow diver on that trip, and Mike Mutrie. These guys were close, visibility was fabulous, and there was no need to chum blood and guts - they were curious and they came.

I've spent 57 years diving (wrecks, sharks, 32 countries or so) and can't recommend Nautilus Explorer enough. And for Africa, I'd recommend keeping it to one country with such a short trip.

DaveInLA

I wish I read your post before booking the flights. Unfortunately, United charges $100 change fees at this point for rewards flights. So far, I've booked the flight from LAX to NBO and from CPT to LAX. The part that's flexible is when to fly from East Africa to South Africa.

I understand that 12-13 total days isn't enough to do either location full justice, but it's what I have to work with. July/Aug isn't prime season for South Africa other than shark diving, so I don't think I'd want to spend almost 2 weeks there at that time.

What I'm considering, though, is spending the entire trip in East Africa. I had no idea that there was wihte shark diving so close to home off the coast of CA/Baja! Of course, that would mean $100 cancellation fees for each myself and my wife, but it might be worth it. However, there's no availability I can see for business class flight back to the US-- I can probably handle it, but I don't know if my wife can tolerate such a long flight back in economy, especially since Africa wasn't her first choice for a trip to begin with!

worldtraveller73

The Fairmont Norfolk held my 2 large suitcases between Nov 23 - Nov 26, 2013 at no charge after a 1 night stay.

The claim ticket said that baggage could be stored for 90 days prior to being sold if unclaimed. The baggage was screened prior to storage for security concerns.

I've had this in writing from the hotel that this is no issue.

DaveInLA

I've booked my international flight to and from NBO, but haven't booked the actual excursions yet. I plan on spending 5-7 days on safari but am still undecided on the itinerary. We land in NBO early morning 7/24 and will depart in the afternoon 8/1, giving us a little over a week. I looked over many options and have narrowed it down to a few choices, all highly recommended on Tripadvisor.

The big decision, however, is whether this will be a land safari or a flying safari. The flying safari I'm looking at is 5 days/4 nights and will cost about $500-600 more per person than a land safari lasting 6/5. Of course, the flying safari eliminates about 12-16 hours travel time during the trip, so that might means more time at each site. I tried looking up pros/cons of each online but that hasn't helped me reach a decision. It seems that although time is saved, some of the details of the scenery seen in a van can be missed from the air. On the other hand, I'm sure there are magnificent aerial views that aren't visible from the ground. The question here is if there's anything worth seeing in the 4-6 hour drives from one park to another. I'm referring to the travel time between one destination to the next, not the time in the parks. If not, then maybe flying safari might be the way to go.

The 5 options I'm looking at--

1. Ground safari from Nairobi to Amboseli for 2 nights, then Lake Nakuru for afternoon game drive and 1 night, then to Masai Mara for 2 nights before heading back to Nairobi. 3 parks, 6 days/5 nights

2. Ground safari 6 days/5 nights for 4 parks; Masai Mara, Nakuru, Amboseli, then Tsavo East before returning to Nairobi. This one hits a lot of sites but I feel might be too much driving time. 1 full day (2 nights) in Masai Mara, 1 night only in other parks.

3. Ground safari 6 days/5 nights for 4 parks; Aberdares, Samburu, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara. Again, 2 nights in Mara, 1 night in other parks. Same number of parks, but I think a little less driving.

4. Ground safari 6 days/5 nights for 3 parks; Amboseli, Nakuru, Masai Mara. 2 nights (full day) in Amboseli and Mara.

5. Flying safari to Amboseli and Masai Mara. Only 2 parks, 5 days/4 nights. 2 nights in each of those parks, thus giving a full day in each one. This option is more expensive than the others for fewer parks and 1 fewer night overall, but it has full days at each of these 2 parks.

Please share your thoughts. Cost aside, which would you choose?

Redhead

Just to keep in mind, that you are really only out on game drives about 2x a day: sunrise and sunset. So, what would you be doing during the time that you aren't flying and aren't on game drives. Depends on what is available at your lodges.

I did a driving one (and I tend to get really motion sick) but I did great and loved it

jannis

I like No. 3 and 4 most. Nice mixture of very different parks, not so much driving and not too many for a week.
Long transfers driving between parks can really be painful on some roads e.g. to the Mara.
Flying into the parks is very cool, but you may consider spending the extra money on better Safari Vehicles, because that is where you'll spend a lot of time, even if you fly into the parks.

DaveInLA

Good point. I did look at the lodging, but maybe not as much as I should. I think the flying safari has slightly better lodging than the land safaris do.

Spent_All_My_Miles

I think you should maximize time at Masai Mari.
The elephants in Amboseli, and the flamingos in Lake Nakuru, are great, but those parks are best for one species. I don't know how much variation there is in animal behavior, but I did one drive in each and they were great.

Masai Mara, by contrast, has so many different types of animals, and the types of things you are trying to see are hard to predict. I had 6 daytime and 1 nighttime drive in Masai Mara. I saw different things on each, and the final drive had, in less than an hour, three unique things that did not happen during the three prior days.

Another thought would be to squeeze in a short stop at Mount Kenya.