Folks-

I'm going to Kenya next year, and am looking for suggestions on what to do and where to go.

We're going for about three weeks. Part of that time will be visiting a family friend in Nairobi. The rest... well, that's what I need help with!

Key questions:
- when do we go? I've heard July is the best month.
- where do we go? Do we stay in Kenya or go to neighboring countries? There seems to be a lot of talk about Tanzania in the FlyerTalk archives.
- who do we book with for safaris, etc?
- how do we get there without breaking the bank? Current fares are running $2300 from SFO
- where do we stay in nairobi? Our friend's place probably isn't big enough.
- do safaris really cost $500/day? SanDiego1K said so in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=386947
- if we're going all that way, is there anywhere we need to visit on the way over or the way back? Like Cairo or Dubai?

Any kind of free-form thoughts, advice, etc. would be most helpful and welcome.

David

I was in Nairobi on business in September. Stayed at Hilton downtown, which is a bargain on points. I broke up the flight from ORD with an airport layover in FRA and 2 nights in Dubai on the way (got in late one night and did sightseeing the next day), then had a layover in Dubai and 2 nights in Frankfurt on the way back. Was impressed with Dubai; definitely worth a side trip. Also enjoyed walking around the old city in Frankfurt.

I've had the Nairobi Intercontinental for as little as US $90 per night (and got a junior suite upgrade because of my status with them).

If you're not a points junkie, the Norfolk is nice.

Avoid the Holiday Inn. It sits between the Parklands and Westlands suburbs so there's not much going on, and the rooms are small and expensive.

Regards
I

Cutest I ever saw...

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/kenya/

I would suggest posting your questions on the Fodors.com Africa talk board. There's a very active group of users there with some expert advice on African safaris. They were enormously helpful in planning my safari.

For Kenya, I would think that end of July-August is the best time as the Wildebeest Migration is in the Mara at that time. I can't help you much with an itinerary as I've planned and booked for Tanzania, so my research is concentrated there. I would say that it's getting very late in the season and that much of Tanzania is fully booked by now for next summer.

As for safari costs, I'm paying $2825 per person for a 4-person, 10 day safari along the Tanzanian northern safari circuit. This is a private, customized safari for my family with our own driver/guide and vehicle. This includes everything (accomodations, driver/guide, vehicle, meals, internal air transfer, park fees, etc...) except incidentals like souvenirs, insurance, laundry, etc... The price goes up/down dependent upon the size of your party. We're staying at a mix of accommodations - including high-end, luxury tented lodges, Hemmingway-style camping, and simple hotel-like lodges.

Airfare to Nairobi shouldn't be too much. I'm also flying from SFO, but going to JRO. What my family is doing is using award flights to get us to London from SFO, and then purchasing a LHR-JRO RT ticket for about $1000. We'll put in a couple of days in London to break up the trip a bit. AMS also makes a good stopping point.

I was there in Dec and the weather was just nice. I stayed at Terminal Hotel. I paid $20 for a triple room, it was the only room they have left.

It depends on how much time you have on your trip. I went to Uganda, Rwanda and DRC in that trip too.

I have one friend who flew with Ethiopian Airlines from Washington to Nairobi, Kilimanjaro - Washington. He paid $800.

It often helps to book to London and onward from London separately. US-UK competition keeps fares to London within reason. You lose a bit of protection in case your first leg is late, but the small risk can be worth it.

Thanks to ET serving the US, the better advise is to actually buy a through ticket, be it on ET or a competitor. This way, the hassle of dealing with two separate tickets and the slight chance of missing a connection and facing the consequences can be avoided. Fares to East Africa are the lowest I have seen in years.

I was in Kenya quite a few years ago, so my situation may be different from the current. But here goes . . .

Safari's run the gamut from basic (tents and barbecue cooking, usually at a camp with communal men/women's bathrooms with hot showers) to extravagant (see above). Your best option is to get there and check which tour operators (there are a gajillion in Nairobi) offer what you want. I was there for studies, but squeezed in 2 safaris of 3-4 days. The first one was a splurge (for a student): at the Masaai Mara, the camp had 'tent's with beds and attached private baths, swimming pool, and gourmet food. The second was more budget: at Amboseli, with puptents, open grilled food and the communal baths. Both were fun -- obviously the first was easier on the back but not on the wallet. Sorry, I do not recall the prices, but they are sure to be much different by now.

As far as where to go -- if you stay in Kenya, Masaai Mara is still the best to view animals; Amboseli and Tsavo have been decimated, so I hear. Mt Kenya and "Treetops" hotel is interesting, different, but not sure of the animal-seeing factor. My impression, though, is that Tanzania has done a better job of preservation, and most animals have migrated (and survived) south of the border.

Besides Nairobi, I would definitely head for the coas for at least a few days. The coast has a definite Arabian flavor and was settled much before the Brits inland. Mombassa is a big city but has interesting Portuguese and Arabian sites. I spent a few days up the coast in Lamu -- pretty idyllic, a small town right out of 'Arabian Nights'. Not much to see or do, except a bit of shopping, bath on the Indian Ocean, and soak up the culture. There are flights to Lamu and Mombassa, pretty cheap -- they leave from the domestic airport, Wilson. The other major coastal town to consider is Malindi.

PS -- if you are thinking of a stop-over, Cairo is not a bad idea. Although you cannot do the city justice in a few days, it is too facinating to pass up if you are in the area. Between the ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Islamic periods, there is much to see.