Thread: Kenya

I just returned from 35 days in Australia, Thailand, the Netherlands, and Kenya. I thought I would pass along a few of my experiences and tips for travel in Kenya. I'll also post some suggestions for Thailand and Australia as well.

First of all, I can't say enough good things about Kenya. It was truly a magical experience, one that we will never forget. If you get the opportunity to visit Kenya, please don't pass it up.

We got our visa ahead of time from the Kenya Embassy in Washington DC. You can get a visa when you arrive in Nairobi, but the lines were very long and British Airways questioned us about our visa before leaving London. So if you have time, I would suggest you get it before you leave. If nothing else, it will save you some hassle at the airport upon arrival.

We non-revved on British Airways to Nairobi and returned on KLM. Both airlines took really good care of us.

We stayed overnight in Nairobi and what we saw of downtown, it seemed pretty modern. The suburbs are less so. We had to dodge mules pulling carts as much as we dodged cars in the outskirts of the city. We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi. They had a guard posted on every floor, so it seemed very safe. And it was a wonderful hotel. I highly recommend it.

My biggest advice for Kenya -- to suggest that you spend the extra money and fly whenever possible. The roads are extremely rough. We spent 5 nights in Malindi on Kenya's coast. The 80 miles between Malindi and Mombasa were some of the worst road we have ever experienced. Parts of it looked (and drove) like it had been ripped up with a backhoe. All roads within the game reserves are dirt and also very rough, but the 4X4 safari vehicles make them more comfortable. We also drove from Nairobi down to Amboseli National Park. That road was also extremely rough. It costs a bit more to fly, but after experiencing the roads, I highly recommend it. Mombasa Air Safari gave us great service between Mombasa and the Masai Mara. SafariLink took equally good care of us flying from the Mara to Nairobi.

The resorts in Malindi were very nice (we stayed at Coral Key Beach Resort) and the Indian Ocean there is beautiful. The water in the Malindi Marine Park was crystal clear for snorkeling. The culture shock we experienced in Malindi was some of the worst we've ever experienced. Conversations were an interesting mix switching back and forth between Kiswahili, Italian, and English. Many of the resorts there were developed by German and Italian companies. All of the people we met in Kenya were very nice to us. On the beach, however, it was often difficult to relax because so many people were trying to sell us things. I also highly recommend a visit to the Gedi Ruins near Malindi. It was fascinating and the monkeys were very fun to watch.

We spent two days in the Masai Mara. We were there during the 1st week of August and the Great Migration was in full swing. I have never seen so many animals in my life, and seeing them all in their natural habitat was so incredible. We saw many elephants, giraffe, zebras, wildebeasts, lions, buffalo, warthogs, jackels, hyenas, gazelles, topis, hippos, and monkeys. I can't say enough good things about Keekorok Lodge, where we stayed. The lodge is beautiful and there is a hippo pond right behind the lodge. Our guides there were very knowledgable and they went out of their way to show us as much wildlife as possible. We also took a hot-air balloon ride over the Mara, booked through Trans-World Safaris at Keekorok Lodge. They were very safety concious and we had an incredible sun-rise adventure.

Our visit to Amboselli was equally woderful (arranged through Southern Cross Safaris). We stayed at the Amboselli Serena Lodge, and again I can't say enough good things about it. The lodge was really comfortable and decorated to really make you feel at home in Africa. Amboselli was an interesting mix between dry lake bed and lush, green swamps. The huge herds of elephants marching across the lake bed made the visit worthwile in itself. But we also saw an incredible number of other animals -- giraffe, zebras, wildebeasts, birds, baboons, etc. Our only regret is that we didn't get to stay longer and that we never saw Mt. Kilimanjaro, which was clouded over during our stay. But that will give us an excuse to return some day for another visit.

If you would like to see some photos of our trip, I've posted some on-line. You can access the photo album at:

<a href="http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2088...sc-email-AlbumInvite" target="_blank">http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures...ail-AlbumInvite</A>

I hope you enjoy. Happy non-revving.
Mark