Kenya/Tanzania Safari tour company recommendation

[Cblair246]

Looking to go for on a +/- 10 day safari with beach holiday tagged on in August. So far Kenya and Tanzania seem to fit the bill the best. Does anyone have recommendations of tour companies that can handle the whole trip? Or if you have any other country recommendations please feel to mention.

[Seventy]

Can't help with Kenya I'm afraid but we go to the Kruger every year in May/June.
The pro's for me are that you drive yourself, roads are generally good as are the food and wine. I've done a couple of guided safaris and didn't really enjoy them. Loud people/too many other vehicles/a feeling of being on the treadmill. Just imo of course.

With the Kruger you can take as long as you like to do what you want. Stop for breakfast, have a lazy lunch if that suits or spend an hour or two at a waterhole on your own if you're lucky watching elephants play/rhinos wallow/crocodiles bask.

Not expensive although the exchange rate has taken a bit of a knock since the brexit vote.
Accommodation in the park averages around £60/70 night in self contained bungalows. All have restaurants.
A few years ago we went on to Mozambique which has some great beaches and August, whilst winter, is dry season and days are around 25/30 degrees.

[kicks]

Just back from Kenya and Zanzibar. 3 park safari in Kenya and Zanzibar for the beach.

Book a private tour. Much better than the packed tours we seen driving around. Also bring good binoculars. If I had a choice I would do a mix of lodges. Not judt the same chain in different parks.

We used trailfinders. They were brilliant!

[The jiffle king]

We used Kate at Inspired Travel... She is based in Hinckley, but does stuff over the phone very well. Used her for 2 safari's to date

[CharlieGee]

We used 'African Scenic' who collected us from Kilimanjaro airport. We booked direct having contacted a few operators; they were significantly cheaper and we stayed in decent places - 2 nights in lodges and 2 nights in tents.

[Cblair246]

Thanks all. Plenty to get me started.

Another question, how long is a decent enough time to spend on safari? I was thinking 4-5 days.

Edited by Cblair246 on Friday 20th January 09:07

[Rosscow]

Used these guys for our honeymoon back in 2007. Superb service.

http://www.tanzaniaodyssey.com/

[CharlieGee]

I would say that four days is adequate, 3 days in the Serengeti and 1 day in the Ngorogoro crater. I didn't have particularly high expectations of it to be honest but have recommended it to everyone since. Animals were far more abundant than I thought and even just cruising around in the Toyotas is oddly relaxing.

[Shinobi]

We did 5 days with sunny safaris in Tanzania for our honeymoon. Very happy with their service and the fact they suggested an itinery and then worked with us to accommodate everything we wanted to see.


I hope it helps I have listed our itinery below


Day 01: Collection from your hotel in Arusha by your driver guide and depart to Lake Manyara, arrive lunch time, gamedrive in Lake Manyara National Park.

Day 02: After breakfast depart for Serengeti via Oldupai Gorge and
shifting Sands, afternoon gamedrive in Serengeti National Park.

Day 03: Full day gamedrive in Serengeti National Park, drive to
Seronera.

Day 04: Depart with picnic breakfast for early morning gamedrive,
after lunch departure to Ngorongoro Crater rim en-rote gamedrive in
Serengeti National Park.

Day 05: After breakfast descend to the Ngorongoro Crater floor for
gamedrive, afternoon ascend to the crater rim for Tarangire,
overnight.

Day 06: After breakfast gamedrive in Tarangire National Park,
afternoon drive to Arusha National Park.

Day 07: After breakfast combination of guided walking safari and
gamedrive
in Arusha National Park, drop off Kilimanjaro International Airport

We then went onto Zanzibar for a couple of weeks, if we did it again I'd gladly do two weeks Safari instead and one week on the beach.

[AB]

http://www.bobbytours.com/

These guys were excellent.

We did 'affordable' lodge tour and then went to Zanzibar.

[Cblair246]

Thanks all, time to get researching.

[ATG]

We did a couple of weeks split between a lodge on the banks of the Rufiji River on the edge of the Selous reserve in Tanzania and another lodge on the shore of Zanzibar. You get carted between the two in 6 seater planes, or maybe a twenty seater + chickens. River location means boat trips to see crocodile and hippos, as well as game drives and walks organised in the reserve. Zanzibar has monkeys, mangroves and reefs for diving, so you can continue the wildlife theme, and there's also the old town to explore. Frankly, sitting in the tree house bar in a massive baobab on the edge of the beach was hard to beat. The hermit crabs wandered around like they owned the place and elephant shrews poked around in the undergrowth. Not too shabby.

[marcosgt]

ATG said:

Frankly, sitting in the tree house bar in a massive baobab on the edge of the beach was hard to beat.

We did a safari in Kenya for our honeymoon (27 years ago!), but I have to agree, the experiences of sitting overlooking a waterhole whilst you eat your dinner or breakfast is something that's still fresh in my mind and one that not much has come close to. Wafting over the Masai Mara in a balloon at dawn was pretty special too!

The birds are amazing too. We found for the 2 or 3 days, you're only interested in big stuff, but by the end, you're getting excited about a different kind of bird!

It was the same diving in Indonesia. The first couple of days we got all excited about spotting a turtle, by day 4, if it wasn't doing the Macarena, you just ignored it

Doesn't help the OP, except to offer encouragement to go - It will leave an impression!

M.

[knk]

Ahsante tours in Moshi, Tanzania.
http://www.ahsantetours.com/about

Brilliant group of people. They will organise whatever you want.