Which African adventure?

Nottoobadyet

Hello all you globe trotting types! I am planning a surprise trip away for my OH's birthday and I need some help deciding on which option to take. We are both expats living in Uganda. We've been in the region several years but for various reasons havent gotten much time to travel, so I want to stay in the area for this trip. Last year I took him to Zanzibar, which was lovely.

Here are the options:

1. Gorillas in Uganda - we'd travel by bus to Lake Bunyoni, a beautiful lake surrounded by hills, spend a day there, then go gorilla trekking. Stay in cheap geodome accommodation at the lake, then splurge for a fancy lodge on his actual birthday in Lake Mburo national park on the way home.

Pros: Hanging out with Gorillas is meant to be one of the world's great experiences and usually costs an arm and a leg, but is half price for April and May due to the low season. Lake Mburo is meant to be one of the most beautiful parks / lodges, even if it lacks big game, and walking safaris etc are possible.

Cons: long bus rides and fitness. I'd need to get him into good enough shape to make it up the mountains without giving up the game! It would be awful if we got there and were unable to see the apes because we weren't fit enough.

2. Mombasa and Kenya South Coast - we'd fly to Mombasa, then split time between the town and the beaches on the south coast. He could do some diving (he is certified) and I can either snorkle. Staying in beach cottage accommodation.

Pros: Relaxing beach goodness, not too hot because it wont be dry season

Cons: a little bit samey after Zanzibar

3. Tanzania Safari - We'd fly to Arusha and go to Ngorogoro crater

Pros: He's never done a proper safari, this one is meant to be one of the best in the world

Cons: I've done it before in Masai Mara and am kind of animal-ed out. I feel like he'll get a chance to go on safari when family visit etc.

Votes on a post card please!

Enterprise_1701C

Given the choice of ANY holiday I would love to go and see the gorillas.

That said, my OH did Ngorogoro crater while he was living in Zambia and loved it.

We did a safari in Kenya and stayed in Mombasa for a week, it was OH but there tended to be a lot of the sellers on the beech so possibly not as relaxing as it could be. Didn't really go into the town as there was a few problems at the time.

You have a couple of months to get fit for the gorillas, why not go for that!

Meadows

That has to be your choice of what you want from a holiday, what you want to see, what your expectations of it are, how much you want to pay and how active you want to be!

If it is a gift then better to sound the recipient out by asking such question in a casual conversation rather than pay for a holiday that might not be what they would have wanted.

As for getting him fit enough for trekking have you got the time? Then all you can do is weekend walks increasing the intensity to the point of fitness you need for the holiday (not as easy as it may seem).

As for Zanzibar being 'samey' why contemplate it if that is how you feel. And if you are animal-ed out and he will get the chance to safari with family surely that would be the least choice on the list.

I am wondering if your plans are for a holiday he would like or you think he might like as you sound as thought all of these choices are not ones you would opt for.