Kenya Safari/Beach Holiday

bigmaz

Hi guys

Booking flights to Kenya for start of April next year. Just wondering if anyone has any good sites to book a package that includes a safari and a beach break? Plenty out there, but thought I'd ask on here in case someone has particularly good sites that they know of that have good deals.

glentoran99

Don't book safari before you go, you'll get exactly the same thing for a lot cheaper paying the locals out there

glentoran99

We stayed in Bamburi beach hotel and booked safari from the guys on the beach, paid about £200 less than the couple on the same trip bus and staying in same lodge as us

bigmaz

glentoran99 wrote: »

We stayed in Bamburi beach hotel and booked safari from the guys on the beach, paid about £200 less than the couple on the same trip bus and staying in same lodge as us

Wow, good tips already. Thanks guys... so what did your safari trip include and how much was it? I will be travelling alone.

How do you know the guys on the beach are genuine?

glentoran99

bigmaz wrote: »

Wow, good tips already. Thanks guys... so what did your safari trip include and how much was it? I will be travelling alone.

How do you know the guys on the beach are genuine?

Genuinely cant remember the price, but it was no more than £100 each,


We spent two nights in Tsavo East National Park, included all food and travel to and from the park, accommodation cant remember if drinks were included, I don't think they were, and safari each day,


They normally ask people who have been with them (tourists like yourself) to vouch for them, guests in our hotel did and then we did the same for others,


One couple in our hotel booked a trip, Surfing or something but something happened and it was cancelled, they thought they were losing the money until the day before the guys they booked through were marched down the beach by the local tourism head and they gave the money back, Talking to locals, they don't rip off tourists in that because that's how they survive. Without tourism they would have nothing


They sell all sorts of personalised carvings etc and I gave one guy my glentoran shirt and 20 US dollars that I had lying in my suitcase to get a carved plaque with the badge, genuinely not expecting to see him again he met me the next day at the time arranged with the plaque.


and the trust works both ways, we brought home a table, didn't know if it would fit in our case so they actually let us take it away and see if we could work something before paying


Once you get over the "intimidating" market sellers they are actually good fun and not scary at all


Take pens, yes pens, for bartering with, I got a lovely painting for 5 biros and about a fivers worth of Kenyan shillings.


always haggle, they don't want you to take first price, you will know when they are at the bottom price for things.

glentoran99

I would go back here in a heartbeat


http://www.bamburibeachkenya.com/

bigmaz

glentoran99 wrote: »

Genuinely cant remember the price, but it was no more than £100 each,


We spent two nights in Tsavo East National Park, included all food and travel to and from the park, accommodation cant remember if drinks were included, I don't think they were, and safari each day,


They normally ask people who have been with them (tourists like yourself) to vouch for them, guests in our hotel did and then we did the same for others,


One couple in our hotel booked a trip, Surfing or something but something happened and it was cancelled, they thought they were losing the money until the day before the guys they booked through were marched down the beach by the local tourism head and they gave the money back, Talking to locals, they don't rip off tourists in that because that's how they survive. Without tourism they would have nothing


They sell all sorts of personalised carvings etc and I gave one guy my glentoran shirt and 20 US dollars that I had lying in my suitcase to get a carved plaque with the badge, genuinely not expecting to see him again he met me the next day at the time arranged with the plaque.


and the trust works both ways, we brought home a table, didn't know if it would fit in our case so they actually let us take it away and see if we could work something before paying


Once you get over the "intimidating" market sellers they are actually good fun and not scary at all


Take pens, yes pens, for bartering with, I got a lovely painting for 5 biros and about a fivers worth of Kenyan shillings.


always haggle, they don't want you to take first price, you will know when they are at the bottom price for things.

Wow, this is some amazing advice, I really appreciate it!!! And the obvious question.... Why biros? Are they a luxury in Kenya?

The people sound awesome....

bigmaz

Actually, reading about Kenya being very wet in March and April...... Uh oh!! My flights would be March 29th to April 8th....

glentoran99

bigmaz wrote: »

Wow, this is some amazing advice, I really appreciate it!!! And the obvious question.... Why biros? Are they a luxury in Kenya?

The people sound awesome....

Dunno but it was one of the first questions the market sellers asked, that bamburi beach hotel if you see balcony overlooking the beach the market is right along the beach just below that,

glentoran99

bigmaz wrote: »

Actually, reading about Kenya being very wet in March and April...... Uh oh!! My flights would be March 29th to April 8th....

Rainy season apparently best time to see the animals on safari,

bigmaz

glentoran99 wrote: »

Dunno but it was one of the first questions the market sellers asked, that bamburi beach hotel if you see balcony overlooking the beach the market is right along the beach just below that,

I am looking to stay in Mombasa..... Hope there will be people offering similar safari deals.... :P