- Masai Mara
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Kenya
On the subject of lodges versus camping, it really doesn't matter to the animals how much you have paid. I went on a budget camping safari and saw the big five within the first day - including both black and white rhino, so many lions I lost count and three leopards.
The most important thing is to talk to your guide beforehand and ask lots of questions. The more knowledge they have, the better your chances of spotting some amazing animals.
A special place. Great value for money.
The old Out of Africa feel. No fences but guarded by Maasai Askaris. Great game drives.
We started chatting to ours and got lots of added bits of info..
He also went the 'extra mile' and took us places that other guides didn’t go to - we saw the migration of about 10,000 zebra with no one else around. This was the most spectacular site. We also saw the kill of a buffalo by a lioness and her pride - this was most unusual, but had we not have made an effort to get to know our guide over the few days, he may not have made the effort ...
Make sure you go on AT LEAST a three-day tour - as one day of that will be spent travelling and tour companies conveniently forget to mention this! From Nairobi it takes about 6 hours to get to a lodge in the Mara, so you will only really have 2 days...
I went on safari to Kenya and it was truly fantastic - go to the Masai Mara - and hopefully your tour guide will venture into the serengeti in Tanzania! The Masai Mara is the biggest and the best park. The serengeti is the next biggest (I think) and the landscape, although beautiful, was not as breathtaking.
DO stay in a luxury lodge for at least 2 days...Not too expensive and everything is usually included and you are guaranteed to see at least the 'big 4' out of 5.
If you decide that you want a more rustic slash back to nature experience, then look around for a guidebook recommended lodge/camping site, as a few friends of mine went for the cheapest, and saw very little as the guides were not as experienced!
In 2001 I went with my friend on safari to the Serengeti in Kenya. On the first day as we approached the plains, we’d been driving for only half an hour, when we spotted our first African drama. We saw a herd of zebras, majestic with their thick black stripes. The stallion zebra was leading the way, chomping on grass. We could see acacia trees in the distance and rocks in the far background. Overhead we saw a vulture silently circling and in the far distance perched on one of the rocks was a lone hyena watching. Both it seemed were waiting for some kind of curtain call. And they were all perfect symbols of an African landscape. Then we saw movement and our driver whispered that there was a lion in our midst. We anxiously scanned the horizon and saw nothing. Suddenly the stallion zebra lifted his head and froze. The other zebras immediately taking heed did the same thing. There was a flash of movement and from out from nowhere it seemed sprung a lioness. The small group of zebras bolted and the lioness missed. By the time our truck drove round she lay heavily panting on the dirt track exhausted. The vulture took off and the hyena skulked back to where he had come from. What a fantastic way to start an African adventure!
There are a few of these villages knocking around the safari areas of Kenya, often in the middle, near camps. A fascinating experience - but be warned, you'll be forced to shop for "home made" souvenirs at the end.
Into Africa specialise in offering eco-friendly safaris in Kenya and Tanzania. My wife and I went on their Kenya Explorer trip last October and we were very impressed with their service. The guides and drivers were very well trained and informative and the food provided was wonderful.
www.intoafrica.co.uk/
IntoAfrica UK Ltd,
40 Huntingdon Crescent,
Sheffield,
S11 8AX,
UK.
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)114 255 5610
Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
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