I am interested in a Safari? What is my next step?

You can book a suggested Itinerary from our website. These trips offer the convenience of a pre-set itinerary and a fixed price, with flexible scheduling. Travel dates are up to you.

Or you can start from scratch and work with us to develop a totally customized itinerary and schedule. We are enthusiastically open to side trips, detours, special needs and special plans.

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What do the trip price include?

• Full board lodging (3 meals a day) on Safari, whether in hotels, lodges, tented camps, mobile tented camps, or bush camps as specified in your itinerary
• Half board (2 meals a day at the beach hotels)
• All your park and game reserves fees, including conservation fees
• Unlimited game drives in our safari vehicles-window seat guaranteed
• All in-country transportation as specified in your itinerary, whether by vehicle or bush plane
• One of our experienced in-country safari guides.
• Excursions, as specified in your itinerary
• Unlimited bottled water in our safari vehicles

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What is not included in the trip price?

• International and regional airfare
• Any expenses incurred in conjunction with this trip while in your home country.
• Cost of obtaining required passports or visas: Kenya US$50 per person, single entry
• Airport departure taxes
• Travel Insurance. Please make sure that you obtain a convenient travel insurance in your home country
• excess baggage fees. Note: Baggage is restricted to 15kgs Kenya/Tanzania per person in a soft sided bag on all charter flights.
• Medical expenses, meals or activities not specified or indicated as optional;
• gratuities to drivers/guides/tour leaders. Note: Tipping is discretionary based on services provided; Tipping guidelines are: $5-$10 per day for professional safari guides/tour leaders; $3-$5 per day for camp staff, e.g. waiters, housekeepers, which is a communal tip that is shared among the staff); porters - $1; driver/guides - $2-$5); restaurant waiters/waitresses – 10% of bill; hotel housekeeping - $2 per day.

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How does our pricing work?

Our trips use tiered pricing based on logistics. Getting people into remote areas where the best game viewing exists is more costly when there are only two people in the Land Rover, rather than four or five. Economies of scale result in lower pricing for four or five people traveling together as opposed to pricing for a couple traveling alone. As well, the logistics of moving gear around for a walking safari with numerous bush camps is more complicated and costly than a trip that involves simply staying at a lodge. Our pricing structure is tiered so you pay for the costs of your safari and don't subsidize other groups.

Our trips have no hidden costs. We don’t quote you a low price and then tell you that, in addition you have to pay your park fees or that in-country transportation is extra. When we quote you a trip price it includes almost everything while you are in-country. The few items not included like gratuities, passport and visa fees, and beverages are set forth above.

Our trip prices range over a wide scale. The price depend of:

• The number of people traveling in the group
• Whether your in-country transportation is by bush plane or Land Rover
• Whether you choose to stay in lodges or smaller tented camps
• How remote you want to go
• Whether you want to view game from a mobile tented camp
• Whether you want to participate in walking safaris that involve remote bush camps

We can work with you to bring your safari within your budget range. Most of our trips are suggested Itineraries, but you can vary them as you want. Let us know what your budget is and we will do our best to design a trip that gives you the experiences you want within the budget you set.

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How far in advance do I need to book?

There is no cutoff. However, flights into Kenya and Tanzania are limited and we find that there can be problems getting seats on British Airways or KLM if you try to schedule less than two months ahead of time. Peak seasons also book up as far as nine months ahead of time. Mid to late December is a busy time in both Kenya and Tanzania. Outside of peak seasons, you should have no trouble booking if you schedule your safari at least six to eight months in advance.

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When is the best time of year to visit Kenya?

Let's start with when not to travel: November, April and May. This is the rainy season in East Africa and it becomes pretty hard to get around in the remote places our guests want to explore. The mass migration moves from Kenya into the Serengeti in Tanzania in December, January, February, and March. That can be a spectacular time to travel in Tanzania. Climate changes are triggering some changes in the timing of the migration, so check with us if you are interested in traveling on the edges of the normal migratory months.

This doesn't mean that there isn't great game viewing at other times. Off-peak season can be a very relaxing time. The lodges are less crowded and the game reserves not involved in the migratory pathways have as much game as normal. It's all a matter of what you want. Check with us if you have specific time frames in mind for your travel and we can help you plan where to be so you get the best possible game viewing experiences.

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What kind of weather can I expect on Safari?

Most of East Africa is savannah, comparable to the high plateau, semi-desert areas of Colorado or New Mexico. Altitude ranges from 3,000 to 7,000 feet. Temperatures during the day range from 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Nights are cool with temperatures dipping as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. Even though you will be traveling near the equator, please take our packing recommendations seriously and take along a light jacket or sweatshirt, sweater, and a fleece pullover. Additionally, bring something warm to sleep in at night. Humidity is low in the inner mainland. If you don't travel near the rainy season, it usually doesn't rain.

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What kind of shape do I need to be in?

You get to choose the activity level of your safari. Traditional Land Rover safaris require little or no physical activity, although you can add all kinds of active adventures to your safari, including an afternoon walking safari, a morning horseback ride, or a boating adventure.

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What kind of medical care do I need before I go to Tanzania?

Before you leave for an international destination you should consult your physician. You will also need to decide on a malaria prevention medication. It is advised to take malaria prophylaxis.
Vaccination for Yellow Fever is not obligatory anymore. Other vaccinations like hepatitis, tetanos are recommended.

Visa
Visitors from most countries require a visa in order to enter Kenya. Almost all visitors can purchase a visa at the point of entry, but some nationalities are required to obtain the visa in advance in their home country. Please check the current situation with your local Tanzanian diplomatic mission. If you intend to fly to Nairobi and then travel on to Tanzania, remember that you may also require a multiple entry visa to enter Kenya, even if it is only for a few hours. From January 2005 the Visa for Kenya and Tanzania is 50 US$ per person for each country.

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Photography
You will get fairly close to a lot of the wildlife, but a good 35 mm camera with a 75-300 zoom lens will certainly help you take some great shots. It is always best to buy your film before you travel, because film here is expensive and not as fresh. 100 – 200 ASA is a good speed for general photography here. Though it can get bright, you might want to be able to get some action shots and the higher speed film will be helpful. Some people also like to use 400 ASA for fast moving animals and evening shots. A beanbag is much better than a tripod for photos from the car. (The safari vehicle should have a pop-up or removable roof to make photography easier.) A cable release is useful to get shots without camera motion. Also, a flash can help with indoor and campfire shots. Remember to bring extra batteries for your camera equipment. Most people find they take 2 to 3 rolls of film per day whilst on safari.

If you bring a video camera, don't forget the tapes (very expensive here) and the recharging accessories. You can generally recharge the camera at lodges and from the vehicle.

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Tipping
Our general recommendation is to tip moderately - in accordance with the level and quality of service provided. The following guidelines are generally accepted practice (per person): Safari guide(s) - US $5 -$10 per day; Cook 5 US$, Camp staff - US $3 - $5 per day, as a pooled tip to be shared among the housekeepers, waiters, bartender, etc. For porters and waiters at hotels and for taxi drivers in cities, the customary tip is approximately 10%. (Tipping in US$1.00 bills for porters and waiters is greatly appreciated). The traditional gratuity to safari guides or camp staff is not included in the price of your tour but is completely discretionary. Beware of unscrupulous people who try to exhort extra payment from unwary passengers just for shuffling their bags around.

Money Matters
The unit of local currency is the Kenyan Shilling (KSh). American dollars in cash or travellers cheques are acceptable in many places around town (note: AMEX Travellercheques are often not accepted). Credit cards are excepted only in big hotels, and if you do manage to find a place to use them there will usually be a surcharge of at least 10%.

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