Is it Alright to reserve a safari the moment you get there in Kenya or is it improved to book in progress? This question consistently comes up on various travel boards. Quite a few tourists (such as myself) like the independence of landing in a nation and looking at how it flows without being locked into a set itinerary where by you are advised when and exactly where to try to eat, rest and go. So let’s investigate how you can go on safari with some feeling of independence while remaining protected, relaxed and in spending plan.
Let’s start out with “Certainly”, it truly is Alright to e book a safari at the time you arrive in Kenya. If you wander the streets of Nairobi’s CBD, you will be approached by touts marketing affordable safaris. It is quite simple to go together with a single of them. The vehicles are commonly parked in close proximity to Metropolis Market, so if you are completely ready to go, you could go immediately. They acknowledge funds so you just want to go to the ATM, withdraw, hand it about and you’re away. Simple.
For those who are satisfied with accomplishing points speedily, merely and are flexible in their anticipations, this is perfect. For others, this could possibly seem a little bit dodgy. I experienced a friend who went for this process and it wasn’t until finally her and her comrades had withdrawn the income from the ATM that they recognized they were being about to walk via downtown Nairobi and at minimum a single human being knew they ended up carrying masses of dollars. It quickly seemed a foolhardy technique.
So we move to “No” it really is perhaps not a very good thought to e-book a safari when you arrive in Kenya. Safaris aren’t low cost… or you undoubtedly get what you fork out for! If you locate a offer on the avenue that appears to be too excellent to be true, then it most likely is. You may find oneself having zikuma (kale) and ugali (maize meal) for a 7 days and each and every day dealing with the results of a poorly taken care of vehicle. Remember, fuel is the exact same selling price as at household and the streets are in undesirable issue (like, even worse than you could even imagine), so functioning a auto right here is an pricey proposition.
You want to rely on your tour operator. You are about to hand in excess of a massive volume of money to make this at the time-in-a-lifetime safari the 1 you’ve got always dreamed of. Why would you risk that by choosing any Joe off the avenue? Choose time to do your research. Go through opinions of tour operators (Journey Advisor, Safari Bookings and Your African Safari all aid), and begin an electronic mail dialogue to get a experience for how they reply to your needs. Even though it truly is not needed, you may well also want to test with business bodies these kinds of at KATO (Kenyan Affiliation of Tour Operators) whose associates tend to be a lot more responsible and qualified than non-customers. You also want to know who you are working with – an agent or an operator. Of class if you are dealing with your vacation agent at residence then they will connect you with a respected tour operator. But some Kenyan agents can glimpse extremely significantly like operators on their internet sites. This implies they will not be liable for automobile servicing and be “offering you” to a tour operator. In this circumstance you continue to never know who will be dependable for your convenience and security although on safari and whether or not you believe in them. And agents in Kenya are not held by the exact rules and ensures as agents at household, so if they vanish with your cash there’s not significantly recourse.
Kenya is not all terrible!
But it’s not just about keeping away from shady individuals (I really don’t want to sound like Kenya is whole of conmen!), it is really also about availability. Most folks want to arrive for the Wildebeest Migration in July and August. These months are also summertime holidays in the US and Europe so accommodation in Maasai Mara is all around 97{44affb6c5789133b77de981cb308c1480316fee51f5fd5f1575b130f48379a33} booked all over the interval. Christmas is also a peak period of time, with a good deal of Kenyans travelling at this time as perfectly as intercontinental holidaymakers. Lodging and autos can be challenging to resource in these peak situations if you leave it to the past moment.
If you are not fussy about food items, the car, or which game park you go to and are on a funds, then you can choose a probability with booking your safari when you get to Kenya. But I suggest you commit some time investigating respected tour operators with superior assessments so you know you are protected. Regretably, Kenya is potentially not the greatest country to have faith in strangers on the avenue who have “the finest safari offer for you!”
Overland Travel Adventures has excellent opinions on Excursion Advisor and we adore doing the job with our friends to individually design and style their dream safari. We are a spouse and children-operate organization with spouse and wife workforce, Tracey and Francis, getting care of you from scheduling by execution. Email [email protected] to get started arranging your getaway nowadays.
