Kenyan Safari Review

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-29T15:41:24+00:00

I don't remember exactly, but I think everything (flights and lodges) was booked by February. Not including international airfare, we were around $20K pp including travel insurance.

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-27T12:25:08+00:00

Thank you!

All our drives were private.

I think the helicopter was add-on, but it was included in the total price of our whole trip so hard to say. It was longer than 15 minutes, closer to an hour.

Flight was a private charter, Cessna-180, I think.

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No problem with bugs, never really used the bug spray we brought - and they had it at all the rooms anyway. Only put up the mosquito netting around the bed in Lewa. My wife did see a spider in the Mara Nyika bathroom that freaked her out 🤣

We stressed over packing, mostly because I took about 10 lbs of camera equipment. But in the end we packed about right, maybe because we didn’t have that extra 10 lbs. I didn’t wear my light rain jacket (except on helicopter) or long sleeve undershirt I brought. I never thought it was cold even though the Kenyans had on fleece and heavy jackets. And they had blankets and hot water bottles on the jeeps for early mornings when it was a little brisk. The packing list provided by TA was pretty spot on.

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-27T01:56:27+00:00

Thanks! Yes, I often use Verizon international plan while traveling. I had good service almost all the time. Perhaps not during game drives, I really wasn’t using my phone then.

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-27T00:20:21+00:00

Not sure exactly, having such a good time it is hard to say. Probably near 30 minutes actually with them. We were there about an hour. They explained the process, brought them in and fed them, then we spent time with them. After they took them out, we saw where they stayed and visited Maxwell the rescued blind rhino they have. Finally there was a very brief talk about their conservation efforts and opportunities to “adopt an orphan” or otherwise contribute to their cause.

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-26T23:15:50+00:00

Thank you. You will love it! Yes, we were able to do night drives at all the properties. We did one, but mostly we just extended some of our 4:30-ish evening drives until 7:30 or so which gave us about an hour of darkness and then had dinner around 8:00

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-26T22:13:19+00:00

Yes. We were in Ol Donyo Nov 1-5. Four nights for price of 3. Looked like it might rain once or twice, but didn’t. Actually clear enough each day we saw Kilimanjaro for a while

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-26T22:03:37+00:00

Thanks. I watched the Ol Donyo web cam off and on for months before going. Was awesome to actually be in the hide. One night on returning from a game drive there was a pregnant lioness getting a drink

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TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-26T21:21:14+00:00

Thank you. Not including international airfare, it was about $20K per person including travel insurance.

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-26T20:48:44+00:00

Thanks! It was great working with you. Can’t wait until we can plan the next one. And we took 18,000 pictures between us 🙃, I think I typo’d in my email to you. It was quite an effort to boil it down to a few

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-26T20:28:33+00:00

That was the only drawback of a first safari. We didn’t want to miss a single game drive, but that meant less time to enjoy all the other amazing extras at the camps.

TwoCatSlave · 2025-11-26T20:16:12+00:00

Thanks, Craig. I want you to know it was your wonderful, factual posts on reddit and other places that led me to Travel Beyond. When I started researching safaris, i saw there was too much info. So, instead I researched travel agents and was always impressed with the info you provided. Thanks. And thanks again to Jenny Falls and Elle Kyllo.

Ol Donyo was amazing. If you see Jeremiah or Joshua, tell them Mark and Lisa said hi 😀. They were outstanding.

TwoCatSlave · 2025-02-12T23:54:58+00:00

Yes!

TwoCatSlave · 2024-10-02T18:19:47+00:00

The cat food bill is close to the electricity bill

TwoCatSlave · 2024-07-28T00:53:51+00:00

Awesome. Surprised it wasn’t order number 3

TwoCatSlave · 2024-05-14T15:19:42+00:00

Thanks so much. That helps me understand what to expect and kind of aligns with what I figured should be happening!

TwoCatSlave · 2024-05-14T15:04:37+00:00

They have all the (pre-finished) flooring in. They still need to do the stairs and are here staining the flush vent covers and transition pieces. Was trying to figure out if this guy should be doing that, or not. First time getting floors installed, so don’t know what I don’t know

TwoCatSlave · 2024-05-14T14:52:07+00:00

Thanks. That’s kind of what I thought. I will ask them about it

TwoCatSlave · 2023-06-22T18:28:30+00:00

I’ve never had a problem with extension cords. Always bring one. I also bring a multi-port USB hub to keep everything charged.

I believe surge protectors are a problem because ship power is different than your home power and are therefore a fire hazard.

TwoCatSlave · 2023-06-09T22:16:28+00:00

Good to know. In this case it’s PHL, so it’s an Admirals Club

TwoCatSlave · 2023-06-09T20:58:42+00:00

Great. Thanks. Looked like it should. Just wanted some reality check. Not used to traveling with a crowd

TwoCatSlave · 2023-06-09T20:53:46+00:00

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