Masai Mara National Park (Kenya)

Advantages: see opinion
Disadvantages: see opinion

...5 day trip to the Masai Mara National Park? This was something I was truly looking forward to. I've never been much of a beach to hotel and back again type tourist, so this would be real adventure in a place I'd never been to, and I was horribly excited. First and foremost, though, was the safety aspect. I went off to the doctor who consulted the map and told me to have the Yellow Fever jab, and to take anti-malaria tablets. The side effects of ...
...We stayed in the Masai Mara Game Lodge and it was fabulous. The only things was that I hadn't allowed myself to truly think about the conditions there, so it was a bit of a shock to find that there was only hot water twice a day, between 5am-7am and 5pm-7pm and the same went for electricity as well. The nearest doctor was in Nairobi, about 500 miles away. The insects that you may find in your room, aren't the same as the ones back home, and if they ... Read review

Advantages: learning about an amazing culture/stunning scenery/up close with the animals
Disadvantages: food and drink where we were staying was not inclusive so rather expensive

I travelled to the Mara as a part of a seven day safari. I stayed at the Serena lodge for one night and spent two fantastic days here. The beauty of the Maasai Mara is the abundance of wildlife, we went on four game drives and were not disappointed once. Here in the space of two days we marvelled at lions, lion cubs and lionesses (one would have been enough for me - I was thrilled!) we watched them view "their" territory early in the morning and ...
...many other wonderful animals such as a cheetah and her cubs,a leopard, meercats,hyenas, zebras, wilderbeast and many many more. The photographic opportunities were surreal, really stunning shots! We saw the sun set over the Acacia trees as we finished our game drives - a truly african experience. We were taken to the mara river where we saw crocodile and hippo. all this in two days! We were also treated to a visit to one of the local Maasai ... Read review

Advantages: Once in a life time experince. Magic destination. Luxury accomodaton
Disadvantages: Cost,

Key points Medical Issues:- It is strongly recommended to see you GP at least 4 weeks before travel. ( 2 weeks at a push). You will have to be immunised against Yellow Fever ( around £45), along with all the standard immunisations (Hepatitis A, Typhoid, etc) Anti malarial should be taken at all time. The best ones on the market at the moment are called Malarone. They happen to be the most expensive (around £70 for a 2 week holiday) but there the ...
...peak time in our summer time. In kenya however it is their winter and the coldest time of thew year. It is still very warm during the day. In the Mara however besure to take warm clothes as in the early mornings and at night, it can get very cold. What to expect:- You can plausibly say that after a few days in the Mara you will see the Hunters Big 5 ( African Elephant, Water Buffalo, Lion, Leopard and Rhino). Not to mention Maasai giraffes, Impala, ... Read review

Advantages: Once in a lifetime
Disadvantages: No hot water !

I am not your typical Ciao reviewer, as the really long winded reviews bore me a little. So I find it easier just to tell you how it is with a few helpful pointers. I had planned a safari into my travels in 1998, but hadn't booked anything until we actually got into Nairobi. A bit of a scary place if you arrive with a backpack on and have no idea where you are going. Anyway we booked into a hotel and went for a wonder around the city. You must be ...
...on getting mobbed by touts trying to sell you their safaris, obviously on a commission. All you have to do is use your instinctives and go for one that you feel comfortable with. We were very picky and finally chose to go with this guy called Charlie who showed us a brochure and lead us into the tour operators office. The operatour was very helpful and gave us all the information that we required and offered us the right safari for our budget. Now ... Read review

Advantages: Stunning scenery, amazing wildlife, holiday of a lifetime
Disadvantages: cold mornings and evenings, very early mornings, unsafe food and water

...our trip was a the Masai Mara national park. We rose early every morning (you are must likely to see animals at dusk and sunrise)and set out in our safari van. Our guide was friendly, cheerful and extremely informative. He knew where to go to find the best wildlife and also knew how close we could get - one time he had to make a quick get-a-way from a herd of angry male elephant. It is so crucial that you feel 100% secure when you are out there, ...
...video camera or even tape recorder to secure that the stunning scenery, wildlife and sounds are captured indelibly. Another tip is take warm clothing - Kenya may be extremely hot in the middle of the day, but at night and early morning it can get very chilly! This really is a holiday of a lifetime. Once you see this kind of scenery once, you'll be hooked. I promise you. ... Read review