Why You Are Better Of Driving Than A Flying Kenya Safari
There is no doubt Kenya has one of the best and safety aviation records, Wilson airport which is used by most airlines on their safari flights is the busiest in Africa the last time we checked. But should you fly or drive it.Kenya unlike other African countries is easy to maneuver from one game reserve to the other, with a clear road net work that guarantees arrival in time for lunch from one station to the other. Some roads may not be the best in the world but the country side is awesome with something different to see all through.
I don"t think you can never drive it in Ethiopia if you wish to see half of the country all the important destinations have to be covered by air. In Kenya all the major Game reserves, Masai Mara national park, Amboseli National park, Samburu game reserve, Lewa Downs, Meru national Park, Tsavo National Parks etc have well maintained airstrips with daily scheduled flights from Nairobi and Mombasa.
The last time we counted Masai Mara Game reserve had over ten airstrips all serviced and maintained by the respective establishments like camps and lodges so the urge to fly travelers in between the various safari game reserves in Kenya is live, and again due to the completive fares available, it all works well for the business guest who have a day or two to spare and wish to get out of Nairobi quickly and get back to catch their onward international flights back home.
Travelers who have taken time to prepare for a Kenyan safari should never be in a rush from one park to the other as they end up missing to see the country, landscapes, people and cultures that make up a safari.
The mud, the pit stop in a remote village up in ISIOLO, the flat tire somewhere in Tsavo as the elephants graze peacefully a hundred meters away, All these are scenes that should be collected in your photography as part of your authentic safaris experience in Africa.
A chance to chat, dine and sit at the camp fire with your local driver guide who will stay with you for the next 12 days is also an experience by its self. Mr. Olepolos Tanyasi is a favored safari guide as he comes from the Masai tribe, learned English language, driving and later became a decorated safari driver guide, he will not stop engaging guests about on where he comes from and how he grew up as a herds boy.
To make it easy for those planning to visit Kenya in the future, there is not better way of going around it than arriving in Nairobi"s international airport, spending a night in the city to wear off the jet lag, spending a bit of time seeing the city. Have you dinner at the Carnivore restaurant for the experience. Then take on a road safari spending at least two nights in the prime game reserves.
You will make your way back to Nairobi by road or end up at the Kenya coastal town of Mombasa here its recommended you spend some nights on the sandy beach.
For those who end up back in Nairobi, the best way to get to the coast is either by a one hour flight or the night train that leaves Nairobi at seven to arrive in Mombasa the following morning. How nice dinner and breakfast are included in your ticket price.
In my previous articles I"ve insisted that Lamu island is a must see even for those who have grown up near a beach or do not really care much about being at the coast. Lamu is totally different from anything thing you have seen.
I can only describe Lamu as enchanting. Kenya"s oldest living town that has retained all the charm and character built up over centuries. There are no cars so donkeys are the main means of transport. Children play in the narrow streets, men chat on street corners and women busy themselves through doorways. Most houses have a rooftop which is used as a patio indicative of a society where hanging backтЂљ and catching the breezeтЂљ is important. Keep an eye out for the intricately carved wooden doors and lintels for which the island is famous. You can buy one and ship it back home.
The island has a long history and by the 1500s it was a thriving port, exporting timber, ivory, amber, spices and slaves. When the Portuguese arrived, it surrendered without a murmur and in the mid-1800s it became a subject of the Sultanate of Zanzibar, which nominally controlled the whole coastal strip until Kenya became independent in 1963. Until the 19th century dawned, Lamu"s economy was hinged on slave labor and with the abolition of slavery it declined rapidly.
After your safari experience try three nights at Kizingo Lamu lodge, our last guest who stayed there came back and said he must book a fortnight for his children should either decide to ever get married.
Well, I am still waiting.