Kenya Safari TR

[rediplus]

superb!!! thank you

[Chapshnell]

Thank you very much for taking the time to write this up. Mind posting contact details of your hosts etc.

[morgs]

fantastic tr-Thanks so much for taking out the time!!

[BrooklynCPA]

Thanks for taking the time to write this amazing TR!!! A safari was always on my bucket list and you gave a new push!!!

[3yummyboys]

Really excellent TR and looks like an amazing trip! Wonder how to do a trip like that on points somehow

[Fan of Dan]

Great TR!! Really amazing - I spent a week in Kenya last year and reading your report brought back such amazing memories. Seems like you had really nice sightings as well. Well done. How did your timing work out with the migration?

[moen]

On average what can I expect such a trip to cost? Points+$

[Joe4007]

Great TR!! Really amazing - I spent a week in Kenya last year and reading your report brought back such amazing memories. Seems like you had really nice sightings as well. Well done. How did your timing work out with the migration?

Part 4

We were up early on Sunday for an all day safari which would take us to the Mara River. We were really hoping to catch the Serengeti wildebeest migration which follows the abundant grasslands to the Mara. The animals are required to cross the crocodile infested waters of the Mara River which is a spectacular sight. But because of the plentiful rains and food, their arrival is delayed until August.

[Feivish]

Great TR!! Really amazing - I spent a week in Kenya last year and reading your report brought back such amazing memories. Seems like you had really nice sightings as well. Well done. How did your timing work out with the migration?

Where did you stay?

[Fan of Dan]

Where did you stay?

I spent 2 nights in the Hilton in Nairobi which I found to be decent for an East African hotel. Again this is not London, Paris or NY.
We then went to the Masai Mara and spent 5 nights in the Ashnil Mara Camp which is right on the Mara river. Location couldn't have been better. It wasn't cheap though although not crazy expensive either and points were worthless aside from the Hilton (unless you consider the fact that I sold points to fund this expensive trip!).

It was a really amazing trip however, and well worth it IMHO. I found the game to better then the South African parks or Chobe in Botswana.

[Feivish]

I spent 2 nights in the Hilton in Nairobi which I found to be decent for an East African hotel. Again this is not London, Paris or NY.
We then went to the Masai Mara and spent 5 nights in the Ashnil Mara Camp which is right on the Mara river. Location couldn't have been better. It wasn't cheap though although not crazy expensive either and points were worthless aside from the Hilton (unless you consider the fact that I sold points to fund this expensive trip!).

It was a really amazing trip however, and well worth it IMHO. I found the game to better then the South African parks or Chobe in Botswana.

How did you get around in Nairobi?
How did you get to the Masia Mara?

[Dan]

Great TR!
Any chance we can see a breakdown of costs?

[Fan of Dan]

How did you get around in Nairobi?
How did you get to the Masia Mara?

I booked everything through a tour operator aside from the Hilton. They were able to get us a better rate at the safari lodge and additionally they provided us with a private 4 by 4 safari jeep with a driver for our entire trip. Our driver picked us up from the airport and drove us everywhere until we returned to the airport the following week. Nairobi is not the kind of city to drive around yourself.

[Feivish]

I booked everything through a tour operator aside from the Hilton. They were able to get us a better rate at the safari lodge and additionally they provided us with a private 4 by 4 safari jeep with a driver for our entire trip. Our driver picked us up from the airport and drove us everywhere until we returned to the airport the following week. Nairobi is not the kind of city to drive around yourself.

A TR would be nice and helpful.

[Shunts]

Great TR!
Any chance we can see a breakdown of costs?

We used 75k Starwood for 100k Alaskan outbound and 80k UA inbound. For hotels, we used cash and points. This came out to be the most economical as the price increased with each additional person and we were a group of three. We used 12k + $62 and 28k + $84 for Nairobi and Conrad respectively. As far as the Safari itself goes, it wasn't cheap, but was worth every penny!