After doing my first Kenya safari 2022 with my partner, I have a long story to tell. This has been actually our very first safari, and our first time in Africa, and what we experienced we do not have enough words to explain. We had planned for this for a long time and finally, in October of 2022, we traveled to Kenya for a 12-day Kenya and Tanzania safari.
The accounts of this safari, are from the beginning to the end of everything. We were so happy that the safari was successful.
How it all started?
The idea of going on a safari to Kenya started after the experience our friends had there. After coming back, they talked so much about traveling to Kenya and experiencing an amazing safari. Every time they talked about adventure, wild animals, and the culture, we wanted to do the same.
As a result, we started planning on doing the same. Our plan started in 2021, just after all the covid lockdowns were lifted.
I would say the process of finding a good company to help us book and do the safari was the challenge. However, after looking through reviews and other information, we settled on Jambo Travelhouse Holidays for the safari.
The process was quite straightforward.
Step 1:
The first step was to identify a package we wanted to buy. The company offers a variety of packages to various destinations and several combinations of hotels and lodges. At this point, you will get several options to pick from. All you have to do is to see a safari package that impresses you and select.
Step 2:
The second step is customization. This is where you let the company customize the safari based on your taste and preference. Here, there are many factors to consider such as.
- Mode of transport – 4×4 Landcruiser or Van. NB: A 4×4 Landcruiser is always the best for a magical safari.
- Mode of transport to connect to parks. Here you can choose between road and air transfer.
- Hotel choices – There are many hotels from 3-star to 5 starts to choose depending on your budget.
- Lodges and Camps – This is where you can choose a lodge that works best for you. There are both lodges and tented camps in the parks.
For our safari, we opted for a 4×4 Landcruiser safari experience. The Landcruiser had AC, comfortable seats, phone charging ports, a pop-up roof for better game viewing, a cooler box for the drinks, and an amazing guide.
For the hotels and lodges, we choose to stay in 4-star hotels in Kenya’s Capital Nairobi. However, when it came to lodges in the parks, we opted for a mix of lodges and tented camps such as the Masai Mara Serena Lodge which game an excellent up-close experience with the wild animals.
Step 3:
The third step was the actual booking after we had identified a good package and customized it for us. With the company’s 100% guaranteed money back, we felt safe when booking. We were also allowed to do a flexible payment option whereby, we did a deposit of 30% and cleared the balance 60 days to safari after receiving all the vouchers.
Another part was travel insurance flying doctors and the company helped us in getting local chartered flights.
The Safari
Here is now my actual and most memorable experience of the Kenya safari. Upon landing at the airport we were picked up by our driver for a transfer to our hotel. The driver was quite friendly and we learned a much before even reaching the hotel.
Highlights of our Kenya safari
1. The Great Rift Valley and Nakuru
This was our first encounter immediately after leaving our hotel in Nairobi. We drove on a 4×4 Landcruiser through the great rift valley. On our way, we go a chance to experience so much with beautiful views of the escarpment and the wilderness below.
On this journey, even before reaching our first destination Lake Nakuru, we saw many zebras and giraffes grazing along the roads. It was clear that we had made the right decision to visit Kenya.
We spent 2 nights a Lake Nakuru and did game drives in Lake Nakuru National Park.
Our hotels here offered the best variety of foods and the amenities were top-notch.
2. The Masai Mara Safari
The Masai Mara National reserve became our best experience. The best part is that we visited the reserve during the popular great migration period.
Since our lodge was within the reserve, we could see Elephants and other small wild animals roam around our lodge all the time.
When it came to game drives, our driver and guide proved amazing yet again. They were professionals and knew exactly where to find the best experiences.
We moved to the Mara River to see the great migration. We had our lunch in the wilderness as we witness the hundreds of thousands of wildebeest and zebras cross. This was the most intriguing and magical experience of the safari.
Later on, we got a chance to see all the Big5 and even crossed over to the Serengeti and Lake Manyara in Tanzania.
3. Visiting the Masai Village
Now, this is one experience we didn’t expect yet it turned out to be one of the best. Unknown to many, Kenya has over 47 tribes and they live in peace and harmony. The Masai tribe, in particular, is a common sight when doing a safari.
This is because they are pastoralists and they neighbor the Masai Mara game reserve. Their culture is different and quite unique. They feed on milk and blood and are very strong. We got a chance to visit their villages and witness their way of life. We saw how they build their houses called “manyatta” and how they draw blood from cattle. We will never forget it.
My Final Take
If you are looking forward to experiencing a truly natural and exciting safari, choose Kenya. Our Kenya safari 2022 proved exactly that. We have no doubt this was our best experience and we plan on visiting the country once again since there are several areas we did not explore. The country is peaceful and there is plenty of things to enjoy.