Kenya
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Robin and Julie from Ayrshire travelled to Kenya
Hi Joe, now back to “normality” after an amazing holiday. Our safari was absolutely fantastic – all we had dreamed of and more! Both Kicheche camps were absolutely superb. The attention to detail was excellent. Small things that make all the difference. Our tents were extremely well equipped and very comfortable. The food – wow! – it was spectacular!! We really were treated to some top class cuisine. We saw and heard some amazing scenes; lions roaring at sundowners, elephants bathing in a mudpool, buffalo fighting – quite a spat!, several rhino sharing a small mudpool, elephants galore and a baby elephant less than a week old, wonderful graceful giraffe, cheetah taking down a Wildebeest and then having it stolen off them by the hyenas, and many, many more amazing encounters. When we got to Mara Camp we were quick taken aback by the number of Wildebeest around us – too many to try and explain in an email. We were lucky enough to see a crossing on the day we went to the reserve – well worth the longer day and very late lunch while we patiently waited to see if they were going to cross! We enjoyed our white rhino encounter and would recommend this. We will be following progress on the IVF treatment with even greater interest now. We arrived at the beach and I would say it probably took us a day or two to unwind after such a busy, but fabulous 6 days. We very much relaxed at the beach and didn’t do too many activities – this was always our plan. The service at Kinondo was very good. They certainly spoiled us. The weather could have been kinder at the beach, one day it pretty much rained all day, and a few showers / overcast during our stay. However this was a good opportunity for me to spend in their shop! Many thanks again for your help and assistance in putting together this itinerary for us.
Kenya
Regions
The Kenya Coast
The Kenya coast offers numerous excellent beach options to consider after your Kenya safari. In the far north are Kiwayu, Lamu and Manda Islands, offering lovely open beaches, a relaxed atmosphere, some interesting culture and exclusivity away from large coastal resorts. In the far south, Funzi Island is a relatively unknown beach option combining comfort and escapism.
The central coastal region is dominated by the better known centres of Mombasa and Malindi/Watamu. To the south of Malindi is the beautiful Watamu Marine Park which offers good snorkelling opportunities. To the north of Mombasa, the Nyali and Bamburi beaches offer a range of large hotels, whereas to the south, the famous Diani beach has a mixture of both large beach resorts and small, exclusive beach houses.
Deep sea fishing is excellent along the whole Kenya coast (September to March is best), whilst scuba diving is best from Malindi southwards.
There are two main prevailing winds – those from the north-east (called the ‘kaskasi’) blow from around October to March/April, whilst those from the south-east blow from April/May to September/October (known as the ‘kusi’). The south-easters produce choppier seas and poorer snorkelling and diving conditions, but with the increased wind offer excellent sailing and wind surfing.
For further information on combining a beach holiday with a safari in Kenya please call us on 01787 888590 or contact us to speak to one of our friendly safari specialists.