Monday, December 31, 2007

How to save money while on an African safari

The holiday season is beckoning and now there are lots of vacation packages up for grabs from beach holidays, wildlife adventures, eco-tours just name a few of the m. Although those offering the packages sometimes help one to identify a package that best fits their budget it is important that you the traveler also take some action in order to cut on your costs.
1. The first thing you require is information. Most important yet little appreciated facts is that is actually costs less to book holidays and travel through a registered tried and tested operator since they get highly discounted rates from hotels than what a traveler would pay when booking direct. This is because the supply the hotels with huge numbers of guests.
2. Secondly it is to ensure that your tour operator can handle your logistics and structure a trip that will give you’re the experience you want. It is less cumbersome to use a tour operator .
3. Plan early this cannot be overemphasized. Hotels and many travel recourses usually give discounts when you book early or during the low season. You will also be able to pay for your package in installments. I usually take a yearly holiday and I can thus save for it on a regular basis.
4. Take advantage of low season rates are drastically reduced the places are less crowded and one can enjoy most of the facilities and good service during such times. During peak season resources are usually constrained and waiters overstretched that the service that are otherwise superior become standard.
5. Finally small is fine. A holiday need not be a grand trip to a five star hotel or lodge but even a camping adventure for 5 days or less is still a holiday. It gives one the much-needed break for you and your family
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African safaris
Kenya Safaris

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Where to stay in Nairobi:

Nairobi offers a variety of places where one can stay many people find it extremely difficult to locate these places especially when they have budgetary constraints. I always believe that a vacation need not dent your wallet or put a hole through it so i thought i would come up with some ideas.
Cheap options mainly for students and back packers. The first is the YMCA there are about four hostels one in Nairobi South c area two near the Nairobi University hostels and the third in Eastlands this one is a no go to a new-comer to Nairobi. The other two are okay one could find the basics such as toilet, dinning room and single or shared rooms due to their low rate about 15$ per night a few of the facilities are run down.
Moderately affordable optionsThese are other guest houses also with the central business district and outskirts. for example the PCEA guest house in South c, The Claredon guest house off Ngong road their prices range, tangaza hostels in Karen good for students their prices range from 15$ a night to about 35$.
Home Stays this is another option. one would stay with a family that has an extra bedroom or guest room usually charge between 20$ to 40$ depending on the services included in the package.
Moderately High This include the Boulevard hotel, Fairview hotel, landmark with rates of about 100$ to 150$ per day. Boulevard is the best choice at this level. Also prices may change during off season going down slightly.
Finally always talk to your agent and specify your budget. Hotels usually offer them discounts and you are bound to get a lower rate from your agent than the hotel especially if it is one of the more luxury kind

Monday, December 24, 2007

Lake Manyara an African Safari Destination


Lake Manyara is one of the oldest national parks in Tanzania and was designated a national park in 1960. The park has four zones the ground water zone, the acacia woodland and thickets the alkaline grasslands where the lake is located. Manyara is derived from a Maasai word "imanyara" or euphorbia turruli. The park is 330 square kilometers and the lake 220 square kilometers at the gate there is a notice which reads " 20 million years ago in the history of the earth was quite an exciting time. It was at this time that the Great Rift Valley started to take shape as the continental plates separated and volcanoes erupted forming features like Ngorongoro crater, Mount Meru and the mighty Mount Kilimanjaro".
Some of the animals that can be viewed there are elephants, bush-bucks, monkeys, giraffes, hippos, pelicans, storks and flamingos. The Manyara Serena lodge pictured above is one of the luxury lodges that one could stay while there and easily accessible from the three East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania by air or road.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Aberdare Park an African Travel Destination

The Aberdare National Park is 338 kilometres from the city of Nairobi.The Park is part of Aberdare mountains ranges with moderate Temperatures.

The park’s ecosystem consists of different species of wildlife including the Hippos, Elephants, Rhinos, Buffalos, Monkeys, Mongoose, Zebras, and crocodiles among other wildlife species.

The park also offers good game viewing points whereby the tourist can view the park easily .its geographical systems consists of forest, Deep Valleys Waterfalls and streams

While in the park there are different social and physical refreshing activities that can one do including, Swimming, Golf Playing, safari walks and horse riding. The park also offers transportation means within the park