Wonderful Kenya Safari & Diani Beach Birthday Trip

Raza:

I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to provide feedback on our trip, but I’m taking much longer to recover from jet lag than I had anticipated. I wanted to be sure to let you know that we had a wonderful time on our trip. We didn’t encounter a single glitch along the way (and you know how unusual that is when you travel).

Darlene was there to greet us in the arrivals hall with a sign with both our names that was easy to read from a distance. No easy feat considering all the other people who were there to meet passengers. I was able to purchase a SIM card for the phone I’d brought with me, only to learn that it wasn’t an unlocked model as advertised. Darlene tested the card with a couple of phones, just to be certain.

Our driver, Spencer, was a delightful man who gave us some tips for trying to get something for breakfast before the café actually opened. We were glad to see him again the next morning for the brief ride to Wilson Airport. I had no problems storing my extra bag at the Safari Link departure terminal.

Our flight to Amboseli was uneventful and we were greeted by our driver, Kenneth. What a treasure he was! Kenneth took the time to share his knowledge of the local animals and ecosystem; he was almost like a human guidebook. My husband forgot to pack binoculars but Kenneth graciously shared his with us so that we could see what he saw. I’d like to write a letter to his manager(s) praising his work; is there a way for me to do so? I have the basic e-mail but wonder whether you have a contact name I could use.

Tiva and Eddie were our gracious hosts at the Elerai Camp camp. It is a lovely camp and we really liked the tent to which we were assigned. Aside from one incident involving some other guests who didn’t quite grasp the concept of “don’t disturb the wildlife” we had a wonderful two nights there.

I was glad that I hadn’t scheduled any activities for our overnight at Loldia House (Naivasha). It poured the afternoon we arrived and so I didn’t feel guilty for sneaking in a nap. Just so you know, Peter is no longer manager at Loldia. Instead, we had a lovely communal dinner with the only other guest and the new manager, Colin. Colin is a South African with a charming, engaging personality. After some prodding from him, we decided to visit a local conservatory to see some flamingos.

We liked the opportunity to support a local business and I was able to get some great photos. As is often the case, the largest number of birds were present the week prior to our visit. Hands down, the food at Loldia House was the best that we encountered during our stay. We liked the property and were disappointed that we had only one night there. I’d like a return visit so that we could see the rhinos at Lake Nakuru.

We really enjoyed our visit to the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage and have the photos to prove it. Unfortunately for us, road construction on the way to the Carnivore Restaurant cut our time there too short. We really didn’t have enough time to enjoy our meal and the touristy experience fully.

We were blown away by the IL Moran camp. Our guide, Ngei, listened to what we had to say and tailored our drives to maximize exposure to those animals. The wildebeest congregated for us but no one was brave enough to actually begin the crossing. We saw lions, cheetahs preparing for a hunt, more wildebeest than you can imagine, and so much more. We opted not to have the mid-day game drives and enjoyed the time to relax instead.

The all-male staff at IL Moran gave us the best birthday celebration. Not only did our room steward, Jackson, decorate our bed and leave presents for us both but the staff put on a show with song and home-made instruments during dinner with the chef leading the way. Mike was feeling chilled and almost didn’t go to dinner but was so glad that he did. While I’d known that you’d alerted each property about our birthdays, this was the best celebration.

While we waited for the connecting flight to Diani, I was glad that I remembered the stored bag at the Safari Link departure gate. We were able to retrieve it with a couple of phone calls. I was pleased to find that I could take it with me to Diani (the bag ended up being a framed carry-on).

Our stay at Pinewood was delightful. I liked the vibe at Elerai Camp, felt a little out-of-place at IL Moran, but I felt right at home at Pinewood. It was just what I was looking for and we enjoyed chatting with the other guests (something we hadn’t had the chance to do previously). The staff were all warm and welcoming; I was grateful that our housekeeper, Theresa, let me sneak a peek at the Executive Suite and Room so that I could know what I was missing.

I particularly appreciated that Sally in Reception wrote down a list of basic phrases in Kiswahili for me to practice. I was a little surprised at how quickly the little charges added up so I might consider going all-inclusive for a future visit.

We tried hard not to be demanding guests. Yes, we paid for our stay like any other guest but we tried hard to be flexible, accommodating, and cheerful. We were in the minority and didn’t want to be seen as boorish Americans.

Thanks so much for all the work that it took to coordinate our trip; it showed in the seamless transitions from place to place. What a way to celebrate our birthdays!

Kimberly Williams
United States

Categories: AfricanMecca Safaris Reviews

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