I don't really have a question about a particular lodge or activity. I am looking to you for your advice on that. I will be in Migori, Kenya for about two weeks in early July with a group of about a dozen adults. We will be looking for some place to spend probably three days and two nights "winding down" before returning to the US. This is not a luxury vacation, but a working trip to work with the Luo orphans in the Migori, Kenya area and start work on an orphanage there. I tell you that so you will understand that we are on a budget that is not extravagant. Can you recommend any hotels or lodges that have some close proximity to wildlife or other attractions? I am open to any and all suggestions. Particularly if they come with some cost estimates. We would be interested in both cheap as well as more costly options either in a safari setting or perhaps near Lake Victoria. I’m thinking about possibly splitting our time and spending a day in the Kisumu area and then driving somewhere (Maasai Mara? Amboseli Serena?) for a couple days worth of safari experience. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. I need to pull together suggestions and recommendations for the group this week. I look forward to hearing from you.
Daniel Eaton
Atlanta, GA
Full Version: I need some travel recomendations
Last time I was in Kisumu I stayed at the Nyanza Club (off Jomo Kenyatta highway). It cost me about 2500 KES per night (+/- $32 US) for my girlfriend and I. For that price you get a room in one of several villa type buildings (4 rooms per building) overlooking Lake Victoria - ask for a room on the upper floor if you want to have a nice view of the lake. If there are a bunch of you and you are taking several rooms, you can probably negotiate the price too. 
The rooms have relatively comfortable beds, TVs that work, phones, mosquito nets, ceiling fans, hot/warm water, a full "normal" bathroom with a toilet, sink, and bathtub with shower. The club itself has tennis courts. I'm told it has a swimming pool, but I didn't go looking for it. The club restaurant is quite nice, and serves Indian dishes (curries etc) and local things like tilapia and ugali (one of my favorites). If I remember right, the price for the room included breakfast.
It's not far to go into town - short cab ride. The guard at the gate can help arrange a cab, or find someone that treats you fairly and get his mobile number. Then you can just call him when you want to go somewhere.
Local sights... check out Ndere Island. You can get a boat from Kisumu Beach Resort (most days... depends on how clogged with water hyacynth the shoreline is), and putter out to the island and watch the hippos and crocodiles. I wouldn't pay more than 500 KES per person for the boat... the market on Sunday (I think it was a Sunday I went to the market) is a pretty interesting experience... put on you bartering hat and have fun <grin>. You could also go down to Dunga. There's sometimes hippos around there... I didn't see any, but the locals insisted they were there. There's also a few monkeys running about and causing trouble. Teh mosquitoes will drive you bonkers.
Anyway, that would be my suggestion for Kisumu. I don't have any suggestions for a Masai Mara safari... never been there.
I rather enjoyed Lake Nakuru - the millions of pink flamingos is a real sight to see. The park around Lake Nakuru has all sorts of animals.. giraffe, rhino, water buffalo, impala, lion, baboon, etc. It's not really that close to Kisumu, but you can arrange to drive through the park yourself, or snag a willing cab driver to take you around the park. The Midland hotel in Nakuru is decent... again +/-2500 KES per night. There are cheaper places, but they are noisy, and you will spend the night wondering if you will make it through the night.... well at least the place I stayed at on Bazaar Road was like that
One thing you MUST keep in mind is the rather poor condition of the roads. You are not going to be able to hop in the 4x4 and motor off for a leisurely jaunt of 250 km to the Masai Mara and back in a day.
The rooms have relatively comfortable beds, TVs that work, phones, mosquito nets, ceiling fans, hot/warm water, a full "normal" bathroom with a toilet, sink, and bathtub with shower. The club itself has tennis courts. I'm told it has a swimming pool, but I didn't go looking for it. The club restaurant is quite nice, and serves Indian dishes (curries etc) and local things like tilapia and ugali (one of my favorites). If I remember right, the price for the room included breakfast.It's not far to go into town - short cab ride. The guard at the gate can help arrange a cab, or find someone that treats you fairly and get his mobile number. Then you can just call him when you want to go somewhere.
Local sights... check out Ndere Island. You can get a boat from Kisumu Beach Resort (most days... depends on how clogged with water hyacynth the shoreline is), and putter out to the island and watch the hippos and crocodiles. I wouldn't pay more than 500 KES per person for the boat... the market on Sunday (I think it was a Sunday I went to the market) is a pretty interesting experience... put on you bartering hat and have fun <grin>. You could also go down to Dunga. There's sometimes hippos around there... I didn't see any, but the locals insisted they were there. There's also a few monkeys running about and causing trouble. Teh mosquitoes will drive you bonkers.
Anyway, that would be my suggestion for Kisumu. I don't have any suggestions for a Masai Mara safari... never been there.
I rather enjoyed Lake Nakuru - the millions of pink flamingos is a real sight to see. The park around Lake Nakuru has all sorts of animals.. giraffe, rhino, water buffalo, impala, lion, baboon, etc. It's not really that close to Kisumu, but you can arrange to drive through the park yourself, or snag a willing cab driver to take you around the park. The Midland hotel in Nakuru is decent... again +/-2500 KES per night. There are cheaper places, but they are noisy, and you will spend the night wondering if you will make it through the night.... well at least the place I stayed at on Bazaar Road was like that
One thing you MUST keep in mind is the rather poor condition of the roads. You are not going to be able to hop in the 4x4 and motor off for a leisurely jaunt of 250 km to the Masai Mara and back in a day.
lake nakuru is definitely a place to visit, I agree with smaug.
I never saw something so impressing.
Brought me to tears in a second.
I never saw something so impressing.
Brought me to tears in a second.
Djeaton
I recomend a private Travel company in Kisumu. The owner, Jason Ocholla is a known character who is an A+ in safaris
They operate from the Royale Hotel in Kisumu. They can arrange everything you wish.
Affordable Private Safaris
Box 6757, Kisumu - Kenya
Tel : 254 35-40970 Fax 254 35 22826
Affordable Private Safaris
I recomend a private Travel company in Kisumu. The owner, Jason Ocholla is a known character who is an A+ in safaris
They operate from the Royale Hotel in Kisumu. They can arrange everything you wish.
Affordable Private Safaris
Box 6757, Kisumu - Kenya
Tel : 254 35-40970 Fax 254 35 22826
Affordable Private Safaris
QUOTE (bonga @ Mar 28 2004, 03:50 AM)
lake nakuru is definitely a place to visit, I agree with smaug.
I never saw something so impressing.
Brought me to tears in a second.
I never saw something so impressing.
Brought me to tears in a second.
Spot on Bonga and Smaug...Lake Nakuru is Fantastic...but the rains have started and the roads could be a bother...closer to you...Kisumu, call a Mr. Ajay...he runs the wonderful Nyanza Club....Ajay Tailor, Tel 254-57-22433..he is a good man. Enjoy yourself
Lake Nakuru is good, but if you want flamingo heaven you have to go to Bogoria
My advice to djeaton: you dont have much time in those three days if you wish to take in wildlife viewing. Ideally you would want to head to the Mara, as you'll be able to access the Western part of the Mara fairly easily from Kisumu - and thats where the action really is in the Mara, especially around July. But travelling to and from will take up time, and it may not exactly be relaxing - widlife watching can be an exhaustive and expensive business.
You may want to focus on activities closer to where you are - maybe Lake Victoria, or a bird watching trip to Kakamega Forest etc.
My advice to djeaton: you dont have much time in those three days if you wish to take in wildlife viewing. Ideally you would want to head to the Mara, as you'll be able to access the Western part of the Mara fairly easily from Kisumu - and thats where the action really is in the Mara, especially around July. But travelling to and from will take up time, and it may not exactly be relaxing - widlife watching can be an exhaustive and expensive business.
You may want to focus on activities closer to where you are - maybe Lake Victoria, or a bird watching trip to Kakamega Forest etc.
QUOTE (Mambo @ Mar 29 2004, 04:50 PM)
Lake Nakuru is good, but if you want flamingo heaven you have to go to Bogoria
Was there in December.....temperature was 38C and hardly any flamingoes...maybe they have come back now.....
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