I'm thinking about going to Africa for maybe 2 or 2 and a half weeks and I'm looking for ideas of which would be the best country or countries to visit in that time. I want to do a safari but I want it be a real experience and not just some fenced off nature reserve or something. I know this is a very vague question, but does anyone have any suggestions of where to go? Also, any very rough cost estimates would be extremely useful.
Thanks in advance!
Reply to this Hello David 😊
You could narrow it down to the English speaking countries, if there is not a country you want to see more than the others.
What about gorilla trekking? That looks like a good experience. It is expensive though and there is no guarantee that you would see the gorillas. I didnt go on the gorilla trek when I was in Uganda, mostly because there was no guarantee I would see the gorillas after paying so much for the trekking permit. But, some TravelBlog members who did do it posted some amazing photos on TravelBlog, which makes it tempting.
Mel
Reply to this David
Which country to visit is not an easy question. Like Mell said, first you may want to narrow the list down to countries where English is spoken.
Budget could be the next obstacle. The further your destination from Europe, the cheaper (in general) the destination will be, but higher airfare may account for the difference.
Possible destinations for a African Wildlife safari could include Botswana (Okavango, Chobe) Namibia (Etosha) South Africa (Kruger), Tanzania (Serengeti) and Kenya (Masai Mara). I only mention some of the larger parks. There are numerous other, some smaller, parks in every one of the above countries that may be as good or even better to have your safari experience and which may better suit your budget.
I suggest you get more suggestions from which to pick, or maybe flip a coin. I, like many others here, can work out a nice itinerary for you, but then a more specific idea of your likes/dislikes will help.
Reply to this Hello David,
I took a week and a half long trip to Namibia in 2007 and went to Etosha National Park and the Namib Desert. I went with Wild Dog and Crazy Kudu Safaris and we spent two days driving around Etosha Nat'l Park and it was fantastic. The desert was also fantastic. Two of the most memorable things were seeing the milky way in the middle of the night and getting up before dawn to watch the sunrise from the top of a dune.
There's a lot of tours that go through Southern Africa anywhere from 3 days and up. I know some people who took tours that went from CapeTown, South Africa up through Namibia, Botswana and to Victoria Falls, Zambia. I would have loved to go if only I would have had more time! Best of luck!
Reply to this Hello David,
I'd suggest you visit East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) You can get to visit all these countries as they are just a bus ride apart from each other. That's if you have time.... u don't have to spend a whole week in one country! You can stay in budget camps... experience the wild... stay in cottages and relax at the beach.
Reply to this Hi David,
East Africa would be a deal believe me you. Tanzania is supa, Kenya too is good. It all depends on when you wish to travel. Traveling comes with season and offcourse property you want to stay at. We have peak season (Mid Dec Throught to Mid March, Mid June -End of Oct ) high seasons Mid March, Mid June, Sept November) and low seasons April & May. Blackrhino Adventures in Kenya could assist you with further information you may require. Good luck
Reply to this Dave,
The suggestions above all point to better way of enjoying your two weeks safari in Africa. May I also add a few suggestion to your Safari.
You can split the two weeks between Kenya and Tanzania. Depending on your mode of transport, you may minimise the number times you hop from one park to another, you may not be able to enjoy much especially if you are using road, which is more adventurous.
This is what I would suggest for you;
Day 1: Arrival in Nairobi
Day 2: Nairobi - Mount Kenya NP
Day 3 & 4: Mt Kenya - Samburu
Day 5: Samburu - Sweetwaters
Day 6:Sweetwaters - L. Nakuru NP
Day 7, 8 & 9: L. Nakuru - Massai Mara
Day 10 & 11: Massai Mara - Serengeti NP
Day 12 & 13: Serengeti - Ngorongoro crater
Day14: Ngorongoro - L. Manayara
Day 15: L. Manyara - Arusha/home
This will give you much of the feel of African safari though it might start getting boring after the 8th day. I would suggest that you can shorten the safari and have some days along the beach, either in Zanzibar, Mombasa or Lamu.
Hope this helps
Joe
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