Safari in Kenya and/or Tanzania

Check out Twiga Tours, based in Nairobi. It was 2001 when we went on safari with Twiga in Kenya and Tanzania but I see they still have excellent reviews. "Twiga" is giraffe in Swahili, by the way.

I sent you a private message.

A good friend of mine goes to Tanzania every other year...she can't get enough of it and speaks highly of the wildlife, people, and the beauty of the country!

Consider Rwanda. Good opportunities there as well.

Can you provide more insight as to what you mean by best deal and what exactly are you looking for.

Some things to consider: If you are trying to minimize costs, you have chosen probably the 2 of 3 most expensive countries for safaris. Tanzania just raised its daily park fees and other fees to where they are very expensive.

Consider how you want to travel - are you planning on a circle trip - say starting in Nairobi, heading west towards Masi Mara and then crossing into TZ and hitting Serengiti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Manyara and Taragerie NPs?

There are lots of safari companies that seem to provide the same sort of vehicles. The big differential will be in the type of hotels you stay in.

I just returned (August) from doing a circle - started in Uganda, went south into Rwanda, crossed through TZ and finished in Nairobi. If cost is a factor, I would look towards Uganda. If you want to go see the gorillas, I would avoid Rwanda (they just increased the permit to $1,500 per person). Another place for cheaper travel is Namibia.

PM me if you have further questions.

What do you want to achieve? Is it mass herds of animals? The landscape? The iconic Nat Geo river crossings? Also, when? Tanzania is home to Ngorongoro Crater which has little to compare with in Kenya. It also holds most of the Serengeti Plains which is the route of the Great Migration. However, 10 days needs careful plannjng depending when and what uouwant to do. Tanzania is my recommendation. Africa offers a lot of options,but Tanzania holds the most animals. There is also both a north and a south circuit in Tanz. North will be more similar to Kenya, south is different for logisitics and much less touristed.

We are looking to see the Big Five and don't want to do budget. We don't have to do the maximum luxury safari, but don't want to have to bring our own sleeping bag and sleep on the ground while camping, like one company's plan announced.

I have found what appears to be good companies for Kenya/Tanzania.

Has anyone any information about these firms?

Adventure East Africa http://adventureeastafrica.com/tanzania-and-kenya-combined-safaris

TWIGA TOURS 12 days
Greatest Wildlife and Cultural Experience

https://www.stridetravel.com/trips/twiga-tours/greatest-wildlife-and-cultural-experience

ON THE GO TOURS
https://www.onthegotours.com/Kenya/Best-of-Kenya-and-Tanzania-11-days#tabs

As I wrote in my first answer, we went on a 9 day safari with Twiga, in Kenya and Tanzania and it was the experience of a lifetime. Of course, we saw the Big Five but the whole safari was thrilling. Accommodations were excellent as were all the meals. Two I especially remember. One was at tables, complete with table cloths, fine china and cutlery, set up in the shade of trees in the Ngorongoro crater. Dinner was served and the wine poured by employees from our hotel. Can't beat that for exotic. The other meal was a box lunch provided for the day we had a long drive from Kenya to Tanzania. We sat on the ground to eat and fended off the monkeys, who watched us with greedy eyes. I lost my banana to one of them, who snatched it and scooted away.

We saw a female giraffe give birth, while the male and his harem stood at a distance and waited patiently. Another day we saw a lioness leave her two cubs alone under a tree while she went hunting. The cubs obediently stayed put, waiting for her to return with lunch.

Marvellous time.

Thanks again for the information on Twiga Tours. The safari looks like what we want. We can buy our own airfare separately.

You have probably already booked your safari, but one of the things many of the safari companies do is package their safari's as a tour. I like to pick my own places and where to go and what to see. In other words, more of a custom trip.
Rothchild safaris' just got Travel & Leisure's top pick for safari companies, beating out the long standing Micato safari's.
Another option, my friend just used Africa Travel Resource and loved her trip to Tanzania.

Whoever you use, I'm sure it will be wonderful!

I looked at Rothchild Tours' website, but no prices were available. That was frustrating. I suspect prices are high. They usually are when no prices are posted.