My Trip To Kenya

Traveling to Nairobi

I flew Emirates Air from New York to Dubai and then on to Nairobi . It is an excellent airline. Coach class was very roomy. Each passenger’s seat had an individual entertainment screen with over 400 movies to view. Also, there were many TV selections as well as video games, music, and email. We could even phone, from seat to seat, in the plane.

The crew was outstanding. It was probably the best and most gracious service I have ever experienced onboard an aircraft. The food was excellent. They even gave amenity kits (sox, sleep mask, comb, toothbrush & toothpaste) and served complimentary premium alcohol. They definitely deserve their #3 in the World rating from Conde Nast.

Dubai Airport – Wow! This is a beautiful airport! And, the duty free shopping was amazing.

Dubai Millennium Airport Hotel – It is right next to the airport and has free shuttle service. We enjoyed friendly, efficient service. Everyone spoke English, so there were no language difficulties. The hotel has a very attractive lobby and shops. The rooms were large and clean, but pretty basic. There were no hairdryers or assorted amenities like shampoo, etc. But, they did have soap! The room did have TV, air conditioning, and mini refrigerator.

Micato Safaris

This is a terrific company to travel with. They provide efficient, friendly, outstanding personal service and attention to detail. The company is owned by the Pinto Family, who are third generation Kenyan’s and have lived in Nairobi for 37 years. They are very well connected so they really know how to get things done – American efficiency combined with Kenyan hospitality and friendliness make a winning combination. Their Travel & Leisure Award as “#1 Safari Outfitter in the World” award is well deserved!

Some important points about this safari:
• Well trained driver-guides, Friendly and knowledgeable and fluent in English.

• Small groups – generally 12-14, never more than 24 in any program. Maximum 6 people in each safari vehicle to ensure that everyone has a window seat. There is an ice chest in each vehicle filled with plenty of cold water & soft drinks, plus they have a pair of high powered binoculars for each person.

• All meals included on tour.

• All tips and gratuities are included except for the driver and Safari Director.

• Every tour that begins or ends in Nairobi includes lunch or dinner at The Pinto home.

• Immediate Hotel check-in & preferred accommodations.

• Complimentary Airport transfers for all clients even if you do your own air.

• Complimentary rolling duffle bag, flashlight and safari hat provided to every guest.

• Flights between most points on tour which eliminates up to twenty hours of driving. A GREAT convenience, comfort and time saver!

• Beautiful documents and great pre-tour information.

When on safari, luggage is restricted to the duffle bag they provide and weight is limited to 35 lbs on the small planes. Micato stored our large suitcases for us until we returned to Nairobi. They sent a suggested packing list which was very helpful. Before my departure, I did buy some Safari clothes which proved to be very comfortable - light weight pants, long sleeve shirts and breathable material were the best things to have. I took my high top hiking boots, but a lot of people just wore athletic shoes and those were just fine. Some people wore shorts and t-shirts, but they also got more bug bites & sunburn.

When we arrived in Nairobi, we were met as we stepped off the plane and taken to a special room where soft drinks and sandwiches were waiting for us. The Micato staff had pre-cleared us for customs and they collected our luggage for us. Wow, what service! We were then transferred to the Norfolk Hotel – a beautiful, historic Nairobi hotel – a member of the Leading Hotels of the World. I loved the Norfolk , a wonderful blend of English Tudor and African heritage. 

We enjoyed a gala welcome reception at the residence of the U.S. Ambassador, His Excellency William Bellamy, hosted by The Kenya Tourist Board and Micato. Everyone encouraged us to send clients to Africa and said people need to take the State Department warnings “with a grain of salt”

On Safari:
Kenya Air flight from Nairobi to Maasai Mara National Reserve. Our flight gave us beautiful views of the Great Rift Valley . Kenya Air did an excellent job and provided good service and comfortable, clean planes. The aircraft reminded me of the Horizon Air flights between PDX / SEA , except you land on a dirt runway!

Mara Safari Club – This is a luxury tent safari camp. The tents are large – sleeping room with poster bed and bug netting – flaps separate the bathroom which has a flush toilet, hot shower, sink, mirror and electricity! All the comforts of home. The Mara Safari Club sits right on the banks of the Mara River which is filled with hippos. We could sit on our tent porch and see the hippos and crocodiles. What a thrill! The Club has a beautiful lodge style dining room, lounge, gift shop and swimming pool. Food in the restaurant was excellent. Everything was served buffet style – lots of selections geared to American tastes and a definite East Indian influence with great curry and rice, even good vegetarian options. Their pancakes were actually wonderful crepes that everyone loved!

On game drives in the Maasai Mara, you drive cross country looking for game. It is really an exciting adventure. We saw everything except leopards – lots of zebra, giraffes, lions, elephants, monkeys, baboons, wart hogs, cheetahs, cape buffalo, water buffalo, gazelles, impalas, hyena, ostrich, topi, black rhino, storks, and ibex. It was the thrill of a lifetime! We also had the opportunity to visit a Maasai Village , enter their huts, talk with the people. They also shared with us some traditional songs and dances. It was a delightful visit.

Hot Air Balloon Ride over the Maasai Mara – Even though this balloon tour is expensive, (this side tour cost me $425), it was worth every penny. This is a “not to be missed experience!”

Amboseli National Park - Unlike a National Reserve which is under local control, the National Park authorities prohibit driving off the main roads within the Park, when game viewing. However, you still get “up close and personal” with all the animals. A very different experience from the Mara, but equally wonderful. More flat, open area than the Mara. We were lucky enough to see Mt. Kilimanjaro clearly both days we were there. Here you see great herds of animals – elephant, zebra, and buffalo. 

Ol Tukai Lodge - This is a large, spread-out, beautiful property. The rooms are chalet style cottages with high open beam ceilings. You can sit on your porch and look at open fields of zebra, elephant & buffalo not more than 100 yards from your door. Lovely, pool, restaurant & gift shop on property. Food was excellent and similar to the selection you would find at a restaurant here in the states.

Mount Kenya Safari Club - We flew from Amboseli to Nanyuki, then took a short drive to the magnificent Mount Kenya Safari Club. Its sprawling colonial design was influenced by the late actor William Holden, who founded the Club in 1959 with two of his friends. Beautiful manicured grounds and English gardens – even a hedge maze to wander through. Accommodations are in cozy cottages or elegant cottage suites. It is quite a hike from the main lodge to the rooms, so there are shuttle busses to take you back and forth. 

Our cottage suite had a lovely porch with chairs overlook a small lake and a magnificent view of Mt. Kenya . We had a living room with fireplace, bedroom with fireplace and huge marble bath with shower and separate sunken tub. Room service comes and lights a fire in the fireplace in the evening. This is an elegant property steeped in tradition. 

The Mount Kenya Safari Club sits directly on the equator. They did a special ceremony for us demonstrating how on one side of the walkway water will swirl clockwise and on the other side of the walkway, water will swirl counter clockwise. Fascinating!

The Safari Club has a nine hole golf course, tennis courts, riding stables, a trout stream, bowling green , manicured gardens for strolling and a beautiful pool. Great shops, explorers lounge restaurant and meeting rooms round out the property offerings. On the property there is the Animal Orphanage, operated by the William Holden Wildlife Foundation. Here wildlife orphans are raised with great care, and many are quite tame. We were able to hand feed a great tortoise, (speedy Gonzales), monkeys, a warthog named Chucky, monkeys and an ostrich named Patty. This is a great experience – they have wonderful knowledgeable guides who will take you through the entire facility. If you have the opportunity to stay here be sure to allow time to visit the Animal Orphanage. It is not only fun, it supports a wonderful animal conservation program.

At the end of our safari tour, Micato flew us back to Nairobi where we stayed at the Grand Regency Hotel for our last night. This is a lovely, first class hotel in the heart of Nairobi . It reminds me of the Hyatt at the Embarcadero in SFO in its design. Rooms were spacious and well appointed. Tub/shower combination, nice marble counter & mirror, hair dryer, lighted magnified make-up mirror, in room safe, sitting area with side chair, writing desk & chair in the room

Micato has a non-profit organization called America Share and invites all their clients and guests to participate through their Lend-a-Helping-Hand-on-Safari programme. We chose to participate and were each given a blue duffle bag we then filled with suggested items (dental supplies, pens, paper, colored markers, etc). On our last day in Kenya we visited a school and presented our donations to the children. This was an unforgettable experience. It was a wonderful way to make a difference in the lives of people in need. One more reason to travel with Micato!

This was truly the trip of a lifetime. I would go back to Kenya in a heartbeat! I felt safe, welcome and well cared for. Africa is an incredible experience. 

Contact Information:
Barbara Weber
503.375.8810 - direct
800.848.5775 - tollfree
Email: BWeber@jbatravel.com

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