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Kenya safari & Zanzibar beach holiday

COUNTRY:
Kenya
LOCATION:
Zanzibar
HOLIDAY TYPE:
A small group adventure
DEPARTURES:
2012: 27 Jun, 25 Jul, 15 Aug, 29 Aug, 5 Sep, 26 Sep, 24 Oct, 26 Dec
2013: 20 Feb, 19 Jun
PRICE:
From £2439 - £3039 (12 days) including UK flights
MORE INFO:
From £1699 - £1899 excluding flights. Single supplement £275.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Kenya safari & Zanzibar beach holiday

Kenya safari & Zanzibar beach holiday

Small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

How this holiday makes a difference

UK office
It all starts at home so we have first worked to reduce our carbon footprint in our UK offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies in place, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

Leaders & local suppliers
We have had a long-term relationship with our operator and we have helped train their staff in all aspects of their jobs. The operator runs an annual workshop with its leaders that include Responsible Tourism training. Local guides used on this trip brief the clients about proper safari etiquette both in respect of passenger safety and of minimising tourist impact on the wildlife.

Ilkeliani Lodge in the Masai Mara supports local Masai communities by providing them with a set conservation fee which goes into community development projects allowing the local Masai to benefit from their natural resources in a sustainable way via tourism. The lodge also recruits employees from the local communities as much as possible providing employment.

RT Project
In Kenya we support a number of projects within the community of Aitong near the Masai Mara including a local school and Health Clinic, as well as bursaries for some of the local kids.

Group size
We operate small group tours (12 pax on this tour) that have a low impact on the communities we visit and we always ensure our operations do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. This allows us to stay in unique and characterful accommodation that would not have benefitted from tourism due to their limited size.

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Story of the holiday provider

This tour operator was the first to get access to China over 30 years ago and the first to take a truck to Everest Base Camp on the Tibetan side. They have since expanded into 91 countries. Their product is driven by their clients because they listen to feedback and have to constantly evolve to provide a greater experience and better value. The exclusive centres they use have been grown organically and are often owned by ex-leaders. The holidays remain innovative, though you will now be travelling in a Mercedes 16-seater sprinter coach rather than a rusty old Bedford overland truck.

Listen to the podcast below:

Holiday provider no: 55

Kenya safari & Zanzibar beach holiday

Reviewed 14 Sep 2008 by Honour Carla Cookson4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Every day brought a new and exciting adventure for us. From the magnificent wildlife to the vast landscape of the Mara.
Our guides and their endless knowledge about everything to their skillful driving through some very tricky terrain.
However, the most memorable part would have to be our stay at Kicheche Camp. We were pampered and spoilt from the very moment we had arrived. Wonderful, wonderful people.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


A good lens for your camera and decent binoculars are a must. Baby wipes are worth their weight in gold. If you are in Zanzibar make sure you have the correct amount of USD for your necessary visas, dep fees etc. Otherwise, go with an open mind and just sit back and enjoy yourself.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


I hope so. We followed the advice/tips in our travel notes and we paid special attention to what our guides had suggested. More importantly since arriving home we have done further research as to how we can contribute towards
projects aimed at further developing those in need.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


It was great overall however there are a few things that I would like to mention.
Some of the people in our group had received different information in their travel notes to what we had. This caused a bit of confusion but a nightly debrief from our guides and a bit of detective work helped clarify any misunderstandings.
We would have preferred to fly out of the Mara versus driving 6 hours, primarily to make better use of our time.
The hotel in Stone Town was a bit run down and did n´t really do the area any justice. We would have preferred to pay a bit more and stay somewhere nicer or gone directly to Fumba Lodge. I should mention that the above may seem minor but worth considering.

Reviewed 19 Jun 2007 by Marianne Moore5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Definitely seeing the animals in their natural habitat in the Maasai Mara. A herd of sixty plus elephants quietly grazing, a pride of 22 lions snoozing before the night time hunt. A leopard lazing in an acacia tree with a fresh killed Thomson Gazelle hanging on a branch next to him. Magic!

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Bring enough Kenyan shillings, its not really that cheap. Bring a couple of warm sweaters, the nights are cold. No matter how much film / memory cards you have for your camera, bring more!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Yes, all the employees I met were Maasai, the camp wasnt even visible from outside, only marked by a spear. They follow the same tracks across the Mara as much as possible to minimise erosion of the soft earth.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Amazing. Our guide / driver is a saint! No question was too stupid. No loo stop was inconvenient. He took such good care of us, and made us feel like valued friends instead of tourists. I will never forget Kenya and will go back as soon as I can.
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Holiday Reviews

We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!

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