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

A busy township in the Maasai Mara. Market Day. We explore the bustling streets, conspicuous by the paleness of our skin. No tourist stop this, but a community doing business. A man makes shoes from old car tyres. A farmer drags his unwilling goat to the slaughter house. Two brothers load three sheep into the boot of a Toyota Corolla – they have to take the spare tyre out first. Another man staggers down the main street, drunk on the proceeds of his livestock sale. He brandishes a Maasai sword and yells insults at passers by. Suddenly he hurls the sword across the street. Sparks fly, people scatter. Elijah, our guide, ushers us back into the Land Cruiser and we move on.

This is Kenya. Vibrant. Bustling. Alive. And we are going on safari.

That night we camp in the bush, next to a watering hole. From nowhere, a Maasai warrior, Jonathan, appears and invites us to his village. It’s half a mile away, a circle of mud huts squatting low, almost indistinguishable in the arid, dusty surroundings. Small children gather and sing us a song of greeting. They bow their heads and we touch them in the traditional way. ‘Sopa’ we say. ‘Sopa’ they reply. Welcome. We enter Jonathan’s home and he tells us of his culture, of how the drought is hitting his people hard, that if it doesn’t rain soon then he fears for the very way of life of the Maasai. I ask him if it’s a difficult life. He shakes his head. ‘It’s good’, he says. ‘Only the drought makes it difficult.

That night we sleep under the stars. In the night, elephants pass within yards of our tents. Lion aren’t far away. Two Maasai stand watch, huddled round the camp fire, spears to hand, watching as the animals move to the watering hole. We only discover this next day.

In the morning, we trek into the bush, Jonathan and Elijah leading the way. Maasai herdsmen lead their emaciated cattle through the arid plains, searching for scraps of grass. A jackal tussles with an eagle for carrion. In the distance an ostrich stands large against the horizon. Trapdoor spiders lie in wait in tiny burrows for unsuspecting insects. A seemingly endless column of soldier ants march across the dry and dusty plains. We say goodbye to Jonathan, and wish him well. Silently we all pray for rain.

That night we camp on the very edge of the game reserve. An evening walk into the hills with another Maasai guide. His keen eyes pick out elephants in the bushes, down in the valley. We watch as they emerge slowly into the open. Fifteen, of all ages. Something spooks the matriarch and she trumpets an alarm. The elephants huddle together, back in the bushes. Maybe they can smell us. We move on, not wanting to disturb them, ever-mindful of their power and strength.

Day three and we head into the game reserve. Zebra, Impala, Giraffe, Thompson’s Gazelle, Topi, Hartebeeste, Eland. More elephants. The first Wildebeeste we see is dead. A lion feeds hungrily on his carcass as we watch from the safety of our vehicle, just yards away. Hyenas and vultures lurk nearby, waiting to squabble for scraps. A mother cheetah and her two cubs lope gracefully across the vast, grassy plains. A black rhino and her baby stand marooned in the long grass, looking for an opportunity to break for the bushes and cover.

Thousands of Wildbeeste gather on the cliffs above the Mara river, looking for a safe crossing. The southern grass lands call them for their annual migration, but they can’t decide where to cross. Down river, enormous crocodiles wait patiently, waiting for them to take the plunge. Hippos bask on the shore, steaming in the fierce afternoon sun.

This is Kenya. Full of drama and passion: rituals of man and beast which reach back through aeons.

Six thirty the next morning, and we are back in the reserve. Five lions fan out in the long grass, stalking a cluster of Wildebeeste who graze upwind of them, oblivious of the silent, powerful death with creeps ever closer. We sit on raised ground, watching the drama unfold, holding our breath, barely able to believe what we are seeing. Another driver gets too close and spooks the Wildebeeste. The lions give chase but their cover is blown and their prey escapes. Duncan, our driver, bangs the wheel in frustration. The radio crackles into life as the airways teem with abuse.

We drive on, over the Mau hills. Verdant pasture, at odds with the dust bowl of the plains. Healthy cattle. Fields of wheat, maize and potatoes stop the water from reaching the plains. The Government want to return this pasture to forest to make sure more water gets to where it is desperately needed. The hill farmers aren’t keen.

That night we see why the water is needed as we pitch up at Lake Elementaita, a vast salt lake, home to thousands of flamingos, but shrunk to less than half its usual size. Our lodge was built next to the water’s edge, just a few years ago. Now it takes us half an hour’s walk before we reach the shore.

We circle the lake in the baking heat. The flamingos peck in the shallows, pelicans glide gracefully overhead, a pied Kingfisher dives for food. We paddle self-consciously in hot springs, while men wash themselves and women clean clothes. A farmer brings his cattle to drink from this, one of the increasingly rare supplies of fresh water. We sip water from our plastic bottles and leave, not wanting to intrude.

An afternoon visit to a local school. Like everyone else they need money. To employ new teachers -one class has 85 children. To buy a school bus - hardly any of their 500 plus pupils have been more than a few kilometres from where they live. To level out the football pitch – they have a good team who play on a hillside. Our gift of football kit and pens are rapturously received. They dance and sing for us, and make us feel very special, and very aware of how much we have and how much they need. £150 will put a child through secondary school for a year. £1500 will pay a teacher’s annual wages. The average Kenyan earns £2 a day. The average in the UK is £85. The average life expectancy for a Kenyan is 53. In 1990 it was 60. Things aren’t getting any better.

In the late afternoon we are made welcome by George, a local farmer. His wife gives us fruit, pancakes and tea while George tells us more tales of the drought and shows us the impact it has had on his farm. A failed maize crop. Tomatoes dying for lack of water. His grandson, George junior looks on solemnly. George wonders what future his family has if the rains don’t come this year. It’s August and it hasn’t rained since June.

Day six and we visit Lake Nakuru national park. More flamingos. A lion feeds off a buffalo stranded in the mud by the shore. A rhino grazes on the beach. Baboons watch us carefully as we drive past, raising huge clouds of orange dust.

The final day and we take a boat on what’s left of Lake Naivasha. The boat starts a kilometre away from where it did three years ago, such has been the decrease in the level of the lake. No-one can remember it being this low before. There are 1500 hippos in the lake and several swim close to our small boat. A fish eagle swoops just yards away, plucking a fish from the water. Then back to Nairobi, where the six of us thank Elijah, Duncan and our chef Demetrius and go our separate ways.

Our trip was the Kenya Explorer, organised by a company who specialise in Fair Traded trips in Kenya and Tanzania. We have been superbly well looked after, and treated with great courtesy and generosity. An amazing range of experiences: exciting, exhilarating and thought-provoking. It’s a trip that will stay with me forever.

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

Book now!

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

Yes.

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

Brilliant.

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

It could have been the Wildebeast crossing the river, or the pride of lions with cubs at a kill, or the cheetahs, or the 2.2 million Flamingo's or the Sea eagle as it swooped down beside our boat to grab a fish. It might have been sitting around a huge campfire with the Masai or visiting their village or perhaps it was the singing and dancing of the school children. However I think it was the kindness and attentativeness of our guide, drivers and cook. Actually it was everything

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

ENJOY try and take some books etc for the school and spare boots and sweatshirts etc for the guides.

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

I hope our holiday benefitted the local people. As the operator uses local guides, drivers and a cook and buys local produce from the markets it can only be beneficial. It was humbling to go to a Masai market and see them trying to sell secondhand shoes and clothes that I would have thrown away. We take so much for granted. They do however have a more relaxed attitude to life which I am going to try and copy.

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

Unforegettable the best ever

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

The first 24 hours of this trip are amazing (the rest is pretty good too but it was the first 24 hours I remember the most.) We drove towards the Masaai Mara and stopped to camp overnight in the middle of nowhere. The trip to the Masaai village was fascinating and very sensitively managed. I loved investigating the goat and sheep pen!

Then we slept to the sound of hyenas, safe in the knowledge that two Masaai warriors were guarding our tents, and in the morning we had an al fresco breakfast of fabulous proportions whilst the monkeys swung through the trees around us - magical!

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

Believe that it will be cold in the evenings! My fleece was invaluable but I would have given anything to have had a pair of jeans or thicker trousers with me.

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

By its very nature, game drives can not be good for the environment and I was a little concerned about where all the water at our second campsite in the Masaai Mara came from. But this holiday's real strength is its commitment to the local people who work directly and indirectly for the company.

The guides told us that it was one of the best companies to work for and the cultural insight that you gain from this trip is phenomenal - definitely better than a bog standard driving around the Mara trip!

4. Any other comments?

It was brilliant. Thanks for the great job you all do at responsible travel - you are definitely improving the ethics of holidaying!

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

Being so close to the wild animals, meeting the local people in their daily life.

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

Bring warm clothes! Kenya is quite high up, and it gets windy in the open vehicles.

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

I did. This operator maintains a close relationship with the local people, and involves them in our trip. Everything was extremely well organised, and carefully though out.

4. Any other comments?

Thank you for recommending this operator, and for putting me in touch with them. They were absolutely fantastic.

The first day of our Kenya Explorer trip involved a drive from Nairobi tothe town of Ewaso Ngiro for lunch and then a stop on route to a colourful Masai market place in Narok, where we were escorted by our guides safely around the market and got reasonable deals on our purchases (mine included a Bob Marley tape for GB £2 - but the more interesting items included custom designed tyre sandals and rice and Masai shawls in distinctive red). We were then escorted onto a the Masai homestead where our trip came to life with the presence of wonderful landscapes and the insight into how the native local Masai live - what livestock they have, how the houses they constructed from cow dung, gaining valuable knowledge from our guides William and Joseph, such as how the women Masai build and design the houses from scratch, how many wives the Masai were allowed to have and over a cup of a traditional cocktail of tea we were allowed to ask the tribe members questions and allowed to take photographs.

We were lucky to have such amazing hosts and there was a great sense of priviledge in us tourists being allowed such an intimate visit to one of the more remote Masai villages which happened to belong to one of our Masai guide's -Jonathan (who later guarded our camp on our first night from lions and other dangers!). By chance, we happened to be visiting on the day of a blessing Jonathan's child, so we witnessed the blessing from the father of the Masai tribe and we as visitors were then instructed how to bless the child, by touching its head and saying the appropriate phrase... which unfortunately escapes me now.

This part of our trip immediately puts the whole of Kenya in a cultural context, making it a vivid acknowledgement of who the land belongs to, how they live and how this relates to the busier and more modern aspects of Nairobi.

The first night ended with us returning to our camp, after buying the beautiful, brightly coloured jewellery that was hand made by the Maasai tribe-really striking and intricately crafted- no one in our camp could resist a buy. Returning to our camps by moonlight, really made the enchantment of our surroundings come alive, the natural beauty of our surroundings,the strange distant noises of wildlife that we had never heard before, the warmth of the fireplace amidst the encroaching cold of the night. It was very magical! We had dinner back at the campsite and talked and told stories till well intothe night, looked over protectingly by our two Maasai guides who watched our camp diligently through the night.

The Western lack of telling stories soonbecame obvious when our Kenyan guides, William and Joseph outshone us with their brilliant and often bizarre fables and stories which seemed an intrinsic part of being Kenyan I think- a lot of talking and musing.

The next morning, very early we embarked on a two and a half hour walk with our Maasai guide Jonathan. His knowledge of the land was unwaveringly good. We stopped amongst some incredible vegetation, where our guide William (who has a degree in conservation) demonstrated to us how the Maasai utilise the land resourcefully- nothing it seems goes to waste by ingenuityof the Maasai. In particular, we stopped by a type of plant where the leaves are used as sand paper to carve Maasai spears. We were shown how various animal droppings marked out terrority to the wildlife, we were shown how the sap of certain trees was used as a type of glue for the Maasai to make their weapons to hunt their animals with. The more studious of those in our camp, noted the names of the various plants and if you are seriously into conservation, there is a lot of scope.Jonathan led us through plains inhabited by zebra, giraffe, wildebeast, male and female impala.

We trekked through fairly dense bush also, which was challenging physically, but not for the Maasai obviously - it was a brief insight in how they cover immense distances daily.

The next part of our trip was to go to the Masai Mara game reserve, to stay in a camp called the Olanganaiyo camp. It was lovely as our fairly luxurious tents, in contrast to the first night ie: they had beds in them, were named after animals. My leopard tent was surrouned by Vervet monkeys, dangling and playing in amongst the camp, and I was able to sneak a few photographs close up. After a well earned rest and shower, we then went for our first game drive in the rolling plains of the Maasai Mara reserve. It was not dissapointing, as the magic of the place is really in the expanse of it. Although, many people later remarked that it wasn't as naturalised asthe Samburu game reserve,the abundance of wildlife is still amazing. Duringthe drive, we saw giraffe, herds of elephant, cheetahs, all varieties ofantelope, wildebeast and birds of prey.

Nothing really compares however to our first gasps of seeing a pride of lions. If you have, like myself never experienced the combination of the beautiful layers of colours as the fading sun reflects onto the plains of gold and green fields of the Maasai Mara, combined with your first sighting of lions nestling in the grass, occasionally stretching and expanding their huge jaws, it will stun you. They have quite a presence!

That made our first game drive special as it was the end of a three hour drive and the lions had a really majestic presence. The second day of game viewing in the Maasai Mara gave us a great close up of elephants, more cheetah sightings and also more zebra, close up viewing of giraffe munching on acacia trees. On the same day we headed for one of the lakes on the Rift valley, Lake Naivasha-where there was the promise of hippo sightings. Staying in our little bungalow huts seconds away from the Lake, provided the opportunity to see the birdlife which inhabits the place and most importantly hippos- the biggest killers in Africa.

Our fishing expedition the next morning included sightings of kingfishers, hippos, waterbucks on land where we stopped. However, personally our visit to Lake Nakuru, another lake on the rift valley which took us to our fourth day on the Explorer Kenya trip, topped the bill, with the sighting of a rare black rhino. The vast amount of pink flamingo which lines the lake in millions is quite a sight of beauty as is the woodiness of the game reserve - a contrast from the Maasai Mara. Our camps were wonderfully inbedded in the surrounding wildlife. On the first night we had lions come and visit our camp which was exciting but meant we probably slept a little lightly than usual, although our camp was guarded.

On that night, in an excited flurry we got into our truck, rode by Joseph and searched for the lions, in order to observe them at a safe distance. After a game of charades back at the camp we retired after a satisfying day. Day five took us to Thompson's Fall - an immense and incredible water fall, which is quite a climb to reach the bottom, physically taxing if you attemptto do it. The five girls on the trip decided to embark on this, even withour warnings that we may be tired from our guides, was tiring but the fallis immense and beautiful close up. With a pleasant lunch outside, the next leg of our journey took us to Mount Kenya, where we experienced traditional Maasai Mara tribe.

The last leg of our 7 day tour took us to Mount Kenya were we on ourfirst night there took part in traditional tribal dancing with the Maasai Mara- which believe me, our attempts at dancing were very amusing! After a disco at our very luxurious hotel- compared to roughing it on a campsite - we spent the following day on a two hour trek in the Mount Kenya region, followed by a trip to the local Kikuyu school. The tour company we travelled with, whose slogan is fair traded safaris, supports the local communities in Kenya which involves a number of self help projects which help the local community in sustaining a self-generating income, and importantly allows the local people get a slice of the benefits of tourism.

The tour primarily gives you a cultural look at people who live in Kenya with the objective that it will be a responsible eco-tour, ie: won't damage the local environment and most rewardingly you will also be helping local projects. The visit to the school, did combine the joy of cultural insight with helping, perfectly, and was a nice way to round off our trip. We also visited a local women's self-help project, who utilised weaving as a way of generating an income- their skill and dexterity in the arduous process ofmaking rugs and shawls was amazing.

The cultural and ethical part of our 7 days in kenya was genuinely rewarding, for example to hear from the patron of the school that our trip financially supports them, as well as the visit providing a fascinating look at how the schools are run, funded through farming, seeing how the children love playing with their one football and also they thoroughly charmed us with a dramatic performance which they presented to us- all made our trip worth while.

On the way back from Mount Kenya, on our quiet and bit teary journey back - so sad to leave - the following morning we also stopped at point at which the north and south halves of the equator meet, which was great for more photo opportunities and with the chance of signing our rather endearingly naff certificates, to certify we have visited the equator! It was a great trip, no one could deny it and although our official trip had ended, we couldn't resist all meeting up with our guides for a night out in Nairobi, going to one of the popular tourist haunts - Carnivore, where the culinary delights included crocodile, zebra and the largest type of antelope Elan, which went down well! It was the best holiday yet.

We had a fantastic Kenya visit with this operator. It combined 'safari' with cultural visits and we saw everything form cheetahs feeding to visiting a Masai home. I am not sure we returned home 'relaxed and refreshed' as we packed so much into our brief visit but it definitely recharged batteries and provided many, many memorable and exciting moments.

The bush camping and staying in 'bungalows', the meals cooked by our own team and our local guide and driver all hopefully represent the fairtrade mission of the company. It must be better than lining the pockets of TNCs. I would recommend this holiday without reservation and hope that anyone would enjoy it as much as we did.

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

The holiday was a chance for me to do something without my family and husband. Not that I don't love them all dearly but having reached my mid forties I really felt that I wanted a bit of 'exclusive' time and really wanted something exciting and different. It's a fantastic trip if you wanted to do something solo but the honeymoon couple on our trip were equally delighted to be with a group so it would suit any combination of traveller.

From the moment I landed at Nairobi the organisation and professionalism of the tour was constant, the guides and in particular William made you feel that although they were working they were relishing in the experience, and although they had done this many times before there enthusiasm and commitment was unwavering. The best part of the trip was visiting the local villages and schools children have the ability to cross all culture religious and language barriers and the children of Kenya were no exception. It was clear that they were not used to visitors (which was great for us) and they almost danced with delight at seeing half a dozen all at once!

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

Tips of other travelling taking this tour would be to take less clothes than you think you need (its all very casual) a reliable camera and spare films/discs any space in your language should include sweets lolly pops and small things to give away to the many children that you will encounter. For them a few sweets are a real treat and you will make so many faces fill with delight if you have something like this to give.

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

Meeting local people both adults and children gave us a real sense of not being on a 'typical' tourist holiday at each place we stopped we were able to see local work and if we wanted to make small purchases, although there was no pressure to do this we got the opportunity to do this, the local goods jewellery shoes and clothing were beautifully made and cost very little and now that I am home its fantastic to have some reminders.

4. Any other comments?

In summary the holiday/trip was unique! If you want to see some fantastic animals meet real Kenyan people and not feel that you are 'just' a tourist then this is the holiday for you. I would not hesitate to take another holiday with responsible travel, I feel lucky that I came across the web site!!

Just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the safari that we have just been on. One huge success for us about the trip was that our 16 year old daughter, despite our considerable misgivings/doubts etc. really enjoyed all that we did - even admitted as much! She had been studying Kenya at school & it really brought it all into perspective/reality for her. we were really impressed with William & Nicholas, the guides who were knowledgeable, resourceful, helpful & cheerful. their eye sight was amazing, so good at seeing & identifying the numerous animals & birds that we saw.

We all had 'best bits' of course. Bev's was visiting the maasai village & seeing their kids but mine was using my binoculars to see the fantastic views & sights - the broad panoramic expanses of the mara - magnificently unforgettable. The organising, food, vehicles , the mix of culture & animals/game parks that you set up was just right, a good combination. I also greatly enjoyed the organic farm visit & the school etc. so to see a little of what life was like for the people was just as important to us as the wildlife & countryside, something that a lot of safari companies seem happy to ignore.

I was very glad that we had taken as much as we could carry in the way of clothes bric-a brac etc. to give away to the community at large. we had just experienced at home the G8.Live8 etc. & it really made us realise just how much we in the West have that we dump without a second thought but would be so valuable in Africa. A big thankyou to you & the team for giving us a superb insight into Kenya, its problems & beauty. Memories & experiences that will remain with us for a long time. The game drives were amazing, and its incredible how close we got to the animals, at one point the giraffes were walking towards us! these last lines from Libby who we have to thank for urging us for so long to go!

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

The first few trips out to see the animals (the novelty value I expect), coming back up from the crater standing on the seat and watching the view and the trip to the Maasi Boma (festival on). But all of the trip was a pleasure.

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

Make sure to get a lot of small denomination notes as soon as possible as there are a lot of people to tip; it was the one stress I had, deciding what to keep for the guides we met. I had to under-tip a few because I felt that there were others around who were doing less lucrative jobs. But if this was all I had to worry about ...

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

Yes. It was far better that just breezing in and then back out without regard for the locals. It was nice to walk through the agricultural area and see what was being grown and how.

Yes, we are back home, but, no, Kenya does not seem far away! I am there every night in my dreams!

We four all had a WONDERFUL time. The plan of starting on the slopes of Mt. Kenya and visiting the Kikuyus there at the beginning and moving south to the Mara was an excellent one. It gave us a chance to get our "clocks" on African time, to exercise, to get to know some of the plants and birds, and to concentrate on the people, before we were overwhelmed by the wildlife at Lake Nakuru and Masai Mara. And overwhelmed we were!

Mountain Rock Lodge was lovely. We enjoyed our stay there very much - the food and service were excellent, and waking up to baboons playing on the lawn and swing set was very exciting. William and Solomon were so knowledgeable about the wildlife and people of the area that our learning curve was steep. Duncan was a terrific driver - under amazingly difficult conditions - the traffic in Nairobi makes Manhattan's look tame, and the muddy, steep two-track up and down the slope of Mt. Kenya was very exciting. Patrick's cooking was amazing (typical meal: soup, bread, chicken, 3 kinds of vegetables, rice, fruit/dessert); all made from scratch in the bush!

Our stop at Lake Nakuru NP was too short! When we arrived it was late afternoon, so we went for a game drive before dinner. Spectacular! We saw thousands upon thousands of birds and at least 30 different species in a very short time (also a spectacular sunset). Then on the way back to our bandas we came across three leopards! They were moving in and out of the woods, and settled by the edge of the road to drink out of the ditch. In the morning we saw both black and white rhinos, more birds, lots more mammals etc.

Our days hiking in the savannah with our Masai guides, and nights camping in the bush with Masai guarding our campsite were very exciting: full of Masai culture, wildlife (especially birds), and spectacular scenery. Meeting up with Masai women (mostly carrying either babies, wood or water) and exchanging greetings, showing them photos of my granddaughters, having them offer to let me try their load of wood on a head strap, was a highlight for me.

At Masai Mara NP, we saw everything we had hoped to see there and then some. William couldn't believe how lucky we were! Cheetah chasing gazelles and coming back to her two cubs! Lions, herds of wildebeests, zebras, elephants, giraffes, tons of various kinds of antelopes, monkeys, baboons, lots of new birds, spotted hyena, black backed jackal, hippos, crocodiles etc., etc. Marvelous! We were like kids in a candy shop. Oh, I forgot to mention the stunning landscape! Our accommodations on the edge of the park were fine--roomy tents, bathrooms with flushing toilets and hot water. Although rustic, there was the "woman's touch" here, and the view from the open-air dining room was beautiful.

All in all, we felt very well-cared for, very safe, stimulated and entertained as well as "educated." We made many new Kenyan friends, and though we may not get back there anytime soon, it is wonderful to think of them and pray for them and to stay in touch through e-mail! My heart is aching for them with the new terrorist alert in Nairobi.

If we do go back to East Africa, we will definitely go with this tour operator again - the mixture of culture with wildlife and the knowledge of their staff set them apart from other tour operators - and the price is great!

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

There were many memorable moments. Waking up the first morning in the bush camp and the walking visit to the adjacent Masai village is high on the list. Being in the right place at the right time to meet a male lion making its early morning way home after a kill (a leg wound and a full belly) and hold our breathes as it walked around us making its way to the family group previously hidden 100 yards away.

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

Be prepared for a very full week with a lot of hard travelling. You will be very well looked after by the team but don't expect Lodge/hotel facilities. Most nights you will have access to a shower of some sort but it can be primitive. The same for the toilets. Pack a toilet roll and hand wash soap. Arrive on the day flight and rest overnight in a hotel. The tour finishes mid-day on the Saturday. So book a day room at the hotel to rest and shower if you are on the return night flight. Nairobi is intimidating when you are left on your own. If you want to visit anywhere go by arranged taxi. When you are doing your sums include the expected tips to Driver etc. We were a family of five and it added considerably to the cost of the holiday. (of course we did about this beforehand)

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

There certainly seemed to be much local participation in the holiday. Which I hope means that benefits filter through to them. I cannot see how the holiday could be amended to reduce the environmental impact.

4. Any other comments?

I would rate it xxx. I would have said xxxx but I do not like to recommend holidays to anybody. It is such a personal view depending on past experience and your expectations. I would say this operator are a very well run and caring company that I would use again.