DoinDubai Magazine

An Honest Guide to Life in Dubai

Home | Kenya Ideas

Kenya Ideas

by 2 Comments

KENYA SAFARI IN THE MASAI MARA – What’s it really like

Kenya Safari in the Masai Mara – Elewana Sand River Luxury Lodge

Come with me to experience a 3 day 2 night Kenyan safari in the Masai Mara. We chose the luxury ELEWANA SAND RIVER camp for our trip.

A cool, contemporary camp with luxury bathrooms and good food. It’s located on the border of Kenya and Tanzania.

How to get to your destination

Getting to the lodge was straightforward. We flew with Emirates to Nairobi from Dubai and then took a short one-hour flight from Wilson Airport.

We flew to Keekorok in the Masai Mara via the airline Safarilink. Upon arrival, Elewana arranged for our pickup in a specially modified open-top Land Cruiser.

So you feel you’re on safari immediately! Remember park fees are paid separately, and our driver took care of the arrangements.

What’s important to bring with you on a Kenya Safari in the Masai Mara

It can be super hot in the afternoons and very cool early morning and at night.

It’s windy in the land cruiser so ladies bring hair tyes. Everyone needs a good sun hat that will stay on and protective sun cream. Bring lip balm as well. It can get dusty and dry on safari.

Don’t bother with any fancy footwear or high end accessories. Think practical, functional, mainly casual clothing.

Footwear should be comfy and forget any high heels! Our lodge had a swimming pool too but the water was quite cold.

Which animals will I see

We were fortunate to spot elephants, lions, a leopard, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, buffalos, and a variety of plains game.

The sightings varied depending on the time of year, grass length, and a bit of luck. The migration takes place between July and August so that’s a guaranteed time to see lot’s of wildlife.

KENYA SAFARI IN THE MASAI MARA monica kapila doindubai safari vehicle

What’s Elewana Sand River lodge like?

We stayed in a spacious tent with an indoor bathroom and an outdoor shower facing the Sand River.

Although the room had a wraparound terrace, I found myself spending most of my time in the communal reception tent or enjoying the outdoors.

There are 16 tents in total in 2 distinct sections separated by a walkable footbridge. We stayed in the larger of the 2 sections that had the easy access to the swimming pool.

What’s the food like on safari

It’s very much about eating the settings as far as food is concerned on safari. You’re in a surreal context and we were lucky enough to have very good food as well!

We enjoyed a magical private dinner by the swimming pool with the Sand River as our backdrop.

The food was very good, and the staff really do want to accommodate any special requests.

Additionally, we had a cute breakfast set up away from the camp, complete with live egg stations and full service.

KENYA SAFARI IN THE MASAI MARA eating on safari s

Is it suitable for kids

I wouldn’t bring a baby on safari, but I think mature kids from about 4 years old and upwards would have a great time.

They’d love the early morning game drives and breakfasts en route all picnic style!

We took our kids when my youngest daughter was about 4 years old. She loved it! Check your accommodation does accommodate kids and from which age though.

Also take any medications etc you may need for them with you of course.

Overall is it worth it

Good safari experiences are expensive there’s no getting round that.

But whether you choose to extend your safari or opt for a shorter adventure like mine, a Kenyan safari in the Masai Mara promises unforgettable moments.

From incredible wildlife encounters to breathtaking landscapes, it’s an experience that will leave a lasting impression.

ELEWANA SAND RIVER WEBSITE

KENYA SAFARI IN THE MASAI MARA monica kapila doindubai Elwana Sand River

Adding a few days in Nairobi – read this

Adding a few days in Nairobi is a good idea. Here’s what we recommend that’s a bit off the beaten tourist track!

NOTE It’s a GOOD IDEA to take some mosquito repellent with you, we always use brands that have deet in them:

https://amzn.to/3OnA4ho

VISIT NAIROBI if you love forest walks, foodie tours, flower shopping and easy safaris walk in Karura Forest

Fancy the KENYAN COAST – LOOK AT OUR REVIEW

THE BEST BEACH IDEAS – Kenya Coast

Image of Sea view from Infinity pool
MSAMBWENI BEACH HOUSE – DIANI

If you liked this post please share using buttons below.

S U B S C R I B E here

Heading to Europe this summer ? Try MILAN!

Cool suggestions of where to eat, sleep and sightsee in Milan.

MILAN Cool places to eat sleep and sight see DoinDubai Monica Kapila Cathedral

Need inspiration for dinner?

See our EASY HEALTHY recipes

CLICK FOR GOOD RECIPES

by 1 Comment

MSAMBWENI BEACH HOUSE perfect Kenya coast holiday idea

Msambweni Beach House is a stylish, private villa type resort with all the amenities and service of a well-run hotel.

Located on Kenya’s southern coast. Perfect for a group get together.

Image of Sea view from Infinity pool

Where is Msambweni Beach House

Msambweni Beach house is located in the Kwale province on the Southern coast of Kenya. As it’s name suggests it’s right on the beach.

How do you get to Msambweni Beach House

Fly to Ukunda airport from Nairobi and expect a 45-minute or so drive to reach the beach house from the airport. The last part of the drive is along a dirt track that we hear is going to be built into a tarmac road by September 2019.

We flew out on Silvertone Air and back via Jambo Jet, ideally arrive in the morning and leave in the afternoon to maximize your time there. Note that Silvertone Air doesn’t have any seat allocation.. so be prepared to sit wherever you get a seat.

When you arrive at the airport, stop off at Diani shopping centre or Foodplus (both about 5 minutes away) to pick up some food or drink you might fancy for your journey or while you’re at the beach house, we bought some wine and mixers for our drinks.

Room choices at Msambweni Beach House

Each villa sleeps up to 4 people, 2 up and 2 down, but the upstairs bedroom is much more basic than the downstairs and is reached via a fairly steep set of steps.

Stay in a private villa or in the main house. I recommend Villa 1 or Villa 2. The Ocean Suite is great for glamping types though! Both Villa 1 and Villa 2 have their own private pools and terraces, so these are perfect for groups.

Image of private pool at Msambweni Beach House

The Beach at Msambweni

The property is located on the beach itself at a slight elevation, so you do have to go down some steps to get the beach. It’s a great beach to walk along and soak up the sun, but we didn’t swim in the sea while we visited. You can see the beach and sea from the moment you enter the property.

Image of beach at Msambweni House

Food and Drink at Msambweni Beach House

All meals are included at Msambweni Beach House and most meals do have some choice. But do let them know if you don’t eat particular foods or have any food allergies.

Do expect a lot of fresh seafood on the menu. We had one dinner that was crab themed and was delicious.

You need to order your breakfast after dinner on the previous night.

We all loved the fresh passion fruit juice at breakfast and our favourite meal for lunch was the stone baked pizza buffet on our last day. They tend to sensibly make use of whatever’s in season on the menu.

Expect avocados, pineapples, passion fruits and of course fish making an appearance on your plates.

Things to Do

Relax, kick back and soak up the vibe, I loved the atmosphere at Msambweni Beach House, and really appreciated the fact the area wasn’t at all built up.

So expect peace and quiet, take your favourite books to read.

Swim in the main pool and stare at the ocean or swim in your private villa pools if you’re in villa 1 or villa 2.

Go down and have a drink by the beach bonfire and stare at the little crabs that come out on the beach.

You can walk along the beach with a local guide, the hotel will organize for you. Just tip the guide and ideally buy some coconut water on the beach on the way back.

The Big Trip

Image of the mangrove boat Msambweni Beach House

The big trip is definitely the excursion to the mangroves. It’s about a 35 minute drive to get the village where you take the boat. We were a party of 7 and we were on one flat, long canoe type boat, with one skipper.

This trip takes in all the mangroves and little houses on the riverside, but the highlight was definitely stopping and having some drinks and a walk on the magnificent sand bar! Tides coming in from 3 directions, a makeshift shade and not a soul in sight other than us. This is the stuff that memories are made of!

Image of Sandbar on the Mangrove Trip Msambweni Beach House
REMEMBER Wear a good hat, ideally that ties under your chin as it might fly away! Take binoculars if you have them but good cameras for sure. Don’t wear fancy footwear at all as you will be wading through some muddy water.

What to PACK

A good sun hat, sun protection, loose clothing, beach footwear and a good book. Also take some mosquito repellent although there are nets around the beds. Don’t bother taking anything designer in terms of clothing, jewellery, bags or footwear. No one is there to notice it anyway!

Room for improvement at Msambweni Beach House

The linen could be upgraded for sure and there also could have been a little more choice on the menu for some meals but the settings were all superb. 

Access will be easier when the dirt track approach road is tarmacked.

But service overall is warm, friendly and above and beyond what we expected, and that makes all the difference.

How to Book

This is the hotel website, you could get better rates and help with internal transfers and flights by going through Merlin Safaris who also organise other excursions in Kenya email is merlinsafaris@gmail.com  

EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBER PROMOCODE

USE CODE DOINDUBAIMBH FOR A HUGE DISCOUNT ON RACK RATES. Put the code into the booking section and see! 

BOOKING SECTION OF MUSAMBWENI BEACH HOUSE. 

Loving our blog and 

not an email subscriber yet? Just click below. 

FRESH INSPIRATION HERE
Thank you for reading, we'd love it if you shared this honest review.
Monica Kapila

Note I was inspired to try Msambweni based on a recommendation from Nomad Magazine Africa

by Leave a Comment

NAIROBI TENTED CAMP

Nairobi Tented Camp

DoinDubai has personally spent time with GameWatchers staff, visited their offices in Nairobi and experienced  one of the packages on offer from start to finish to ensure what you are getting is exactly what is offered. I have every confidence in the integrity and organization of Gamewatchers and so should you.

DoinDubai is delighted to offer our subscribers 30% off rack rates for some of the best safaris around including this brilliant safari at the Nairobi Tented Camp.  Have a look at the OFFER. Our subscribers will be sent a newsletter with the unique offer code they can use to avail the discounts.

Safari in the City within Nairobi National Park

with Gamewatchers and Nairobi Tented Camp. 

You don’t have to buy an expensive flying package to the Masaai Mara to experience a Kenyan wildlife safari. Nairobi – under 5 hours direct flight time away from Dubai – has it’s very own National Park that is home to Lions, Hyenas, Giraffe, Buffalos, Rhinos, Ostrich, Hippos and of course all manner of gazelles and plains game. The park is 117 square kilometers in size and entry to and from the park’s 2 official gates is strictly controlled by the Kenya Wildlife Service.

Safari Collage Nairobi Tented

Getting to the Nairobi Tented Camp

in Nairobi National Park

Our family chose to do an overnight stay at the only camp in the park – Nairobi Tented Camp – with Gamewatchers Safaris who organized everything very smoothly for us from start to finish. Gamewatchers can either pick you up with an English speaking driver and vehicle from your accommodation in Nairobi at an allocated time or collect you straight from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta international airport. That way you can travel direct to the park on arrival in Nairobi. If you arrive any time during the day, it’s possible for Gamewatchers to take you through to the park using the East gate on the Mombasa road resulting in a smooth 20 minute journey to start your safari (traffic permitting) If you arrive at night, you go through the main gate that’s still only around 45 minutes or so away.

Nairobi National Park Main Gate

Entry fees to the Nairobi National Park

Entry fees to the park are completely independent of any safari or game drive package as this money goes directly to the Kenya Wildlife Service. Expect to pay USD 85 for an adult and USD 50 for children aged between 3 and 18 years old if you are not Kenya citizens and are planning on spending the night in the park. We paid in cash. They have change in US dollars if you don’t have the exact money. Local Kenya citizens pay only USD 5!

Game drives and excursions within

the Nairobi Tented Camp

Upon arriving at the park, Gamewatchers transferred us and our over night bags to a real safari style open topped vehicle that would take us on all our game drives and deliver us to the Nairobi Tented Camp. Andrew Saruni, our guide who was also our driver was extremely competent and knowledgeable. There are some obvious but sensible rules you have to obey while in the park to ensure your safety and an enjoyable time. Do listen carefully to the driver and take the rules seriously to avoid any mishaps.

Gamewatchers Vehicle DoinDubai Nairobi Tented Camp

Your game drive starts as soon as you enter the park and some animals we saw at first were not what we expected! We first saw a very well camouflaged tortoise and plenty of different safari birds. There is a real atmosphere of excitement at spotting the animals and even adults become very competitive and eagle eyed from the moment they enter the park! There is nothing quite as majestic as when you see your first giraffe walking slowly down the road to meet you! Hyenas that cackle in the night are not so friendly!

Safari Tortoise Nairobi Tented Camp

It is incredible to see rhinos and buffalos against the backdrop of a developed city. This is one reason visiting this park is so special. It’s also remarkable how so many species literally live side by side in such harmony! I didn’t realize that the park is open from the South side so animals can wander into the grounds of the park from Amboseli.

Buffalos and gazelles

Nairobi Tented Camp in the park

Game drives can last from between 2 to 3 hours and you will be incredibly relieved at the site of the camp where you can unwind and relax for a while. Nairobi Tented Camp has been open for the 6 years and has been managed by Gamewatchers for the last 4. It has 9 sleeping tents and I would class them as comfortable more than luxurious, but the hot water bottles in your bed under soft duvets on a cold night are getting pretty close to luxury in the bush! Tents have their own en suite washroom facilities and safari style showers. It’s very atmospheric to be woken up with a tray or coffee, tea or hot chocolate before dawn being slipped into your tent! We felt completely safe throughout our stay. Meals and snacks are taken in the dining or the Mess tents which are a minute or so walk from the accommodation tents. Food is of a very good standard and there is a generous drinks allowance included in the package. We all loved sitting round the fire after dinner but do bring your own marshmallows for toasting though!

Mess and Dining room tents Nairobi Tented Camp

What to expect at Nairobi Tented Camp

Good quality, comfortable accommodation with meals and excellent game drives. If you have any special dietary requirements then do inform Gamewatchers before hand and they will do their best to cater to your needs. Expect to experience bush life without the inconveniences of roughing it out in the wild. I was very impressed with our guide’s knowledge of the animals and the park. Although there are 135 lions in the park, you are not guaranteed to see them especially if you only do one game drive. You will however be guaranteed to see plenty of other animals. Running water is available in all tents. Gamewatchers also provide you with a very thoughtful flask of drinking water. Remember roads are very rough and rugged so you will feel a little like washing does in a machine at times!

Visit Nairobi Tented Camp

 

Water bottle Nairobi Tented Camp

What to take with you to

the Nairobi Tented Camp

A small overnight bag with a change of clothes and basic toiletries, that way if you do go from the airport, you don’t have to unpack your main suitcase. Good, comfortable walking shoes are essential. I suggest you bring hiking boots or at least trainers and a few good pairs of thick, cotton socks. Do bring layers with you, it’s cold in the mornings so we needed warm fleeces and jackets, but as it warms up, you need to de layer quite a bit. Do bring all your camera equipment, binoculars and a good pair of sunglasses with a string around them. I also suggest bringing some mosquito repellent to have handy.  Gamewatchers also own and manage a number of other camps in different conservancies outside the Mara, the most luxurious of which is Porini Lion Camp.

Want to know more about Nairobi ?

Then link to the Visiting Nairobi post. You’ll read about off the beaten track places to eat and stay as well as ideas for the best bits of Kenya’s coast.

 

Have a super city Safari and Nairobi break!

by Leave a Comment

VISITING NAIROBI

Why bother visiting Nairobi in Kenya

Take a closer look. It’s only 4 hours 27 minutes on a direct flight from Dubai at reasonable times. Nairobi is only one hour behind Dubai so no jet lag and the weather is delicious. It’s one of the greenest cities on the planet in terms of sheer numbers of plants and trees and now seems to have a fabulous dining scene as well.

Read about the best places to eat and shop at in Nairobi as well as how you could easily do a safari without leaving the city!

Mess Tent Visiting Nairobi Tented Camp

Where to eat when visiting Nairobi

Nairobi loves it’s food. There are a number of good restaurants and cafes in Nairobi, just ensure you know how long it will take you to get to your chosen venue, don’t underestimate the traffic!  Indian and oriental food is very popular.  For an upmarket, authentic Thai meal, I recommend Soi at the Dusit D2 Design hotel on Riverside Drive. Tasty Thai food cooked well and presented very professionally. Good choice of cocktails too. Soi is a very safe venue in a secure, modern hotel complex. Open for lunch and dinner. You can have drinks on their terrace before or after your meal. The restaurant had adults and grown up family groups when we visited for dinner. A meal at Soi makes for a sophisticated and relaxed evening out. I particularly liked their Red Prawn Curry and Spicy Squid. Papaya salad was good too and portions generous. But prices reflect the quality and your surroundings, so expect to pay KSH 1800 for the prawn curry – International prices.

Red Prawn Curry at Soi Dusit Hotel

Urban Eatery

For an eclectic, modern eating experience try the newish Urban Eatery in the Westlands side of town. From Masala Dosas to Mediterranean salads, this contemporary but accessible restaurant is located on the ground floor of the PWC towers Delta Corner Estate in Westlands.  The breakfast choice looked comprehensive and very good too. I thought the cakes and desserts were of an excellent standard for Nairobi. This restaurant is light and spacious and has a number of open kitchen areas where you can see the chefs at work. We visited at lunch.

Cakes Urban Eatery Nairobi Westlands

Zen Garden

If lush, verdant surroundings are your main criteria for choosing where you eat, then I highly recommend Zen Garden. Again a fairly eclectic choice of Oriental and Mediterranean cuisine in very mature garden type setting. There are 3 restaurants in one here, all of which have very green settings. Vases full of roses are very abundant here. I liked the very generous pizza with ham and rocket, this was perfect for sharing. We went on a Saturday afternoon and the place was very busy with family groups of all ages. It seems also to be a popular destination for wedding pictures as well!

Visit Nairobi Ham and Rocket pizza zen garden

Spicy Squid Zen Garden Visiiting Nairobi

Art caffé

If it’s just a coffee and snack you’re after or a substantial breakfast, then I recommend the Art caffé in the Village Market mall complex. Get a table on the terrace outside on a Sunday or any other day for breakfast. But go early else the croissants will run out! This café has a real European feel about it, it’s very popular with expats and local residents alike and is very near the UN complex. I liked the sourdough bread toast and jam. The smoked salmon and eggs benedict breakfasts looked huge and were served on large compartmentalised glass platters. More of a brunch than a breakfast.

Art Caffe Visit Nairobi

Accommodation when visiting Nairobi

This would depend on where you’d like to be located, but I recommend either The Tribe hotel, which sits adjacent to the buzzy and busy Village Market area or the very modern Dusit D2 Design hotel in the Riverside Drive area of Nairobi. The Dusit 2 has very generous room sizes with balconies as well as great bar area and unusual swimming pool with a sunken majlis type arrangement. That’s not unusual, it’s the piercing scarlet coloured water in the pool of the Rouge Deck that I found bizarre. Apparently it’s quite a hit with visitors. See for yourself! Other hotels worth considering are The Sankara in Westlands (very near the swanky Capital Club) or the Serena in Nairobi townside.

The Rouge Deck Nairobi Duist Hotel Visiting Nairobi

Spacious accommodation at the Dusit in Nairobi

Safari in the City when visiting Nairobi

You don’t have to get a flying package to the Masai Mara if you want to experience a bit of Safari life when in Nairobi. A great and very convenient option is to book with Gamewatchers Safaris and stay at the Nairobi Tented Camp in the Nairobi National Park. In fact Gamewatchers can pick you up from Nairobi airport and you can be in the park within 45 minutes.

We did this overnight Nairobi Tented Camp safari and loved it. A fabulous deal. Gamewatchers has a number of very smart camps in it’s own conservancies just outside the Masaai Mara including the very exclusive Porini Lion camp and Porini Rhino Camp. I didn’t realize that 70 % of the game is actually located outside the Mara! We are currently negotiating some favourable rates discounted from list prices for all our DoinDubai subscribers, so do subscribe and keep an eye out for this amazing offer. We’ll write the details in a fresh post and email all our subscribers directly. Packages to include airport drop offs, game drives, visits to the Sheldrik elephant orphanage and gin and tonics in the evening! OFFER NOW HERE 

 

Shopping when visiting Nairobi

Try the Village Market mall complex that has a variety of shops and stalls, it even has a MAC make up shop in case you need something to match your safari suit! But I always have a wander in the Masaai Craft Market, which is on every Friday morning usually in the grounds of the Village Market mall. However at the moment this market has been relocated to an area of waste ground near the mall. You need to go in a car. Bargaining hard is de rigeur. I recommend you buy cotton kikois in a variety of colours and designs, great for the beach or pool here in Dubai. I paid KSH 500 or so per kikoi. And then whatever takes your fancy, I liked the sets of 3 flat baskets in one in neutral colours, perfect for all those en suite Dubai bathrooms! Beaded key chains make great stocking fillers for Christmas. You will see stalls along the roadside that also sell pet baskets (too big if you’re travelling economy!) lined with tell tale red and black Masaai check fabric and larger very colourful laundry baskets, easy to collapse into your suitcase and bring home. A good rule of thumb is that KSH 100 is roughly USD 1 so very easy to convert.

You need to check what the rules are about bringing in produce to your country of residence but I always bring back some fine Kenya green beans and fresh cut roses and lilies in a large checked in card board box. At USD 2 for 10 roses, how could you not? Especially if you live in Dubai. They last about a week if you put them in mineral water. Don’t assume your box will exit with your cases on the same conveyor belt at Dubai airport! Keep a sharp look out for your boxes being plonked down elsewhere in the vicinity! I bought my flowers from the main florist shop on the ground floor in Sarit Centre mall. Ask for Peter, they can also supply the boxes you need.

Visit Nairobi Masaai Market

Kenyan roses very cheap Visiting Nairobi

Best beach from Nairobi

No doubt about this one in my mind, it has to be Diani beach on the South Coast. Fly to Ukunda airport on one of the airlines mentioned below and marvel at the wide, velvet white sands. Hotels include Kole Kole one of 3 hotels in the Robinsons Baobab complex. Do try and get rooms on the ground floor in Kole Kole, but don’t expect too much of the food, breakfasts are fine.  This is a great hotel for evening walks and entertainment. Diani Reef and Swahili Beach are much larger hotels on the same stretch of beach.  There are some boutique options, the best of which is Al Manara. You must try Ali Barbours’s cave restaurant for dinner one evening (and have a drink at the sister establishment 40 Thieves! at the same time)  and Lymingtons for lunch, also a great place for Kite Surfing. It’s worth having a drink or a coffee at Nomads hotel as well. Sails restaurant at Al Manara is probably the most upmarket dining choice around.  Ukunda airport is just 15 minutes drive from the hotels on the beach and most hotels will come and pick you up, but do reconfirm this. Lantana is a complex of apartments and cottages on the beach. It also has it’s own restaurant serving good Italian food on site.

Best beach in Kenya Diani visiting Nairobi

Internal Travelling when visiting Nairobi

We have flown with Precision Air, Safari Link and more recently Jambo Jet. Jambo Jet is Kenya Airways little sister and it flies from Jomo Kenyatta airport (the international airport) the others fly from Wilson and are smaller planes, but all of them have been fine. Delays though do occur, take a pack of cards with you and some extra cash to buy snacks at the airport. I would avoid taking the last flight in the day in case it’s cancelled altogether ! If you want to visit Diani beach in the South Coast then you must fly to Ukunda, it’s much more convenient than flying to Mombasa and taking the ferry.

Jambo Jet for internal travel to Kenya

Do let me know if this post has tempted you into trying Nairobi. Tell me what puts you off and I’ll try and answer any other questions you may have. I have travelled there for the last 25 years or so!

The Kenyan tourist board in Dubai is represented by Magical Kenya GCC and you can contact them on Tel: +9714 316 6333 and if you want to find out what’s going on in Kenya then I recommend this really informative site KenyaBuzz, packed with current information about Nairobi city.

Safari Collage Nairobi Tented

Thank You Monica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

error: Content is protected !!