We are going to Kenya in December and want to do a safari. I was all set on pre-booking the safari since it's high season and I don't want to end up having to get a really expensive one once we get to Africa. BUT now we've talked to a girl who's been to Kenya, and she thinks it absolutely unnecessary to pre-book. She says that it is easy to find a tour operator at a cheap price in Nairobi, and that we can basically hire our own guide anywhere. She's never been there in high season though... What do you think? Is it worth the risk?
2
jamani_
It really depends on what type of safari you want. If you want a budget camping safari then there's no need to pre-book and it will be much cheaper and more flexible if you book it once you arrive in Nairobi.
However if you want a more expensive safari where you stay in lodges then you may want to book before you arrive in Kenya because some of the top end lodges can get booked up well in advance during the high season.
Hope that helps. Enjoy your safari!
3
onemoresonglina
Well we are definitely looking for the budget kind of safari. But the only thing is that we want to rent a whole jeep, so it's just us and the driver in the car. Do you think that would be hard to arrange once we are in Nairobi? And is there no way the budget safari's will be booked out in December?
5
jamani_
I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be able to book a whole car for yourself when you turn up in nairobi. You will pay more than if you agree to share with other people but it will still be cheaper than booking in advance i would think.
To get the best price you will need to shop around a bit and compare prices and what is being offered. You might want to look up a few reputable companies based in Nairobi before you go, and then when you arrive you can head straight to their offices.
Many touts on the street will try to convince you to book with their company, but don't book anything unless you go to a well marked office of a company you have heard of.
Good luck!
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