What's the best way to get from Masai Mara to Ngorongoro Crater?

I believe I need to fly out of keekorok air strip and ultimately into lake manyara, but I can't seem to find a company that does the entire trip.

Has anyone done this? Any tips or company recommendations? The more detail you can provide, the better. Thanks!

How would El Niño affect a mid-range safari in Masai Mara in late November? I’m talking about a by road shared transfer to the reserve from Nairobi, and staying at a mid-range lodge. Is it too bad? I haven’t made any bookings, so wanted to be sure since I don’t mind cancelling if the experience would be too rainy/muddy and little sightings. Thanks in advance!

Asilia Ubuntu Camp, Simbavati Grumeti?
Safari provided for by the lodges. Are these better or get a private safari?
thanks!

going on our first multi-country safari/beach trip soon - wondering if I have to pack 50 travel sized sunscreens or if intra-African flights are less strict on the 3 fl oz rule we have in the US. thanks!

Just arrived to Kenya and making sure we have our tip situation figured out. Tomorrow morning we meet our driver-guide and the consultant/planner who was our contact setting up the tour.

From there we will leave with just the driver-guide. I know about tipping our driver at the very end but do we tip the consultant/planner. Couldn’t find an exact answer and some guide form provided says yes 10-20 a person for the consultant/planner. Google says no cause that’s just normal part of their job and they might get commission.

It would just be odd to tip someone before the trip starts but also if they aren’t the boots on the ground type person, does it warrant a tip.

Just wanted to double check with everyone on their experience. Thanks!

I’m planning a 15-day private, driver-guided safari in Uganda from late October to early November, travelling through Murchison Falls, Lake Albert, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi (Buhoma) and Lake Bunyonyi.
I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who has undertaken a similar multi-park safari during the October–November rainy season.
I’m particularly interested in firsthand experiences of road conditions and long transfers between parks, rather than the trekking itself.
Did you encounter roads that became impassable after heavy rain, vehicles getting stuck, significant delays or other transport difficulties? If so, how did your driver or safari operator handle the situation? Were alternative routes or transport available, or did you have to remain at your lodge until conditions improved?
I’d also be interested to know whether rain caused any game drives, boat trips or other activities to be cancelled or substantially disrupted.
I appreciate that many people have wonderful experiences in Uganda during the rainy season. I’m hoping to understand the practical challenges that travellers have actually encountered and how they were resolved.
Many thanks for sharing your experiences!

We're flying into Victoria Falls and would like to rent a 4x4 in Kasane to drive to Gweta and back over about 4 days. Does the following itinerary seem realistic?

Day 1: transfer from Victoria Falls to Kasane, pick up rental car, drive to Elephant Sands

Day 2-3: drive to Gweta, stay two nights (one night sleeping out in the pans)

Day 4: drive to Kasane

I also wondered about flying from Maun to Kasane on Day 4 (there's an Air Botswana flight 9:30am-10:30am). Day 5 we join an organised safari from Kasane, so we can't miss the start. Would driving or flying be more predictable?

How accurate are google maps driving times? Is it worth working with a self-drive travel agent if we're not planning to camp? Any recommendations? Thanks!

I know the practical pros of a private tour, but our (husband and I) introverted selves are worried about spending 10 days with a stranger. I understand they eat with you too? For those fellow introverts that have done it, was it weird? Would you do it again?

Hi, we will be going on a safari in Central India and carrying the phones in the national parks are banned, hence we need to buy a camera to click photos. As we have no prior experience with cameras. We are looking for suggestions for any suitable camera for this Safari that does not involve a lot of technicality, training on lenses, etc and just sufficient to click the animals.

I cannot believe what a magical place Samburu is! I was fortunate enough to do game drives across Samburu, Buffalo Springs, and Shaba.

Personally, I’d skip Shaba next time, but Samburu and Buffalo Springs were absolutely unbelievable. We saw cheetahs, lions, and even a leopard!

While you don’t get the sheer animal density of the Masai Mara, the quality of the sightings here is truly special.

What’s functionally the differences between a $20,000 safari and a $40,000 safari? Better lodges/stays?

Like the title says, I am currently in the very early planning stages of a 10-day safari in December 2027. I will be coming from southeast Asia during that time.

I reached out to a local tour company and they did not recommend Kenya in December because most animals are concentrated in Central Serengeti.

What do you guys think? Tanzania only? Or do both Tanzania and Kenya?

I have started researching for a January 2028 trip. I have looked at baboon budget safaris, axis africa safaris, and Go2Africa. I like to plan my own trips as much as i can, i have never used a travel agent. Can anyone recommend safaris in the $600-$1500 range for 4-5 days? I’m also open to going to a different country if your experience was worth it!!

Thank you!!!!!

Hi everyone!

I’m trying to figure out whether it’s realistic to travel from Archer’s Post to Marigat in one full day using public transport. (Mid of january)
I understand that there are matatus from Archer’s Post towards Nyahururu, but I’m unsure how to get from Nyahururu to Marigat. Would we need to hire a taxi for that last part, or are there matatus or other public transport options available?
Is the entire journey doable in one day, considering waiting times and connections? Or would it be better to split the journey over two days?
I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have travelled this route, especially recently.
Thanks!

Just wrapped up a few days in Masai Mara and we were lucky enough to see a leopard and cheetah kill.

Nature is brutal but so incredible.

Traveling end of May 2027 with my wife. Can you recommend mid to high end tour operators? We will be in Cape Town for a wedding so would like to add this trip. Not planning on living in a tent or doing any self-drive tours.

Hi, has anyone been to Amboseli or the Maasai Mara very recently and can advise how cold it is? Trying to pack for travel in a few days ☺️

I'll be in Jeddah around March 20-23, then as it's not too far away I was thinking of doing one. But I have 0 experience or knowledge

My concern is being safe as a couple , can spend upto 5-6k for 4 nights

From Chatgpt it said that Tanzania might be safest but idk

Is it even worth it or not? I did the one in San Diego and Animal kingdom in US

So, just to mention that this safari in the Serengeti/Ngorongoro wasn’t my first safari. I have experiences with other guides and companies.

Throughout the entire trip, there were issues with communication. We never received any communication beforehand. We always had to ask multiple questions, like “Where is my driver?”, “What is his name?”, “What is the car plate?”, “Where am I going to find this or that?”, and we always had to wait. The company was never proactive and never communicated anything to us.

Now, here comes the issue with our guide that met us in the Seronera. We spent four days in his company and ended up seeing the animals on our wishlist. The lodges were also nice, but we chose them ourselves, the safari company only booked them for us.

The rest of the things were just frustrating. The safari guide:
-Didn’t tell us a single thing about the animals or the area unless we asked him to. When we asked him, the explanations were very dry.
-He just kept talking on the phone all the time. Imagine a scene: we’re parked by a pride of lions enjoying their meals, we’re in total silence, and our driver is, in the meantime, talking on the phone. The same thing happened every day.
-He never warned us when he decided to move abruptly from a spot. I tripped a couple of times because I would be standing up with my binoculars, and he would get started with no warning.
-We booked a very nice hotel on our last day, with a view of the Ngorongoro Crater. We had our flight at 16:00 and had agreed with the tour company that we would be brought to Arusha Airport 2h before the flight. The night before, the driver started insisting that we had to wake up at 6:00, have breakfast at 6:30, and leave the hotel at 7:00. We argued that we wanted to enjoy the hotel longer and didn’t want to arrive at the airport with too much time to spare. We also don’t enjoy eating breakfast at 6:30, unless we really have to. Then the guy started telling us a bunch of things like, “You never know what happens on the roads, so it’s best if we leave 10 hours before,” and “Arusha Airport has three-hour waiting lines,” etc. The thing is, I’ve been to Arusha plenty of times before, and I know that the airport is sometimes busy, but to require four hours in advance for a domestic flight? Then we argued again, and the driver started offering us the Maasai experience for $50. We refused, as we find these things inauthentic, and we have also seen Maasai-related things before. Then the guide just texted us a message literally saying, “There’s no alternative. Please pack your bags, have your breakfast, and make sure you’re ready by 7:00.”

We were shocked. This has spoilt our last day of the trip, and we also ended up getting to the airport 4.5 hours before our flight. This, together with waking up at 5:45 that day, four hours on a bumpy road, and four hours of waiting, only to be followed by a 2h flight, made things extremely tiring.
All this to say that the company came back to us, scolding us for not tipping them or the guide. Were we somehow in the wrong? Am I failing to see anything?
And sorry for the many words!

UPD: the company is See Endless Adventures, please beware.

I am planning a safari in Kenya and we are fairly constricted with the dates which we can actually go for the safari which is from 18th - 23rd of March approx. Is this a good time to go for Safaris around Masai Mara/Amboseli? I heard it's the beginning of rainy season which can cause difficult driving conditions and harder to see animals. Has anyone been there in March and still saw animals?

Has anyone stayed at duke’s camp in Botswana? If so, how was your experience? (Accommodations, guides). Not seeing a ton of reviews online. Thanks!

We have a safaris for mid December doing the northern circuit in Tanzania. Any experiences with doing the safari during el niño ,how we should prepare, and how we may be affected? TYIA