Kenya with Moriah African Tours
This item appears on page 26 of the January 2017 issue.
My wife, Janet, and I and our 16-year-old granddaughter Ginny booked a conservation trip to Kenya for August 2016, but in order to broaden Ginny’s knowledge on various levels, we also wanted to give her a one-week safari experience prior to the trip.
Five years earlier, we had used a Nairobi guide service, Moriah African Tours (Reli Cooperative Bldg., 2nd Floor, Temple Rd. off Hakati Rd., Nairobi, Kenya; phone +254 20 3578473, moriahafrican tour.com), with tremendous luck. When we can, investing in the local economy has been in our vision as responsible travelers, so we had them put together our 2016 one-week safari.
The package, July 28-Aug. 3, included airport pickup, lodging, meals, a private safari vehicle with driver and guide, and all fees for the various parks. The total cost for the three of us was $6,000. Given what we did and experienced, we considered this a very fair price.
We travel constantly and know that a good guide can make a trip outstanding. Our guide was Peter Njuguna, who is world-traveled and very informed on a variety of topics.
The first stop on our itinerary was the Fairview Hotel, on Bishops Road in Nairobi. Across the street from the Israeli Embassy, it’s very secure and a great place to stay. We were there two nights.
After leaving the Fairview, we visited the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage, the Giraffe Centre, the Karen Blixen Museum and KAZURI, a bead factory providing jobs for women.
The following day we visited Nairobi National Park, where we took part in a game drive. We ate lunch at the Kiambethu Tea Plantation in Limuru, where we also took a tour.
Two nights were spent in a beautiful safari tent at the Rhino Watch Safari Lodge in Nyeri, near Mount Kenya. Our next game drive was in Aberdare National Park, full of game and to-die-for scenery.
We had more game drives in the Great Rift Valley, where we stayed at Lake Nakuru Lodge in Lake Nakuru National Park and at Elsamere Lodge, on the shores of Lake Naivasha, in Lake Naivasha National Park. While on Lake Naivasha’s Crescent Island, home to a variety of wildlife, including hippos, we went birding and walking among the animals.
Back in Nairobi, we spent one more night at the Fairview before meeting up with the research team for our 2-week conservation trip.
As for our guide, Peter, our trust in his honesty and integrity speaks volumes. With his willingness to discuss all aspects of Kenyan life, he provided great insights. This was a tremendous education for our granddaughter as well. Learning that different cultures (good and bad) exist around the world does broaden our horizons.
We plan on using Moriah African Tours again.
DAVID E. ZENS
Edina, MN