Top 5 Best Local Value Destinations for 2011

As has always been the norm when planning for a getaway in Kenya, people usually focus on going to the highly publicized places such us the Mara,Mombasa,Amboseli , Tsavo which is not a bad thing.However, due to this, most of us tend to ignore the idea of going on a holiday assuming that it will cost a fortune,but what we do not usually understand is that,yes there are expensive places but there are also budget places!All you have to do is when you have picked a destination, let your agent advise you on the cheapest accommodation that you can get before you settle for anything.

If you however feel that we are not convincing on budget accommodation, well there are other places that are worth visiting, have great ambiance, great budget accommodation and you can enjoy great activities!

1.Nyahururu - A night at a standard lodge would cost from about KES 2500 plus, on bed and breakfast meal plan.Not only does Nyahururu have good budget accommodation but it is also the home of the Thompson falls!

2. Lake Elementaita - In the  recent past Lake Elementaita area has seen a rise in the number of hotels/lodges that have come up,therefore giving you a variety to choose from.As the name suggests, it is the home of Lake Elementaita and nearby there is the Hells gate national park.Great standard accommodation in Elementaita costs from about KES 4500 onwards, on half board meal plan.

3. Kakamega Forest - This is a great attraction for nature lovers, especially those who enjoy bird watching.Kakamega is known for its green lands, the forest is great for nature walks etc Accommodation at the forest can cost from about KES 3000 onwards on bed and breakfast meal plan.

4. Nyeri - With a strategic location lying between the eastern base of the Aberdare range and the western slopes of Mt. Kenya, Nyeri is Kenya's largest town, with a couple of good budget hotel in the area. Great views are inevitable,with mountain climbing as one of the major activities. Standard accommodation in Nyeri will cost you from about KES 4000 onwards on bed and breakfast meal plans.

5. Bamburi Beach -  The coast has always been a major attraction when it comes to local tourism and the good news is that it can continue being a major attraction.Bamburi has seen a rise of budget accommodation meaning that you can get to experience and enjoy the beach at a "cheap" cost. A night in one of the standard budget accommodation can cost about KES 3500 onwards on bed and breakfast.

Masai Mara Updates: A Topi kills another Topi

Masai Mara Updates: A Topi kills another Topi

Domestic Tourism

This weekend, a local Television station did a feature on domestic tourism and how Kenyans have come to discover that going on a safari does not mean you require thousands of shillings or you have to be a rich business man!Following this report,three major facts were highlighted;

1. Where do you want to go?This could be guided by a number of factors such us,is it a romantic getaway or family getaway?What sort of activities do you enjoy..swimming  or camel riding?snorkeling or wildlife viewing?Are you interested in historical sites or religious sites?

2. How much do you want to spend?Budgeting is part of life and having a budget means that you will not be straining your financial means.Before deciding on your trip, it is always advisable to look at options so that you are certain that what you are picking is pocket convenient.

3. What season is best to travel? In most cases it is advisable that if you are a resident, low season is the time to take advantage!Most lodges and hotels have great discounts which at times go as low as 40% off the high season rates!

With these points in your head, it is also important to get professional advice from your favourite agent.They always make it much easier considering, it is their job to help you!

We are here to give you advice and make sure that you have the vacation that you have always dreamed of!Give us a call on + 254 20 4441030 or drop us an email info@letsgosafari.com

A Funny Ending To Travel Millionares' Bet...

Two days ago the Virgin boss was all over twitter with reports insinuating that he supposedly lost a bet with rival airline boss Tony Fernandes who is the owner of low-cost carrier Air Asia X.

Sir Richard Branson is said to have lost a bet and as a result of the loss he is supposed to pay back by dressing up as a flight attendant and work on one of Fernandes’ flights from London Stansted to Kuala Lumpur!If you think thats funny, get this; he is also expected to wear heels, a dress, the whole make-up and the killer is he is supposed to serve passengers and clean toilets as that is part of cabin crew's work description!All this supposed to happen on 21st February 2011.

We are pretty sure you are wondering, what led to this bet?The two millionaires had bet on whose Formula One team would be placed higher in this year's rankings and although both  teams that they were each supporting scored no points, Fernandes’ Lotus F1 team was placed in front of Branson’s Virgin Racing,due to better race finishing positions!

When Fernandes won, he tweeted: “It's confirmed February 21, 2011. Richard Branson will be a crew of Air Asia X.”

After the buzz, it left the public to imagine that seats for the flight would be auctioned off for charity and we say that it would be wise to do so!

A New Chapter For The Kenyan Tourism ?

Last week on Friday 10th December, 2010 the Kenyan Minister for Tourism Hon. Najib Balala appointed Mr. Michael Joseph formerly chief executive officer of Safaricom, one of the leading telecommunication network provider.The appointment was in effect from 1st December, 2010 and is bound to last for the next 3 years.

Mr.Joseph replaces Mr. Jake Grieves-Cook,long-serving chairman whose terms ended on 30th November,2010.He served as the chairman foe 2 consecutive years , whereby through his term KTB managed to put up aggressive marketing campaigns targeting domestic and international tourists. The board is credited for diversification of the tourism market by additional market presence they put up in India,China, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Japan, Poland and Turkey.Furthermore during Mr.Grieves-Cook term,the board also partnered with international travel and leisure organizations as well as the media and airlines to build a strong image for Kenya as a tourist destination.

" I congratulate the Minister on the choice of Michael Joseph to be chairman of KTB and i believe he will bring a wealth of valuable experience which will be of immense help in achieving great things for the tourism sector in the future.I am sure this appointment will be welcome news to all of us in tourism" These were the words of Jake Grieves-Cook and true to his words,the tourism industry workers and the Kenyan people well received the news with optimism, hoping that this business manager typhoon would enact his expertise in tourism and give it a new face as he did with the mobile/ telecommunications network industry while he was at Safaricom.

Please,share with us your comments and thoughts on the new appointment, do you think he is the right man for the job?

Top 8 Christmas Travel Tips

In the rush of the Christmas safari that you have been planning for,your mind must be tired of all that you have to do!Many at times we tend to forget important things and end up regretting why you forgot to do what you had to when you had the chance!We felt that a few "top" tips will definitely help you not to have a regrettable safari!

1. Be Digital - Try and avoid the long counter check - in queues at the airport by checking in online.There will still be a queue for bag drop-off but it tends to move fairly quickly. Online check-in also allows you to choose your seat.

2. Be Time Conscious - Time your drive from the house to the airport. Many people are travelling therefore the traffic is bound to be increased.

3. Prepare For Crowds - Christmas time means busy time at the airport.Crowds of people are always at the airport, each wanting to be attended to, as point three insinuates, get there early, get sorted early!

4. Pack Light, Smart and Safe - Ironically it is very had to pack light when travelling during the Christmas period, therefore carry what is necessary.Also, don't be among the many who cause delays at airport security checkpoints by packing sharp objects, aerosols and other prohibited items in hand luggage.Lastly,don't put presents in your checked-in luggage unless you absolutely have to. Christmas is the busiest time of year for air travel, meaning a greater chance of luggage going astray, so make the most of your seven-kilogram-a-person carry-on baggage allowance.

5. Cover Yourself - When purchasing your trip member to purchase travel insurance,if taking a safari, remember to buy an evacuation cover and most importantly check that you have all the right heath documents,say  you are traveling to East Africa;Yellow fever vaccination is a must.

6.Think Ahead - If you're going to need airport transfers, airport parking, hotel parking or other arrangements, book it now. Seeing the "car park full" sign when you have a flight to catch can make you feel wretched and you shouldn't assume hotels will have parking available when rooms are fully booked. If you're likely to be arriving late at your accommodation, you may need to call and make arrangements to collect a key or be given an access code.

7. Distract Yourself - You may wonder what do we mean by distract yourself ? Get yourself that book you've been wanting to read so you can turn waiting time into relaxation rather than frustration. Accept that things are going to take longer than normal and use the time enjoyably.If you're driving, downloading some podcasts or new music before you leave can make a big difference. If you're going on a long drive with children in the car, a cheap, portable DVD player may help bring peace and goodwill.


8. Do Not Forget The Christmas Spirit - This is the time to be jolly!If there's one guarantee about this period, it's that there will be spectacular tantrums in the airport and on the roads.In the airport, remember the staff are doing their best to get thousands of passengers on the right planes at the right times - it's not in an airline's interest to take off late.On the roads, it helps to remember that everyone else is trying to get to their holiday destination as well. Wear a Santa hat, listen to music, do whatever it takes to remember that Christmas is supposed to be fun, not survival of the fittest.

Courtesy of www.smh.com.au/travel and www.uniglobeletsgotravel.com

Bravo to Kenya! "The New Desired Destination 2010"

This week witnessed Kenya being awarded as the "New Desired Destination" in china by Travel and Cuisine  Magazine while in China. This comes an year later after Kenya was awarded the Best Destination for Eco-tourism, voted by both the public and travel trade. Kenya was awarded the new status alongside Turkey, Spain,Egypt and Italy after selection and voting carried out by veterans from travel trade and internet browsers.

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda were all destinations eligible for the award within the beautiful continent,Africa.The categories that are up for grabs in this highly esteemed awards;The Travel and Leisure awards are Best hotels in China,Airliner of the Year, Best Cruise Liner and Most popular destinations.

"With Kenya scooping such a prestigious award,it is a definite milestone in promoting tourism,"says KTB Managing Director

This month Kenya has also made appearances in Trip Advisor's Traveler's choice awards with Watamu and Mombasa being voted in at second and ninth place respectively,Maasai Mara was also voted as the Best Outdoor and Adventure destination in Africa.

Bravo to Kenya!!

Images courtesy of Google

Shark Attacks at the Red Sea

 Highly unusual shark attacks have been reported in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik. This past weekend saw a 70 year old German lady wash up to shore at Naama Bay near the Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheik Hotel, a shark having torn off her right thigh and elbow.

Four attacks had taken place the previous week, with 3 Russians and 1 Ukrainian left with terrible injuries.One of the Shark victims is reportedly said to have lost her right hand and left leg while another sustained injuries to her back plus lost a hand!

Egyptian authorities had placed a ban on entering the water at the hugely popular resort after the first attacks, but then relaxed it after two sharks which were thought to be the culprits were caught.Unfortunately, that was not long lived because the next day after the sharks were reportedly caught, a witness  Nick Treadwell,  went to Ras Mohammed for a diving trip,set off on a boat with 10 snorkelers and a couple of people experienced the horror of facing to be shred into pieces with sharks!

He says that while they were under water about 14 meters with an instructor, looking up they saw above the scuba divers and below the snorkelers, a large shark, more than 2 meters long,slowly circling the group! The instructor free-dived down a few meters and then started corkscrewing to the surface, blowing bubbles, to try to scare the shark away.

He went to the top and shouted, 'Shark, shark, shark - everyone get to the reef !' Everyone started swimming as fast as they could, because the reef was too shallow for the shark, so it would be a safe place. But there was an older lady, probably in her late 60s, who was slightly hard of hearing, and she was delayed. The shark started coming towards her, and she ended up kicking it in the face a couple of times, and using her underwater camera to whack it over the head. She got away, but she had cuts all over her legs.''

Speaking on Monday 6th Dec 2010, the South Sinai Governor, Mohammed Shosha, said: ''We did catch the sharks,'' before adding, ''There is another shark.''

The attacks are a strange, sudden and frightening occurrence for a resort known for the beauty and safety of its waters but a living horror for those who have experienced the Shark attacks!

courtesy of www.smh.com.au & www. travelmole.com

Kigali: Mountain Gorilla Population Grows!

"The increase in mountain gorilla numbers is a testament that we are all reaping from the conservation efforts," this was said by Rica Rwigamba, from the Rwanda Development Board.True to his words, the population of the mountain gorillas whose main habitat is in Central Africa has increased by a quarter in the past seven years,Kigali regional authorities reported. Most of them are found in the Virunga massif, which includes three contiguous national parks in Rwanda,the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)and Uganda.

Gorillas, one of the most feared animals in the universe(thanks to movies like King Kong and Congo) are large,powerful yet gentle and affectionate. Unfortunately, mountain gorillas are among the endangered species list.However on a lighter note according to a census carried out earlier this year, funded by a number of local and foreign wildlife organizations, the number has increased from 380 individuals in 2003 to 480 individuals in this current year, 2010.

This is a great sign that all efforts to save the mountain  gorilla is all not in vain, if we keep it up, we might end up deleting the mountain gorilla on the endangered species list for good!

We do organize gorilla safaris to Uganda or Rwanda, should you have any enquiries or want to book please feel free to contact us +254 20 2678646/7 or email us info@letsgosafari.com or check out our website www.uniglobeletsgotravel.com

Where To This Time; The Beach or The Safari ?

We all have our preferences of what we would call our dream vacation! The beauty of having a vacation in Kenya is that you can get the best of both worlds. Kenya boasts in having some of the best beaches and yet the best game parks!

The Kenyan coast has a wide selection of hotels split between luxurious and middling range. The coastal people have a very rich cultural background that they have maintained to keep alive despite the history of the area indicating the different natives from all over the world inhabiting the area. The exquisiteness of the area is that you not only get to interact with the Swahili people but you can enjoy activities such us Dolphin watching, Dhow trips, Snorkeling, Scuba diving,visit  Marine parks, and Deep sea fishing ,just to name a few.

Watching the sunset at the beach...

Kenya also boasts of having some of the finest game reserves with it being one of the few countries to have a game reserve in its capital city Nairobi. Kenya has over 15 National Game parks each with an assurance of the inhabitance  of the Big Five.This rich land also has a variety of lakes which are a good attraction to those who enjoy and love Nature. The country's most famous game park is Maasai Mara, where thousands of wildebeest have an annual migration moving from the Serengeti (in Tanzania)into the Mara. This world popularized migration has been dubbed as a world wonder!

The game park in the National City

Lake Nakuru..

This Country has a wide selection of vacation options, especially with Christmas just around the corner, it would be great if you would be one among the many to witness the beauty and versatility that this Country has to offer!

Give us a shout and we will make sure that your trip, either beach or safari is one to be remembered!Contact us +254 20 2678646/7 or email us info@letsgosafari.com or check out our website www.uniglobeletsgotravel.com

Happy Holidays!!!

Caught up with Christmas that you forgot about theJamuhuri weekend?

As the topic suggests, once we hit December on our calenders every other event seems to be forgotten!It is only natural because everywhere you go, be it in a supermarket or a shopping mall, be it on your car radio as you drive to work or simply on a telephone call that you have been put on hold, all you seem to hear and see is nothing but Christmas!This is good because it means the festive time is here and it translates to; Time to spoil yourself....

More often or not, we tend to overlook opportunities that are right before us.For example, you are still looking for availability over Christmas at the lodge that you had promised your family you would take them!Unfortunately you forgot to book in advance and now you are stuck on the wait list. Our question to you is, Why not have Christmas come early for you and your family and take that trip this long Jamuhuri weekend?!

We have a list of over 600 hotels and lodges, plus over 400 safari itineraries and lots of specials that you could choose from! Then why wait until Christmas to go for that holiday? Take advantage now!!

Contact us on +254 20 4441030 or email us on info@letsgosafari.com 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!