EASTER VACATIONS – MANY OPTIONS RANGING FROM SAFARI LODGES AND CAMPS TO BEACH RESORTS ACROSS EAST AFRICA
(Posted 18th March 2017)
The festive season is but a distant memory now, Valentine’s Day – in the absence of falling on a weekend – too is over as are half terms and East Africa’s hospitality industry is now looking forward to the Easter weekend and vacations as domestic tourism is now a hugely important factor in the financial well being for resorts and safari lodges. The long Easter Weekend is now just a month away and given the trend of booking late when taking a vacation in the region, here are some hot tips where to go and what to do.
Interstate Pass travel, i.e. Visa free for duly registered expatriates, from Uganda to Kenya, has driving visitor numbers up in recent years, now already forming Kenya’s fourth largest tourist source market in global terms.
This mention will ring in a series of five or six reviews of recent travel, all undertaken for a change in Eastern Africa. It will cover a culinary journey of discovery to the Sovereign Suites in Limuru where Chef Dario Aloisio explained his new menus and let me sample some of his signature dishes. Meanwhile look up my reviews of this property via https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g480204-d2165992-r459607725-Sovereign_Suites_Nairobi_Sun_Africa_Hotels-Limuru_Central_Province.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT
On goes the journey across the border to Tanzania and – besides reviewing a trip experience – looking at how much better that country could do vis a vis regional travel, were they only to join the Interstate Pass Travel arrangements in place between Uganda and neighbours Rwanda and Kenya. In fact, Uganda has become Kenya’s fifth largest source market for travel since these Visa free travel methods have been launched nearly three years ago. Travel in general between the three ‘Northern Corridor Integration Projects Countries’ aka ‘The Coalition of the Willing’ has spurred intercountry travel in particular by expatriates who, now that they save the notorious ‘Entrance Fees’ aka Visa expenses, more often take to the roads and airways leading to their neighbours. While waiting for the main article, check out my impressions of the properties where I stayed through my TripAdvisor reviews:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g297913-d304446-r375951245-Lake_Duluti_Serena_Hotel-Arusha_Arusha_Region.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT and https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g488125-d736812-Reviews-Lake_Manyara_Serena_Lodge-Lake_Manyara_National_Park_Arusha_Region.html
Three trips to Murchison Falls National Park in a year and 11 nights spent will form the background of a thorough analysis of where to go for game drives, where to stay and what added activities to undertake while there. Check out my reviews of the four properties I stayed at during my visits:
Serena’s Mountain Lodge and the Sweetwaters Safari Camp on the Ol Pejeta Conservancy will make for another travel report of what one can do with a long weekend or a midweek short break of a few days.
Here is what I said about the two properties on TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g319715-d625378-r459534625-Serena_Mountain_Lodge-Mount_Kenya_National_Park.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT – https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g612348-d569581-r184433149-Sweetwaters_Serena_Camp-Nanyuki_Town_Nanyuki_Municipality_Laikipia_County_Rift_Va.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT
Alternatively try out Serena’s Ol Pejeta House, which is particularly suitable for a group of friends with children.
Serena’s three Serengeti properties, the Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, the Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp and the Mbuzi Mawe Safari Camp will become the focus of my penultimate article in this series of travel across our region before a final feature will look at Kenya’s award winning Segera Retreat, the only five star property in this part of the country. Find out my initial reaction to my stays as expressed via TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293751-d302899-r376070844-Kirawira_Serena_Camp-Serengeti_National_Park.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT – https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293751-d556927-r377329208-Mbuzi_Mawe_Serena_Camp-Serengeti_National_Park.html#CHECK_RATES_CONT – https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g293751-d569713-Reviews-Serengeti_Serena_Safari_Lodge-Serengeti_National_Park.html
Time to make up your mind to be sure you get reasonably priced flights, map out your routes if travelling by car and most important, book your rooms. Remember, after the Easter weekend will the traditional low season kick in and across Eastern Africa will residents enjoy huge rebates in rates without compromising on the quality of their stay vis a vis food, entertainment and accommodation standards.
Time To Go Travel
