Having one of the most diverse scenes, East Africa is one exciting places in the world. Whether you want to go for game drives in the remote wilderness of Africa that are a sharp contrast to the more worldly-wise Europe or you just want to feel the wilderness in a walking safari; Africa will in many ways create in your memory an everlasting emblem of nature and all that it gives. Besides, Africa has numerous beach destination where you can take a break off the wilderness and enjoy moments of relaxation in a sun-kissed pristine white sand paradise.
Senior travelling in the contest of East Africa is the same as travels for younger people with just a few considerations to put in place. In this post we will take you through a step by step guide on planning your safari as a senior traveler.
How to get the right destinations to visit
Each of the 4 main East African countries- Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda- has numerous scenic places you can visit. Travelling as a senior citizen will most likely be inspired by the urge to feel the touch of Africa wilderness by visiting some of the best destinations in a thorough and slow-paced manner. You will as well like to interact with people of different cultural norms. Not to forget astounding sceneries that will leave you awed by the mysterious diversity of nature. To achieve such a fulfilling experience, your destination choices are cardinal.
Firstly, when choosing destinations, you will have to consider the distance from point of pick up or destination to another. For transfers between destinations that take you more than 5 hrs on the road we recommend that you opt for air transfers.
Again, you should aspire to minimize the time spent on the roads which are unnecessarily tedious or costly for air transfers. A good destination ought to have enough adventurous places and a bucketlist of activities that can keep you occupied for at least three days. A good example is south Eastern serengeti in Tanzania and greater mara in Kenya both of which you can spend up to 4 days. Alternatively, you can choose circuits that has a closely located attractions that takes not more than 90 minutes drive to the next destination. For instance whenever you visit lake Nakuru you should consider visiting lake Elementaita, Lake Bogoria, Crescent Island, Hells gate and Lake Naivasha..
Where to stay?
Accommodation in East Africa comes in two main forms, tented camps and lodges. The main difference is that tented camps are canvas modified into rooms while lodges are more permanent concrete walled buildings. Tented camps are more common than lodges. This is informed by the fact that the tented camps are more flexible in budget and experiences. For instance, you can find a tented camp with a budget as low as 45 USD in Masai Mara unlike the lodges where the starting price is 100 USD dollars. There are also more tented camps situated inside major parks and conservancies than lodges. Booking an accommodation inside a game sanctuary gives you a more heartfelt closeness to nature.
However, as a senior traveler we recommend that you go for the lodges which gives you the comfort and the services you deserve. Lodges will in most instances, come in standard and luxury plan costing 140 USD to 520 USD per night in Masai Mara.
Additionally, if are handicapped we recommend that you get the best advice from your travel consultant regarding the most befitting hotel for your situation. For instance: Mara serena is more wheelchair friendly than other facilities in the mara triangle.
What to do during your Safari?
Generally, there are no activities done by the younger generation which are forbidden to senior travelers. Even more strenuous activities like bush walking would be exciting if you choose to go for shorter distances and in a slow pace. If you love hiking East Africa host Africa two highest free standing mountains- Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya. Even if you won’t be in a position to summit you can hike to height matching your fitness. Notably the lower reaches of these mountain are adventurous with numerous fauna and flora scenes to enjoy as you climb up.
Other activities include: night game drives, traditional village tours, Kizinga channel boat cruise and gorilla trekking.
How to book your flight
If you are planning to leave Nairobi the very first day, we recommend that you book a flight that arrives before 5 am in the morning. This will enable you depart for your first destination by 7 am. However, for senior travelers we recommend you spend a minimum 2 days in the capital before moving to other places. This will enable you rest and also start your safari with less strenuous movements and activities. Notably, Nairobi has a lot of places you can visit starting with Nairobi national park which host the big five and giraffe center which is possibly the most successful giraffe conservation initiative in the country.
If you are landing in Moi international Airport ( Mombasa) start your trip by visiting destinations in the coastal region.
Heal from loneliness while in Africa
You may be seeking to make new friends and heal from prolonged loneliness in retirement. When travelling as a sole travelers we recommend that you join a group travel. Group travels are available for the popular destinations including Nairobi city tours, Masai Mara safari , Amboseli tours, Serengeti tours and Ngorongoro tours. One advantage with group travel its always affordable for both air and overland safaris. Air transfer is even more efficient as most of the tours are organized by individual lodges and camps giving you an opportunity to go for an open sided safari.
Additionally, you should consider adding traditional village tours in your itinerary program. This will give you the chance to interact with the locals. In places like Mombasa and Zanzibar you can visit market places during your city tours.
