Pippa, to me 450pppd seems wacky expensive, but I’ve heard a lot worse. The most I’ve paid (far too much) was 72,700 shillings + 4 x $40 in park fees for 4 nights at Mara Intrepids and that included the return flight. Before that I paid $1095 for 6 nights at Bushbuck Camp and that included “park fees” and return road transport from Nairobi.

I suppose one of the reasons of the insane raises in park fees is to get tourists of a “better quality” (very wealthy) like in Botswana – or more exactly, they raise the fees because they can and the better quality tourists are a positive side effect. I don’t feel particularly welcome in countries that practise “low volume, high yield”, as it’s impossible for me to visit them. What I’d be interested to know is if there’s an uncrowded place with amazing wildlife where you can stay for under $150pppd - without having to travel in a group without a shower. In 2004 I paid $120 pd for a camp in Tsavo (everything included) and I had no idea how good that was, I even thought it was a bit expensive …

I looks like I am more of a Mara lover than the others here, and I haven’t even visited during the migration. This year I went there twice. The story is here: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=4&tid=35039610

When I go on safari (self-drive) I am always so dusty and smelly they wouldn't even let me into such lodges

I don't feel comfortable in such places either. I prefer to be with the locals or go to a camp site.

Original von Nyamera
Pippa, to me 450pppd seems wacky expensive, but I’ve heard a lot worse. The most I’ve paid (far too much) was 72,700 shillings + 4 x $40 in park fees for 4 nights at Mara Intrepids and that included the return flight. Before that I paid $1095 for 6 nights at Bushbuck Camp and that included “park fees” and return road transport from Nairobi.

I suppose one of the reasons of the insane raises in park fees is to get tourists of a “better quality” (very wealthy) like in Botswana – or more exactly, they raise the fees because they can and the better quality tourists are a positive side effect. I don’t feel particularly welcome in countries that practise “low volume, high yield”, as it’s impossible for me to visit them. What I’d be interested to know is if there’s an uncrowded place with amazing wildlife where you can stay for under $150pppd - without having to travel in a group without a shower. In 2004 I paid $120 pd for a camp in Tsavo (everything included) and I had no idea how good that was, I even thought it was a bit expensive …

I looks like I am more of a Mara lover than the others here, and I haven’t even visited during the migration. This year I went there twice. The story is here: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=4&tid=35039610[/quote]

nyamera,
SHILLING will be charged only if you are a resident (residential rates). that is even more annoying as these shilling rates in these camps can only paid by rich people from nairobi or mombasa/diani.
of course botswana follows "low volume - high yield" politics. kenya does it as well except the LOW VOLUME.
and regarding mara lovers: I LOVE THE MARA! that is the reason why i am so upset!
few tourists doesn't mean necesseraly high quality as the mara buffalo camp guests have proven

try ILKELIANI near talek gate. they have a game package and a fullboard package if you are coming with your rented car. quite reasonable: approx. 180pppd incl. gamedrives, 140 fullboard without drives.
www.ilkeliani.com
it's not top notch but good tents with bath tents incl. flush loo and good bathroom amenities. but on game package the game drives are rather limited: 06.30-09.00 and 16.00-18.30h
don't believe this excerpt from their website because experiences have proven to be different:
[color=red]Safari and relax at your own pace…
We want you to enjoy your Masai Mara safari experience at your own pace. No rushing around game drives and no strict meal times, we offer you an open invitation to dictate your wishes to us.:

[/color]

Pippa, Ilkeliani sounds reasonable (relatively speaking) – if the park fees are included and there’s no single supplement, but I’d say [URL=http://www.bushbuckadventures.com/index.html]Bushbuck Camp[/URL] is a better deal. Their morning game drives last until lunch. Though the rates on their website have been raised. A 3-night road package was $600 in June (added nights were 165) and now it’s $740. I really should go somewhere less crowded next year, but when I think about Kenya I imagine myself staying in the Paradise Plains area with the topis.

BTW, I did get the residential rate at Intrepids, but it was expensive anyway.

Original von Carsten
When I go on safari (self-drive) I am always so dusty and smelly they wouldn't even let me into such lodges

I don't feel comfortable in such places either. I prefer to be with the locals or go to a camp site.

Carsten:

As to self-drive, you have the advantage that many of us don't have.

1. You are fluent in swahili, so you won't get any guff from the indigenous people.
2. You are male, so on that score alone you are somewhat safer than many of us would be.

Plus, being a big strong male, you would be able to change a flat tire on a large vehicle when you run over one of those big acacia thorns

Nyamera is already much braver than most of us. She travels alone on buses and matatus, walks alone in villages and does many things I wish I had the nerve to do I'm sure if you could rent a vehicle reasonably in Kenya she would do that also . $300.00 per day to rent a big enough 4 wheel drive to manage the parks is expensive. Know anyone in the vehicle rental business?

We have a car rental company in Mombasa but they do not have an english website. We have a write up on bushdrums here: [URL=http://www.bushdrums.com/news/index.php?shownews=130]Kedev Car Hire[/URL]

Further we have [URL=http://www.bushdrums.com/news/index.php?shownews=534]Sunworld Safaris and Car Rental[/URL] who are ecologically friendly and involved in various conservation projects.