text for summer 2009 trip

Lions Tour Dates

May 30 Highveld XV, Rustenburg
June 3 Golden Lions, Johannesburg
June 6 Free State Cheetahs, Bloemfontein
June 10 Blue Bulls Pretoria,
June 13 Western Province, Cape Town
June 17 Coastal XV, Port Elizabeth
June 20 First Test, Pretoria ****
June 23 Junior Springboks, Cape Town
June 27 Second Test, Durban ****
July 4 Third Test, Johannesburg ****

INDEX

Costs

Which itinerary

Itinerary

When to go

Beach Extensions

Other ideas

THE COSTS

§ Airfares to Kenya start at £500pp, for the Vic Falls and Botswana options flights will be around the £850pp mark.

§ Vehicle hire will be between £150 and £200 per day. That will be for a high spec land cruiser fully equipped with the works. So if we take average occupancy of 4 persons per vehicle, a worst case scenario is per person cost of £50 per day x 12 days = £600 per person.

§ On trip expenses to budget for include; fuel, food, grog, national park entry fees. If we were to budget a generous £40 per person per day to cover this, then we are looking at £40 per day x 12 days = £480 per person

Totalled up Kenya itinerary will come to £500 + £600 + £480 = £1580 per person. The Botswana + Vic Falls itinerary, we will be approx £850 + £600 + £480 = £1930 per person.

The above assumes a 2 week holiday (12 days on the ground + 2 days for travel).

WHICH ITINERARY?

For the Kenya itinerary;

Cheaper.
Imagine Africa is a big player here, so better chances of using that leverage to get some complimentary bits and bobs
For combining with somewhere on the beach – this definitely best plan (see Beach Extension paragraph)
Easier to join the trip half way through, or to leave the trip early – so much more flexible.
Flight connections to South Africa for anyone keen on Lions Tour.

Pluses Bots + Vic Falls itinerary:

More off the beaten track. Longer periods in the bush.
Closer to South Africa for those with interest in the Lions Tour.

In view of the above, I think Kenya is best plan. So below is full itinerary for this.

FULL KENYA ITINERARY

***insert full itinerary here***

WHEN TO GO

The main 2 week itinerary will take place between Friday 26^th June 2009 and Sunday 19^th July 2009. Exact dates within the above period to be confirmed at a later stage.

Extensions to the trip can easily be arranged either before or after the trip

Reasons for my decision on dates are;

§ Air fares to everywhere in Africa go on up on approx 10^th July – as this is when peak season starts (extra £250pp). So outbound travel must be before this (outbound date governs flights costs, doesn’t matter when return date is).

§ The Lions Tour to South Africa starts on 30^th May and ends 4^th July. The three tests are on 20^th June (Pretoria), 27^th June (Durban) and 04 July (Jo’burg). Anyone keen to incorporate this, can do so before the trip.

§ There is a wedding on 19^th June in France that a few people are going to, so keen avoid being away on this date.

§ For the safari part - weather will be great anytime in June or July – but for anyone considering beach time after the safari, the later we depart the better.

BEACH EXTENSION

If we do the Kenya trip, then getting down to the coast is v. easy. There are some great places to stay for those after a bit of seclusion and romance (www.kizingo.com or www.msambweni-house.com) and if a group of people are keen to get down to the beach, then the Kizingoni Beach Houses in Lamu would be incredible (www.kizingonibeach.com/house.aspx?HouseID=4) they can sleep up to 20 people easily and quite cheaply.

OTHER IDEAS

Depending on peoples budgets and ideas for the trip we can definitely look at adding in a 2 night stop at a lodge here or there. This is particularly for the Kenya option as link Imagine Africa could open a few doors. Tassia (www.imagineafrica.co.uk/Kenya/Laikipia__Safari_Lodges/Tassia.html), Sarara (www.lewa.org/sarara.php) or Shompole (www.imagineafrica.co.uk/Kenya/Amboseli_Safari_Lodges/Shompole_Lodge.html) would be options.