I travel a lot, and some of my trips are what I would call soul moving trips. Africa was a trip that changed my soul. It’s been over a year now since I was in Kenya, and I still think about this trip weekly. The sights, sounds, smell, people, and wildlife.
Here is a breakdown of the trip we went on The Kenya Sampler; a small, group-guided trip in Kenya. In our Land Rover, there were five guests and one guide. Our guide Alex was an excellent local guide who had worked as a guide for over 25 years.
We get one life on earth, and for me, part of what fills my soul is traveling to see God’s creation and its varying landscapes that differ so much.
Kenya Wildlife and People
Kenya and the wildlife are almost like a real-life Jurassic Park. The people are amazing and kind. The way of life in some tribes and farms seem simpler and at a more relaxed pace.
The breadbasket of Kenya that we saw as we drove across the country reminded me of farms in the countryside of Italy, which seemed strange yet incredible. I count getting to see wildlife in a natural habitat as one of the best things I have ever done.
I loved the small group tour and I felt safe the entire time; our guides never left us. They stayed with us the entire time and had their own rooms at the hotel. We gained new friends during the trip with guides and fellow travelers. It was a bonus getting to hear about our groups’ lives back home in England and Germany.
Travelers are my favorite people, and Africa is a pretty exotic place to travel, so chances are your group will be filled with stories of travel as you ramble down the road on your trip in a land rover type vehicle.
Things To Be Aware of When Planning a Safari.
- We always recommend planning with a travel planner.
- You want to be aware of what type of vehicle will be used and how many guests will be in the vehicle. We had a Land Rover with a very small group. We were never crowded getting pictures.
- **However, we did see Vans filled with eight-plus people, and it looked like that would be hard to get good photographs and crowded.
- The guides make all the difference in the world, and you want a veteran guide with lots of experience who is a local.
- Make sure your trip includes a visit to a local tribe. We visited the Masai tribe; this was an eye-opening cultural experience that I suggest.
- The lodges matter, and your choices vary a lot from glamping, rustic, to luxury. Our trip was midrange lodges.
- 2020 was a hard year for the entire world, and a trip to Africa could be the soul healing trip you are in need of.
- Our trip was from January 6-14, 2020. Part of that was flight time. The time on the ground experiencing the safari was January 7-13, 2020. You need a plan to be off at least 10 days from work.
- Price-wise, safaris vary widely, but ours with flights from Houston was less than 7,000 total for 2, and that included all meals. The only money I spent while in Africa was tips and buying gifts.
People often believe that Bucket-list trips are out of their price range, but I think you would be pleasantly surprised at how affordable a trip to Africa can be. My advice is to get out there and experience the world. ~Kristi Peek
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