Archive for July, 2009
July 28th, 2009 | 
Author: A Look At The Variety Of Tented Camps While On Vacation In Kenya
If you are looking for a delightful and adventurous way to spend your vacations in Kenya it would be fun to choose tented camping sites which are pitched on specific grounds with nice scenic views of grasslands and mountaneous ranges. You will watch game streaming around watering holes at night as you enjoy Lavish dinner and entertainment. There are several tented campsites scattered all over the game reserves and parks along rivers cliffs hills and mountain tops. These tented camps have good beds bathrooms and shower blocks while others are so luxurious they will offer furniture hot showers and Beds rivilling only a five star hotel. I wish to list here the various places you can enjoy the comfort of tented camps. My list may not be exhaustive but it can serve as a guide to those who would wish to live in tented camps while on vacation in Kenya.
The Amboseli National Park has tented camps and cottages where you can have uninterrupted view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The wildlife are kept off by a fence running around the camp site making it safe to watch game and walk around in the night. These tented camps are a complete contrast to the more luxurious cottages at the Amboseli Lodge Tortilis Camp Amboseli Serena Lodge and the Ol Tukai Lodge Where you will be treated to well kept gardens wonderful views of Mt. Kilimanjaro Swimming pools and enough amenities making your stay very comfortable and spiritually rewarding. But of course if you are traveling on a budget you could try the Namanga River Hotel Campi ya Kazi or the Nyati Safari camp all with nice tented camps erected under acacia trees giving you the advantage of the nice scenic view of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
The Tsavo National Park offers a wide range of wild life and birds within the dense vegetation swamps remarkable rolling hills volcanic caves and huge rocks. Here you will find tented camps with basic amenities like running water bathrooms mosquito nets bedding and toilet facilities. Unlike in the Amboseli one will have to make arrangement for lunch and dinner at nearby lodges and hotels. However a few of them have luxurious tented camps but are a bit more costly to rent. There are good places where you can arrange for tented camps like the Severin Safari Camp in Mombasa the Voyager Safari Camp at the Zimani Gate the Finch Hatton’s Safari Camp lacated on the western side of the Tsavo National Park and the Satao Camp on the banks of the Voi River
This list would not be complete without reference to the Kenyan coastal town of Mombasa. This town is home to the Simba Hills National park where you can watch elephants antelopes and zebras grazing on the grasslands the sandy beaches of Malindi the Watamu marine National Park and the age old Lamu town. You are sure to be treated to the best tented camps at the Makurumuji Tented Camping site at the Simba hills National Park the Shompole Camping site on Lake Magadi which offers a Jacuzzi to keep you cool From the warm breezes.
One thing about tented camping sites is the amount of backpacking one has to carry which is a little cumbersome but this should not undermine the benefits that accrue from tented camping sites. You will definitely be able to save lots of money that you can invest in many ways like either in eating at a five star or shopping for yourself antique Masai Lingerie traditional artifacts and the like. It should also be important to appreciate the fact that life at tented camping sites teaches you and makes you selfdependent. Its very interesting to see men and women who do not do any household work at all cleaning plates while in camping sites.
About the writer: Lucy Maruhi is a tour operator and has been organizing and reporting on Vacation Travel and Tours for years. For more information on Tented Camps Kenya visit her site at Tented Camps Kenya
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All Inclusive Cruising Versus Full Board
Many people still believe that cruising is a pricy holiday choice but when you consider everything thats included it really can work out to be excellent value for money.
Along with comfortable serviced accommodation the cost also includes your meals which are available around the clock evening entertainment plus use of modern ship facilities such as the gym. So does that cover everything? Not quite.
Its sometimes easy to forget the extras you will be paying in addition to the cruise fare. Shore excursions drinks gratuities port transfers not to mention your spending money are all going to up the bill and need to be considered.
The majority of cruise lines sell their cruises on a full board basis i.e. all meals included but do not include drinks. There are a few exceptions such as Island Cruises and Thomson Cruises. These 34* cruise lines offer a number of free upgrades to an all inclusive tariff on selected sailings. Places are very limited and once the free places have sold they will charge to upgrade to this option if it is still available.
But wouldnt it be nice if everything was included Im talking gratuities unlimited drinks from fancy cocktails to champagne a complimentary mini bar in your cabin and all shore excursions.
You may be surprised to find out that this option is almost a reality.
Ultra luxury cruise line Silversea offers the closest you can get to a fully inclusive cruise package.
Their fleet offers 4 beautiful ships each carrying no more than 400 passengers for an intimate experience. When you sail with Silversea all gratuities and drinks are included but in addition transportation to and from the ports to the main attractions are complimentary.
Obviously sailing in a suite onboard an all inclusive luxury ship is going to cost more than your regular cruise but if you usually travel in a suite on a 4* ship surprisingly this option may work out to be better value. For around 3400 per person you could enjoy an all inclusive 7 night Mediterranean cruise in a suite with balcony onboard a 6* luxury ship. If you dont require a balcony this cost can drop to around 2500 per person. In comparison a similar cruise with a 4* cruise line based on a top suite could roll in at as much as 3800 per person.
If you still like the idea of an all inclusive board basis and who wouldnt but have a budget that wont quite stretch there are still options out there for you.
Royal Caribbean for example offer their cruises on a full board basis but teas coffee lemonade iced tea and fruit juices with breakfast are complimentary. Furthermore soda packages can be purchased which enables both kids and adults to enjoy unlimited brand soft drinks at a very reasonable daily rate plus for those who enjoy a bottle of wine with their meal they sell various packages which will also save you a few pounds.
For daytime cocktails you are on holiday after all look out for the cocktail of the day which will be on offer at a reduced price. However in addition to this cost of course you still have a service charge of 15 to pay on top of each bar bill plus gratuities.
So what really is better value? To work this out you need to calculate how much you are likely to be spending on drinks the accommodation you want to travel in and the gratuities you will need to pay. Then you can work out the difference in cost and decide if you want to pay the extra to experience an ultra luxury cruise.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Genna Roberts is web editor at Inside Cruise an online cruise community packed with all the latest cruise news reviews and features.
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Alaska Cruise Vacations – Save Big On Smaller Ships
When many people hear about Alaska cruise vacations they likely think of a 2000passenger packed ship 7 or 8 stories tall. Or maybe you think of shopping centers movie theaters and even casino gambling. In fact you would be right to an extent. In addition to Alaska cruise vacations that have all the previously noted features numerous other cruising possibilities exist.
There are lots of Alaska cruise vacations that take place on smaller ships which offer more intimate cruising facilities and accommodations. These can offer the rare opportunity to be both more affordable and enjoyable. It simply depends on what you have to spend and the kind of experience you want to have. Each type of cruise vacation to Alaska has something unique to offer. If you have a large travel budget an Alaskan cruise package on one of the big ships might make sense for you.
But a cruise to Alaska on one of the smaller vessels is the right choice if you want to get close to nature and you also have a limited budget. Cruise vacations to Alaska on smaller ships will give you a very special experience with lots more personal attention. They bring you much nearer to shore so you can get closer to the wildlife. The smaller ships have access to smaller docks unlike the bigger ships which are prohibited because of their size. On shore trips are included in the basic charge with these kinds of Alaskan cruise packages.
The smaller ships wont offer the shopping gambling and movie cinemas of course. But if you’d enjoy a more romantic vacation with personalized service try one of the smaller vessels that offer Alaska cruise tours. Of course most Alaska cruise vacations aboard a large cruise ship will cost a lot more. It will not allow you to view wildlife close at hand. The most you can look forward to is seeing is some bald eagles and perhaps a few humpback whales.
Cruise packages for Alaska on the big ships don’t include onshore excursions so you’ll have to pay extra for these kinds of things. You might not realize this until after you’ve gotten your final bill. You will realize that all the little things added up to be a large cost.
But one must admit that cruises to Alaska on the luxury liners are a very grand affair and offer amenities you won’t find on smaller vessels. They offer every conceivable amenity like spas casinos nightclubs movies even shopping malls.
You can enjoy a private deck and lounge and they have swimming pools also. So it really boils down to what your idea of the perfect vacation to Alaska is. People who take Alaska cruise tours will find that the smaller ships allow them to reach places that they have no hope of ever visiting if they had chosen a big ship. But small ships only carry about 100 passengers compared with about 2000 on a large ship so they fill up fast. Therefore you should book Alaska cruise vacations as soon as you can.
About the writer: We hope that you enjoyed reading this article. If you are looking for additional information on Alaska cruise vacations or Cruise to Alaska please be sure to check out our website.