Kenya Private Safari: How to Plan Your Private Vacation

Going to Kenya on a private safari can be a very fulfilling travel experience. Though wildlife viewing is the main highlight in a safari, there is more to Kenyan travel than just seeing game.

A private tour lets you expand your safari vision to include all the personal elements that are your signature when traveling. You have the flexibility to set your own travel time and to choose the people you want to travel with.

It is not automatic that because you are going to Kenya on a private vacation, everything will be smooth. The outcome of your private tour will depend on how well you plan with your safari operator.

Of importance you must get a guarantee from your Kenya safari operator that once on the ground, he will not batch you up with other travelers. Joining convoys of buses on the same itinerary as yours takes away all sense of privacy.

Are there times that a private vacation is absolutely essential? Though you can take a private tour even for an ordinary Kenya travel, your special occasions such as honeymoon, birthdays, anniversaries and vacations with young children warrant privacy.

If you are birdwatcher or a nature photographer you will most likely benefit from the services of your safari guide when you are on a private vacation.

Grant it, you may not know everything about Kenya but with so many Kenya tour operators offering private safaris, it falls on you to approach your safari operator from a position of knowledge. Do your research thoroughly and be very clear to your tour operator about what you want included in your vacation.

While your safari operator will try to accommodate most of your requests, be prepared that with good reasons he may rule out some and give you alternatives.

Your private vacation to Kenya should have quality time in the selected areas that you will visit and it should also have enough time for relaxation. Be careful not to put too many national parks in your itinerary - this will make your safari hectic and with little time for relaxation.

Which are the best national parks for private tours? Masai Mara safaris wins the popularity content but you can get an excellent game viewing experience in any Kenyan national park. The catch is on how you and your tour operator plan depending on the number of days you have for safari. You may choose to stay North of Nairobi i.e. the Aberdares, Samburu and Laikipia or you could do the Southern national parks of Tsavo and Amboseli.

While there are various types of accommodations available on your Kenyan private safari, you maintain privacy and exclusivity if you opt for small tented camps and lodges especially those that are in private game reserves where the number of visitors is low. These are some of the best places to get personal and very professional service.

The experience of your safari guides will determine the success of your private tour in Kenya. The guide has to be competent in his subject, which really should be your main interest, and he should have a great inter-personal skill.

Get a guarantee from your Kenya safari operator that your guide is exclusively for you and he is available for all your activities and not just the 6.30 a.m and 4 p.m game drives.

What should you pay for your Kenyan private vacation? There is no right answer for this as price is a very relative term, but make your judgment based on the value items such as quality of accommodation, vehicles, professional guides and above all the reliability of the operator.

Now that you know how to plan a private safari in Kenya, hit the keyboard and plan your wildlife safari to suit you requirements.