An Insiders View on Kenya

By Renuka Natu

  

What makes Kenya a good travel destination?
The promise and guarantee of spotting the wild animals all year round.

Top 3 things that every traveller must know about Safari experience in Kenya?
• When you observe the behaviour of the animals in their habitat, you can’t miss the uncanny semblance they have to human behaviour – especially the male Lion, lazing around while the Lioness works hard to get a kill & feed the family

• So many words in Swahili and Hindi are similar – Safari (Safar) = Journey; Duka (Dukan) = Shop; Gari (Gaadi) = Car; Dava (Daru) = Alcohol …..

• The huge ethnic Indian influence, especially the Gujarati influence, where sometime even the local Kenyan might throw in a phrase like “Biju kai?” in a restaurant


When is the best time to go on safari in Kenya?
It is a year-round destination. Once is never enough
Ideally one must visit, once during migration season and once during the non-migration season.

What items and clothing should one pack when travelling to Kenya?
Travel very light
-Light Jacket
-One open & 1 closed pair of shoes
-Cotton / Linen Shirts
-Cotton Trousers / Track pants
-Hat
-Bandana
-Glares
-Glasses (no Contact lenses)
-Lip Balm, Sunscreen, hair-oil

What sort of preparations do you need to make before travelling to Africa?
One must take Yellow Fever Vaccination and Polio Vaccination (oral) which is a requirement by Indian Ministry.

When is the great migration?
Mid-June – Mid Sep (depending upon the rain pattern)

Can you tell us a little about the life of the locals?
Locals are mostly into cattle rearing, but also hold white collared jobs today.
They are strongly rooted & connected to their families

What are the local delicacies/drinks which one must try in Kenya?
Food: Game Meat: Ostrich/ Crocodile/ Ox etc, Kasava (Tapioka chips)
Drinks: Tusker Beer

According to you what is the best thing about going on a safari in Kenya?
Being in absolute nature, which is supremely calming. Not many digital/technological distractions. As a family, Safari Van is the best place to bond & reconnect!

“Once is never enough, you have to visit Kenya multiple times if you love the wildlife & the bush”

TOP 15 WISHLIST JOURNEYS

 

1. KAILASH MANASAROVAR –

An Inner Journey

Will you be called this year to visit this holiest of all holy mountains? Will you be invited by its famous resident to make the divine trek and seek his blessings?

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2. ECUADOR & GALAPAGOS ISLANDS – Evolution, Not Revolution 

No amount of study can prepare you for the absolute magic that the Galapagos Islands hold. From the world’s only seagoing marine iguanas to giant turtles to stunning boobie birds – every inch of this volcanic island bubbles with life. 

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3. ZAMBIA WALKING SAFARI – Spectacular Wildlife Viewing in Comfort and Style

Live it up in the spectacular African bush. Enjoy terrific sightings of the magnificent wild animals of Africa in great comfort and luxury in the well-appointed lodges in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

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4. ANTARCTICA – The Last Continent

The ultimate travel destination. Go on an expedition cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland
Islands to experience the fascinating and extreme part of our planet – the last pristine region of Mother Earth.

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5. GLAMPING IN THE ARCTIC – Canadian Beluga Whale Watching

Somerset Island in the far Canadian North is the world’s best place to spot the beluga whale. That too, in the comfort of a well-appointed lodge strategically located at a migration site.

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6. TRANS–SIBERIAN – The Last Great Train Adventure

A railway journey that covers almost one-third of the Earth’s surface. Get on board the Tsar’s Gold Train, and watch the landscape unfold from Moscow all the way to Beijing via Lake Baikal and Mongolia.

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7. MOROCCO PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR – Blue your mind

If blue is your favorite color, we have just the place for you. Discover ‘The Blue Pearl of Morocco’ deep inside the Rif Mountains. And capture your blue feelings with help from an internationally acclaimed photographer mentoring you.

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8. MONGOLIA PHOTOGRAPHY TOUR – Mongolia In A Snap

Go on a photo tour with an international award-winning photographer. Discover the lives of throat singers and traditional nomad families who are an intrinsic part of the distinctive Mongolian landscape.

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9. NORTHERN LIGHTS – Lights, Camera, Action

Deep inside the Finnish Lapland, sleep under the stars (literally) as you plonk yourself on a bed in a glass igloo.
Resign yourself to the most sought-after travel experience in the world – catching the ever elusive Northern Lights. 

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10. CENTRAL EUROPE – Europe’s Beating Hearts

Imagine a trip that combines three majestic cities of central Europe – Vienna, Prague, Budapest! Stunning architecture, evolved culture, resplendent parks and gardens, exquisite cuisine and heaving with modern history. Great for kids, brilliant for adults.

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11. BHUTAN – Boost Your Happiness Index

Imagine a country that measures its productivity by Gross National Happiness! This beautiful kingdom is tiny but large of heart. We have a special itinerary for senior citizens who can enjoy this exotic land in great comfort.

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12. FAMILY FUN IN SWITZERLAND – Picture Postcard View In 3D

Switzerland is great fun for the whole family. Its natural beauty is incomparable, while its manmade charms are unbeatable. Go on a chocolate tour, zoom in a toboggan, and make fairy tale towns come alive.

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13. CANADIAN ROCKIES – Rockies-N-Roll

When Nature shows off, she does it in Canada. Visit some of the most scenic landscapes on Planet Earth and take it all in via various modes of transport – on land, water, and air. It will leave you mesmerized.

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14. JAPAN CHERRY BLOSSOM Visit Yesterday And Tomorrow… Today

Japan is a country where the future and the past have a blissful coexistence. Absorb the unique Japanese culture,
observe their terrific attention to detail and bask in their hospitality. Compose a haiku as the sakura blossoms.

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15. EGYPT – From Here To Eternity

Explore this timeless land in luxury and style. Relive its magnificent history as you visit its greatest monuments.
Take a relaxing cruise along the Nile. Dive right into the buzz of Cairo. Pause and wonder about it all.

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