WHITE SANDS HOTEL

The White Sands lies on Bamburi beach on the north coast of Mombasa. I have stayed at this hotel and I was very impressed, it has a great pool area that has plenty of sun beds available to relax and as there are five to choose from you are bound to find a good spot.

Even though it is quite a big hotel you don’t feel like it’s that big, the rooms are nice but I would say it’s worth upgrading.

The best thing about the hotel though are the people that work there, they are so friendly and can’t do enough for you, nothing’s too much trouble, and they do make you feel at ease.

There are three restaurants which are top class, you have a lot of choice and the food is very good, on top of these you’ve got four bars to mingle at.

You certainly won’t get bored, it’s so big its like a castle hotel and there is plenty to do, from the hotels water-sports, like scuba diving to the use of a gym. You can also do trips from the hotel and the staff that organise this are very good and have a lot of knowledge so will be able to tell you what is good, they do all sorts including, Haller Park /  Bamburi Forest Trails and fort Jesus Sound  and Light Show or if you prefer you could do the Dolphin Dhow which includes the sighting of dolphins with a possible in water experience with them, Kisite Marine Park, Snorkeling, Continental breakfast, Al fresco lunch on board the dhow and a tour of the Shimoni slaves caves, well worth doing if you can.

Porini Lion Camp – where the lions roar!

I have recently come back from a 3 night stay at Porini Lion Camp in the Olare Orok conservancy in Maasai Mara.

What a fantastic camp this is, the ethos of the camp is that it can be taken down and no human or more importantly, animal, would have known that it was ever there.

The guest tents, of which there are 10 – are all very well spaced out and are like mini mansions!  Each has a double & a single bed in it and ensuite bathroom – with flushing loo, sink & safari style shower.

The staff at the camp are great.  They are all from the local Maasai community & look after guests so well.  The guiding is excellent, a number of the local Maasai have achieved their guiding certificates and are on hand to show you everything from the smallest insect to the big 5!  Learning about the local community is also fascinating and they are willing to share their knowledge on local flowers/plants with the guests.

From camp it was a privilege to watch giraffes amble by while enjoying an early morning coffee and before departing on exciting game drive.  There is currently a pride of 21 lions in the conservancy, which you cannot miss each time you head out.  One of the highlights was tracking two male lions on a night drive with spot light, who then began to roar – Now I know why they are called King of the Jungle! – after such exhilaration we returned back to camp, to bump into a hippo munching his dinner at the entrance to camp!

Porini Lion Camp is what a safari camp should be. It is small, comfortable, has good food, happy ready to please staff but most important of all – it is the wildlife who are the star of the show – and really, if you are on safari this is what you have come to experience

Kruger Private Reserves (Mpumalanga, South Africa)

The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s most famous conservation area and is visited by many thousands of tourists each year. Unfortunately, and like a lot of other national parks in Africa it can be a little crowded for most. I did my guides training course in a neighbouring private reserve called Sabi Sands, and this gives travellers the peace and quiet whilst still being able to enjoy the impressive wildlife spectacle that the Kruger National Park undoubtedly offers.

The private reserves range in size but all have much smaller, more personal lodges considerably more luxurious than the rest camps found within the park itself. Of course the cost incurred when staying at one of these reserves is greater but one gets what one pays for; services offered often include beauty & spa treatments, massages, delicious a-la carte menus along with beautifully decorated and spacious rooms. Some of the more renowned reserves include Sabi Sands, Mala Mala, Sabi Sabi, Thornybush, and Timbavati.

Not all of the private reserves are expensive; there are some more affordable options including Kapama and Kwa Madwala. Whilst you compromise with comfort and luxury one can still enjoy the abundant wildlife on offer at these reserves.

Wildlife viewing at the reserves can be spectacular; all of the Big Five are here (Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, and Buffalo), as well as all of the plains game. But what this area is perhaps most famous for is its Leopard sightings; during my training course we were, like other guests of the surrounding lodges and camps completely spoilt, with on average 1 Leopard sighting every other game drive! Not only are the sightings of Leopards frequent but these often elusive animals are completely relaxed around the vehicles, giving guests of these reserves the chance to view these iconic animals up-close and personal in their natural surroundings.