We are torn between the Kenya and Tanzania classic safari and the South Africa trip, suggestions?
We have never been to Africa and this is our dream trip. We are torn between the Classic Safari and the South Africa trip. My friend who lived in South Africa strongly thought South Africa adventure with private game preserves was the way to go. My brother did the classic safari last year and loved it. Both dates we are looking at are in late October. Also wondering about best months to go to either place. Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Is Late October still good weather for either location or look ahead to spring next year......
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Do you mean the Elegant South Africa trip? If so, I have taken both, they are very different. The South Africa tour is half culture, which we enjoyed very much. If your main interest is Safari, then K and T is the way to go. Even the Safari parts of SA are different to K and T and you will not see the same wildlife in the two tours. If you become like me, whatever tour you choose, you will love, and want to go back. I am about to visit for the sixth time.
October in K and T is generally the start of the short rains. Also, the tours sell out very quickly, so make up your minds very soon or you may not be able to go with Tauck off a while.
I agree with British. We chose Elegant South Africa because we didn't want all safari. See my trip review in the ESA forum.
I did the K&T, loved! lots of game drives- plenty of chances to see lots of animals. the area is beautiful and the hotels super nice. If you haven't done a Safari before I would start with the K&T .
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I want to do the Elegant South Africa too, but I'm going to Australia this year and Jordan-Egypt next 2020. So it will be for 2021 unless Tauck re-opens Turkey
We did the K&T for our first trip to Africa in July 2018 and it was simply amazing. We wanted to see animals, animals, and more animals on a first African trip and that's what we got. Of course Tauck provided us with the best places to stay and the entire trip was perfect. We took ONLY 2,300 photos and completed a 110 page Shutterfly album. I cannot speak to the South African trip but that sounds great too. I guess it all depends on what you really want on the trip. Either way, we would go back to Africa in a minute. Keep in mind rains in October bring mosquitoes but also less dusty roads. Again, a decision to be made. We got our culture and history a few months later when we went to Israel and Jordan in October 2018 and that was also a fantastic trip. Good luck !
We did the Elegant South Africa Tour and it was a very good blend of safaris (8 over 4 days), culture, amazing scenery, Cape wine lands, delicious food and learned much about the history of Apartheid. It was an amazing experience.
We have done both K&T and Z, B, and SA. We have done K&T twice. They are both great trips. We did K&T twice because we did not want to do the non-safari parts of SA twice, but loved the safari parts as much as K&T. If I was doing the safari for the first and perhaps only time, I would do K&T. Actually, I would recommend K&T for anyone on a first safari.
We have done both the Elegant South Africa trip and the K&T classic safari. We loved both of them, but they are very different. If it's a safari you're interested in then do the K&T. It's all wildlife and you see herds of animals - large prides of lions, huge groups of hippos and elephants, etc. All of the Big 5 and more. You even have a chance, depending on the time of year, to see the Great Migration.The South Africa trip goes to Capetown, which is beautiful, Johannesburg where you learn a lot about apartheid, and ends in Victoria Falls. You spend 4 days at private game reserves in the Kruger. The resorts are gorgeous. We saw the Big 5, but the difference is the quantity of animals you see. In the Kruger you will see a lot less wildlife. You won't see the big herds of animals.
We went at the end of August for both trips.
I was just on the Classic Kenya and Tanzania trip. we saw so many animals up close you cannot imagine. Our guide and others said that you do not see as many animals on the South Africa trip. I would defiantly rate this Kenya/Tanzania trip as the trip of a lifetime !!
People here have been talking about two different South Africa trips ... there is more than one. So choose carefully.
Margaret Grotie1, when do you go on the Classic Kenya and Tanzania trip?
I totally agree with Sealord... the T & K Classic was all it was touted to be and more. We've been back just 2 weeks now and it seems like forever since we were there. But saw more than I ever imagined. Lions, Cheetahs, Leopards, Migration, baby animals including newborns, nursing, kills, monkeys, baboons, Colombus monkeys, chimps, elephants, wildebeests, gazelles, birds, etc. just truly amazing. I have over 2,235 EDITED pictures that we took. Yes, a little crazy but didn't want to miss one innuendo or facial expression of the animals. Definitely recommend T & K for a first time safari. Did game drives morning and afternoon and also in the evening with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Including birthday cake and anniversary cake for two celebrations.
Nedda, I’m assuming you didn’t see chimps in the wild on the K and T tour? And FYI it’s Colobus monkeys not Columbus monkeys in case anyone is confused.
Picky, picky, picky. The chimps you see are wild just don't much live in the wild, same for the rhinos at Ol Pajeta, but the two protected/guarded ones in the Mara? Colobus monkeys- wild and not so wild:
From our JULY 2018 K&T trip! Maybe this will help in deciding.
K&T 2018
All four Africa tours we have taken were excellent. If budget is important, you can’t beat the Tanzania/Zanzibar tour. Tanzania remains my favorite country there. Botswana!/ZambiaSA below
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, Zambia South Africa tour was also wonderful. Check these pics out
It looks as if Mary chose K and T soon after posting this original thread, she never acknowledged any of our comments, let’s stop the suggestions. She posted a couple of other times, you can click on her emoji to see.
I just figured out how to respond to comments and I certainly appreciate all the input. I read through all the comments often and it has helped immensely. I apologize if I did not respond.British is correct. We chose the k & T and am anxiously awaiting our departure. Thanks to all again.
Mary - have a great time !