Please help with shoes for Classic K and T
Hello,
I've read as much as I can find about wardrobe for K and T but I'm still not clear on shoes. I see that most people like to have a pair of slip-ins for the Jeep, but did you find these suitable for walking around the terrain? Did you use these shoes for the Maasai village visit, where apparently they can get mucky, or did you have a separate pair of shoes for this? Did you also have a third "clean" pair of walking shoes? Would typical NB athletic shoes be suitable for this trip? I have a collection of old ones. Just wondering if hiking shoes or trail shoes are better.
Thank you.
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Comments
In my opinion, hiking shoes are not necessary. I had a good pair of brown walking shoes with a good tread. It can be dusty and dirty, so nice to be able to dust and/or wash them off. I would avoid white, if possible. I did bring light weight, comfortable flats, just to have something else to wear occasionally in the evening. I know many recommend slip-ons for the jeeps, but I did not bother with them, and was ok. I did have flip flops for the room, but would not wear them in the dirt.
I would not suggest buying new shoes. Your NB would be ok.
I think good sneakers will do it. When I went I had a pair of Clarks walking shoes, they may look like old lady shoes but they worked.
The first time I went to Africa I threw away my shoes before coming home. Recently, I took an old pair of army green colored lightweight waterproof hiking shoes and wore them all the time except at the nice luxury lodges before and at the end of the trip. I was able to rinse them off and they dried when getting very dirty. I had another pair of light weight tennis shoes (not white) too and a pair of light weight slip ons for lounging. Bring shoe sacks (on Amazon) that close up for your suitcase.
I swear by Merrell Moab slip on waterproof shoes ; it is the only pair I travel with.I will take Keen sandals to walk around the hotel etc.The same pair of Merrell has travelled all over including our previous Africa trip.
When we went to Africa for the first time on the K and T tour, the forum mentioned slip on shoes, but in reality, once you get into the safari vehicle, you can take your shoes off and keep them off as you will be constantly getting up and down on the jeep seats to pop your head out of the vehicle to view wildlife. I now take one pair of closed toe Merrill type suede shoes for the vehicles. I take them or similar ones every time I go to Africa and wash them when I get home ready for the next time. I also take a closed toe pair of Keen type sandals for evenings or a change during the day. I always wear socks with these to prevent any evening naughty mosquitoes.
As you will be staying at fancy resorts, you might want to take a pair of pumps if you want to dress your outfit up a bit. Many including myself, generally just put on clean safari outfits in the evening.
The Melia, Mt Kenya and Four Seasons all have concrete paths to walk along. The Masai village and balloon ride will be on short grass or dirt paths. The breakfast after the balloon ride will be on grass. The picnic is generally at a ‘rest stop’
In reality, you will not be doing virtually any walking at all on this tour. When you get home, you will be desperate to get into your usual exercise routine.
So yes, old athletic shoes are fine, but they will get dusty and it’s usually red dust that stains. Throw them out when you get home.
I’ve been on I guess now, more than a hundred safari days. A word of caution, do be careful standing on the seats, especially if the vehicle is moving and especially when cats are sited, the drivers take off, sometimes without notice at great speed. I’ve fallen twice on these occasions when the driver has not warned us, once being thrown back into the top edge of the vehicle when I got badly bruised, and once when stepping from one seat to another which you can do if there is not a full vehicle. I fell headlong backwards along the vehicle isle, bad elbow bruise that time. Yes, safaris are certainly an adventure! Love it!
The people at the hotel in Amboseli will clean your shoes if you wish after your visit to the Maasai village. You just put them outside your door and they clean them. They will be wet so you need to leave them out to dry.
When I go to Africa, I bring an older pair of sneakers and I leave them in the last hotel and put a note "donate" on them. I also leave clothes that I don't need. Some of the tour directors ask you to bring clothes to donate and have full duffel bags collected from trips to donate,
The duffel bags are also in great demand by the locals. Ask your TD about that. Last year on our family Bridges tours we left several duffels with Chris Mancini our TD and he had a waiting list of drivers and locals who wanted them.