Planning the trip home (Zanzibar -> Nairobi -> Canada)

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DarrenK
DarrenK
in Kenya & Tanzania
Hi,

We're trying to figure out a plan for our final day in Zanzibar, when we have to
fly to Nairobi and then catch a midnight-ish flight back home.

My wife says that the flights from Zanzibar to Nairobi leave around 17:00 - 18:00
and we if took one of those we'd then have to sit at the Nairobi airport for 5-6 hours
before our next flight.

Another option is to fly earlier and make some arrangements for the afternoon
and evening in Nairobi. More activities is one option but another is to find a place
to drop our bags and use a hotel's facilities/restaurants/pools and hopefully not
for a full $200-300/nt stay.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,
Darren and Andrea

Comments

  • British
    British
    edited August 2016
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    Are you taking the Kenya and Tanzania tour or the Tanzania tour, that is my first question?
    Anyway, I would personally recommend having as little time in Nairobi airport as possible, it it one of the most unpleasant! Also, I would not recomend leaving the airport, for both safety and time, the traffic in Nairobi is very very bad. After a long K and T tour, tou will just want to get home, you will have seen so much you will not need to see one other thing. You will be ready for another vacation where you do nothing.
  • DarrenK
    DarrenK
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    We are taking the Kenya and Tanzania tour. Any hotels near the airport that might let us hang out for a nominal fee?
    What have others done? Seems like quite a few international flights have late night departures.
    Thanks.
  • British
    British
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    Does the K and T tour include Zanzibar now? That is why I am confused. I don't think Nairobi is one of those places you particularly want to hang out in, most especially if you only have six hours between flights. Do you have to fly via Nairobi? When we flew back I think it was Dar Es Salem and then Amsterdam. The Dar Es Salem airport is more civilized but the business class lounge is not very good at all, don't know about the main area. In addition, you have to keep going through layers of security which does move fast but is tedious.
  • DarrenK
    DarrenK
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    You are correct, the K&T tour does not include Zanzibar.

    The tour starts at Kilimanjaro and ends in Nairobi. An open jaw flight from Vancouver to Kilimanjaro
    and returning from Nairobi to Vancouver was insanely expensive. For that reason we're doing Vancouver
    to Nairobi return and then a one way flight from Nairobi to the start of the tour Kilimanjaro.

    The tour is already expensive and 30% more in Canadian dollars. Since we were in the neighbourhood
    and unlikely to return we thought we'd visit Zanzibar and lower the average weekly cost at the same time.

    Darren and Andrea
  • BayStater
    BayStater
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    Zanzibar is beautiful!

    Don't forget to keep cash to get off the island... there is a departure tax (which may be called something else). When we left the only ATM they had was down and it caused people real problems... as they only took cash for the required payment... no exceptions. I don't recall the amount in 2014 - but you ought to be able to look it up easily.

    Have fun!
  • suzanneo
    suzanneo
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    You'll love this trip! I did it 2 yrs ago at this time (also Canadian--only 3 of us on the trip). You'll stay at a hotel for the day in Nairobi so don't book anything. You have a room and showers etc plus we did have dinner but nothing formal. Everyone went to the airport together and seemed to all be flying out at around the same time (~10pm). I'm not sure if there is an issue with your plans but I do remember being surprised at how long it took to get to the airport. Just make sure you've got time. Enjoy!!

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