Travel Africa: Best Safari Lodges

Everyone who appreciates wildlife should experience an African safari at least once in their life. The top lodges are situated in natural wildlife preserves and conservation centers for an up close and personal meeting with the animals. For health and safety standards, only the top lodges will do. Here is a handy list to get you started on the vacation of a lifetime.

1. Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge.
www.serenahotels.com/kenya/amboseli/rates.asp

Amboseli is located about 500 miles from Nairobi and is the best spot for sighting elephants. In addition to the natural gravitation of the animals to this location, you may wish to visit the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust where you may adopt an orphaned elephant and participate in it's care.
www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/about_us.asp

The Amboseli Lodge is everything you would expect from an African safari hotel, with it's exterior design reflecting the natural surroundings. Buffets are served daily, then off to the plains to wander amongst the wildlife. The dominant animals are elephants, lions, giraffes and rhinos. Operated by Serena Hotels, you may also wish to purchase a combo package that includes a terrain change with a short flight to the Masai Mara grasslands for additional species to explore. There you will find wildebeast, hippos, crocodiles and cheetahs.

Rates in the spring's low season for Amboseli start at $95 for a single and $176 for a double. The months to avoid with a hefty price hike are November and December, where rates can be tripled. The all-inclusive packages to Masai Mara start at just $1399 per person.

2. Mount Kenya Safari Club
www.e-gnu.com/mount_kenya_safari_club_kenya.html

Mount Kenya Safari Club was founded by the late William Holden and preserved by the efforts of Stephanie Powers. This sprawling 24,000 acre resort sits on the Sweetwater Game Reserve located on the lower slopes of Mount Kenya. A truly luxurious safari, the onsite activities include horseback riding, golf, swimming and a visit to the animal orphanage. Because of the resort's location, nestled right into the forest, many of the species are observable without leaving the lodge. In a sense, you don't observe them; they will observe you. Wildlife onlookers include lions, elephants and bongo (a rare breed of antelope). But, for those who want to roll up their sleeves and head for an African safari trek, Mt. Kenya Club offers full or half day excursions. There are also birding walking tours inside the Club's grounds.

The facility houses two restaurants and two relaxing hunting lodge -styled lounges. Try the Zebra or Trophy Bar for an evening nightcap after an exhilerating day with the wildlife. Prices start at $290 per night in low season,
but there are only 144 rooms at the Club, so be sure to book your reservations early.

3. Chobe River.
www.kensingtontours.com

This serene river, in Chobe National Park, Botswana is home to the largest wild elephant population in the world. They number over 120,000 along side their neighbors of water buffalo, crocodiles, hippos and rare birds. This experience is offered at discount prices from Kensington Tours, who will set you up in a spacious, fully furnished tent with private bathrooms for the ultimate in camping comfort. They schedule early morning river cruises to admire the wildlife without the traffic from other tourist's boats, making their package an exceptional bargain at just $1149 per person for a four night, fully escorted safari. In addition, this safari package is an excellent add-on from South Africa or Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

4. 24 Day Circle Tour From South Africa
www.go2africa.com/cape-town-to-johannesburg

For those who need to see and do it all, try an extended 24 day circle tour beginning in Cape Town and ending in Johannesberg via Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. This action-packed tour offers extreme sports with a backdrop of Africa's most beautiful scenery. The trek begins with large, modern base camps, and uses smaller, rustic ones for brief camps in the Bush. Activites arranged include skydiving, bungee-jumping, microflips over Victoria Falls, canoeing through the Orange River, hiking through red dunes, white water rafting and more. All this for an all-inclusive price of about $2600 per person, January rate.

5. Kruger National Park
www.krugerpark.co.za

This magnificent and vast region is the largest and most affordable of the African safaris. There are dozens of hotels located inside the park, and a few that sit on the hills with views into the wildlife area. Upon arrival from Tambo International Airport in Johannesberg, you'll board a quick flight to Hoedspruit Airport for easy access to the park.
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/OR_Tambo_International_Airport

Kruger National Park specializes in family packages and provides wonderful activities for children including bead work, cookie making, artwork, and a guided tour from park rangers to educate them on the wildlife and habitats. Accomodations range from a rustic, yet fully furnished tent, to high-end luxury villas with private pools. The safaris are unique because of the assortment to choose from. There are tours for every taste and budget with 4x4 safaris, low impact walking tours, white water rafting, mountain hiking, and cultural visits to historical towns to meet the locals. Guests may also book a guided trek through the African wilderness on a saddled elephant. In addition to daytime activities, Kruger National Park will arrange an evening tour to observe nocturnal creatures, follwed by a buffet dinner under the stars.

For the lowest rates, try the Crocodile Lodge, located in the hills overlooking the park. Rates are posted in South African Rand at 550 per night. However, the U.S. enjoys a favorable exchange rate to the Rand, making this hotel a best bargain at just $64.
www.fxconverter.com

A flight to the continent of Africa from JFK New York will typically refuel in Dubai, Emerites or in western Europe. The total travel time for Kenya is about 20 hours, and South Africa, over 26 hours. A good way to break up that flight time is to take a flight from New York to Cairo, Egypt at only 10.5 hours. Enjoy a 2 or 3 night stay in Cairo, visiting the pyramids and sphinx, then board another, shorter flight to your safari lodge. You will save a couple hours on the flying time for about the same amount of airfare. For hotel information and attractions in Cairo, please visits the following sites for prices, photos and everything else you need to make your travel plans.
www.associatedcontent.com/article/1605132/the_28_best_hotels_in_cairo_egypt.html
www.associatedcontent.com/article/1569731/20_top_tourist_attractions_in_cairo.html
www.associatedcontent.com/article/1641585/egypt_beyond_the_nile_abu_simbel_by.html