My Kilimanjaro Adventure

The first animal we saw once we arrived in the Masai Mara, Kenya.

I've always dreamed of going to Africa, east Africa to be exact. Growing up watching The Lion King and listening to Toto’s “Africa" really added to my dreams. The variety of wildlife and the austere slopes of Kilimanjaro were going to be forever on my bucket list. Fortunately, getting there has many options. This kind of experience lends itself to a guided vacation, and Lion World stood out to me because of all the really good reviews, provided all transportation, lodging, food, and a personal guide to drive you all over East Africa.

In the morning outside my room at Amboseli Serena Lodge, Amboseli, Kenya.

Hotels I Stayed at
During this Lion World trip, I was able to stay at the Sarova brand hotels in Kenya and the Serena Lodges in Tanzania, as well as the independently owned Maramboi Tented Lodge in Tanzania. These hotels are spread throughout Kenya and Tanzania, and elsewhere in the world. All but two of the hotels were surrounded by fences to keep the guests safe from the animals. The other two were not fenced so after-hours guests were required to be in your room. But, because the animals can get so close, some mornings you wake up to a wonderful view.

Two Lion brothers resting in Serengeti National Park, on our way to the hotel.

Game Drives and Animals to See
Most of the days after breakfast, you would leave the hotel to go on a game drive. A game drive is an excursion through wild areas to find some of Africa’s wildlife. A safari is the entire trip or journey you are on. During these game drives, you are on the lookout for "the big five" and any other animal you might find. The big five are the animals most wanted by poachers and were considered a feat by trophy hunters to bring home. The big five are: elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and African buffalos. Due to this hunting, all of these animals (rhinos and elephants in particular) are now very well protected by the Kenyan and Tanzanian governments and military. You are also able to see antelope, gazelle, giraffes, cheetahs, baboons and other monkeys, warthogs, mongooses, zebras, wildebeests, silver-backed jackals, and hyenas.
During a night safari (on the trip the only place we were allowed or had the option for a night game drive was in Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania), we saw hyenas, elephants, porcupines, genets, and a python!

We first saw this python during our night game drive in Lake Manyara National Park. When we went back in the morning it was still in the same spot!

Helpful Things to Know
In countries with a tipping culture (like the US) versus countries where tipping is included in the price you pay (Italy and Spain), tipping is an additional charge. So as someone from the US, I had to bring cash (they prefer the US dollar vs the Kenyan Shilling or the Tanzanian Shilling). I was advised to bring around $100 - $200 in cash; small bills; 1's and 5’s for tipping the waiters, bellman and baggage carriers and 20’s for tipping the driver and any trinkets and gifts you might want to buy. They do take credit cards at the hotels. This is a dollar amount to bring per country, so I should have brought more than I did and ended up having to stop at an ATM to get more cash out. I’d recommend, to be safe, bringing $500 in cash; small bills, if doing the full 12-day trip. If only doing seven days, I’d say $250 - $300 is good.
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About the Author: The above piece was written by Alayne Donnelly, a Costco Travel employee.