Posted by Peter Barritt on March 17, 2006 at 4:32 AM
Amazed at how expensive safaris in East Africa are. Seems impossible to get much for less than £100 a day, even if you camp. Little evidence either that the Masai, for example, are getting any material benefit. Presumably the profits go to foreign businessmen and corrupt government officials. wouldn't be quite so bad if you could see the infrastructure of countries like Kenya benefitting but their roads have more potholes than tarmac.
I think the prices are still based on the days of the big white hunter and havent dropped since,I am amazed really that they have survived,one of the lodges i went to had 80 room and they were just 4 couples in the hole complex,If you are looking for value for money then south africa is hard to beat and you can drive yourself and stay out from dawn till dusk if you so wish,If the migration stopped then prices would have to fall
14,000 thats absurd. ive not done the east african safari thing but i've heard it's well commercialised and overcrowded. more directed at the bulk tourism trade than safari for safari minded people.
i have however been to south africa three or four times and also namibia and zambia. i think in all of these (perhaps not zambia) it is possible to drive a vehicle yourself, book into lodges overnight and do whatever you want in the day (as long as its in park rules of course) i know etosha is particularly well suited to this, and in the dry season, the water holes are well serviced with access and are pretty guaranteed to produce some excellent sightings. i saw three kills, one in progress, one just happened (just missed two cheetah bring down a kudu ) and one old one. all of which were happening only yards from the road netoworks. also the great advantage of namibia is the expansive and magical terrain in the northeast, kaokoveld and damaraland etc that is home to the desert elephant, and a good collection of other safari animals, in fact i think i'm right in saying are the only animals in numbers to exist in africa outside of a national park system. not to mention the amazing himba people. such a tour, if a group of likeminded people got together to hire a car/landrover and work it out, would cost a fraction of 14K!!!! if anyone is interested, let me know, i'd love to take a trip back especially to namibia, and to a photo tour.
I'm amazed that you can get anything for £100/day = US$170/day. A permit for the Mara will cost $50/person/day and then there is an additional charge for the vehicle, so even if you are hiring a vehicle and driving yourself, you are looking at another $240+ per day.
If you want to camp in concession areas, it actually costs more than to stay in the lodges. At certain times of the year this gives you more flexibility and better access to the animals.
As for the Masai not getting anything out of the torism economy, I don't think this true. The Masai have never been as well off as they are now. Unfortunately, the Masai put all their wealth into more cattle, and the condition of the parks/conservation areas where they have rights, is suffering as result. The Masai do not want to change their traditional lifestyle; they have more or less rejected education initiatives and their population is growing rapidly. More people with more cattle in a limited area is the basis of the Garret Harding parable "The Tragedy of the Commons".
I've still got a couple of places available on both trips - Tanzania Feb 2007 and Kenya Oct 2007 if anyone is interested.
Posted by Peter Barritt on March 18, 2006 at 9:41 AM
that's a very useful insight Phil which hadn't occurred to me at all. thanks for that.
Discussion
5 replies14,000 thats absurd. ive not done the east african safari thing but i've heard it's well commercialised and overcrowded. more directed at the bulk tourism trade than safari for safari minded people.
i have however been to south africa three or four times and also namibia and zambia. i think in all of these (perhaps not zambia) it is possible to drive a vehicle yourself, book into lodges overnight and do whatever you want in the day (as long as its in park rules of course) i know etosha is particularly well suited to this, and in the dry season, the water holes are well serviced with access and are pretty guaranteed to produce some excellent sightings. i saw three kills, one in progress, one just happened (just missed two cheetah bring down a kudu
mark.
If you want to camp in concession areas, it actually costs more than to stay in the lodges. At certain times of the year this gives you more flexibility and better access to the animals.
As for the Masai not getting anything out of the torism economy, I don't think this true. The Masai have never been as well off as they are now. Unfortunately, the Masai put all their wealth into more cattle, and the condition of the parks/conservation areas where they have rights, is suffering as result. The Masai do not want to change their traditional lifestyle; they have more or less rejected education initiatives and their population is growing rapidly. More people with more cattle in a limited area is the basis of the Garret Harding parable "The Tragedy of the Commons".
I've still got a couple of places available on both trips - Tanzania Feb 2007 and Kenya Oct 2007 if anyone is interested.