Customer Reviews

Frommer's Kenya and Tanzania (Frommer's Complete Guides)

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I purchased this guide thinking I was getting candid, independent reviews of tours and hotels in Kenya and Tanzania. While the facts about the countries were fine, I was surprised to find when I was in Kenya that the hotels and tour operators in this guide PAID to be in the publication. There is nothing candid about this guide. In Samburu for example, there are lots of hotels and luxury camps that are not even mentioned, but are in far better locations and closer to the wildlife than the accommodations listed in this book. The authors should have been more up front about how hotels and tours ended up featuring in this book.

I'm in the midst of planning a Kenya/Tanzania safari for 3 months from now, and this book is invaluable for getting solid coverage of these two great safari countries. It contains incredibly useful park maps, practical & opinionated feedback of the various accommodations covering a good number of the best-known sites, as well as a large list of tour operators and useful tips. Some of the information is dated (the book was likely written in 2009) and many newer establishments aren't listed, but hopefully that will be rectified as East Africa becomes a more popular vacation getaway.

Keep in mind that this is aimed at the middle-of-the-road traveler who stays in standard or deluxe accommodations, with some luxury suggestions thrown in for a couple of splurges. An African safari is incredibly expensive so it's great to have candid feedback on places with budget constraints in mind. I also purchased Fodor's "Complete African Safari Planner" which is fine for an overview of the various African safari countries but not as strong for actual planning.

Having house in Kenya and some years experience, before planning my trips, I read both and confronted with what I know for certain, I must say that Frommer's Kenya and Tanzania is much more useful than the two books from Lonely Planet which together cost twice.