Wife and I are looking to book, maybe, a 10 or 11 day sightseeing tour, which would take us through some of the parks and other tourist traps.

Looking through the Gate 1 packages, I'm thinking "Uganda Tours" (4 parks), or the "Classic Kenya and Tanzania" (Naiurobi 2 days, Lake Elmentaita, a Reserve, Park, and Conservation area), or the 11 day Serengeti and Beyond (all days in Tanzenia) tours at this point. I'm leaning toward the latter, as that is the only one of the three that hits the Serengeti.

Recomendations/pitfalls? Alternatives? Seasons?

What're ya nuts?

Serengeti is super cool. Pay attention to what time of year as this will dictate where the migration is at.

Last year my nephew and his wife went to a charity auction for a hospital. There was a South Africa trip on the block and getting zero bids. It was something like an 8 or $10k fully guided trip with airfare. They threw out a $1k bid just for the fun of it and won it. I thought they were nuts but they went and had a great time. They had no issues at all. I wouldn't bet on that being the norm.

I think you’d enjoy the full immersion (pun intended) Somalia at Sea tour. You’ll take a smaller boat out to a mother ship and get refueled and provisioned and then get the opportunity to board a larger ship while it’s underway. Usually the large ship is a freighter but occasionally you’ll come across a frigate or guided missile destroyer.

It’s a real taste of Somalia very different from the usual tours and a chance to meet real Somalians.

Good luck, have fun and maybe you and Tarkio could meet in North Korea, post trip reports to the campfire (I hear their internet is blazing fast) after you guys finish your vacations....he’ll be in Dagestan so North Korea is a good halfway point to meet. 😂

Sorry I just couldn’t resist. 😁

Enjoy whatever you decide and safe travels. 👍

Most people never get to hear an incoming round. All they hear is the boring 'bang' from the breech end.

Kenya would not be on my list- poor security situation. I would look at Kruger in SA, or better yet Namibia. Go to Etosha for a few days, Mt Etjo for a few and Swakopmund for a few days. Namibia is probably the safest African country. Fly to Frankfurt on your chosen line, transfer to Air Namibia after a 10 hour layover and enjoy your vacation.

My boss is currently on the Kenya tour. A walkabout with an armed guard.

This. We did exactly this a couple of years ago. Got in a bit of hunting and fishing too.

Go to a big city! You’ll see a lot of Africa

I’m a picky eater. A lot of restaurants in the good old USA I stay out of. I don’t want to even imagine the sanitary conditions of food prep in Africa. Hasbeen

Good one!

Ok - kind of feedback I was looking for. Nambia and SA tours are both offered. Not into the city stuff tho. Wife has been nagging me for years to go to Antarctica to "see the penguins. that ain't gonna happen with me. Cape Town beaches have some, IIRC. Maybe she can see one get eaten by a Great White.....

There is a 16? day Australia/NZ pkg offered too, but looks like mostly city hopping.

Me too?

If I go to a buffet, I’m there waiting for doors to open. I don’t like eating after all the finger lickers

It may be cheaper to set up your own tour. Check Skyscanner for airfares and contact Ansie Strauss at Kowas Safaris for a sightseeing tour. Kowas is first rate and can handle the arrangements within Namibia.

Come to south Arkansas you will change your mind about going to Africa

Another vote for Namibia, check out Etosha and Erindi.

Ignore the naysayers. Africa is a wonderful place. Just be smart. Have someone with you that is familiar with the area to keep you out of trouble. Don't forget to go to a travel clinic for vaccinations. I can't get back to Africa fast enough.

My wife and I did a guided sight seeing tour of South Africa back in 2014

A bunch of dead stuff happened

We used these folks on our Namibia trip. Top notch all the way around.

https://www.africanhuntingnamibia.com/