Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Mara Conservancy - Kiboko Campsite
This is a similarly wild camping spot. One minute you’re looking for (or at) lino and the next jumping out of the car to set up camp! Its a more beautiful place than the Serena one as its next to the river where lots of hippo and crocs are wallowing around (its up high on a bank). It was such a calm, beautiful place to be. Do look on the Mara Conservancy website for all the details and how to book. When we entered the conservancy a guide showed us the way to the campsite.
Mount Kenya - Castle Forest Lodge
Castle Forest Lodge
The Lodge is easy to get to on the south slopes of Mt Kenya – you don’t need 4WD and only about 3 hours drive from Nairobi. It is perched just above the tree line and is an old colonial hunting lodge. The restaurant is in the old lodge and the accommodation is in fairly basic, but very charming, bandas nearby, and they come and light fires for you in the evening so its very cosy. You can choose full or half board and the food is very good. The restaurant has a verandah for breakfast and lunch with the lovely view over the forest, and then a cosy room with a fire in the evening. During the day you can talk walks or horse rides around the forest and to the nearby waterfalls. Two visitors were killed by elephants here recently so – like everything else in this website – its not risk free.
The Lodge is easy to get to on the south slopes of Mt Kenya – you don’t need 4WD and only about 3 hours drive from Nairobi. It is perched just above the tree line and is an old colonial hunting lodge. The restaurant is in the old lodge and the accommodation is in fairly basic, but very charming, bandas nearby, and they come and light fires for you in the evening so its very cosy. You can choose full or half board and the food is very good. The restaurant has a verandah for breakfast and lunch with the lovely view over the forest, and then a cosy room with a fire in the evening. During the day you can talk walks or horse rides around the forest and to the nearby waterfalls. Two visitors were killed by elephants here recently so – like everything else in this website – its not risk free.
Amboselli Maasai Community campsite
Maasai community campsite
A gem of a place! Lots of trees and bushes mean that you feel like the only ones in the camp and the views out to Mt Kilimanjaro are glorious. Its in a good location on the south side of the park and has showers, toilets and kitchen shelters. There are lots of other platforms with thatched rooves which they hope to turn into tented camp, and they were constructing a bar when we were there (May 2010). They were very friendly and helped put up and take down the tent. We camped next to a huge, fallen tree which was a fantastic playground too.
A gem of a place! Lots of trees and bushes mean that you feel like the only ones in the camp and the views out to Mt Kilimanjaro are glorious. Its in a good location on the south side of the park and has showers, toilets and kitchen shelters. There are lots of other platforms with thatched rooves which they hope to turn into tented camp, and they were constructing a bar when we were there (May 2010). They were very friendly and helped put up and take down the tent. We camped next to a huge, fallen tree which was a fantastic playground too.
Hells Gate National Park
Beautiful cliffs surround this small park. There are hyena but no other predators so it is safe to cycle. If you drive through to the other side (seeing giraffe as you go) you get to the gorge which you can walk down into and then clamber through. Its great for all the family and the children love being able to climb about – its nice to be able to do a walk rather than a drive. Take plenty of water and hats and hire a guide there as they help with carrying the children (and you) down the rocks in places. You can either go down as far as you like and back through the gorge, or down to the end climb up for stunning views and back along the high path which takes about 3 hours.
We camped in a special campsite which is up the right hand side. We put up our tent after dark and woke up to wonderful views down across the valley and plains. There are no facilities, beware of baboons and there is little shade – but you will probably have the park to yourselves and its not far from Nairobi.
We camped in a special campsite which is up the right hand side. We put up our tent after dark and woke up to wonderful views down across the valley and plains. There are no facilities, beware of baboons and there is little shade – but you will probably have the park to yourselves and its not far from Nairobi.
Sampu
Sampu
You’ve got to visit this place! It is a tented camp run by a Maasi Community south of Lake Magadi in the Shompole Reserve. The tents have proper furniture in and are en-suite and have stunning views from the ridge with 360 degree views of wilderness for as far as you can see. You need a 4WD to get here as it is real wilderness but only 3 hours drive from Nairobi. There is a stream running just below the camp which is great for paddling in, damming and just sitting in. There are walks around the camp with Maasai guides and game drives to see lions and other wildlife (we did get stuck in the mud and were glad to have friends to pull us out!). Best is sitting outside the big dinning and enjoying the views. Its self-catering although there is a cook, cooker and fridge. Each tent has a single and double bed and cost 3,000/- when we went at New Year 2010. There are 8 tents. We moved beds around too and had two double beds in our tent.
Call Samuel on 0720898189 and you need to arrange a time to meet him so that he can show you the way in as it is not signposted after the bridge about 30 minutes drive after Lake Magadi in the direction of Shompole.
http://www.biketreks.co.ke/sampu.htm
You’ve got to visit this place! It is a tented camp run by a Maasi Community south of Lake Magadi in the Shompole Reserve. The tents have proper furniture in and are en-suite and have stunning views from the ridge with 360 degree views of wilderness for as far as you can see. You need a 4WD to get here as it is real wilderness but only 3 hours drive from Nairobi. There is a stream running just below the camp which is great for paddling in, damming and just sitting in. There are walks around the camp with Maasai guides and game drives to see lions and other wildlife (we did get stuck in the mud and were glad to have friends to pull us out!). Best is sitting outside the big dinning and enjoying the views. Its self-catering although there is a cook, cooker and fridge. Each tent has a single and double bed and cost 3,000/- when we went at New Year 2010. There are 8 tents. We moved beds around too and had two double beds in our tent.
Call Samuel on 0720898189 and you need to arrange a time to meet him so that he can show you the way in as it is not signposted after the bridge about 30 minutes drive after Lake Magadi in the direction of Shompole.
http://www.biketreks.co.ke/sampu.htm
Mount Kenya - Chogoria Bandas
Mount Kenya - Chogoria Bandas
The road to Chogoria is great but the two hour road from Chogoria Town to the Bandas is not good at all. Many people arrange to leave their vehicles in Chogoria Hospital grounds or have a driver to take it back whilst they go up in a hired battered landrover that they have there. All our 4WDs got there fine. There are basic chalets in a row with fireplaces and kitchen area and a small dining table in each. You can also book the communual cooking and dining hut which is better if you are a larger group who want to be together. The views toward the peaks of Mt Kenya are fantastic and its a nice place to stay and walk from even if you don’t go up the mountain from there. Its chilly so remember coats, hats and gloves! Don’t bank on any electricity. I booked with Lets Go Travel but they hadn’t told the bandas when we got there and there was plenty of space for us all!
The road to Chogoria is great but the two hour road from Chogoria Town to the Bandas is not good at all. Many people arrange to leave their vehicles in Chogoria Hospital grounds or have a driver to take it back whilst they go up in a hired battered landrover that they have there. All our 4WDs got there fine. There are basic chalets in a row with fireplaces and kitchen area and a small dining table in each. You can also book the communual cooking and dining hut which is better if you are a larger group who want to be together. The views toward the peaks of Mt Kenya are fantastic and its a nice place to stay and walk from even if you don’t go up the mountain from there. Its chilly so remember coats, hats and gloves! Don’t bank on any electricity. I booked with Lets Go Travel but they hadn’t told the bandas when we got there and there was plenty of space for us all!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Fig Tree Camp, Lake Bogoria
This place does have the 'wow factor'! To get there we drove off the main road out of Nakuru just before the equator and entered n the south side of the Lake - needs 4wd but fine in the dry. Its pretty remote, so I'd go with another vehicle. The campsite is right next to the saline lake (no crocs or hippos) and has a wonderful stream going through. The kids could spend DAYS just in tat stream. We walked out to some hot springs right next to the campsite, and walked up the stream to a little pool which is just big enough to lie in and entertained 10 kids for hours.
We also drove round to the main hot springs/geezers which was about 30 minutes drive (we saw zebra, water buck and wart hogs as well as thousands of flamingos) and is quite a sight. Back at the campsite you could just sit and watch the flamingos floating and flying past all day. There are three areas of the campsite which would fit lots of tents altogether. There are some long drop toilets but no taps - water is from the stream. Its a lovely place!
We also drove round to the main hot springs/geezers which was about 30 minutes drive (we saw zebra, water buck and wart hogs as well as thousands of flamingos) and is quite a sight. Back at the campsite you could just sit and watch the flamingos floating and flying past all day. There are three areas of the campsite which would fit lots of tents altogether. There are some long drop toilets but no taps - water is from the stream. Its a lovely place!
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