Camps and Lodges of Kenya
A variety of standards of camps and lodges make Kenya more accessible than other safari destinations; prices are usually based on a per person sharing basis with single supplements for single travellers. Rooms for children at lodges are often done at a 50% reduction and in some lodges family rooms are available.
Kenyan Lodges:
Kenyan Lodges vary hugely in size, capacity and prices. Some lodges can take hundreds of people, whereas the smaller more intimate ones can literally cater for a maximum of 8; these lodges do come at a price though as you pay for the personal touch and usually more exlcusive wildlife concessions. The smaller camps and lodges are often located near to waterholes providing clientele with game viewing opportunities from their own room! These lodges are often eco-friendly set ups with fairly rustic exterior designa but very sopisticated interior design. You would be surprised actually at how luxurious a camp in the middle of nowhere can be! Open plan rooms are a highlight as you wake up in the morning to the marvellous vistas of the savannah plains; bathrooms are also a highlight with outdoor showers and claw footed bathtubs! In some lodges, clients will also have the choice of star-beds...these are beds that you wheel out onto your private deck and sleep under the stars with the sounds of the bush surrounding you!
Kenyan Tented Camps:
As with the lodges, tehse vary enormously in size and you will often pay more for the smaller more intimate camps. "Tented" immediately conjures up nightmare days as a child of sleeping out in the cold, these tented camps are vastly different with some of the most surprising luxury at your finger tips!
Permanent Tented Camps are often canvas tents erected on permanent platforms with thatched roofs, private verandas/viewing decks, ensuite showers and flush toilets. These "tents" vary hugely in size and are often lavishly deisgned with Victorian bathtubs and trappings from colonial eras gone by. There is then also a central "mess" area or dining tent which is the hub of the camp where you will eat and relax during the evening hours.
Seasonal Camps are similar style and decor as permanent tented camps however they are only there for the peak wildlife viewing months of the year. Once again, these are often done to high standards of service and offer the client a truly imtimate experience both from a camp perpsective and also getting much more involved with the Bush and the wildlife that inhabits it.
Kenya has an infinite selection of lodges and camps and therefore it is best to chat to your tour operator or safari specialist to see what fits your specific requirements. We have taken the opportunity to list some of our favourite camps and lodges below with a brief outline on each one:
Elsa's Kopje Lodge: named after the lioness "Elsa" from Born Free. A beautifully designed intimate camp located in Meru National Park.
Loisaba Lodge: a converted "ranch" lodge located in the Loisaba Game Reserve bordering the Lewa Conservancy. Seven cottage style rooms with ensuite bathrooms, private viewing decks with views over the plains and a swimming pool to cool off in during those hot afternoons.
Offbeat Mara Camp: located just north of the Masai Mara this is a semi permanent tented camp with 6 beautifully desigend safari tents each with huge hadn made cedar beds, ensuite bathrooms. Breakfasts and dinners are hosted in the mess tent and after dinner drinks are taken sitting round the camp fire.