La Maison Royale Camp – Masai Mara

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Our Tour Consultant, Margaret, recently had the opportunity to visit La Maison Royale Camp. La Maison Royale is a new Camp located in the Siana Conservancy in Masai Mara. The camp is situated on a hill with most of the tents constructed on the hill side. The rooms are spacious with views of the surrounding plains and hills. The camp comprises of 22 spacious tents raised on wooden decks with canvas rooftops. The tents can sleep up to a maximum of 3 adults or 2 adults and 1 child. They serve meals buffet style.  At the restaurant one gets good views of the landscape and if lucky could spot some game.  Other facilities include a swimming pool and a Spa (upcoming). The camp us 20 minutes away from Sekenani gate. Current low season rates until 30 June are KES 7,500 per person sharing per night on full board

Janet Visits Mauritius

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Janet, our tours consultant, recently had the opportunity to visit Mauritius courtesy of Air Mauritius. These are her comments on her experience.

Mauritius, is an approx. 4hrs flight from Nairobi.  The island boasts of its multicultural people, history, beaches, variety of hotels and quality cuisine.

We visited more than 10 hotels – Westin Turtlebay Hotel, Aanari Hotel, Anelia Resort, Leora Beach, La Belle Crique, Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort, Le Victoria, Le Meridian, Le Recif Attitude, Trou aux Biches, Seapoint Boutique Hotel, Domaine Les Alizees, Le Mauricia, Zilwa Attitude and Le Ravenala Attitude.

Apart from the beach hotels, we also visited some of the tourist attractions – City Tour of Port Louis, Pamplemousses Gardens, Rum distillery, Chamarel 7 colored earth, Grand Bassin sacred lake, and also had a chance to do some shopping.

Air Mauritius (in conjunction with Kenya Airways) operates direct flights to Port Louis on Tuesdays and Fridays only.  There is a wide range of Hotels and apartments to choose from – to suit all budgets.  They also have quality spas and kids clubs. The hotel prices offer excellent value for money.

A great destination for couples and families. No visa required for Kenya passport holders.

Chris visits Royal Mara Safari Club

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Our Tour Consultant Chris recently had the opportunity to visit Royal Mara Safari Club. These are his comments on his experience.
The lodge is located in the Mara North Conservancy adjacent to the Masai Mara Reserve.
It is a luxury lodge situated on the banks of the Mara River.

Accommodation is in tents which are raised on wooden decks with wooden rooftops. The rooms are spacious with a large deck that overlooks the Mara River. There are 8 rooms (a mixture of twins and doubles with an extra bed in an extended room). The Lodge has one dining area but they also set tables at different locations during dinner and breakfast. Food was good, fresh and well presented. The staff were very friendly.

There is free wifi at the reception area and dining area. The camp runs on a generator which is switched on at 1800hrs until 2200hrs and in the morning at 0530hrs until 0700hrs.
For game drives the lodge has 3 open 4×4 landcruisers. Guests enjoy early morning and late afternoon game drives. At sunset after the game drive there is a sundowner.
There is plenty of game around. In the evening after dinner there is entertainment by Masai morans around the bonfire.

They currently have an offer of KES 16,000 per person per night and this includes full board accommodation, Mara North Conservancy fee, 2 game drives and airstrip transfers.

Kavita on a 7 Night Arabian Gulf Cruise

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Kavita, our travel supervisor, recently went on Royal Caribbean’s “Splendor of the Seas” cruise ship for a 7 night Arabian Gulf cruise, starting and ending in Dubai.

She shared the experience with us:

Cruising is a perfect holiday for many – people whether you’re an adrenaline junkie, lounge/chilling person or a bit of both, there is something for all tastes and ages. On a cruise you only need to unpack once. There are activities on board for whatever mood you’re in. Kids can make new friends & take part in fun & educational activities during the day while adults unwind by the pool, learn a new skill, hit the casino or enjoy great shows and talks.

Cruise value – meals & most onboard activities and sports are included in the cost. And it’s easy to budget for those extras such as alcoholic drinks, dining at specialty restaurants, spa treatments and onshore excursions.
Cruise Ships have several cabin types – interior staterooms, outside staterooms (ocean views), balcony staterooms and deluxe/suite staterooms. Cabins are located on various deck levels.

Cruises cater for all ages and are great for families, honeymooners, groups of friends etc.
There is a lot to do on the ship when at sea (games, sports, spa, onboard shopping, shows, movies, gym etc.). Cruise holidays give one an opportunity to explore several destinations in one trip.

Chris visits Rhino Watch Lodge

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Our Chris recently visited Rhino Watch Lodge located on private land along Muiga – Nyahururu approximately 3.5 hours from Nairobi. The road to Rhino Watch is all tarmac, suitable for saloon cars. It is a small eco-friendly Lodge built on a hillside with awesome views of Mt Kenya and Solio Ranch.

Rooms

Accommodation is in tents or chalets. There are 8 tents (7 double and 1 family tent) all raised off the ground. There are 7 chalets (5 doubles + 2 family chalets). All the chalets have a private terrace overlooking glorious gardens. There is one honeymoon suite. The family chalets have interconnecting rooms and can fit up to 5 family members. The chalets have big front windows which offer wonderful views of Mount Kenya. There is no television in the room.

Dining

The lodge has an indoor and outdoor dining area. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is buffet. The food was good, fresh and well presented. The staff were very friendly and ready to help.

Other facilities

There is a Bar and a Spa offering a variety of massages. There is free Wi-Fi at the reception and dining area.

Excursions provided by the Lodge at an extra cost include game drives to Solio Ranch and Aberdare National Park. Fishing can also be done at a community dam in the vicinity. The lodge has their own vehicle for game drives and are in the process of constructing a swimming pool.

The lodge is ideal for families for a weekend getaway. And it offers good value for money.

Janet visits Enashipai Resort & Spa, Lake Naivasha

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Janet our senior Tour Consultant visits Enashipai Resort & Spa, Lake Naivasha
Lake Naivasha is home to over 400 different bird species, making it a true paradise for avid bird watchers and nature enthusiasts.
Enashipai has 40 luxurious executive rooms and 39 spacious cottages. The rooms are comfortable, spacious, luxurious and cozy, offering sweeping views of the surrounding hills while the spacious cottages are surrounded by lush tropical gardens. The Executive Rooms even have outdoor rain showers!

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The resort offers a relaxing and serene environment that allows one to switch off with or without children as they have a children’s section to keep them entertained. The common areas are stunning with use of Masai themed designs and plenty of stone and wood work.  The gym, pool and spa facilities were all excellent.

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The main restaurant serves a range of main course choices, plus starters, soup and desserts in a buffet style for lunch and dinner. At the pool is an a la carte menu available for a casual meal or a quick snack. The service compliments the well prepared dishes.

Enashipai is an ideal launch pad for exploring greater Naivasha and surrounding tourist circuits such as the Lake Nakuru National Park and Masai Mara. The resort is a high end yet affordable option when in Naivasha.
Rates from KES 12,000 per person sharing

Nimish goes from bush to beach

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nimish_tsavo_safari_camp_405Nimish, our managing director, recently visited Tsavo Safari Camp in Tsavo East National Park before heading down the coast where he got to experience the Pilli Pipa dhow excursion. His comments……

Tsavo Safari Camp is located in Tsavo East on the remote side of the Athi River. The camp and most of the road to it is in Tsavo East National Park so you you get to have a game drive as you head to the camp. To reach the camp, guests are  ferried across the river in a small boat, leaving your vehicle on the other side.

The bandas are simple but give a nice sense of an authentic camping experience. There’s a lovely pool which is long enough to actually swim in.

You get to enjoy breakfast on the banks of the river and in the evenings, you can have sun downers on the plateau with wide sweeping views across Tsavo to the Chyulu Hills and far away in the distance Kilimanjaro.

The camp has its own safari vehicles for drives along the Athi River towards Lugard Falls for game viewing. Guided game walks with armed rangers along the river or up the Yatta Plateau can also be arranged.

The Pilli Pipa dhow safari operates on the southern end of Kenya’s coastal strip, Kisite’s Marine Park extensive reef sysnimish_pilli_pipa_424tem is home to dolphins, turtles, over 350 species of vibrantly colored tropical fish and an exciting variety of coral life.

As you cruise through the waters around Wasini and Kisite Marine Park, there are plenty of opportunities for snorkeling. And if it’s your first time, help is on hand to introduce you to the underwater world.

As the day continues, you are welcomed to Wasini Island to the sound of Swahili songs before enjoying a seafood lunch. The afternoon is free to spend as you like – wonder round the local village or soak up some sun before heading back to the mainland.

If you are interested in planning a trip, contact Nimish for a great itinerary

Kavita visits Dubai

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Kavita, our travel supervisor, recently had the opportunity to visit the awe inspiring Dubai. These are her comments on her experience.

Dubai is a desert city with superb infrastructure, liberal policies (by regional standards), that became popular for its excellent tourist amenities. Just 5 hours from Nairobi, Dubai makes a great short break for shopping, partying, fine dining, and sporting events.

kavita_dune_safari_266Dubai has so much to see that my 3 day stay was hardly enough to exhaust all the amazing attractions the city has to offer. From the world renowned marvels of architecture such as the 828m tall Burj Khalifa and the iconic Burj Al Arab, historical mosques, the 1787 Dubai Museum, to amazing malls, the Lost Chambers, amazing beaches, the exciting dune safaris and so much more.

There are lots of restaurants but most of the top end restaurants are located at hotels as only hotels are allowed to serve alcohol.

My Dubai highlight was the dune dinner which follows the dune safari. Upon reaching the camp in the desert, we were met by a traditional Arabian welcome. There was heena applying, palm reading and camel rides. I was amazed by true Arabian ambience at the typical Bedoiun campsite. Complete with traditional Arabian carpets, low tables and cushions. There was delicious Arabian coffee and dinner was buffet style with a wide variety of barbecue meats, salads, main-course and deserts. We were entertained by a graceful belly dance performance after dinner.

A great destination for couples and families.