eriksen

Has anybody stayd at Kichwa Tembo camp in Masai Mara. I would appreciate hearing your experiences.

Mairead

My daughter stayed at Kichwa Tembo in June 2000 - found it to be really wonderful. Meryl Streep & Robert Redford stayed there whilst filming "Out of Africa". supposed to serve the best food in the Mara.

Hans

We were in Kenya this summer and while we did not stay at Kichwa Tembo we drove through it a couple of time. If it is not more expensive and you can book it, Olanana--a new camp owned by Abercrombie & Kent and 2 minutes from Kichwa Tembo is much nicer--that is not to say that KT is not great--it looked wonderful (most of the camps are). KT, however, is much bigger than Olanana (which has only 12 tents) and is much older. Olanana just opened and the only thing i can compare it to is a Four Seasons Hotel under canvas--KT would be like a Ritz-Carlton--very nice, just not as small. The really important thing to remember is that it does not matter where you stay, the Mara is so amazing you won't care if you have to sleep on a rock! Have a great trip!

Markie

Hans are you the travel agent who last week tried very hard to book us at Olanana camp? You were too pushy my friend.

Hans

Markie: Not me--I'm not a travel agent and am not sure who you are. If your travel agent was pushing Olanana over Kichwa Tembo, I would listen to them--it's quite a place and I think you would like it better the KT but,as I said in my posting, both are nice.

Nancy

I only went to Kichwa Tembo to catch the balloon ride but did stay at Olonana this October. I completely agree with Hans - it's a terrific camp and small. Everyone on staff is very helpful and considerate. Like he said, the Masai Mara is amazing.

caroline

Stayed at Kichwa this past January. The Mara is incredible, but if it's raining the roads around Kichwa are generally impassable! It got so bad, that we booked into another lodge on the other side of the park. Kichwa also seems to have a tendancy to overbook, so we did not get the permanent tented camp (with great view) that we had originally booked - the substitute room was ok, but it could have been any hotel room in the world, nothing special. PS the lodge we moved to was the Mara Simba with a great room overlooking a river and not touristic at all. Loved it; will go back there, not Kichwa, when next in the Mara. Safiri salama!

fran

we are going to masai mara end of feb. first time for both of us. what should we be sure to pack, and any and all suggestions to make it a perfect trip. We are going with Renaissance cruise, don't know what tented area we will be in. We are back from Egypt two weeks, and will be back in Luxor 9 Mar, 5 weeks after first visit, wonderful city, and will enjoy another 3 days. Also had a great week in Israel, no problems for us and other 13 in ourgroup. Anyone going on the Renaissance cruise we are booked on for 25 March? <BR>