chacheetah

Need someone to carry the bags?

Patty

Thanks for the camp link, chacheetah! Because the bushdrums link was really, I copied and pasted it into www.tinyurl.com and the copied and pasted the tinyurl link here. Otherwise, a long link messes up the Fodors formatting.

To link to a Fodors thread, click your right mouse button over the thread title and select "copy link location" or something similar and then paste it. I'm using a PC with Firefox so it might be different if you're using something else.

Patty

Meant to say really <i>long</i>

Patty

I just looked through their slideshow. Looks <b>nice</b>! Good find. I don't think it's been mentioned on this forum before.

chacheetah

Patty, think I got it..Thanks! I always wondered where that tinyurl came from! See the things one learns on this forum never cease to amaze me. What do you think of the camp? Cc.

Patty

I might have to stay there in February

http://www.fodors.com/forums/smileys/

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34820932

sandi

Looks pretty good!
And so too the prices.
The conservation fee is attractive, but if landing and doing game drives in Amboseli, there will also be an Amboseli daily park fee.

From description of where located, probably thru the park, out the other side, somewhere in the vicinity of the Sopa Lodge.

Eben will let us know, won't you?

Patty

From their description, Elerai is 10 km southeast of Amboseli. How far outside of the park is the Sopa, does anyone know?

sandi

Sopa - not sure how far outside. But, 10km (7/miles) isn't all that great... of course, dependent on road conditions. Namanga to Amboseli on the other side is about 20/miles and that can take a bit of time!

chacheetah

You two have lost me totally on this, but I guess its a secret kind of languge between the two of you Patty, thank you for the links to forum emotions! One day I will remember them!
From this SXC site, I discovered Satao Rock Lodge in Tsavo East - I think. Anybody been there? Worth investigating?
CDW was $100 more per night than Tortilis and SatoElerai was $100 less per person p/n so saving 200 a night sounded good to me. As before- decisions, decisions but at least it's fun looking. Cc

Patty

Satao Rock is in Taita Ranch, a private conservation area adjacent to Tsavo East. I'm planning to stay there next February. No scheduled flights though, so you'd have to charter. The other option is to take a scheduled flight to Mombasa and drive, but I think this still takes a few hours.

sandi

cha -

If considering Satao Elerai, C&amp;P might not have an arrangement to book this camp. C&amp;P can probably arrange your flights, but the actual booking may have to be done directly with the camp.
Do ask, so no surprises.

chacheetah

Patty, watch out for the man eating lions! I tried to tiny url it and after laughing at myself for scrwing up so much I gave up and decided to just type it - if you google the name Taita Ranch, a National Wildlife story comes up on the lions of Tsavo east eating l35 men while building a railroad in the l800's..good thing you are flying in!
Sandi: I guess I've bothered C&amp;P so much over Totilis that they brought it up! I imagine being a local owned property by Southern Cross they have some sort of agreement; so I am thinking why not, it's outside the park so we can do a bit more, it looks lovely and maybe they will be trying to give Tortilis a run for their money! any thoughts? afterall, its only two nights..Cc
And Patty can check it out!

Patty

We'll actually be driving everywhere. I mentioned the flight options since you said you couldn't do drives. DH is fascinated with the maneaters. He wants to visit their former den while we're there!

chacheetah

Patty and Sandi: an exciting update on my trip; I adopted an orphan elie named
Lempaute today at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Was abandoned at 2 weeks; found near Lewa I believe. Would be almost one now; so two when I go Good story so read it if you get on the website (Patty, STILL trying tiny url..)Got so frustrated I adopted instead. Ha ha

sandi

cha -

If you book Satao, then at least have C&amp;P waitlist you at Tortilis. You're far enough out and things can/do change between now and then. Always have a place to lay your head at the outset.

Many properties have &quot;block bookings&quot; held by tour operators that have to be released about 60/days prior client arrival.

... a baby ellee. Good for you!

nyama

Re Satao Elerai Camp:

Here is a document that has some background info on this community-based project, including maps that show the location of the camp (&quot;eco-lodge&quot - www.awf.org/documents/Elerai_NRM_Process.pdf

The Southern Cross Safaris people sent me GPS co-ordinates of the camp. The area is already featured in high-resolution on Google Earth, but you can't see the camp or a construction site because the imagery is too old.

chacheetah

nyama, thanks for the &quot;read&quot;, have you been or planning or going? Would be interested in what you think as I am thinking of changing Tortilis to Elerai, next year. I think Patty is going in Jan. or so. Would be interested in any input on the property. CC

nyama

chacheetah, I currently have no plans going to Kenya, and no, I havn't been to Tortilis so far. From what I know I tend to go to Tortilis. IMO a more appealing landscape (Marishari Hills), and Kitirua Conservation Area (Tortilis) is much larger (4x) than Elerai, only shared with the mobile camps of Ker &amp; Downey and Kimbla Mantana. But I'm still waiting for some good photos of Satao Elerai...

nyama

PS: a more traditional alternative, only 3 kms east of Amboseli, is the classic safari camp Ol Kanjau (www.olkanjau.com).