Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp

WOW! Never experienced safari before - this was an incredible experience.The staff was great, from butler to steward to guide. We were treated so well. Our guide spent so much time with us on our safari drives. We saw "The Big Five" and a lot more. A ll staff was very knowledgeable about a variety of subjects. The Kenyan people are very intelligent and resourceful. The tents with superior view were very nice accommodations.

"Kichwa Tembo was unreal! The service we received was the best we've ever experienced. We were made to feel so special."

"5 days on safari at Kichwa Tembo was the perfect amount of time and we were lucky enough to see two river crossings and all of the Big 5."

The safari far surpassed our expectations in every way. Our guide, Robert was excellent and really helped in ensuring the enjoyment of our trip. He was extremely knowledgeable of all the animals and the area and worked tirelessly to ensure we saw eve rything we requested and did it all with a smile and a laugh. Kitchwa Tembo was out of this world - just beautiful. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. It really was everything we imagined and more. I would not hesitate to recommend this place to everyone I know.

"The staff at Kichwa Tembo were outstanding. They really looked after all of us - including a parting sunset cocktail party and a happy birthday celebration for my wife. They were fabulous."

"We all had an absolutely amazing time on safari. We've fallen in love with the Masai Mara and can't wait to go again. We witnessed a family of cheetah hunting and killing two Thomson Gazelle - amazing to see, completely awe-inspiring."

"Everything exceeded our expectations. Kichwa Tembo was fantastic, we will recommend it to anyone and everyone and we can't wait to go back!"

"Finishing off our trip at Kichwa was a treat, as we enjoyed the buffet, beverages, pool, and everything else. The guides were outstanding, as were the hosts!"

Kichwa Tembo took care of everything for us! The staff were great and food was delicious - as good as any five-star restaurant. The guide, Benedict, put us in just the right places at just the right times to see great sights, lions mating and hyenas chasing lions off a kill were probably our favourites! We cannot say enough positive things about our entire experience at Kichwa Tembo. We highly recommend it.

Kichwa Tembo was over-the-top perfection. The game viewing at Masai Maara was the quintessential African Safari experience. Stunning beauty, lots of 'action' on the game drives. The beauty of the park was overwhelming each time we set out on another drive. Our guide was both hilarious and very knowledgeable, we felt like he was part of our group by the end. Our accommodations were awesome! loved the tree-house tent feel. They provided a crib for baby that was wonderful. Mosquitos were absolutely not a problem here in our rooms - never saw a single one. Food was so good! Service impeccable. Baby Louie would start to act up a little at dinner and a staff member would whisk him away to show him some warthogs or holiday lights or whatever to keep him happy. I didn't want to leave... OH! - The hot air balloon ride was worth every penny. We have some incredible pictures.

"I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for planning our Kenya trip for us. I really can't put into words how amazingly perfect it was. All of the planning and details fell into place seamlessly."

We would highly recommend this location, your service, etc. to anyone who is going on a Safari to the Kechwa Tembo, Kenya – all the information you sent us was accurate helpful and took any guess work out of our travel arrangements! Your recommendat ion to upgrade our tent was spot on. We had a beautiful site and our views were magnificent. I am so glad we weren't tucked back in the trees. We loved waking up in the morning and watching the animals in the distance. It was so worth the extra money. The Gamewatcher group who picked us up and dropped us off were awesome - especially Gideon. He was so friendly and knowledgeable and shared a lot of history and information with us while he was driving. Awesome. Everything went very smoothly. We thoroughly enjoyed Kichwa Tembo and our guide was amazing. We saw everything we had wanted to and more.... She was so accommodating.

The New Kichwa Tembo is very fine. The lowest tent now has full electricity (including recharging), lots of room, beautiful modern fixtures, shower with a rainforest head, a loo with an optional view. The view of the savanna from the first nine tents (where we were) is exceptional - think I'd stay there instead of the luxury tents, which are on stilts behind the standard tents. Their take in morning coffee is unique - they have a two-doored compartment built into the front of the tent. The Tent Butler places everything in on his side, closes his door, and wakes you up. You then open your door and get the coffee.

-The flights and transfers all ran smoothly and on time. We had no issues and the &Beyond people were helpful, on time and friendly. &Beyond Kichwa Tembo was beautiful and we loved our luxury tent, the staff were fabulous- friendly and focused on cu stomer service. Our guide, Alice, was absolutely amazing. she is knowledgeable, funny, accomodating, patient, and delightful. We would recommend her to everyone and she made our game drives stunning. Our waiter and the chef went out of their way to accomodate our vegetarian and no dairy food requests. The food was delicious, fresh, interesting, and plentiful & the remodeled bulidings were stunning and the small touches really enhanced the beauty. The Maasai dancing was fun and interesting.

All the camps exceeded our expectations, especially the Kichwa Tembo. They however were getting ready to open a new wing of camps on the property. So, we will be going back to that one (in the future), for sure. The food was exceptional, and the st aff were excellent. My favorite camp..

"Kichwa was amazing. The staff, the food, the game drives, our guide (Sophie), the accommodations - everything was superb."

"I have been meaning to say for ages THANK YOU organising the Kichwa Tented Safari last year in the Masai Mara. It was fantastic and I have recommended it to many people. Thank you once again - I had a wonderful time in Africa."

Kitchwa Tembo Tented Camp - what an awesome experience to fly into these little regional airstrips, be picked up and driven to our camp set in the middle of the Masai Mara! I was so excited from the picture in the itinerary of the pool area looking o ver the Mara plains, and the camp absolutely lived up to expectations. I loved the setting and service of this camp - this was a fabulous experience, our driver was excellent and we had great game drives each day, and got to see a crossing of the great migration!

We LOVE this small lodge perched on top of a mountain overlooking the Rift Valley! It also overlooks the mountain with the "sleeping warrior" rock formation in top of a mountain, which is pretty amazing to see. Small and intimate, only 5 cabins beaut ifully made of rock and thatched rooves, these buildings were constructed by local people. The cabins are very comfortable and all have a fantastic view of the valley. The owners, manager and staff are very friendly and made us feel so welcome! The main building has the lounge and the dining area, with a huge fireplace and windows all around the room, allowing a panoramic view that changes with the sun's direction. The game drives to Lake Elementaita and Lake Nakuru were full of birds and so many animals! The guide was very knowledgeable about every bird and animal we saw. The meals at the lodge were excellent and plentiful. The pool overlooks the valley - so picturesque ! Can't say enough about this little gem! We loved staying here and would love to go back! Kechwa Tembo- We enjoyed staying at this large lodge, but it was a bit if a shock after the small intimate feel of the first lodge! We appreciated having wifi in the main building and a nice gift shop where we bought a few things. Our luxury tent was well worth the money, as the recharging station in the bar was always full. We felt fortunate to be able to charge up in the room! We have heard that this lodge is being totally torn down and rebuilt. We were on a plane with the &beyond CEO and Exec Manager of &Beyond Kenya and at a stop in Arusha they were telling us about the rebuilding plans for Kichwa Tembo. We had a good visit with them about all of the safari lodges and camps we've stayed at in the past two years. Anyway, we thought there was real charm in the older lodge feel. We had amazing game drives into the Maasai Mara - the guide was very knowledgeable and we saw so many animals! We found the wildebeests and zebras walking (sometimes running!) back toward Tanzania. The meals were wonderful and the staff was so friendly and accommodating ! We enjoyed watching the baby warthogs with their mamas playing and eating grass in the lodge's big yard as we dined! The hot air balloon ride was AMAZING! We loved the whole experience of getting to see the animals from above! This had been a dream of mine for many many years, and it finally came true! The freshly cooked bush breakfast afterward was pretty cool, too! A wonderful way to experience Africa!

The safari was amazing. Everything was well organized from the moment we landed in Kenya. People were there to meet us and bring us to the hotel; they were ready the next morning for the transport to the airport; and we got to the Mara by about 9:30a m. The level of service at Kichwa Tembo was excellent. Our guides were great; the food was delicious; the accommodations were very good. Although I expect this from and &Beyond resort, they did not disappoint. Our whole group was very impressed, as it was the first safari experience for most of them. We saw the Big 5, including a lion killing a baby wildebeest. We also saw three cheetahs and experienced a wildebeest river crossing. Even our guides said that we were a very lucky group.

Beautiful resort. Warthogs and monkeys roamed around freely. Food was excellent. Service was a little too attentive. Everyone kept asking us if we were happy. Andrew our butler was very helpful and friendly. I don't think I would stay there again; i t was lovely but a little bit "over the top" for our taste. Masai Mara park was stunning. Saw 4 of the big five.

Our visit to East Africa was unforgettable. We saw all the Big Five, the landscape was amazing, the weather was not bad, the food was always delicious, the tent was beautiful, very clean and comfortable, and the best of all was the service of the peo ple in Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, they made us feel as if we were at home, their level of service surpassed all our expectations. Daniel, our driver-guide was excellent, too. Thank you for facilitating this incredible experience!

If someone was to ask me what was most memorable to me, I would have to say going on Safari in Masai Mara. Spending on an average 8-10 hours a day watching the wildlife has been an incredible experience. From this, I would confess, my absolute favour ite memories are watching a journey of giraffes gallop from one forest to another at night and chasing down in a land cruiser at sunrise to catch a leopard sighting - all in one day! The people of AndBeyond, namely Kichwa Tembo were remarkable. Everyone knew each other by name and I was treated like a member of the family. There were lots of hugs when it was time to leave with a promise to return the first chance I got. On a side note, AndBeyond did a remarkable job outside of Kichwa Tembo to ensure my transfers were 100% confirmed and done in a timely manner. I was in tears when leaving Nairobi and even more heavy-hearted leaving Masai Mara.

"The staff and facilities at Kichwa Tembo were great."

I cannot tell you how happy we were with the lodge this year during our safari. We will never stay anywhere else. They went beyond any expectations in all areas of service. From the airport on the service was above fivr stars. Everyone, and I mean ev eryone, gave service that you cannot believe. We are going back next year and every year I take a team to Kenya. My only regret was that we had to leave after two nights. The staff, the food, the game drives, the cleaning crew - I could go on and on. Please convey to the management they can use me as a reference anytime. It was an all-star performance by this team. One example, our anniversary was during the time we were on safari. One of our group told the rep at lodge. They surprised us with a special dinner in the upper garden open only to staff. And then after our party had left, our server who set this all up, kept my wife and I behind so he could share the village where the staff stay. He gave us a personal behind the scene tour. For our entire team, they had chefs, linen tablecloths, grilled food outside, special desserts and rose petals on the table. Then that even they presented us with a cake with our name on it and played romantic music that we danced to and then when we go to our tent, candles were lit all over the tent area and rose petals filled the top of bed. Thank you, thank you for this selection. I wish I could spend a month with my wife at this location, the game drives were great and the guide was the best, but how comfortable it is just being at this beautiful place. You could have not done better.

Kitchwa Tembo Camp was amazing and our guide Benedict knew everything about the Masai Mara we saw the great 5 on day one. So many animals from warthogs to leopards just fantastic. Kitchwa’s classic tents are very comfortable and the food was great, how they do that being remote I don’t know. Around the tents are families of warthogs (pumba in the Lion King movie) with babies just eating the grass around you is so much fun they have a great character and there were lots of other animals just sitting out on the grass. In saying that the bigger animals are kept out with the electric fence though Kitchwa have a large area inside these fences. Met some lovely people on the game drives and took so many photographs it will take us months to go through these. Kenya was our favourite spot as Kitchwa Tembo’s staff were so lovely and laid back. We also did a tour of a Masai village which was very interesting and the Masai also came to the camp one night and sang and danced for us and got everyone involved, so much fun.

The Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp surpassed any expectation we had, loved the hot-water bottle in the bed in the evenings. It was certainly a full-on two days of safari drives. Wesley, our guide and driver with 15 years experience, was brilliant. He had s uch a great network and we got to see almost everything. We experienced the Big 5, plus had two sightings of cheetahs, and almost experienced a wildebeest crossing. It was amazing!

"I stayed at Kichwa Tembo tented camp for 4 days. The tent was excellent and well protected from mosquitoes and other insects and had very good facilities. The food was excellent as well, with enough varieties."

Kichwa Tembo was an absolutely wonderful experience. Our guide, Sophie was amazing! She was so good at spotting animals, had a six sense of when and where to go to spot things. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and we were all very sad to leave he r. From what we saw and heard from other guides, Sophie was clearly a step above the rest. Our actual accommodations were very clean, spacious, and somehow without any bugs! Our beds were very comfortable, with ample blankets and hot water bottles were a nice surprise. Our caretaker, Joseph was extremely nice, gentle and thoughtful.

I wanted to tell you that I had an amazing time and that you were so right when you said it was a magical experience. Kichwa Tembo was so great - the food, the staff, the tour guides. And I was so lucky to have seen the Migration in full force. Defin itely a trip of a lifetime, and one that I will never forget!

Erick, our guide from Kichwa Tembo, was waiting for us and was absolutely delightful. We were so lucky to have such a great chap for the week and he really did us proud with our animal viewing although we did not get to see leopard but he has guaran teed this if we come back! Kichwa Tembo was beautiful and the outlook from the tents was gorgeous. The kids tent was fabulous and had no issues but we did have problems all week with the hot water in our tent and, in fact, only had one hot shower the entire duration of the stay. However, we met the manageress on the last morning who was furious because it had only just been brought to her attention by the camp staff even though we had complained every day. She was very apologetic and we were comforted by this. We did have some issues with Matthew’s peanut allergy and our butler was horrified by this because the kitchen staff kept supplying food with nuts (our picnic breakfast and lunch) and dessert and not telling him but again, I medicated him and thankfully there were no major issues. We did find the food to be a little limited in selection and choice each day and this would probably be our only recommendation to the camp. The staff were all delightful in true African style (not the same as in SA which is a totally different experience) and we were made to feel most welcome.

"Had a wonderful time. Will take my son next year."

Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp - The best part of our trip. Friendly staff, great food and service and great game viewing. Our guide James is incredible and very knowledgeable. He made sure we got to see everything and was very patient in explaining everyt hing to us. The Warrior dance after dinner is a great introduction to the Masai culture, the walking safari is also highly recommended. Overall the Mara offered the best game viewing in our view. It didn't feel like we had to drive for hours to get to see animals, therefore we could afford to be more flexible with our time. Everything about the camp and our three day experience here was amazing. We've heard good feedback about &beyond from other travellers along the way. 10 out of 10. I have nothing else major to add to Sarah's comments, except to again stress how much we loved Kichwa tembo, Soroi and Essque Zalu.

Upon check-in we met Edward who is very welcoming and were then given lemonade and shown to the room by our room steward. Lunch was great – outdoor stirfry station and very delicious. Boniface our butler was very courteous and we enjoyed meeting him. Also sat with Johnston (Maasai rep) and learned more about the culture. Went on another afternoon drive and saw buffalos and more elephants, giraffes and zebras. Dinner was also very good and we were impressed that security is excellent where guards are on hand to show us the path back to the camp. On Days 2 and 3 saw four out of the Big 5 (except the leopard) and enjoyed the drives – Alfredo and I are impressed how the room steward would leave us notes (sweet dreams etc - a nice touch) and how the meals are very creative, where we’d have a barbeque, indoor, then under the stars with candles etc etc! All delicious and people were great. I also love how there’s afternoon tea. I also used the laundry service and thought the turndown service was great as well. By Day 4 I personally was getting a bit tired of sitting in the vehicle and organized a Massai culture tour and a nature walk for the last day. However we didn’t see any animals during the walk, though I learned a lot about other things – plants, monkeys etc which was all good, too. I enjoyed visiting the village. Went on last evening drive to find the elusive leopard but no luck.. though Jackson really tried to spot one for us! Before departure I had a massage with Esther who is very good – and then was surprised by a special breakfast by the pool organized by Boniface – a very nice touch!

I had an absolutely amazing trip. I spent a lot of money but it was definitely worth it. Kichwa Tembo was a great camp, and the staff was excellent. I had the best safari guide there (Akach), who was very accommodating and who frequently found except ional game viewing such that he would contact other safari guides and they would all come after us (including lions preparing for a kill, and a pair of cheetahs). Really, it was a phenomenal week in Kenya, and very relaxing and luxurious.

"It turned out to be a wonderful trip and we all had a great time. We were picked up by two vehicles but they quickly put us all in one for the game drives each day."

"Thanks for planning a wonderful trip for us. The entire experience was something which we shall never forget, and we were left with memories of a lifetime."

"We thought that Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp was well run and everyone tried hard to make our stay memorable."

The highlight for us was our time in the Mara. Both Kichwa Tembo and Bataleur were amazing. The facilities at both camps and the service were excellent. There is no doubt in my mind that we will go back at some point. The game drives were out of this world and we loved our guide Wilson.

We stayed at Kichwa Tembo in December and thought overall that it was an absolutely incredible experience. December is considered to be the low season there, but personally I couldn’t think of a better time to go as almost all of the animals had babi es with them... I know there is a big draw to see the Wildebeest Migration come through (which I think happened around September / October) but from what I heard about that, it seemed to me personally like it would be somewhat unpleasant – especially for the wildebeest! - so I’m actually happy we went when we did, it was wonderful to see all the animals with their young. As for Kichwa Tembo, the grounds are beautiful, the accommodation comfortable and the safari drives were out of this world. This was our first safari and the wildlife we saw during our drives with our excellent KT guide (Alice) far, far exceeded even our wildest expectations. Not only did we see the Big 5 but so many other animals as well, some of them you could practically reach out and touch if you had wanted to – it’s like they do not even acknowledge that you’re there when you’re in the safari vehicle. It is really one of the most amazing things you will ever do – the sheer abundance of life there is amazing – it’s like everywhere you look there’s a giraffe, or a zebra, or an elephant, or a lion – I had high hopes for the trip but never did I think it would be as amazing as it was. You simply have to go! The grounds of KT are amazing – there is a beautiful pool that overlooks the plains, and in between safari drives you can lounge by the pool and watch giraffes, elephants, buffalo... anything, really!... just wandering by, completely oblivious to you. Or lie in a hammock and read a book. The best part for me was all the warthog families that actually live in the grounds of KT – they have no fear and just go about their business alongside you as if this were the most natural thing in the world. Many of them had babies and they were so cute – playful and curious, like puppies. I loved them... and because you could get so close (they really take next to no notice of you) then you could get some amazing pictures. We stayed in a standard tent, and we thought it was perfectly lovely. Ample space, nice bathroom facilities and very clean and well laid out. You really don’t feel like you’re in a tent at all. And each morning they come around with your coffee / tea order and some really nice cookies to help wake you up for your first game drive, which is such a nice touch. The food at KT was good. Hey, you’re in the middle of the bush so considering that fact they did a really good job with what they have to work with, and I never walked away from a meal feeling hungry or having disliked anything. There is a good selection of drinks as well. Lunches were probably the nicest meal of the day, with a wide selection of salads to complement what you choose to have as a main (usually something from the grill but also sometimes pasta / rice dishes). Dinners were a bit more limited – mains usually consisted of a choice of two types of meats from the grill, and then a couple of types of veg / potato to have with it. All of the meals, with the exception of our last night, were buffet style. Also, one of the people that we met while we were at KT was a vegetarian and he said he was very happy with the food they prepared for him. Pretty much all of the staff we came across at KT were very good – very friendly and helpful. A special mention goes out to our safari guide Alice, who did an exceptional job of finding the animals for us and was so incredibly knowledgeable about everything.

The Mara was amazing. The camp was great; the workers there were very friendly, the food was very good and our safari guide was excellent. She was very interested in teaching us about the vegetation and wildlife, even providing us with a book so tha t we could read about a flower or bird we had just seen. As far as the viewing, it has a lot to do with luck, and although I didn't get to see as much as I would have liked, I can't complain. It was a great experience, and I hope I can go back again one day. I would definitely recommend it to other people since it was very convenient.

"I had a fabulous time at Kichwa Tembo. Their service was excellent and rangers are great."

I loved my Masai Mara Safari experience at Kichwa Tembo! I was astounded by the level of service (I had a personal butler, and Masai game drive guide). All the Kichwa Tembo staff were so friendly, willing to tell us about themselves and to talk with us. They made us foreigners feel very at home. I loved staying in a tent and hearing the animals at night, and at the same time having conveniences (e.g. a sink and toilet) in the tent. The game drives were outstanding. The open 4X4 vehicles were just what I had hoped for - they provided feel of being in the wild and excellent viewing...they even had canvas tops in case of rain! The Masai guide (Alice) was very knowledgeable and capable...I felt I was in good hands with her...she kept us safe and worked hard to show us all that there was to see and to take good photos. I really enjoyed meeting other solo travelers (as you suggested I might at Kichwa Tembo). This made the experience even more fun for me. At the end of my stay in the Masai Mara, I felt I had experience a trip of a lifetime (and the Earthwatch portion of my trip hadnt even begun). Thank you so much for helping me plan this trip. Please also extend my thanks to the staff at Kichwa Tembo (they were the key to it all).

The Kichwa tembo camp in the Mara was also excellent. Our tent was indeed very comfortable. Our Driver/guide was excellent, and the other two couples in our vehicle were great fun which made for a very enjoyble 4 days. In addition to seeing all the 'big 5', a cheetah with cubs and a leopard, the highlight was indeed the mass migration river crossing which was as spectacular and memorable as we had hoped, and all the guides said was the best they had seen this year.

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect safari! It was amazing! The tented accomodation was beautiful, luxury huts deep in the Mara, what more could you ask for? Waking each morning to fresh coffee or hot chocolate brought to your room by the fabulo us room staff and then to sit on the porch of the tent and see herds of elephants making their way back down from the hilltops, zebras, wilderbeest, gazelles and much more was something else. I was very fortunate to manage to spot all of the Big 5 on my first two drives. Our driver Albert was fantastic, knew his way around the Mara and all the hotspots for spotting different animals. He was all very knowlegable on all the animals we saw and what their calls and actions meant. Each day we had different types of drives to different locations and could decide as a group what we wanted to do, which was great. We even got to watch the wilderbeest making their way accros the Mara River, which was spectacular and a rare treat, I believe. The additional walking safari I did and Maasai people that provided entertainment in the evenings was also a wonderful expereince. The food was fantastic as was the service. Ony of my favourite memories was when the whole restaurant, bar and kitchen staff all came out to sing to a guest whose brithday it was. It created such a great atmosphere. All in all, it was amazing, there is nothing I would change about the whole expereince or the people who work there. In fact, they were the most welcoming and friendly people I met in Africa during my three weeks away. I would throughly reccommend Kichwa Tembo to everyone who wants a truely magical safari experience. I was only there for three days but the memories will last a lifetime.

"We especially enjoyed Kichwa Tembo."

My stay at Kichwa Tembo was very enjoyable. The staff was attentive, the tent was luxurious and the food was outstanding. The chef made a special effort to accommodate my dietary restrictions. My stay at Kichwa Tembo was a perfect end to my time in Africa.

I had a great vacation. The Kichwa Tembo Camp was top notch. The food was excellent, the accommodations and service were also great. We saw lots of wildlife and enjoyed the Masai entertainment. I will be recommending this experience to others when gi ven the opportunity. I will also contact you in the future if I need assistance.

I had an absolutely amazing time at Kichwa Tembo! I loved it so much there, the camp was very clean, relaxing, and beautiful. I saw the big 5 and was even lucky enough to see a cheetah kill! My guide was Protus, who I loved, and would have again i f me or anyone I know go there. The food was also pretty good. And the service was wonderful - everyone knew my name, and went out of their way to take care of me while i was there. I couldn't have asked for anything to be different other than less rain, haha, which I don't think you can change

"Kitchwa Tempo was very nice. It was lovely to have hot showers whenever we wanted. The accommodation was excellent. And the selection of food superb."

Kichwa had outstanding game drivers and the animals were out of this world! Everywhere we went, we found that people were informed about Jeffrey being in a wheelchair and were prepared and willing to help us. That made things very easy. Everything wa s absolutely amazing, we loved everywhere we went and stayed.

"The staff was friendly and the entire campgrounds were beautiful. The Migration was spectacular and definitely one of the highlights of our trip."

Although the accommodations were tents the back part of the tent, which included the shower, dressing table and toilet were made out of rocks. Much nicer than we expected. Also, we were not limited on the amount of shower water or temperature. Hot water was available any time of day. The staff was friendly and the entire campgrounds were beautiful. The migration as spectacular and definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

Kichwa Tembo was a fantastic lodge with first class facilities, our tent was deep in the forest on the edge of the camp with excellent views and the odd leopard passing by at night. The food was superb, staff fantastic and the game drives out of th is world.