Ol Kanjau is the real deal, with six comfortable tents to transport just 12 people away from the bustle of modern life.
Features
- walking safaris
- Mountain Biking
- Spectacular Bird Watching
| Ol Kanjau - Amboseli National Park, Kenya | |
Sustainability Scorecard
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From 425 (including all meals and some activities) p/night
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Good For You
In the Maasai language, Ol Kanjau means ‘place of the elephants’, and there is no shortage of these magnificent giants roaming the vast wilderness of this Kilimanjaro heartland.
Bordered by the unspoilt wilderness of the Amboseli National Park, this traditional tented safari camp provides direct contact with the natural world, where the emphasis is on the simple life and the pace is slow.
Here you can get up close and personal with the wildlife following animal tracks on a walking safari with your own personal Maasai guide. Be warned though, you will probably find yourself in a nose-to-nose encounter with the largest mammal on earth!
Ol Kanjau is the real deal, with six comfortable tents to transport just 12 people away from the bustle of modern life.
If you prefer the luxury of hot showers and electricity then this camp my not be for you, but if you seek to replace your TV set for ‘widescreen’ Africa in all its glory, Ol Kanjau is the place.
Good For Kanya
When the camp’s owners, Mike and Judy Rainy, first visited Amboseli 38 years ago, they began what has become a lifelong interest in how the pastoral people of East Africa and their livestock interact with the wildlife and natural ecosystem.
It is a guiding principle of their ecotourism philosophy that Ol Kanjau helps to balance and support the needs and conservation of wildlife and natural flora with those of the Maasai people and their livestock. The land is owned by Kisongo Maasai pastoralists who benefit directly when you visit.
Highs• The culture: The pastoral Ilkisongo Maasai give greater Amboseli its distinct cultural richness. The Maasai people are the principal landowners and traditional custodians of the area's wildlife wealth, which they refer to as ‘our cattle outside our bomas’. • The Maasai welcome: In the Maasai hospitality tradition all guests are called ‘lomong’ or ‘news’. Guests are regarded as the gift of new information and the Maasai welcome is traditional and genuine. • The elephants: The camp places a strong emphasis on the lives, ecology and behaviour of African elephants. There are over 50 resident elephant families in the park, so there is no doubt that you will see plenty of them! • Amboseli: Often referred to as the Kilimanjaro heartland by conservationists, the Greater Amboseli Region is a critical bridge ecosystem that links the vast Tsavo National Parks in the East to the Great Rift Valley and the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystems in the West and is one of the most wildlife rich areas in Kenya. |
Lows• Facilities: If you must have a long hot shower every day and like to read at night, you might be better off at a more strucutured lodge as showers are taken by bucket (although the water is hot) and there is no electricity. • The price: This is a luxury tented camp and has less facilities than built lodges for around the same price, but there is comfort in knowing that your money will support the local Maasai and the experience is authentic. |
Rooms
The friendly staff at Ol Kanjau bring fresh hot water whenever you need to fill up your safari bucket shower. Each tent is separated from the others providing complete privacy.
Food
Special dietary requirements can be catered for with advance notice.
Full board accommodation, including soft drinks, beer and house wine are included in the rates.
Features & Facilities
- Escorted walking safaris and game drives in 4-wheel-drive vehicles, with knowledgeable field guides to spot all the ‘big five’, especially elephants!
- Mountain biking in bush land wilderness
- Spectacular bird watching: Over 274 African bird species have been recorded in the vicinity of the camp.
- Cultural visits to a Maasai village
- Picnic bush breakfasts, bush dinners and sundowners.
Local Info & Activities
Ol Kanjau Tented Safari Camp is an ideal link destination between Kenya and Tanzania and its location makes it possible to include both Tanzania and Kenya in the same safari.
[Plus same information for all Kenyan properties as below] Yellow Fever, hepatitis and tetanus vaccinations are recommended for all of East Africa.
While in East Africa, only drink bottled water. It is recommended that at least four litres of non-alcoholic fluid be consumed each day to prevent dehydration.
African gastroenteritis 'bugs' are the next most common cause of stomach upsets and diarrhea. Generally, antibiotics will cure this illness within 24 hours.
Kenya offers warm days with cool early mornings and evenings throughout most of the country. The coldest months are June, July and August; the hottest months are January, February and March.
When traveling on safari, baggage should be kept to a minimum. Charter flights and vehicle transfers do not allow a large amount of baggage. Soft duffle bags should be used rather than suitcases, as frequently the air plane baggage lockers cannot fit a large suitcase.
An airport departure tax of US$40 per person, or its equivalent, is payable when leaving Kenya. A local departure tax of Kshs 200 (approx. US$3) per person, per flight, is payable for internal Kenyan flights.
Kenyans drive on the left hand side of the road. It is recommended that you travel with an international driving license if you plan to drive in Kenya.
Sustainability
The owners have worked as ecologists in Kenya since 1968, and they are still active in large-scale ecosystem research to see how Amboseli wildlife interacts with Maasai people and their livestock.
The camp has a low carbon footprint as gas lanterns are used to light the tents and precious water usage is kept to a minmum though the use of bucket showers. One of the most important aspects though is that profits go towards supporting the Maasai, helping to support their livelihoods through sustainable tourism rather than degrade the land through an overdependence on agriculture.
Getting There
Access to Ol Kanjau is by daily scheduled flights to Amboseli or by private air charter directly to Kilimanjaro Buffalo Airstrip.The camp can also be reached by road, a four-hour drive from Nairobi or a two hour drive from Namanga on the Tanzanian border.
Scheduled flights and road transfers between Arusha, Namanga, and Nairobi make it possible to include both Tanzania and Kenya in the same safari. Ol Kanjau Tented Safari Camp provides an ideal link destination between Kenya and Tanzania.
Visit our Transport section for flights, hybrid car rentals and train bookings.
Rates & Bookings
US$425 p/person sharing US$530 p/person single occupancy US$210 for a child under 12yrs
Park Fees: US$60 p/person per day or US$35 for children under 12yrs.
- All rates include three meals per day, soft drinks, beers, house wine
- Game drives in Amboseli, guided safari walks, mountain biking and Maasai cultural visits are included in rates
- Open all year except April, May and November.
booking & cancellation policy
• A 25% deposit secures reservations and balance must be paid in full 45 days prior to arrival.
• Cancellation policy: Between 120 and 45 days before stay - 20% of total cost of stay is forfeited
• Between 30 and 45 days 40% of total cost of stay is forfeited.
• 100% is forfeited if cancelled 30 days prior to arrival.
Want to avoid cancellation fees? Visit our Insurance section for information on travel insurance.