Reviews of Tortilis Camp

"Because of the number of guests we were offered the private house. It was a treat having our own pool. No-one was in the family tent for the first two days so we had the pool to ourselves.

The house had a fridge with cold drinks which we enjoyed. The main bedroom had a huge tub! In the early evening we sat on the covered porch watching the dikdiks and birds. On our third night I woke at 2am with my back, right side (the side I sleep on) and upper arms covered in itchy welts. I assumed something (mites?) was in the bed. It was very very uncomfortable. Fortunately there was a third twin bed in the room I was sharing, so my roommate installed me in that bed so I could get some sleep. But now, 9 days later I have raised red spots that are only slightly itchy if I rub them by mistake.

A number of us experienced itchy welts around the time we were at the camp, so we shared antihistamine tablets some brought, which helped temporarily. Eventually we were given some anti-itch cream at another camp, also with mixed results, providing temporary relief. I strongly recommend bringing antihistamine tablets and bug bite cream. There was some doubt about where I got my bites. But I know for sure I was in bed and wakened at 2am by itchy itchy welts and I felt like I was being bit. Expert Africa was empathetic and tried to figure out the source.

Food was good but sometimes hit and miss. The beef was tough tough tough. Don't have any beef there. Chris was a pleasant server but he often mixed up orders." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya

"For a first visit to the Amboseli, Tortilis was a wonderful experience.

Only one thing marred our stay, which was that several of us in the group were quite badly bitten by insects in our beds. I believe that this was reported, but I do want to reiterate it. I am not sure what the protocol is when this happens; however, I would hope that camp management would take a good look at current practices and to update how bug management is handled.

That out of the way, everything else at Tortilis was amazing. The staff was wonderful. The chefs outdid themselves, and their Pastry Chef is truly outstanding. Meals were always very very good.

I would have prefered our Bush Breakfasts to be laid out and take what you want as opposed to box breakfasts. Not everyone would eat everything in the boxes, and I fear that some of that food was wasted. Our one sit down and omlette station bush breakfast with other visitors, was the best.

Our guides, Dixon and Chege (I hope I spelled that correctly), were beyond excellent. Both gentlemen were so well informed on the wildlife, plants, rocks, terrain, everything. I would not hesitate to travel with them again. We saw so many animals, including Craig (!), and were truly blown away.

To add to animal sightings: We saw ground squirrels twice." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"Great camp, super location in its own conservancy with outstanding views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Our main goal was to find and photograph supertusker Craig and our guide was brilliant. He found Craig on two separate days.....simply amazing!!!!!

We also found a cheetah with four cubs lounging in front of Kilimanjaro. The conservancy is a huge plus.

The lodge staff and food......simply outstanding." See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya

"staff were very friendly and food was excellent. Tents were clean and basic. The camp is quite large and we prefer smaller camps. It was not busy when we were there but i can imagine if the camp was full it would be overwhelming." See all these reviews: 16n in Kenya

"Postcard picture perfect view of Mt. Kilimanjaro was what we were greeted with as we entered the lounge area of Tortilis Camp. We were welcomed by a friendly staff and shown to our room. The rooms were private canvas tent structures with wooden floors and a good size bathroom. Very clean and comfortable, it suited our needs just fine. They felt safe but very much in-the-bush experience. The property is surrounded by an electric fence so it is safe to walk to and from the lodge area. It is quite a walk though, up hill to reach the lodge. This wasn’t a problem for us even being a bit out of shape but could definitely make for a bad experience for some.

Our guide for the 3 days was Martin. We were very fortunate to have him all to ourselves. Martin is such an asset to Tortilis Camp. Not only was he friendly and personable but so knowledgeable! He really made our first safari fun and informative. He was great at always asking if we were “good” to continue on and if we wanted more time he was happy to oblige. They had arranged a bush breakfast one morning and sundowners another night. Both were at very scenic locations and were such an enjoyable and special experience! We were spoiled having a private guide as we quickly realized at our next camp we were paired with a grumpy couple.

Being our first safari and it being shoulder season, we really didn’t know what to expect or how much wildlife we would encounter. We were blown away by the numbers and variety of animals we saw! Located in the Kitirua Conservancy right outside Amboseli National park, we of course saw tons of elephant! So amazing! We also saw buffalo, giraffe, hippo, hyena, wildebeest, zebra, warthogs, gazelle, waterbuck, baboon, and monkey.

Our days consisted of 2 game drives and down time which included napping, eating and swimming in the pool. We really liked the longer morning drives with a packed breakfast. Meals in the restaurant were all appetizing and service was friendly and inviting. The view from the restaurant (and lounge) are amazing and I would recommend sitting in the lounge admiring the views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

As far as activities we did the visit to a Masai Village and the Guided Bush Walk. The Masai Village visit was really special. I had some reservations about going. My husband and I were the only guests that day. The Maasai people were very friendly and welcoming. We were truly interested in learning about their culture and way of life so we listened intently and asked a bunch of questions. We found their medicine man to be really informative and interesting. To us, it was a powerful visit, we learned a lot and we left with a fond respect of the people we had met. However, I could see how it could be exploitative with tourist more gawking then interacting with the people and this is why I was hesitant to go. The Guided Bush Walk was a bit lacking to be honest. It started out with the guide talking and pointing out a few things and then it just became a long silent hike. We really wanted to learn more about the environment, insects, plants etc but we were left wanting.

Overall our stay at Tortilis Camp was spectacular and we will remember it fondly for the rest of our lives!" See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya

"We love Tortilis Camp! I would highly recommend it to anyone.

The setting is gorgeous, the rooms are well appointed but what makes it really special is the hospitality. The food and drink are delicious (they are proud of their large on-site garden producing great fresh fruit and vegetables).

The bush breakfast, sundowners and all the hospitality offered by the staff made it really special, in addition to fabulous wildlife viewing." See all these reviews: 10n in Kenya; 3n in Rwanda

"This camp has too many guests and you are a number not a person.

The staff are fantastic from Zed downwards but I did not take to the English Management. They do not take care to try to match you up with like minded people in your game vehicle. Luckily Zed came to my rescue and in fact I then had drives that were absolutely fabulous with Ali.

Fantastic backdrop with Kili." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya

"We did not really expect too much from Amboseli, apart from elephants and birds, but boy, we were pleasantly surprised. This was the start of our twenty fifth safari and we saw our first ever lion kill on our first drive!

The following morning we saw a cheetah - not seen here for over a month and a melanistic serval (again, our first) and to top it all off, a golden jackal (you guessed it, our first) on the last day. Although we were hoping for birds, we did not expect water and marshland birds and so the flamingos were a great surprise. Guiding was excellent.

The camp has a lovely position and the tents are well appointed, if a little too close together (canvas does not insulate sound). We did not test the pool as the water was really cold. The food was excellent - by far the best that we have ever had on safari. Others have commented on the larger size of the camp, but we received a personal service and it did not feel too large. In fact, one of the benefits of a larger camp was that you could have dinner when you wanted it, not at a set time.

Birding around camp was excellent." See all these reviews: 14n in Kenya

"Wonderful place - public spaces beautiful with Kilimanjaro in the distance. Had massages =again excellent. Food and drinks perfect with fresh produce grown in their garden. Staff was attentive and perfect (hate to keep using that word, but…).

Guide - our guide was John who excelled in his knowledge of all= animals, geography and people. We had the luxury to having him to ourselves-no other people in truck. Went everywhere- excellent driver." See all these reviews: 16n in Kenya

"Tortilis Camp is a busy operation with an apparent focus on American package tourists, so people moving in and out all the time. After our stay at Sarara Camp this felt a bit overwhelming, however camp managers Candy and Graeme do a great job in maintaining a personal touch to it all. They are very visible and always in for a chat. Also the concept of having the same waiter during the entire stay works really well to maintain that personal touch. Our waiter Eunice was very kind and caring, nice to have a familiar face amongst the ever changing guest population. Our guide John was relatively new, just 4 months in camp, but very kind and knowledgeable; there wasn’t a bird he didn’t know about.
Having access to the Kitirua conservancy is a great advantage here, we had the best elephant interactions in this section, whereas in the national park it was often a remote observation. Some activities felt a bit regimental, like the bush breakfast and the sundowner only on the last night, but I guess this is the only way to streamline the operation.
We stayed in the Private House, located at the same level as the main lodge on the hill, so no descending and climbing to the tent 4 times a day.
The house itself is very spacious with 2 cavernous bedrooms, furniture and decorations maybe a bit bland. The brochure pictures the private house with a manicured lawn where one could have breakfast or drinks served: in reality just a small rim of grass and much more scrubby bushes, the breakfast option was never mentioned.
The neigbouring Family Tent has a much more appealing setting under a mature acacia tree and a beautiful porch, that would be my choice in the future.
The main advantage of the Private House (and Family Tent) is having access to a private use vehicle and guide, making it a much more personal experience. Also having your own pool, shared with the family tent, is a nice bonus. Finally we must mention the excellent quality of the meals, a buffet for breakfast and lunch and a 3 course dinner menu with 2 options for every course. Tortilis Camp is a good place to stay when in Amboseli." See all these reviews: 14n in Kenya