Reviews of Elephant Bedroom

"We arrived at the Samburu Kalama airstrip and were met by our guide Solomon (a native Samburu bought up close to the park) for our three night stay at Elephant Bedroom.

On the way to Elephant Bedroom we saw many animals and birds, and on arrival staff were there to welcome us with hot towels and drinks. We were given a briefing, where everything was and on safety about the camp and then shown to our tent. The monkeys which live around are so clever that just zipping up the tent is not sufficient to stop them getting in. We were supplied with a lock to put on the zips while we were both in and out of the tent!

We had a luxury tent which was vast. It had two double beds, a separate large seating and patio area (with plunge pool), all looking out onto the river. I’m sure the standard tent would have been more than adequate, but a deluxe tent was only one available when we booked. The tents are placed fairly close together strung out along the river's edge but there was extra screening put up between the tents either side of our tent. All the services to the tent whether wake up calls with hot drinks and cookies or cleaning were very good.

Our tent was the last but one from the main area but it was a short walk along a sandy path to get there. During the day you could move freely around but keeping an eye out for elephants which pass through the camp from time to time (which did happen while we were there) then at night, staff were always there to accompany you.

We went out on drives from about 6am to 9am each morning and then about 4pm to dusk each evening. The area we were in was very rich with wildlife. Our guide Solomon was fantastic. He spotted the smallest of animals and birds, recognised signs given by other animals and birds which indicated lion/leopard may be close by, and followed tracks left by animals. We had four leopard sighting and three lion sightings during our stay. Solomon spotted a leopard sitting on a rock at least 100ft above us. He heard another male leopard calling for females which he then spotted close by and which we followed for over 15 minutes before other vehicles arrived. We saw a pair of lions kill an Oryx and a pride of lions with two cubs. We saw wildlife special to Samburu such as Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Günther's dik-dik, Vulturine Guineafowl and Somali Bee-eater.

We had all our meals in the main area of Elephant Bedroom. Breakfast was a buffet style meal served immediately after our morning drive. The lunch was served on the beach area just in front of the river and dinner was up on the raised patio area. Lunch and dinners choices were offered and pre-selected before the mealtime. The food was of good quality and the waiting staff were excellent.

We attended a very enjoyable special sundowner with other guests where food, drinks and a singer with a guitar sang some Samburu songs.

We also made a visit to a local Samburu village to learn about how the Samburu people live which was very interesting.

In summary, we think Elephant Bedroom has the best location in Samburu, has one of the best density and range of wildlife we have come across in our seven safaris, the facilities of the camp are excellent, we were very fortunate to have Solomon as our guide, but Samburu is quite hot compared to the other places we stayed at during this trip." See all these reviews: 10n in Kenya

"Very attentive manager in Carmen and very friendly staff.

An amazing location and lovely to see animals in camp. It’s helpful to have 24 hour power and wifi in the rooms- unlike Elerai - the park itself whilst it’s stunning scenery the guides have to work hard to find wildlife, but good to see different species." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"We were driven to Sambaru and the Elephant Bedroom from Laikipia. Saw a very diverse area = vast greenhouses then incredible dryness in villages near the Camp on the drive. Camp is on a river - not too much water, but enough to attract some animals.

Had a very good guide- Julius - but not a lot to see. Compared to the first two and then Mara North, this was the least attractive and had the lowest number of animal sightings.

Food and drink was good." See all these reviews: 16n in Kenya

"Excellent riverside location, attracting wildlife between game drives, re bee-eaters, kingfishers" See all these reviews: 10n in Kenya

"The staff at the camp were very welcoming and the service was very good. Our room was spacious and comfortable with a nice outside sitting area overlooking the river, (which was actually a dry river bed). The only negative aspects of the room were the very weak shower and the safe which needed unlocking but which management failed to deal with. The, (rather poor), excuse was that they couldn't access the key from the main office because the office was shut at the weekend.

We enjoyed the breakfasts which had a good choice. Lunch and dinner were generally good. The menu was varied and interesting and portions were very generous. The mixed vegetables accompanying all the main dishes were usually the same and it would have been nice to have had some variety. Our table waiter was Josphant who did an excellent job of looking after us.

One highlight at camp was when the local tusker joined us for lunch ... we first had to move from our table and then enjoyed watching him go to sleep against a tree next to the dining veranda - he stayed about an hour.

Our driver/guide was James. We arrived on an earlier flight than expected and because the Kalama Airstrip was closed we had to land at Sasaab, which is much less convenient for accessing the camp. James was given very short notice of the change and did amazingly well to get to the airstrip to meet us off our flight. We enjoyed the time spent out with James. He had a lively personality and was interesting, knowledgeable and informative. Game viewing in Samburu is not easy at the moment because, due to the severe drought, there is a lot less wildlife about. However James worked hard and we had some very good sightings. This included 2 very good cheetah sightings when we witnessed a cheetah mum teaching her 3 cubs how to hunt. We did see quite a lot of elephants but only in small family groups, (around 6 max), rather than the large groups that we have seen on previous visits to Samburu.

Kalama Airstrip opened for our departure so we were all very pleased about that!" See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"Our first stop on our safari! The location, accommodation and food were first class. Loved every minute. The plunge pool was well used, especially since the generator was off during the heat of the day.

The game drives were fantastic. Our driver/guide was experienced, and determined to find animals. We had exceptional sightings of elephants, giraffes, and also cheetahs including two feasting on a recently killed gerenuk, and on another day - a mom and her cubs.

One small detail which would be an improvement. Since everyone is carrying phones and devices, it would be helpful to remind all patrons and staff to turn off their audible notification signals at all times. Nothing ruins nature more than a ping from a cell phone notification. Many high end restaurants and clubs have this policy, and I'd recommend the same at all the camps." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya

"Looked after very well. Tents excellent, clean and comfortable.

Our guide Solomon, who we had not had before, was first class. He was very empathetic to our group's needs.

Location first class." See all these reviews: 8n in Kenya

"Great game viewing including multiple leopards and tiny cheetah cubs. Guide James was wonderful as well. The only downside was during mid day the heat was unbearable particularly in the room, electricity was limited to certain hours so even the fan wasn't much help." See all these reviews: 11n in Kenya

"Our guide / driver, Anthony, was excellent. We have had him before and he is very knowledgeable and empathetic with clients.

The woman serving us throughout, in the restaurant, was Jennifer. We have had her before and she is quite excellent with clients. Efficient and personable.

We felt that the camp itself, under new management, was not quite up to previous visits. For example tents were not wholly cleaned (eg under beds). There wasn't a clear chain of command apparent to us and we had very little interaction with those in charge." See all these reviews: 10n in Kenya

"Great location and guide. I think that the rooms could kept cleaner. Lots of dirt and dust under the bed. Food and service by Jennifer were very good." See all these reviews: 10n in Kenya