Travel reviews by Mr & Mrs B. from Lomita

"The Crowne Plaza was very close to the airport and a great location for a quick overnight. We did not have the time to explore any of the amenities or restaurants. However, the room was very modern, clean and comfortable. The employees were friendly and welcoming."

"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!"

"Lovely stay. Great location. Great service. Would highly recommend"