Adventures way beyond traditional safaris |Experience Campi ya Kanzi

Experience:

Campi Ya Kanzi has truly won my heart, from the moment you walk in, it feels more like a home rather than an accommodation and the staff treat you just like family!
It is a great place to completely disconnect from the tech world and have real human conversations, immerse in the complete wilderness that is Chyulu hills, if it’s not the game drives within Kanzi conservancy, it is the sundowners on top of Okoikuma cliff – with incredible views of the sunset, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and the hills to horseback riding with giraffes and zebras and surprise dinners at the cave or simply chilling back at the lodge in the swimming pool. The walk up to the cloud forest, though my knees may not agree were soul awakening and the views were incredible and Parashi made it even more memorable – he’s an excellent driver/guide!
My most favorite time was the evenings, coming back from a game drive, a beautiful sundowner, and dinner with everyone to the incredible sounds of nature (the crickets were super entertaining I could hear animals grazing outside my tent😊) and during the mornings waking up to chirping birds was amaaaazing!
I so loved my stay from the cave lunch to the outdoor dinner and the bush breakfast and of course great hospitality. I would 100% recommend CYK anyday anytime!!

Quick facts

Location: Campi ya Kanzi is a family-owned eco-lodge, in Southern Kenya in the middle of two national parks – Amboseli N. Park & Tsavo N. Park, enjoys the exclusive use of Kuku Group Ranches, 283,000 acres in the Tsavo Amboseli eco-system. The camp is surrounded by three breathtaking sceneries i.e., Chyulu hills, the granite rocks & the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro.

Getting here: CyK is accessible by a 40-minute charter flight from Wilson airport, Nairobi to Kanzi airstrip using the camp’s Cessna 206 and a 20-minute drive to the camp in an open Land Rover. Depending on the size of the aircraft, they might fly you from Wilson to Il Tilal airstrip and 1 hour road transfer to the camp in an open Land Rover.CYK can also be accessed by a road transfer from Mtito Andei, at an extra cost of USD400 per car one way and Tsavo park fees of USD52 per person per day.

Food & style of dining:The style of dining is being hosted by the manageress, but guests have a choice of being hosted or not and the food is mainly Italian cuisine however they are flexible to guests’ preferences and needs

Child-friendly?…. CYK is 100% child friendly, Luca & Antonella’s kids grew up here, plus Emma (the manageress is great with kids and she’s happy to watch them whilst not at work) additionally they have a masseuse who doubles up as a nanny and nanny fees is not included in the rates (request for rates at the time of booking)

WIFI – There is no WIFI at Campi main areas and in rooms, the idea is to disconnect from the world of tech and just have a moment in the bush however for those who wish to access the internet can do this from the office

What to do

Game drives within Kanzi Conservancy: We were not able to see great game at this time as it is the rainy season and wild animals have moved deep into the conservancy and back into the National reserves unlike during the dry seasons when they come back to the waterholes in search of water. We however encountered Maasai Giraffes, Impalas, Common zebras, Wildebeests, hartebeest, Warthog, Dik dik, Baboons, Kudu in the conservancy.

Cloud forest walks: The guided walk up the cloud forest takes about 3 hours, 1 hour drive from the camp and an hour walking up the dramatic hills onto the cloud forest filled with a species of fig trees that are believed to be medicinal, locals often come here to collect herbs for medicinal use. The forest is spectacular, with an immense diversity of trees, shrubs, flowers, birds, and wildlife. Parashi is an excellent guide, he’s lived here all his life and knows the routes well… He’s does his job with a huuuge smile on his face 😊

Horse back riding: CYK has 3 rideable horses for experienced riders, but the guides are happy to guide beginners through horse walking within camp.

Sundowners: There’s no better way to end a Safari than watching the African sun go down with a glass of gin or white wine… We had an amazing evening on top of Okoikuma cliff with drinks i.e., freshly squeezed juices, house wines, beers & local spirits, and snacks.
We drove from camp and had a 15-minute walk up the cliff where the sundowner was set, this spot offers incredible views of the dramatic Chyulu hills, and the major highlight was a blazing ball of fire setting over the hills.

Guided game walks: Campi is great for walks, the scenery is amazing and views breathtaking. Guests who fancy walks are welcomed to do this with the help of the guides – Parashi and/or Pashiet
Walks can be done within camp or inside the conservancy.

Bush meals (breakfast or lunch)/picnics – After game drives, guests come back to bush breakfasts or lunch before heading to camp.

Bird watching – Chyulu hills is a bird’s paradise. Birds spotted include, long crested eagle, Kori Bustard, Kingfisher, lilac-breasted roller (Kenya’s national bird)

Other activities include Stargazing (weather permitting), swimming and a surprise cave dinner or lunch.

Rates

Non-residents rate from USD925 per adult sharing per night and Resident rate from Kshs40,000 per adult sharing per night. NB: Conservation fees not included.

A few notes:

Respect wildlife and the local communities whilst traveling remember you are just visiting.. Leave no trace and collect only memories.

Support the local communities, buy souvenirs from the curio shops to take back home

For more info contact the Safari Editor: thesafarieditor@gmail.com. For direct bookings get in touch with Campi ya Kanzi: bookings@maasai.com