Private House at Tortillis. Amboseli. Kenya
Why we love it
The Private House at Tortilis is your gateway to one of the most iconic destinations in Africa - Amboseli National Park. Named after the flat-topped umbrella thorn acacia, Amboseli is famous for its resident population of over 1000 elephants. You could come away with that iconic photograph of elephant against the imposing backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro. This is the highest freestanding mountain in the world at nearly 6000 meters, and its glacier-topped peak seems at odds with the heat of Amboseli. Tortilis camp is next to the National Park on the 30 000 acre Kitirua Private Conservancy - a wildlife corridoor bridging Kenya and Tanzania - allowing you to escape the busier public areas of Amboseli.
What to expect
The private house has 2 en suite bedrooms with either a king or twin beds. The spacious free-flow living and dining areas look out over Amboseli and on clear days you’ll have a spectacular view of Kilimanjaro. The house has a swimming pool, private guide and game drive vehicle. Meals are served in the privacy of the house or at the nearby lodge, depending upon your preference. The camp is owned by an Italian family and the food is prepared to timeless family recipes, with fresh ingredients from the lodge's own herb garden.
The good news
Winner of the Tourism of Tomorrow Award in 1996, Tortillis has been practicing low impact, high comfort tourism for many years.
What to do
Explore Amboseli on morning and afternoon game drives. A highlight is the lake, which is dry for much of the year, but provides for stunning vistas. There are also guided bush walks, surprise meals in the bush, spectacular sundowners and visits to the nearby Masai Village.
Kids: Who doesn’t love hefferlumps? There are enough ele’s to keep children absorbed for days. They will also find the visit to the Masai Village a fascinating experience. The relaxed feel of the Tortilis Private House allows kids to be kids and they can be given tasks like collecting herbs and helping the chef in the kitchen
How to get there
It’s a 40-minute light aircraft flight from Nairobi to the Amboseli airstrip and then a 45 minute drive to Tortilis Camp. An Amboseli safari combines very well with a Masai Mara safari as they offer different scenery and animal encounters.
When to go
Game viewing is good year round. We like the clear skies of the rainy season and also the dry dusty conditions from July to October. Rains in Kenya usually fall in November and again from April to June, however rain usually falls during the evenings leaving the days and night hot and dry.