Kenya Safari & Gorillas with Brian Keating October 25 - November 09, 2021

With only 10% of Amboseli National Park utilized by most safari vehicles, combined with Elewana Tortilis Camp’s unique location on the western edge of the park (most lodges are outside of the eastern gate of the park), guests can enjoy an almost private Amboseli. We also have private gamedriving within our own 30,000 acre Kitirua Conservancy, which is the western part of the Amboseli ecosystem.

Elewana Tortilis Camp boasts an elite fleet of custom-designed safari vehicles, and highly-qualified guides with intimate knowledge of their "backyards".

Game drives are included in Game Package.

Elewana Tortilis Camp’s walking guides are Masai from the local community, who have been walking over these plains since childhood.

Take the time to leave the car behind and enjoy the small things – tracks, dung beetles, micro-ecosystems. The guides are happy to share their knowledge of the terrain, traditional uses of wild herbs and barks, and the Masai way of life.

Guided walks are included in Game Package.

“Sundowners” are a safari tradition – after a day of safari; stop, watch the spectacular sunset; traditionally with a gin and tonic in hand!

Sundowners are included in Game Package.

Enjoy the cool waters in the heat of the day!

Within the lush green gardens, the pool is shaded by palms and acacia Tortilis, and a haven for tropical birds. The swimming pool has bar service and board games.

Safari is also a holiday and a rest – a break from today’s frenetic lifestyle.

Tortilis Camp offers:
Massages – a wonderful way to ease the stress out of tired shoulders and backs.
Manicure and pedicure – compliment those tanned limbs!

Spa treatments are at an additional cost.

In the heart of Masai country, Elewana Tortilis Camp offers visits to local Masai homesteads. The Masai live in semi-permanent huts known as Manyattas and it is the role of the wife to construct the hut from cattle dung and grass. The families will show you round their home for a fee (payable separately, ask reception for details), and will want to take the opportunity to sell their traditional handicrafts – bargain hard!

Enjoy gorgeous views over the Conservancy whilst enjoying a sundowner

A team of fully-qualified driver guides are on hand for vehicle safaris across the conservancy. The specially adapted open vehicles allow for excellent viewing but it is the richness of the game that our guests talk about. All the main safari predators, the rare Grevy zebra and of course the threatened rhino can be viewed in abundance. A particular favourite and well recognised aspect of the area near the lodge are the good elephant numbers and at least weekly sightings of the illusive wild dogs. The game drives are on your terms using our experience and are not limited to daylight hours. We often explore the conservancy by night using spotlight and the full moon when it obliges.

Game walks with Calum, a FGASA qualified Trails Guide, which we hope will open up the landscape and let you appreciate the smaller (or sometimes very large) animals as well as the tracks, trails, signs, sights, sounds and smells of the wilderness – something you often miss from the car.

Guests can also visit the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy headquarters to find out more about their pioneering conservation and community work such as a visit to the anti-poaching tracker dogs or a visit to the LWC sponsored local school or other community project.

The canopy walkway is a 40 ft. high aerial bridge of wiremesh and cables meandering through the tree canopy and extending 450 metres long. The walkway ends at a wooden platform 30ft. high, where you can relax and enjoy a view of the river from this elevated vantage point. Elephants and buffaloes frequently come here to drink and wallow, and one can enjoy a drink or a meal at the lofty leafy deck.

Visit the beautiful Ngare Ndare azure waterfalls and perhaps jump into the cool clear water.

Archeological remains of much earlier occupation of the area are found at Lewa and are some of Kenya’s best archeological sites outside the Rift Valley. The hill on which Lewa House is built is home to warrior graves many thousands of years old. They were a tall race who communicated with rock gongs. Later people developed these gongs into a game that’s now played all over Africa.

The Il n’gwesi people (Northern Masai) to our north, have a fascinating history and culture. Visiting them is an authentic and engaging experience.

Head out on a camel or by horseback for a unique safari experience.

Governors’ Camp Collection properties combine the best locations in the Masai Mara with the best-designed vehicles and exceptionally highly trained and experienced guides to give our clients un-matched game-viewing and photographic opportunities in the world’s prime wildlife area.

We are in the heart of the best game viewing area of the Masai Mara; we take you out twice a day into the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve and surrounding areas. Our driver-guides are hand-picked and nurtured by us. They undergo a continuous guide training scheme mentored by experts in the field. Having operated in the Masai Mara for 50 years, our driver-guides have an un-paralleled knowledge of the reserve combined with a deep understanding and respect for the importance of this wilderness area, its flora and its fauna.

Game drives are included in the accommodation rate.

For those looking for an adventure of a different kind, we suggest a magical hot air balloon safari over the Masai Mara.

The adventure begins just before dawn. Departure is from a launch site just 15 minutes drive away. Guests assemble at the launch site for a briefing as the flames from the hot air balloon burners light the darkness as the crews inflate their craft. As the dawn breaks, the hot air balloon fills and then rises. Suspended in a basket beneath the rainbow-coloured canopy, you’re off for a wildlife viewing adventure with an entirely different perspective.

What amazes most first-time balloonists is the absolute stillness – the silence as you float above the plains, the forest and the rivers of the Masai Mara.

After about an hour or so, your balloon safari finishes with a flourish. In the time-honoured tradition of balloon flights the world over, toast your return to earth with sparkling wine and enjoy a delicious breakfast that is set up and served at a very special spot. The experience ends with a game drive back to your camp.

There is an extra cost for a hot air balloon safari and the price depends on the time of year.

For a very unique experience, enjoy the excitement of a bush dinner in the wild. You will arrive at a special secluded location on the banks of the Mara river. A welcoming drink awaits by the warming campfire, followed by a delicious meal prepared by our Bush chefs, served under the stars, with the soft lights of safari lanterns and accompanied by the sounds of the African night and the grunting Mara river hippos.

Bush breakfasts and bush lunches are also available. Please try to book bush meals in advance. Costs: bush breakfasts and lunches USD $75 per person, bush dinners USD $92 per person

The Masai people of East Africa are a striking image, synonymous with safari. A proud people with many traditional practices still very much alive in their culture. Visit a local Masai village and learn about who they are in their own words.

Entry to the Maasai village is currently USD $40 per person and is paid directly to the community.

Visits to our responsible tourism projects can be organised from camp. Mara Rianda Primary School and Mara Rianda Medical Centre are two inspirational projects supported by Governors’ Camps.

There is no extra charge for this activity but donations to any of the projects are welcome.

Since the beginning of the 20th Century the cheetah population has fallen dramatically from 100'000 individuals to 7'500 individuals with human activity a major cause. It is therefore important to understand the cheetah-human interface, which is one of the key works of the Mara-Meru Cheetah Project, led by Dr. Elena Chelyseva.

Our Governors' Guides play a critical role in the data collection for Dr. Elena and her team, reporting through sightings and behaviour observations of cheetah spotted. Dr Elena enjoys sharing her expertise on the cheetahs in the area with our guests through talks or by accompanying guests game drives.

Please let us know if you would like to pre-book a talk or a guided game drive with Elena when booking your safari. There is a minimum donation requirement of USD $500 for a presentation in camp.

After your late afternoon game drive, end the day with a 'sundowner' at our very special spot on the banks of the Mara River. Our team will have set up a traditional 'safari bar' ahead of your arrival.

Sundowners are included in the nightly rate but premium drinks are extra.

The legendary Virunga Mountains in north-western Rwanda are home to volcanoes, swathes of cloud forest and half the world’s total population of Endangered mountain gorillas. The primates of Rwanda are unparalleled, and Wilderness Sabyinyo is the perfect base for mountain gorilla trekking.

This thrilling excursion takes place from Volcanoes National Park headquarters, where guests are allocated to one of the 12 habituated gorilla families for an awe-inspiring one-hour encounter.

* Park fees are not included and are at extra cost.

Enjoy a short trek to view this beautiful primate, which is endemic to the area and lives in groups of between 30 to 80 individuals in the Park’s bamboo forest.

* Park fees are not included and are at extra cost.

At Sabyinyo you can get up close to the stories of the land on a guided community walk, which offers fascinating insights into Rwandan rural life, as well as a glimpse into the struggles of the past.

Guests will learn how crops are grown, how milling and processing is done by hand, and learn more about how traditional medicines are used.

Rwandan dancing, an integral part of today’s culture, will be part of this fascinating cultural tour, which is one to three hours long.

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Birding with a knowledgeable Wilderness guide at Sabyinyo is a truly enriching experience.

Sabyinyo extends across seven hectares (about 17 acres) and is a haven for over 40 bird species that do not otherwise easily thrive in the surrounding agricultural plots, where natural shelter is rare and human disturbance is high.

Guests are welcome to enjoy the nature trails on their own (armed with a good pair of binoculars), or are invited to enquire about our guided walks.

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

While staying at Wilderness Sabyinyo, we recommend enjoying a guided community walk, which offers fascinating insight into Rwandan rural life today, as well as a glimpse into life in the historical past. An enriching experience, guests are invited to understand the agricultural lifestyle of Rwanda, including how crops are grown, how milling and processing is done by hand, traditional medicines, as well as enjoying the frenetic activity of traditional Rwandan dancing, which is an aspect of the culture still very alive today.

A walk may range in duration between one to three hours.

The Gorilla Guardian Village is located about 15 minutes drive from Wilderness Sabyinyo and is an interesting cultural excursion. The village convinced ex-poachers to turn their back on poaching and instead showcase their customs and heritage.

Visiting the village guests can discover the traditional house of a local king, watch an authentic medicine man prepare herbal mixtures, try their hand at bow and arrow shooting, or enjoy cultural dances and drumming performed by people from the local area.

A visit to Dian Fossey’s research camp, Karisoke, and her grave, is another highlight at Sabyinyo. The trek starts from the Volcanoes National Park headquarters, and is located in the saddle area between two volcanoes, Mount Karisimbi and Mount Bisoke (from which the name Karisoke is derived). The camp site sits at an altitude of 3 000 metres (over 9 000 feet.) and was abandoned during the unrest of the 1990s. All that remains today is the grave of Dian Fossey and several graves of her beloved gorillas, buried alongside her. A poignant and cherished moment for all who visit.

A visit to see Lake Burera and Lake Ruhondo is a must on any itinerary. Located between Musanze and the Ugandan border, the Twin Lakes offer magnificent views over the Virunga Volcanoes, while the surrounding hills create a picture-perfect frame around the deep blue waters. Guests can take a gentle walk around one of the lakes, and enjoy wonderful birding. However, due to the steep nature of the landscape, it is often preferable to drive up the small track leading to a lodge tucked away at the top of the hill: the perfect spot to enjoy a refreshing drink and soak up the glorious vistas.

The Twin Lakes are 45 minutes by car from Sabyinyo, and are reached via a good tarmac road south to Musanze, and then back north towards Cyanika, or via a narrow but picturesque dirt road that follows the contours of the mountain.

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

Credit: Wilderness

The lakeside resort of Gisenyi makes for a wonderful contrast to the high altitude of the Virunga Volcanoes. Located 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Sabyinyo (two hours by car) Lake Kivu offers a relaxing day out. Stroll along the sandy beach on the lakeshore, and take a refreshing swim in the cool waters, followed by a refreshing drink at one of the quaint cafes along the palm-tree fringed lakeside promenade. The mild tropical climate adds to the springtime mood, which not even the imposing Nyiarongo Volcano can dampen.

Guests will also enjoy strolling past the hotels, mansions and lush gardens that echo its opulent past.

Local markets are the lifeblood of any town and Musanze market is a prime example. A bustling place full of local character and virtually everything you may need under the sun. Found in Musanze town (formerly known as Ruhengeri) it is the most important town in Rwanda’s Northern Province and in the Volcanoes area. It serves as the area’s administrative, commercial and service capital. You can also find all sorts of interesting souvenirs and handicrafts, and a wide range of traditional Kitenge fabric.

Enjoy a guided walk to Iby’Iwacu cultural village either on foot (a one hour downhill walk from Sabyinyo) or by car, a 15-minute drive).

Here you’ll learn the fascinating story of how one village convinced ex-poachers to turn their backs on poaching. Visit the traditional residence of a local king, watch an authentic medicine man prepare herbal mixtures, and try your hand at bow-and-arrow shooting.

Cultural dances and drumming performances are also on offer.

The guided walk takes around an hour and guests are free to take photographs. It is customary to leave a tip of USD 20.00.

Another very rewarding outing is a visit to the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International was established in 1967 to protect and study gorillas and their habitat, as well as to empower the people in the community.

With a team of hundreds working in Rwanda and the DRC, the Fossey Fund is the world’s longest-running and largest organisation dedicated entirely to gorilla conservation.

In 2022, the organisation moved to its first permanent, purpose-built home, the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Nestled in a beautiful, reforested landscape near Volcanoes National Park, why not add this to your itinerary. Here you can stop in for a tour, grab a cup of coffee at the Gorilla Café, browse the gift shop and learn more about the gorillas and the important work done to help conserve them.

* The visit is an additional cost per person in USD and are subject to change without prior notification.