TORTILIS ENTERS THE SOLAR SYSTEM: KENYA CAMP IS GOING FULL ON SOLAR POWER

Cheli & Peacock is proud to announce as of June 1, 2014, Tortilis Camp operates on 100% solar power 24 hours a day. The Kenya luxury camp joins other Cheli & Peacock properties, Kitich Camp and Elephant Pepper Camp, as fully powered by solar energy. The C&P Portfolio’s seven high end camps are ecologically and sustainability-minded, partially or fully powered by solar panels. The long-term goal is for all to join the exclusive 100% club.

Until now, the luxury camp generated its own power with a diesel generator, which ran for eight hours. The switch to solar power will help the camp save up to 7,400 gallons of diesel a year, dropping a sizeable amount of CO2 emissions per year. A total of 190 solar panels are installed, enough to power 48 batteries for night usage. The unobtrusive panels are only visible from the air so guests may enjoy silent, green energy.

Tortilis Camp was one of the first “eco-lodges” of its kind in East Africa, and is currently certified with a prestigious Silver Eco-rating. The camp has an exemplary sustainable tourism policy, which includes leasing and managing the 30,000 acre private Kitirua Conservancy, with the local community benefiting directly from tourism, and preserving the Amboseli eco-system.

Tortilis Camp, situated in Amboseli National Park, has 16 standard tents, a family tent and a private house, all with breathtaking views of snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro and numerous elephant families that populate the area.

Rates start at $490 per person sharing per night and include all meals, Kitirua Conservation fees, guided bush walks, bush breakfasts and sundowners, local airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit www.tortilis.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

SECRETS OF A SKY ISLAND: MATHEWS FOREST FLOURISHES AS PROTECTED ECOSYSTEM

SAMBURU, Kenya (04/2014) Mathews Forest is more pristine than ever, marking its 50^th year as a Kenyan Forest Reserve. What’s remarkable is this isolated ecosystem, a tropical mountain forest, in the Northern Frontier District, is accessible as a travel getaway – and it’s malaria-free. Those who seek off-the beaten path destinations direct themselves to Kitich Camp, the only property within the sky island. This is a place where secrets are still being unraveled by scientists, new species discovered. This is a place where cars are left behind. And, this is a place where your guides are the Samburu and Ndorobo people, who grew up by the dense forest and granite outcrops.

To hear that there are no roads is unheard of. Fortunately, this makes for the best kind of safari: guided forest walks through unmarked terrain.  You’ll be one of maximum 12 guests in the surrounding area, hoping to glimpse one of the endemic species.

Mathews Range is one of the very few areas where you can see the rare De Brazza Monkey outside of the Rwenzori Mountains. The biological island is also home to melanistic leopards (black panthers), forest elephants, more than 150 species of butterflies, uncounted species of wild orchids and endemic giant cycads whose origins reach back 280 million years.

Locals do not live within the forest, as it is respected by elders as a valuable resource that helps sustain life in the dry savanna below. They are more than happy to share their culture and treasured ecosystem – both things Kitich Camp and Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy aim to preserve. As a key tourism partner of Namunyak, Kitich Camp pays conservancy fees directly to the community, working with them on a grassroots level.

On the upper slopes of the Mathews Mountain Range, Kitich Camp features six traditional en-suite safari tents, all with exceptional views of the lush Ngeng River, and a main lounge that overlooks the floodlit river glade where animal sightings are frequent as dusk approaches. An intimate size creates an intimate experience.  

Rates start at $450 per person sharing per night and include all meals, drinks, guided forest walks, river swimming and dips in natural rock pools, bird watching, bush picnics, local airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit http://kitichcamp.com/ or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

CHELI & PEACOCK SAFARIS INVITES GUESTS TO EXPLORE THE HEIGHTS OF LOVE WITH A MOUNTAIN-TOP PICNIC

Cheli & Peacock Safaris, a collection of award-winning boutique safari camps and lodges in Kenya, is offering a fresh, new take on the traditional bush picnic. Upping the ante a few couple thousand feet, they have arranged for adventurous couples to helicopter to the top of Mount Kenya for a romantic picnic lunch.

The breathtaking ride over Kenya’s sprawling wilderness is topped only by the dramatic location of the picnic – couples will feel like they’re on top of the world. Upon arrival, plush blankets are spread and the picnic basket unpacked. The picnic lunch consists of crisp salads and herbs from the camp’s on-site gardens, freshly baked breads, and for dessert: homemade Danish Layer Cake. Fine South African wines and bubbly accompany the meal, with coffee and tea to finish.  

From Elsa’s Kopje, a spectacular lodge in Meru National Park, the helicopter trip to Mount Kenya is just 45 minutes. Trips may be also arranged from any of the C&P Portfolio’s properties including Joy’s Camp, LewaSafari Camp, Loisaba Lodge and Kitich Camp.  

Mountain-top picnic excursions to Mount Kenya are available starting from $430 per person per hour, depending on helicopter size, number of passengers, distance, etc. If they wish, guests may also indulge in light hiking and/or fishing at Lake Alice, located on the Northern slopes on the Mountain. Helicopters can accommodate up to six guests, and as with all C&P Portfolio properties, children are welcome. Excursions should be booked in advance, preferably at the time of reservation.

For more information visit www.chelipeacock.com

REJUVENATE YOUR MIND, BODY AND SOUL AT KITICH CAMP IN THE MAGNIFICENT MATHEWS MOUNTAINS OF KENYA

A recent study from Glasgow University looked at natural and non-natural environments for physical activity and found that being around trees and grass lowered brain stress levels. It’s not too surprising that exercise in a green place, like a forest, is better than in a non-green place, like the gym. Adventurers seeking relaxation should head to Kitich Camp in the Mathews Mountains of Kenya for the ultimate refreshment of mind, body and soul.

Kitich Camp is an isolated retreat where guests can explore the beautiful, natural surroundings and attain a new vitality. Located in a remote valley, under a canopy of trees, Kitich is the only camp in all of the Mathews Mountain Range, offering exclusive access into the lush, green forest.

Because of the pristine and unexplored wilderness, Kitich Camp opts out of the conventional safari game drives. Instead, guests leave the vehicle behind and embark into the Mathews forest on foot. All walking safaris are led by professional guides as well as indigenous Samburu and Ndorobo warriors.

For those looking to immerse themselves in the culture of the indigenous people, the Samburu guides will take guests to visit with their families. Depending on the day, guests are invited to witness a local market where the Samburu and Ndorobo people gather to buy and trade vegetables, beads, and other items.

Other activities include spectacular bush breakfasts, sundowners, and picnics. At night, there is a campfire under the stars overlooking the river glade where guests can catch a glimpse of the nocturnal visitors who come to drink and hunt.

The Mathews Forest is a 220,000 acre tropical mountain forest, home to a spectacular array of flora and fauna boasting over 150 different species of butterflies (that’s roughly 15% of all of Kenya’s butterfly population) as well as wild orchids and ancient cycad trees. It also harbors the rare De Brazza Monkey along with forest antelope, wild dogs, leopards, elephants and an astonishing array of bird life.

In 2011, Kitich Camp received a Silver Eco-Rating Certification from Ecotourism Kenya, an award which demonstrates their excellence in responsible resource use, environmental conservation, and socio-economic investment. Kitich operates without a generator, relying solely on solar power and using only LED lighting. As a partner with the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy, Kitich Camp directly benefits its surrounding communities by working with them on at a grass roots level; lodge and bed fees as well as conservancy fees are all paid directly to the locals. Other partnerships and projects include the Tusk Trust, an organization dedicated to protecting African wildlife, as well as a rain water harvesting project, and a project for the construction and furnishing of a teachers block at Ngilai Primary School.

Kitich features six traditional safari-style guest tents, all with en suite bathrooms and exceptional views of the lush gorge of the Ngeng River. Its intimate size (only 12 guests at a time) allows for all activities to be tailored to suit individual wants and needs. From a rigorous morning hike to an afternoon dip in the natural rock pools of the crystal mountain streams, experience the perfect balance to boost fitness and mind-body connection.

Rates for the three-day adventure package start at $400 per person sharing per night.  For more information on experiencing the scenic wilderness of the Mathews Mountains, visit http://www.chelipeacock.com/php/camps/kitich-camp.php or www.kitichcamp.com.