Julie A
September 16, 2024
Combine stunning vistas, abundant wildlife, superb cuisine, the warmest staff, excellent tents, and the most amazing guides, and you will have a transformative experience like none other. Traveled with my son and from the moment we arrived, we were embraced by the wonderful Jeremiah and quickly introduced to our first server, Ali who immediately sat us down for lunch. His welcome smile and keen observations throughout our stay meant he anticipated our every need. Each meal had several options and the chef prepares delicious cuisine from an on-site garden. This review follows many that describe the food and tents, and we confirm the location and accommodations are fantastic. They think of everything. What sets Loisaba Tented Camps apart is the people. Every staff member greets you, knows about you, and has the most wonderful attitude and passion for their job. It is evident in their attention to detail, professionalism, kindness, respect, attentiveness, and knowledge. The Guides. The daily game drives are beyond description. Our first guide was Dalmas, who speaks 6 languages. For 3 days he drove a large Land Rover with blankets to keep us warm and binoculars to scan the conservancy. Delmas is passionate about his work and his love of this 50,000+ acre ecosystem is evident with every word. He knows the region intimately. He ensured we saw lions, rhinos, giraffe, elephants, hippos and Cape buffalo. He even found a pride of lions with cubs. More importantly, his respect for the animals combined with his welcome descriptions meant we could immerse ourselves slowly and deliberately when we spied a particular animal. For example, we spent a long time experiencing elephants drinking from a water hole, playing with their children, forming bachelors groups, eating acacia tree leaves, rubbing against trees, and eating prickly pears. We saw a lioness stalking a zebra for 30 minutes. Dalmas quietly and carefully drove us to the perfect viewing sights to follow this beautiful animal. He also made sure we had a “breakfast in the bush” and organized the perfect riverside experience. As a Maasai, he shared his history and culture, along with his path to guiding, and it is truly a remarkable story. He was in the camp the day the black rhinos arrived. Every drive is unique and special with Dalmas. Our second guide was the passionate Kasoo. Also a Maasai, he was assigned to us for 3 days and is also from the Laikipia plateau region. He quickly made sure that we had new and different experiences: an encounter with the endangered striped hyena, rare Grevy zebra, elephants swimming and playing in a deep water hole, a large t roupe of baboons grooming, playing, and eating, and incredibly - he spotted the elusive cheetah, who we were lucky to observe for nearly 20 minutes. Kasoo has been a guide for many years and has experience from other ecosystems across Kenya. He pauses at certain moments and listens - he can hear animals and their sounds