The Ark Lodge

I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.

Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.

El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.

Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.

So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last

Juhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024

Dear Lisa, We are now back home and had a fantastic time. All the arrangements went seamlessly, transport and hotels were great. Laikipia was amazing, a very personal experience and they did all they could to accommodate everything we wanted to do. The river location was fantastic and ideal for the children as they got to swim in it. It is somewhere we would all like to return to. There might not have been the numbers that you get on the Masai Mara however we got to see lions with cubs, two black leopards, a golden leopard and the wild dogs as well as a huge number of other animals and birds. Thank you for suggesting to stay for 4 nights, it was just the right amount of time. The tamarin Hotel was a good choice as we were able to eat at the Carnivore restaurant which was an experience. Mauritius was lovely and relaxing, just what we needed after a very active time in Laikipia. Accommodation and service was great. Weather was good for most of the time, a few showers over the last couple of days. Thank you once again for organising it all. Sally

Sally M reviewing Laikipia Wilderness and Plains on 11 August 2023

Hi Lisa
It was a fantastic experience, thanks very much. All the arrangements were seamless and our guiding/support team were excellent, if there is a way for you to formally commend the team to your ground operators then I would be grateful if you could do that, they really were brilliant.
Many thanks for your help in arranging the trip, and for your patience during the multiple re-arrangements over the past couple of years.
Kind regards, John

John B reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 14 November 2022

I had just the most incredible time on the climb.

The team were incredible and just so accommodating. I really only have good things to say as it was such a great experience.

George was as good as a guide as it gets, very articulate and made sure I was comfortable the whole way up with frequent briefings.

Finn R reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 10 May 2019

The trip was amazing everything was better than we could have imagined.
There was a moment climbing the mount Kenya where my wife accused me of tricking her into doing this (half kidding) as some of the nights got pretty cold, but we were dressed well and the sunrise at the peak was astonishing.
Safari was spectacular, Ben who was our main guide and driver was awesome! We saw everything excepts rhinos which were more of a hope than a reality. We also were able to watch a rock python eat a Thompson gazel live. It was one of the most interesting and unsettling things I have ever seen.
Just overall, so many moments that make you think wow or I can't believe I am here. Thank you for your help in getting everything set up. I don't believe I could have booked the trip without your help and guidance. It was an amazing way to start our marriage and truly the trip of a lifetime!

William K reviewing 11 Day Mount Kenya Trek and Masai Mara Safari Combined on 29 October 2018

We both suffered but enjoyed it immensely. Just how it should be!!!!
Our route up the mountain, the Burguret trail is very arduous and certainly should not be used for people who are not very fit and experienced trekkers. It mainly followers animal trails through the forests and bog lands around the mountain. The Chogoria route down was great. The guide and porters were great. Wild camping means just that, really just what I wanted, but I have lived in Kenya.

Jonathan B reviewing Mount Kenya: Burguret Chogoria Traverse on 24 September 2018

Speke's camp was absolutely ideal - small and personal, with great hosts. We'd definitely recommend the "tented safari" experience to others. The kid's didn't miss having a pool (too interested in Safari). Speke's camp give you your own landrover and driver/guide, which gave us great flexibility (much better I suspect than what is offered by some of the larger camps). Our guide was brilliant. See below for the review we just posted on rip Advisor.

I think the only negative of the trip was getting through Nairobi airport (multiple security checks, and they ask you to "board" two hours in advance, which in fact means going into crowded transit lounge with no facilities), but there's not anything anyone can do about that

It's also worth saying that Peponi really is a unique experience. It's a proper East African institution, with all the locals dropping into the bar. It's the perfect antidote to anyone wanting to get away from the soulless all inclusive resorts which could be absolutely anywhere in the world (which seem to be a bit of a feature of Zanzibar). Lamu is still amazingly undeveloped.

We stayed at Speke's camp for 4 nights in August 2018 - a family of two adults and two children. For us it was the perfect location to experience the Mara. The camp is only a short drive outside the main Mara reserve and is in an amazingly picturesque location, set by a small river in the shade of trees. Wildlife roams near (and sometimes through!) the camp. You get to feel very close to nature when you have a buffalo rooting up grass just outside your tent in the middle of the night!

The camp itself is small and has a very personal feel to it. There are only eight or so guest tents, so you get to meet everyone passing through. One of the great pleasures was getting to chat to other guests over the evening meal or round the camp fire, swapping stories of the day's sightings. If you do want a little more privacy, then it's absolutely fine to eat in your own group.

Whilst you do sleep and eat under canvas, it is an extremely civilised experience: the beds are comfy (with hot water bottles provided to ward off the chill of the evenings); there are bucket showers which sound much more primitive than they really are; the communal area is very elegantly laid out; tea is brought to the tent before setting out on early morning game drives, and the food was fantastic.

What really makes the experience however are the wonderful hosts. Both Adrian and Veronique made a real effort to get to know us and ensure we were well looked after; and it's certainly worth picking Adrian's brains on the history of the region (it's not called Speke's camp for nothing)

The final word must go to our wonderful guide/driver Ambrose and our Masai spotter Marco. It was a real privilege to have our own land-rover and to be shown the reserve by such knowledgeable and charming individuals. Ambrose is a proper naturalist, can identify a lilac breasted roller at 200 yards, and knows where to see the best wildlife without simply following other trucks. On our final afternoon, with 30 minutes before we had to leave the Mara Triangle, we had seen every animal and bird that was on our wish list (including a live Cheetah kill), but had not seen a rhino. Marco saw a speck on the horizon, Ambrose drove like the clappers and as a parting gift we were able to see this most elusive animal up close. Notwithstanding all the awe-inspiring nature, I think my wife's personal highlight was driving the land rover back to amp along the dirt track through herds of zebra and ambling giraffe. A truly amazing experience all round.

Jonathan I reviewing Laikipia & Masai Mara Family Safari on 24 August 2018

If you’re looking for a more personal experience of Kenya, something a little different from the standard safari and beach package holidays, then you should definitely speak to Tourdust!

We decided to have a family holiday with our two teenage boys in Kenya in 2014, a decision that turned out to be far from straight-forward as the FCO extended their no-essential travel guidance area by area in the months leading up to our holiday. After researching the travel companies specialising in Kenya , we chose Tourdust to organise our holiday, partly based on their highly informative website but mainly based on a conversation with Ben, who within a matter of minutes clearly understood what we were looking for.

Ben’s recommendation of the Laikipia Wilderness Camp, followed by the Sosian Ranch and then the Msambweni Beach House was absolutely perfect for us. Everywhere we went the experience was personalised, the service was outstanding and the quality of facilities was second to none. Yes, we did safari drives to see the fantastic range of wildlife in the area, but we also swam in the rivers, rode camels, went on game walks and ate delicious meals cooked on an open camp fire before sleeping out under the endless African skies listening to the lions roaring! Then a flight down to the coast and we relaxed in the luxury of the a villa overlooking the Indian Ocean, with massages on the beach, personal staff on hand and nothing too much trouble.

We knew that we didn’t want a standard package safari and beach holiday but what we got was beyond all our expectations – a truly personal, family experience of Kenya that we will remember forever!

Joanna H reviewing Best of Kenya Family Safari on 07 October 2014

Terri and I just got back from Mt. Kenya, the tour you arranged for us was fantastic.

Shawn M reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 31 July 2013

Daisy and I really enjoyed the trek, it was the highlight of our holiday. I'm full of admiration for the our Guide Francis, cook Wilson and his team of porters. Not only did they feed us like kings but Francis never put a foot wrong on the whole mountain and, as you know, they don't have all the high tech equipment we have such as good boots and 4 season sleeping bags. That really brought home the income gap and I was glad we had brought a decent tip with us. We both enjoyed chatting to Francis as we walked and at meal times and he gave us a very interesting perspective on Kenya life.

At the Rock House Patrick and his wife were very helpful especially sorting out our forward coach trip. It would be great if you could feed back our thanks to the guys.

Transport to and from the mountain was fine, better than I was expecting. The huts were a bit of a shock to the system but you quickly get used to them and its definitely better than tents! The acclimatization day was interesting, I think it may well have helped us summit fairly easily but we were the only group who did it. Overall I would recommend it if you have time.

I will recommend Tourdust to others and I'd give you 5/5.

chris k reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 31 July 2013

A big thank you to the team at Tourdust for our fantastic trek to Mount Kenya.

We made it. It was a tough climb and not for those who are afraid of heights. I learnt loads about the flora and fauna of Africa from our expert guide Francis and we enjoyed great food prepared by Ngari.

Full write-up and pictures of my trip are here

Kathryn B reviewing Mount Kenya: Sirimon - Chogoria Trek on 04 April 2013

We had an excellent trip, thanks!

The guide was very knowledgeable and flexible with breaks, timings, etc. He kept phone contact with the main office to ensure all connections/vehicles were in the proper place at the right time. The lodging was acceptable for a trek. Nothing great, mostly hard huts or tented camps, but nice to have a warm shower on days between our tenting nights. The one night we were supposed to be in The Pelican Lodge, we were changed to Lake Nakuru Lodge, which was fantastic!

During the trek, the cook made wonderful breakfasts and dinners. There was a decent variety of soups, vegtable and meat dishes. Lunch was a basic 'box lunch' with a sandwich, chicken, boiled egg and fruit. Lunch was acceptable and fueled us for the journey, it just got a little redundant by the end of the trek.

All pre-trip literature was informative and sufficient.

I have already and will continue to recommend this trip to others. For the trek: the days are long and tiring, but it was very worth the effort, and the sense of accomplishment is immeasurable. The safari itself was also great. The amount of time spent driving between the trek end to Nakuru and Nakuru to Masai Mari got old... however, this is unavoidable when trying to do it all.

Thanks again for aranging a very enjoyable trip!

Alan B reviewing Mount Kenya: Burguret Chogoria Traverse on 11 January 2013

Altogether a great trip. We were extremely well looked after by Tourdust, and Francis and his team from the moment we were picked up at our hotel in Nairobi to the moment we were dropped off at Lewa safari Park. Francis was an excellent ‘Leader’, bright and knowledgeable, and with very good judgement. We would very happily recommend both Francis and his team, and Tourdust. The final ascent to the non-technical peak of Mt Kenya, Lenana, was perfectly judged despite the foot of snow that had fallen overnight. A great trip.

Julian W reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 06 July 2012

We had a great time! We really appreciated that the trip was booked with a local tour operator, which we learned was one of the biggest and best in Kenya. Patrick was exceptionally helpful, and came to meet us 3 times to check in and make sure things were going well.

There was an unfortunate change to our flight to Lamu which happened 2 weeks before leaving, but were only told the morning of, and it meant waking early, somewhat unnecessarily, except that our flight was changed to the intl. airport instead, and it also meant stopping in another city on the way, which added time to our flight, and detracted from our time in Lamu.

Nevertheless, we had an amazing time, and are very pleased with the trip!

I would rate both customer service and our experience a 5. I would definitely recommend you to others, and am looking forward to saving up again so I can book my next trip.

Jaclyn R reviewing 11 Day Mount Kenya Trek and Masai Mara Safari Combined on 17 August 2011