Kipalo Hills, Mbulia Conservancy
Unexpectedly delightful lodge on the edge of Tsavo West – perfect for stopovers to and from the coast
Layout
Kipalo Hills is set, as the name suggests, on a hill, and you’d better hope you don’t leave something in your room and have to traipse back up to it. The secluded tents – there are eight of them, ranging from smaller doubles to the extremely spacious family tent at the top of the hill – are set apart from each other, affording plenty of privacy as well as decent views.
Rooms
The camp has five luxury tents and one luxury suite, all well spaced from each other, and some a bit of a hike to reach (although the views do make up for some of that). The tents themselves are finished to a high standard, and are very spacious and comfortable.
Food
Accommodation is provided on a full-board basis, and as a guest, you have the option of dining alone or en famille, or joining a larger group at the long mess table. The menu is pre-planned by the chefs, and they serve up tasty, filling food. At sundowner time, they send guests off with delicious bitings.
Activities
A lovely swimming pool, surrounded by a rocky outcrop, overlooks the Mbulia Conservancy, and is fantastically peaceful. One game drive is included in the price, and guests can also go on free game walks. If staying longer, the lodge offers fly camping along the Galana (Tsavo East) and Tsavo rivers, and the lodge is nicely situated with close access to both Tsavo East and West.
Upsides
It can be tricky to find somewhere nice enough to stay on the way back to Nairobi that doesn’t mark an abrupt end to the holiday – Kipalo Hills is lovely in that sense. The setting is classic Africa, and it is particularly suited to those who enjoy getting to know their fellow guests. Of course, it’s very much a destination in its own right – and you could do worse than spend a couple of days unwinding here.
Downsides
You may have to travel further afield to see decent game – while the location is spectacular, it doesn’t lend itself as well, perhaps, to driving out a few hundred metres from base to spot a lion.
Location
The lodge is located about a 40-minute drive from Tsavo East’s Manyani gate, and about 40 minutes in the other direction from Voi.
Price
Until the end of 2021, the price is Ksh 16,000 pp (low season price), sharing, or Ksh 18,000 per single. Children under six go free. From 2022, prices start at Ksh 18,500 pp sharing, or Ksh 20,700 for a single.
bookings@secludedafrica.com
Tel: 0737 199 870
Layout
Kipalo Hills is set, as the name suggests, on a hill, and you’d better hope you don’t leave something in your room and have to traipse back up to it. The secluded tents – there are eight of them, ranging from smaller doubles to the extremely spacious family tent at the top of the hill – are set apart from each other, affording plenty of privacy as well as decent views.
Rooms
The camp has five luxury tents and one luxury suite, all well spaced from each other, and some a bit of a hike to reach (although the views do make up for some of that). The tents themselves are finished to a high standard, and are very spacious and comfortable.
Food
Accommodation is provided on a full-board basis, and as a guest, you have the option of dining alone or en famille, or joining a larger group at the long mess table. The menu is pre-planned by the chefs, and they serve up tasty, filling food. At sundowner time, they send guests off with delicious bitings.
Activities
A lovely swimming pool, surrounded by a rocky outcrop, overlooks the Mbulia Conservancy, and is fantastically peaceful. One game drive is included in the price, and guests can also go on free game walks. If staying longer, the lodge offers fly camping along the Galana (Tsavo East) and Tsavo rivers, and the lodge is nicely situated with close access to both Tsavo East and West.
Upsides
It can be tricky to find somewhere nice enough to stay on the way back to Nairobi that doesn’t mark an abrupt end to the holiday – Kipalo Hills is lovely in that sense. The setting is classic Africa, and it is particularly suited to those who enjoy getting to know their fellow guests. Of course, it’s very much a destination in its own right – and you could do worse than spend a couple of days unwinding here.
Downsides
You may have to travel further afield to see decent game – while the location is spectacular, it doesn’t lend itself as well, perhaps, to driving out a few hundred metres from base to spot a lion.
Location
The lodge is located about a 40-minute drive from Tsavo East’s Manyani gate, and about 40 minutes in the other direction from Voi.
Price
Until the end of 2021, the price is Ksh 16,000 pp (low season price), sharing, or Ksh 18,000 per single. Children under six go free. From 2022, prices start at Ksh 18,500 pp sharing, or Ksh 20,700 for a single.
bookings@secludedafrica.com
Tel: 0737 199 870
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