Elewana Tortilis Camp Amboseli

Tortilis Camp was our first stop on our Kenya safari. The property is beautiful and overlooks a large watering hole below and if you are lucky Mt Kilimanjaro in the distance. (Bring your binoculars to the dining room; you may spot elephants or giraffes at the watering hole.) Public spaces are rustic but elegant. Our tent was large, comfortable, and private – you cannot see or hear others in the camp. Plenty of hot water, good fast wifi. The food is delicious, beautifully presented, and bountiful. Or waiter, Donald, was the best – soft spoken, always greeting us by name, and anticipating all our needs.|Of course the main reason to come to Tortilis Camp is seeing the animals and the landscape. Our guide, Solomon, was outstanding. He spotted so many animals for us and educated us on their habits. He patiently answered all our questions. Obviously come to the Amboseli NP for the elephants (there are many) but we saw so much more thanks to Solomon – lions, cheetah, hippos, flamingos and a myriad of other birds, gazelles, giraffe, hyenas, zebras, wildebeest… We had an elaborate bush breakfast (complete with omelets to order) and a sundowner on top of a hill overlooking a beautiful landscape with Mt. Kilimanjaro just peeking out.

We visited with SkySafari - overall trip review posted there.||Our room was lovely, and spotlessly clean. There are quite a bit of elevation changes in camp, so it's a reasonably long and steep walk back up to the main area. However, I explained about my bad knee and they were able accommodate me by picking us up at the pool instead, which was a tremendous help.||Staff were great: Paul, our room attendant, brought beverages and cookies each morning. James in dining remembered all our preferences each day. Manager Zed and his team were warm and welcoming.||Dickson was our guide. He is so, so knowledgeable. He was able to find a wide variety of animals, and tell us about all aspects of their lives. We got to see (and smell-eww!) elephants in musth. He found us cheetahs, including a mom with cubs. He's a photographer himself, so he really understood what photographer's needs are. He provided suggestions and positioned the truck perfectly for my husband's camera. Really amazing experience with Dickson!||The food was great, and they provided some of the recipes when we departed. In addition to the restaurant, we got to enjoy sundowners on a hilltop one evening, and a bush breakfast. ||Because of the nearby waterhole, there was quite a bit of wildlife to enjoy right from camp. We had dik-dik's living near our room, and we got to see elephants by the waterhole at night.

I want to tell you what an absolute wonderful time my husband, Craig, and I had while staying at Elewana Tortillas this October.  We absolutely loved our accommodations and were pleasantly surprised by the RODI water for brushing teeth and the presence of a hair dryer!  The bed was more comfortable than most hotels I've stayed in! The water was abundantly hot and the wifi was strong enough to keep me connected with no issues!We are pretty plain jane eaters and our waiter Donald was a bit bewildered at our lack of appetite initially.  He went out of his way to find Craig his beloved brownies and make sure we were well fed the entire time.  We skipped lunch one day (we aren't accustomed to 3x daily four course meals).  I joked with Craig that I think Donald would be wondering where we were.  Like clock-work he arrived at our tent to make sure we hadn't accidentally slept through lunch.  We very much appreciated his service!We opted for exclusive use of the safari vehicle and that was a great decision!  We had Simon to ourselves for the entire 3 days.  We loved him and he was the crown on top of the Tortilas experience.  He knew right where to take us and showed us many things!  He is very knowledgeable about his environment and the animals that reside there.  When I return I hope he is still there and I can request he be our guide again!

We had an unforgettable stay at Tortilis Camp last month. The location is absolutely remarkable, overlooking a pond where elephants gather at dusk. The food was delicious, and the service was thoughtful and attentive throughout our stay. Having a private vehicle for just my husband and me, along with two excellent guides, made the experience even more special. They answered every question with such knowledge and passion. Some of our favorite moments included a surprise bush breakfast, a magical sundowner at the top of a hill, and an unexpected birthday cake for my husband that made the evening so memorable. We always felt completely safe and deeply enjoyed watching wildlife roam freely with the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro as the backdrop. Each morning and afternoon, the camp manager and his wife greeted us warmly with a smile, which made us feel truly at home. Tortilis Camp is a place of beauty, care, and unforgettable experiences — we cannot recommend it enough.

We can't say enough about Elewana Tortilis! Food was really 5 star quality! They did a great job making sure my Gluten Free sister in law had great food choices. Our guide had so much knowledge and was able to find every different animal possible in the area. He was always on the lookout for us, finding that hard to find cheetah! Hot coffee on the game drives in the mornings, cocktail happy hour at sunset out on a mountain top, hot breakfast one day out mid game drive, amazing desserts.... But really the topper was how well we were treated. I felt guilty being catered to that much. I wasn't really expected to have my laundry done as perfectly as they did it. So when they say pack light, you really can as they return clean clothes within the day. Really....don't overpack! We could easily stick to the 22 pounds limit and come home with clean clothes. But do take a fall coat. It can be chilly in the mornings and at sunset. ||Benefits to location and time of year: no mosquitos!

The moment we arrived at Tortilis Camp, we felt so welcome – a big warm hug. General Managers Graeme and Candi Smith and their incredible team greeted us enthusiastically, making sure they understood our dining preferences and other special requests. Clearly their hospitality comes from the heart! The grounds are lush and gorgeous – unbelievable views, including Kilimanjaro. Amboseli was the first park on our safari, and our daily game drives were thrilling. (I might have overdone it a bit with all the photos of elephants and Kilimanjaro.) Upon our return each day, we were greeted with huge smiles, cool hand towels and a cold drink. Our rooms (tents) were beautifully designed and decorated, spacious, comfortable and spotless, with thoughtful features and amenities, including daily laundry service. The food at all the camps and lodges we visited was excellent but I must say Tortilis take top prize. Lovely menu selection, perfectly prepared and beautifully presented – each meal was a delicious work of art. The chef and the wait staff clearly take pride in offering an exceptional experience to their guests. I can’t praise the Tortilis Camp team highly enough – asante sana!

Absolutely amazing from start to finish. The rooms are beautiful, the food is delicious, and they even gave us a free 30 minute massage for our honeymoon! We saw so many animals at the watering hole that you can see from the restaurant and bar. Donald was great at the restaurant and took great care of us and James left us nice notes and a bracelet during turndown service. Every staff member there though was so sweet and made our safari wonderful!

The accommodations, the food and beverage, the staff and the service were outstanding. A 5-star property that I would not only recommend but I would encourage travelers to include a stay at this property in their itinerary. We enjoyed every moment of our stay here. The rooms were charming, cozy and clean and the lodge offered a birds-eye view of a watering hole where you could relax and watch the animals come for a drink. The picnic brunch during our morning safari as well as the evening cocktails to watch the sunset were delightful. Our safari guide was outstanding and knowledgeable and suggested a visit to a nearby Masai village after the morning safari. The visit was a fun and fascinating experience that enriched our visit to the area.