We spent a week at Campi ya Kanzi in August 2011. My husband and I went with our 2 children who are 10 and 12. From the moment we arrived in this remote wilderness, we were enchanted by everything Campi ya Kanzi had to offer. Luca and Antonella have done a phenomenal job in creating a top notch safari experience - but it was so much more than that. They, along with their partner Stefano, have created a magical place that combines luxury, adventure, conservational awareness and a true sense of community with the Maasai people. We had our own Maasai guide and dedicated land rover for the week. Our guide's knowledge about the area, the animals, and the people knew no bounds. He was a true delight to spend the week with. He never tired of our questions and happily shared with us his story and the story of his people. The tents at Campi ya Kanzi are lovely. We had hot showers every afternoon/evening from solar heated panels. We woke up every morning to zebras, giraffes, wart hogs, baboons, etc. drinking at the watering hole in front of our tent.
The food was amazing! We feasted on fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, pasta, etc. And my husband and I are very discerning eaters - we were very impressed. We loved eating at the communal table at Tembo House for breakfast, lunch and dinner with the other guests. Each morning we were greeted with hot coffee/tea in our tents before breakfast.
I considered this to be a true vacation because I never had to think about logistics or worry about what to do next. It was all done for us. Each of their suggestions for our daily activities were enthusiastically welcomed. We would just get in our land rover and go or head out on foot and explore without worrying about any of the details. One of the highlights of our trip was spending time in the local Maasai village. Our kids really loved meeting the kids from the village and playing with them. Some of the other highlights included our early morning game drive tracking elephants followed by a surprise breakfast in the wild - a beautiful table was all laid out for us under a jungle-like canopy with hot coffee, eggs, bacon, fruit, baked goods, etc. We also loved the lantern-lit cave dinner - amazing. And of course, the animals - seeing them in their natural habitat was really exciting. We particularly loved that our guide Pashiet went out on his own - while we had lunch back at camp - in search of lions on our last day (knowing that we really wanted to see lions before we left). His perseverance paid off - he led us to a mother lion and her 3 cubs. We sat and watched the cubs play for about an hour. They were the cutest things I've ever seen.
In sum, I would HIGHLY recommend Campi ya Kanzi (and already have told many of our friends about it). We will never forget our time there and hope to return someday. We had the time of our lives, and feel like we made some good friends in the process.

Campi ya kanzi offers a unique and authentic african experience. The project is run under the auspices of a Trust whose aims are to conserve the Maasai Mara culture including its rich wild life and to improve their educational and living standards. The staff of the hotel is all committed to the goals of the Trust and most of them are Maasai themselves. The hotel is absolutely comfortable and ecologically responsible and is set in a wonderful location, between the Kilimanjaro and the Chyulu Hills (Hemingway´s Green Hills of Africa). The food is fantastic. The game drives are great and they are combined with walks across the hills where you get to places where the views are breathtaking. Very children friendly since the owners, who live on site, have 3 young children themselves. Highly recommended.

Although spending some days in Campi ya Kanzi is not the cheapest, it is more than worth considering the effectiveness of the work that is done by the people of Campi ya Kanzi for both the local Maasai community, as well as the wildlife. As a part of the amount spent on your staying is directly contributed to the Maasai conservation trust fund, you get to see a clear insight of the good work this fund is doing for the community.
Next to that, the camp is located (believe us, we've seen quite some places in Kenya) in one of the most beautiful, breathtaking and poetic landscapes man can imagine. Spending the day with your Maasai guide, just him and your family, wandering in the middle of this amazing nature makes you realize the power and beauty of Kenya.
It's of course not only about discovering the power of Kenya's nature and its authenticity, it is the concept, brought to you by inspiring, warm and caring people that make you discover your inner self.
We are more than convinced that the project founded by Luca, his family and the whole team, as well as the Maasai people deserve extra appreciation and credit in your specific chapter and magazine.
This part of our Kenya experience is surely not a thing for John Doe, but most surely it is a recommendation for people looking for integrity, respect for nature and local traditions, in combination with an exclusive and rather luxurious approach.
We loved it, and we will definitely go back there when visiting Kenya. We also would like to thank Luca, Antonella, Stefano, Pashiet and the whole team of Campi ya Kanzi for bringing this experience to our hearts and souls forever!
Vanessa, Jurgen & Matisse - Nov 2010, Antwerp, Belgium

My wife and I spent a magical week at Campi Ya Kanzi in late May 2010.

Getting There
We were greeted by James at Nairobi International Airport, who hastened us through the Kenyan customs/visa process, somehow ;-) avoiding the long queues, and boarded us and our luggage on the Campi’s private propeller plane. Anna, our very friendly pilot, took us over the beautiful Kenyan landscape and gracefully landed the plane on a small grass airstrip located a few miles from the camp. So started our unforgettable safari vacation.

Our Hosts
Our gracious hosts, Luca and Antonella Belpietro, built this award-winning ecotourism resort as a joint venture with the local Maasai community about 15 years ago. Although very busy with day-to-day operations of the resort, wildlife conservation projects, Maasai community education and healthcare development, international fundraising efforts, and raising their three young children, they spent unhurried time with us and joined us at every formal meal. Over the course of the week, we developed a strong friendship with them.

The Facilities
The resort accommodates about six couples/families. The accommodations for each couple/family is a wooden cottage with a thatched roof, canvas tent walls, and a balcony/patio overlooking a watering hole frequented by zebras, gazelles, giraffes, buffalo, and the occasional lion (not all at the same time, of course), and with a great view of Mt. Kilimanjaro at the horizon. Cottages (all designed by Luca) are dispersed on the property, and provide absolute privacy and a great view. The interior of our cottage contained a queen/king size bed, a sitting area with armchairs, dressers and closets, and a full bathroom with shower. The décor (all designed by Antonella) was very tasteful and elegant. Meals (which are four or five course experiences) are enjoyed in the main hall, which is a large wooden building located centrally and a short walk from the cottages. The structure has a long balcony with a great view, a living room/den area with a wood-burning fireplace as the centerpiece, and a dining room with a large table that can seat eighteen. Luca and Antonella have hired all Maasai workers from the community to run the place.

Eco-Friendly
The electricity for the entire property is from a 4 kW standalone battery-backed solar panel array designed and installed by Luca himself. Although Luca is not a electrician or engineer by training (he is an economist), he has managed to wire up the property so elegantly that it would put the work of many licensed electricians to shame. Instead of electric stoves or ovens, food is prepared with wood-burning ones (imported from Italy), which are not only more environmentally friendly, but also gives the food an amazing flavor. Rainwater is gathered, filtered, and distributed through the resort using state-of-the-art processes and equipment, and wastewater is reclaimed, filtered and routed to the wildlife watering hole. Soaps used and provided to guests are imported from a boutique shop in Italy made from all natural and biodegradable ingredients. It is this attention to detail that makes Campi Ya Kanzi such a wonderful and unique place.

Safaris
Luca planned safaris after consulting with us about our interests. Some started early in morning (6am), with breakfast “in the field”, while others were after a full breakfast (eggs, bacon, croissants, cereal, fruit, coffee, etc.) in the dining hall. Unlike the safari vehicles used by resorts in the national parks, which are minivans encased in glass and in which are 6 or more guests, our vehicle was an open air Land Rover Defender. Our safari guide, his assistant, and at most one other couple accompanied us. Our guide, Pashied, was a former Maasai warrior and one of Luca’s first employees. He was very friendly, spoke excellent English, was an expert at spotting animals and birds, and had an amazing knowledge of wildlife (English/Latin/Maasai names, gestation periods, behavior, diet, tribal lore, and anything else we had questions about). We were there at the tail end of the rainy season, which apparently is not the ideal time to see wildlife. Nevertheless, we saw over 60 species of animals and birds, including elephants (highlighted by a close encounter with a curious baby and its protective mother), giraffes, zebras, buffalo, gazelles, impalas, and a cheetah on the prowl. We did not encounter any lions or leopards on this trip, despite significant searching by Pashied. Unlike another reviewer on this site, we don’t blame Campi Ya Kanzi for this!

Hiking
Afternoons were usually spent hiking or climbing hills (nothing very strenuous), to see spectacular sunsets and views of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our guides served us drinks and snacks when we reached the summit.

Conclusion
Our week at Campi Ya Kanzi was an unforgettably beautiful and magical experience, and we have been raving about it to everyone we know since we have been back. We plan to return next year, this time with our children. We highly recommend Campi Ya Kanzi to anyone and everyone without reservation!