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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Elephant Bedroom Camp offers luxury in a setting of breathtaking beauty. It is set along the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River and shaded by doum palms and other trees that make up this green belt of riverine forest in Samburu National Reserve. The surrounding Samburu National Reserve is an area of spectacular scenery; its dry plains bisected by the meandering river, with the backdrop of Africa's dramatic mountains, including Mt Kenya. The spacious tents have rustic and colourful African touches, offering all the comforts; including a private plunge pool on the deck, hot and cold running water, electricity (and complimentary herbal shower and bath products.) The lounge and dining area is decorated with vibrant safari style, its soft intimate lighting assuring that this is the ultimate place to relax in between exciting game drives. Elephant, Monkeys, Impalas are amongst the camp's many regular wild visitors, whilst Samburu National Reserve has a good number of lions and leopards and offers the opportunity to see many species endemic to northern Kenya.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
River View
Romantic
Location
Hse #166 Shanzu Rd Off Lower Kabete Rd, Samburu National Reserve 00100 Kenya
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Elephant Bedroom Camp has earned a reputation for its exceptional service, with staff going above and beyond to create a comfortable stay, as noted by several guests. The spacious and clean rooms with special touches receive high marks, particularly for the thrilling proximity to wildlife.
While opinions on value vary, with a few guests finding some products overpriced, the luxurious tents, amenities, and serene atmosphere with thoughtful details like candles are frequently praised. Reviewers also often celebrate the excellent food and unique wildlife viewing experiences.
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Luxurious
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Our first trip to Samburu. We were greeted warmly, staff were helpful, engaging, tent was lovely, and the plunge pool, while cold, was great in the heat. When we arrived we saw a parade of elephants across the river, wandering along the bank, playing, some crossing the river. Enchanting. Our guide Julius was superb, knowledgeable, and happy to make drives productive. Great job! For context, we have stayed at three other camps in Kenya, all in the Masai Mara. The rating would be higher but... Samburu has less wildlife than the Mara. Drove long times between sightings. Thanks to Julius, we saw interesting animals, but it was harder than expected. Food was OK, but not great. Heavy lunches, and menu items that did not match their description were a factor too. Lastly, when other camps include daily sundowners and drinks at camp, the cash bar here was a downer. When we asked for a glass of water with lunch, it was only provided at a cost. Filling water bottles for afternoon drives was a production. Laundry was charged as well, which was another irritant. Not big factors, but just took a bit away from the carefree enjoyment. We should add a comment on sundowners. While not offered on afternoon drives, they did have a reception (every 2-3 days) out on the way to camp that was more than the regular sundowner. Nice. Overall, pleasant, well staffed and enjoyable, just not up to the level of other camps.
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from judebaraza, Operations Manager at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Mar 27, 2020
Thank you for your insightful review of our camp. It was a great pleasure for us to be your hosts and your comments are highly appreciated. Due to the different eco system, spotting of wildlife paricularly the cats is more challenging in Samburu than it is in the Mara. On the meals, as a policy we encourage our guests to engage with our staff including the chef if the meals are not to their satisfaction. In relation to sundowners, our sundowners are held every second day however if you wish you could request for a private one. Our guest normally are on packages that do not include drinks hence the cashbar. One can choose to be on an all inclusive package which covers drinks as well as laundry. Having said that, your comments are very welcome and we will work on all the areas that you have pointed out so as to improve the guest experience at our camp. We look forward to your next visit.
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We stayed one night at Elephant Bedroom Camp as part of our Safari trip organized by Crown Tours & Car Hire in Nairobi. Our Safari trip consisted of 1 day at Lake Nakuru (Mbweha Camp), 4 days at Maasai Mara (2 nights Tipilikwani Mara Camp & 2 Nights Ngenche Camp), and 1 day at Samburu (Elephant Bedroom Camp). We had an excellent driver / guide hired through Crown tours who stayed with us throughout our Kenyan adventure.
We arrived at Elephant Bedroom Camp around noon and had a great lunch on the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro river. The tents are modern, large and clean. There are dedicated guards to escorts you at night and keep an eye on your bungalow in case any wildlife roam the grounds which made us all feel very safe. In the evening we had our choice of various 3-course meals, including vegetarian. Our kids loved the “wake-up call” which consists of hot chocolate and biscuits brought to our tent before heading out on an early morning safari.
Samburu National Reserve has a more mountainous landscape than Maasai Mara and has beautiful vistas. “Elephant Bedroom” camp does its name justice. We really got to see some elephant families up close while staying here.
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Date of stay: January 2020
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from judebaraza, Operations Manager at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Jan 30, 2020
We are grateful for your amazing review of our camp.It was a great pleasure being your hosts and we are glad you enjoyed your stay with us. It is our wish that you will give us the opportunity to host you at our camp again in the near future. Thank you for choosing to stay with us.
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Elephant Bedroom has a wonderful location, with spacious tents strung out along the banks of the Ewaso Ng’iro river. When we arrived there was precious little water flowing, but rain in the nearby hills ensured that within a short while water covered the riverbed. As it’s name suggests this property ensures amazing elephant viewing. We were very fortunate in that we saw a great variety of game including a leopard with her four month old cub. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets as well as a stunning rainbow over the doum palms. We had come with our own outstanding driver/guide and vehicle from Nairobi (thank you Sunworld Safaris), however I understand that the resident guides are excellent too. The à la carte lunches and dinners were delicious, with a choice of four main courses. The food presentation was outstanding. Jennifer, the waitress, made sure my special dietary requirements were adhered to. The breakfast buffet was good but sadly the packed breakfasts were not. The bar was well stocked. The camp manager Carmen was very friendly and quickly helped to resolve a few issues we had. The staff were all very friendly. We really enjoyed the Sundowners with bitings, held every second evening at Elephant Bedrooms special picnic site East of the camp.
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Date of stay: March 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jude baraza, Other at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Apr 6, 2021
Thank you for your wonderful and detailed review of our camp. We are glad that you enjoyed your stay with us, It was a pleasure hosting you. We have noted your comment on the packed breakfast and will ensure that corrections are made. Thank you for choosing to stay with us. We look forward to hosting you again in future.
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The camp is very unique in Samburu National Reserve, it like camping in nature, but on a very luxurious level. The camp are not shared with anyone, there is a ton of privacy when the blinds are put down for the night, During the day the view from inside the room is amazing, right from your bed too. These rooms are very clean, bug free and you do have to zip down your rooms, while inside the camp or even when you leave for a few minutes to walk around during the day, to prevent the monkeys and the baboons to make themselves right at home and go through belongings. Elephants are a common sighting in and around the camp, usually right outside the rooms. the are frequent visitors there, sometimes 3-4 times. its a sight, and a feeling that you will not get in any other Hotels in the ares. Food is good, I had a craving for a local dish, mentioned in passing to the staff, that morning while having breakfast and the comeback was " do you want it for dinner tonight or tomorrow, we will make it for you" that floored me, and the food prepared for me was amazingly delicious. Dinner after a Safari, a good shower and a little nap, in nature is just the thing to make this Camp very memorable. The amenities are very good, despite being isolated and in nature, hot water showers when needed the most after a dusty safari drive. The least thing I did not like is, when my stay was over, its a very sad feeling, 4 days we were there did not do justice, could have stayed longer. I will miss the camp, the staff but most of all are the Elephants that stroll right by your room.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip:There are no good rooms here, just great rooms that over look the river, wildlife and great vies...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jude baraza, Other at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Mar 27, 2023
Thank you for your detailed and beautiful review your stay at our camp. It was a pleasure hosting you and we are glad your stay was enjoyable. We hope you will give us the opportunity to hosting you again in the near future, thank you for choosing to stay with us.
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Our recent visit to Elephant bedroom camp was a wonderful experience. Tents are private and luxurious, meals are delicious, and the views can't be beat. All the tents face the river with a view of elephants playing on the opposite bank (and occasionally coming right through camp)! Days begin with "wake up" hot beverages and cookies delivered to your tent, followed by an early morning game drive. Then return to camp for buffet breakfast. Lunch and dinner were both selected from a daily menu and the food was great. The camp is open to the wildlife and guards are posted to escort you to your room at night. During the downtime, we watched monkeys playing on the tents and in the grass, watched the elephant families come to the river to play, watched mongoose scamper around the tents, and took a dip in the private plunge pool on the patio. By far the best part of our adventure were the game drives with our amazing drivers James and Julius. These guys can track the animals by watching the behavior of the herds of antelope, by the monkeys calling in the trees, by observing footprints in the sand, and just by sheer talent! By the last game drive of our stay, we had seen nearly every animal the park has to offer - except the leopard. When James and Julius got a call on the radio that one had been spotted, we raced to the location to see this majestic animal, even though we were supposed to have returned to camp earlier. What a memorable end to a terrific stay! Thank you to Carmen and all her wonderful staff, but especially James and Julius.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:All rooms have a front-row view of the river and wildlife.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jude baraza, Other at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Jan 16, 2023
Thank you for your amazing review of our camp. It was a pleasure hosting you and we are glad your stay was enjoyable. We do hope to see you again on your next visit.
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My second visit was as perfect as my first. The staff all remember me and didn’t miss a note. They are as warm, welcoming and accommodating as I remember. The camp is immaculate and well staffed. The tents beautifully situated along the river and very well appointed with all the comforts you could want. The chef is very talented and the daily menus are inventive and offer something for everyone and every diet. His dishes are amazing, delicious beautifully plated and plentiful. Don’t miss the Sundowner happy hour out in the park they provide. Cocktails, appetizers and an inviting fire pit all brought out for your enjoyment.
The park does not disappoint with an abundance of wildlife from the namesake elephants that stroll around through the camp at night to the elusive big cats that can be found if you search. Spent a great day spotting the unique Samburu 5 and found them all plus some very fortunate sightings of two of the rarest park inhabitants the Stripped Hyena and Kudu.
All in, this place is a wonder and should not be missed! It should be on your itinerary when visiting Kenya. My only negative was the large family group that was loud, disruptive and demanding. They had the wait staff running in circles trying to make they happy with their ridiculous demands and the child that ran around chasing the birds. They found fault and blame in everything including the driver they hired in Nairobi and even faulted the camp for that mistake. Seems they forgot the first rules of curtesy that those that serve you are not your servants and a little respect will come back 10 fold.
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jude baraza, Other at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Dec 10, 2020
Thank you for your wonderful review of our camp and the Samburu National reserve. It was a pleasure having you as our guest and we are happy that you enjoyed your stay with us. It is our sincere hope that we will get the opportunity to host you again on your next visit. Thank you for choosing to stay with us.
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We enjoyed Elephant Bedroom. The camp was well laid out and the staff were very friendly. The road through the park is horrible with significant wash boarding. The government should spend some of their money fixing it up. It would only take a grader a couple of days. We were very impressed with the food selection. This is the first camp we have been to that had 50% of their entries as vegetarian. Clearly they are seeing more and more of the customer heading that way. I thought it was interesting that they ask you to order your food from a menu written on a black board way before you are ready to sit down for dinner. I assume this makes their preparation easier.
Their name is very appropriate because at our first lunch a large elephant came through, shook some of the doum palms to get the fruit to fall and then proceeded to have its lunch. On our second night we also had a herd walk around out tent. The staff did a very good job about keeping all of the tourists far enough away from the elephants.
Samburu Reserve while not have the density of game as say the Mara was actually very good. We saw a leopard with a cub, lions, cheetah and the usual Grevy Zebras and Gerenuks.
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Date of stay: March 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jude baraza, Other at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Apr 6, 2021
Thank you for your review of our camp. It was a pleasure hosting you and we are glad that you enjoyed your stay with us. Thank you for choosing our camp. We look forward to hosting you again in future.
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A wonderful camp in the Samburu National Park, perfect for game drives to see the unique animal species in that part of Kenya. It has the perfect combination of rustic and luxury. Even though you are in a tent in the middle of the African bush there is wifi, haridryers, comfy beds, hot showers, flushing toilets, etc etc!!
Each tent has a plunge pool on the veranda and it is such fun watching the monkeys and baboons coming to drink from them!! Also elephants wander through the camp daily, sometimes pausing for a quick drink from the plunge pools!!
The camp has a resident tame impala called Tamu who was saved by James when he found her at a few days old beside her dead mother. He brought her back to the camp and she was bottle fed by the staff!
James was our driver/guide and did a fabulous job finding us the 'big 5 '. Not only was he very knowledgeable aboout the animals and where to find them, he had a great sense of humour making it all fun!!
For those of you environmentally conscious, the camp is run entirely on solar energy day and night as they have a very sophisticatd system of solar panels and batteries.
Thank you Carmen, (camp manager) for creating such a lovely warm and welcoming place to stay.
Asante Sana!
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Date of stay: December 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Go for Tent 6 for the closest/best view of the river.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jude baraza, Other at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Jan 16, 2023
Thank you for your beautiful and comprehensive review your stay at our camp. It was a pleasure hosting you and we are glad your stay was enjoyable. We do hope you will allow us to host you again in the near future, thank you for choosing to stay with us.
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We had to tailor our safari round the availability of this lodge as it only has a limited accommodation. We went as it was recovering from the flood. Well situated on the river bank and the game drives. Very wheelchair accessible and lovely staff. My only criticism such as it is as it was extremely expensive which would probably Govern whether I went there again on a limited budget. However it needs to be experienced
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from judebaraza, Operations Manager at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Feb 13, 2020
Thank you for your gracious review of our camp. It was our pleasure hosting you and we are glad that you found your stay with us to be enjoyable. Your comment on our pricing is noted and we encourage you to open a dialogue with our reservations office to further discuss available options. We are grateful that you chose to stay with us and look forward to your next visit.
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We loved our 4 night stay at the Elephant Bedroom Camp. The staff is amazing - friendly, helpful, attentive, polite, professional, and always working to do their best to make every guest feel comfortable and welcome. Carmen is simply wonderful. She is authentically caring and engages with every guest. We really appreciated William's attentive table service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Like everyone there, he was attentive, friendly, hardworking, and went out of his way to make us feel at home.
Our guide, Solomon, was phenomenal. Each morning we were on the road at 6 am, to watch the sun rise and look for wildlife: giraffe, elephants, lions, zebras, birds of all sorts, and so much more. (We were even lucky enough to see wild dogs one morning.) Our twice-daily drives were fully packed with sightings. We saw so much more than we ever could have imagined. It was breathtaking at times. He was friendly, thoughful, and incredibly knowlegeable about everything. We were so grateful for his expertise.
If you have the opportunity to stay at the Elephant Bedroom Camp, you will not be disappointed with the spacious and comfortable accomodation, quality food, riverside location, and, most importantly, the welcoming, professional, caring staff. We highly recommend it.
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Date of stay: August 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:Tent 3 is located adjecent to the dining tent. Very convenient!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from jude baraza, Other at Elephant Bedroom Camp
Responded Sep 21, 2022
We highly appreciate your wonderful and detailed review of our camp. It was great pleasure hosting you and we are happy that you enjoyed your stay with us, It is our sincere hope that you will allow us to host you again in future. Thank you for choosing to stay with us.
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1-It looks like there is a fee for laundry service if needed?
Laundry list is provided as camp
2-Is there a fee for beverages-alcoholic or not? Drinks are excluded and we have a fee of $40 per person per day which includes selected drinks and non premium spirits or alternatively we have a bar where a client can consume and pay upon check out.
There is alot of talk of gin and tonics! It appears to be included from the ads.
3-Any other costs we might have at the camp?park fees,extra activities that you may book like spa services
Also-Do we have a walking safari option? I see that some people commented about going to a local village.
Nature walks and Village visits are extra activities that cost $50 per person.
Is that something we will have time for during our 3 night stay? Thank you!
Yes its possible.
November usually is not very cold but mostly mornings can be chilly so it's good to bring a light jacket.
Our laundry is hand wash and dry sun.
We also might have short rains, and windy.
Oh also, it's such a small camp that you can dress as fancy or as casual as you'd like. They're very accommodating (Mara Ngenche). It's one of their boutique resorts so I think that's why they take better care of their residents there. Anyway. Good luck!
There are more places to choose from in the Samburu National Reserve area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
elephant bedroom camp hotel samburu national reserve
LOCATION
KenyaRift Valley ProvinceSamburu DistrictSamburu National Reserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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