GOLD, GOLD & MORE GOLD!
We are over the moon to announce that Kitich Camp, Elsa's Kopje and Lewa Safari Camp have been awarded a Gold Eco rating by Ecotourism Kenya, while Joy's Camp managed to retain its current Gold status!
Evaluated on criteria aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria formed under the umbrella of the UN, this marks a significant achievement and brings the total of Gold eco rated camps & lodges in Kenya to 17. It also makes us the only collection of properties with such outstanding environmental credentials in Kenya!
Elephant Pepper Camp and Cottar's 1920s Safari Camp received their Gold Eco rating end of last year and earlier this year respectively. Tortilis Camp currently has a Silver eco rating but we hope that, following the next evaluation in January, they too will join the others in the Gold Club!
Stefano Cheli comments:
"Our ethos has always been to establish eco-responsible camps and lodges and to create conservation models in direct partnership with local communities. These awards not only acknowledge our continuous efforts, but validate why it is that we do what we do, bringing us one step closer to achieving Gold Eco Certification all round. I would like to thank and congratulate all the teams who have worked tirelessly to uphold our morals and values and brought this to fruition. We are very proud!"
The Ecotourism Committee notes:
"The facilities show superior and remarkable levels of excellence specifically in responsible resource use, socio economic and social cultural aspects. They all have demonstrated impressive and consistent efforts and best practices in their business operations."
Congratulations to the all the teams!
Best wishes,
Stefano & Liz
WELCOME TO A NEW LOOK AT ELSA'S KOPJE ...and a new Family Cottage!
It's hard to believe that Elsa's Kopje could possibly look better, but that is exactly what happened. A recent makeover of the lodge enhances its elegance and imaginative design.
New Honeymoon Cottages
The most romantic hideaway in Kenya is now even more romantic with the upgrade of two rooms into Honeymoon Cottages. Together with the original Honeymoon Cottage number 10, a triple level cottage, with a sitting room, double bed, en-suite bathroom, Elsa's Kopje now has a total of three honeymoon units for the romance seekers.
Honeymoon Cottage #1
The refurbished Honeymoon Cottages 1 & 2 are spacious en-suite cottages with cosy double beds, private decks, outside baths and spectacular views. After a thrilling day of exploring Meru National Park, nothing beats a long, warm soak in the outside bath, surrounded by candlelight and with a glass of bubbly in hand.
Honeymoon Cottage #2
Brand New Family Cottage
Increasingly, more clients want to bring their families on safari and for this reason, we've built a brand new Family Cottage. This is a spacious 2-bedroom cottage with a double and a twin room, both en-suite, a beautiful living room, large private deck and an outside bath by the master bedroom.
Added to this is a range of family-friendly children's activities that make for an ideal family holiday at Elsa's Kopje.
Family Cottage Sitting Room
The New Rooming Line Up
With a total of 11 cottages, the room configuration at the lodge is now:
* 6 Cottage Suites - 4 doubles and 2 twins, with ensuite bathrooms; 4 cottages can fit 1 extra bed
* 3 Honeymoon Cottages - spacious ensuite doubles with private decks, and two of them with outdoor baths. Honeymoon Cottages 2 and 10 can fit 2 extra beds for children under 16 years
* 1 Family Cottage - 2 bedroom Cottage (1 double, 1 twin, both ensuite), a sitting room & private veranda and an outdoor bath
* Private House - 1 double & 1 twin room, both ensuite, sitting room,
veranda and private pool
We look forward to having you stay.
Best wishes, Stefano & Liz Cheli
Elsa's Kopje Camp Manager's Diaries
WHY DID YOU COME HERE? - Philip and Charlie Mason
Philip & Charlie by the infinity pool
We all spend a huge amount of time and energy trying to make our camps look smarter and more luxurious. We spend hours agonising over thread counts for linen and the particular shade of beige for the scatter cushions.
We have photographers fret over perfect exposures and worried helpers tweak the positioning of highly polished glassware for that award-winning image. We get glossy ads in pricey magazines and yards of editorial about the wonders of each particular camp to woo the prospective guest to rest their heads on our ever softer pillows.
High definition pictures of bored leopards, lions yawning (or is that a Metro Goldwin roar) and sleepy crocodiles sunning themselves on the mud bank are meant to lure you into our somewhat unreal oasis of luxury. So I am often ask the question "Why did you decide to come here?"
The initial reasons vary from a childhood dream, often tempered by a Christmas viewing of the 'Born Free' adventure, to a bucket list desire to visit Hemingway's playground, or a simple love of Africa and a desire to return to the 'big skies and big cats'.
The final choice is almost inevitably made on a friend or the agent's recommendation to a place that they have been to and loved. The website or other traveller's reviews might seal the deal but it's the personal experience that counts. Although creature comforts are a pleasure - any fool can be uncomfortable - it's sometimes the less than perfectly manicured moments that are more memorable. A disrupted game drive to give the vet a lift across the plains to a wounded animal.
Getting back to camp late and hot after realising the day has passed by too fast with too much to see. Midnight rumblings of an elephant's tummy outside the room. And sometimes the unexpected friendships that develop in good company.
Any these will make one camp stand out amongst the kaleidoscope of equally lovely places and are what make an ever ever-increasing number of people come back to Elsa's.
Africa's Finest...
Out of choice we prefer to run what is called these days a "green" or at least reasonably socially responsible camp. Mostly this is a deal of common sense combined with a clean and tidy operation. Hardly earthshattering stuff but as more and more people share the same ethos, it becomes more and more important.
Game Drive in Meru National Park, Kenya
We were happy to welcome a couple of guests who seemed to have a more than superficial interest in the 'back of house' goings on at camp and I am always happy to show interested guests how it all works. Colin Bell and David Bristow told me that although many African safari lodges and camps sell themselves as being eco-friendly they had found that some merely "green wash" the nuts and bolts of responsible management.
In 2013, the two released "Africa's Finest", a comprehensive guide of the 50 finest, most eco-friendly accommodations throughout sub-Saharan Africa, the Seychelles and Madagascar.
The pair had spent two years visiting over 1,000 properties, before narrowing it down to 170 finalists. They then invited nine environmental specialists to travel with them for another two years, as they extensively evaluated those properties. Each property was also graded on a scale of ten, based on operation, conservation, and community effort.
It shouldn't have come as such a surprise when we found we were at the top end of the best in Kenya. This is what they had to say about us:
As the sole lodge in Meru National Park, Elsa's Kopje reduced its environmental footprint by running on LED and energy saving bulbs, solar power and dead or renewably sourced wood for timber. Elsa's Kopje also supports local schools; in the past year alone the camp raised $10,000 to support the 340 children and teachers at Ura Gate primary school through textbooks and school repairs.
Students at Ura Gate receiving school books by Elsa's Kopje Guide
Winner of the Good Safari Guide's 'Best Safari Property in Africa' Elsa's Kopje is renowned for being one of the most elegant lodges in Africa, with an award winning design with stunning views from every room, Elsa's Kopje is almost invisible. It blends into the rocky crags of the hillside and every sumptuous cottage is the ultimate 'room-with-a-view'.
And that's what they said...come and see for yourself.
Do you ever get bored with it? No we have not had the time yet!
Hope to see you soon.
Philip & Charlie Mason
Elephant survives attack by 14 lions
A young elephant somehow was separated from his herd when a 14 member pride of female lions descended on the helpless animal at Norman Carr Safaris Chinzombo Camp in Zambia. Clearly outnumbered, the elephant managed to bravely fend off the attack despite having three lionesses on his back at one point!
This event was captured by journalist Jesse Nash, artist and professor at CW Post College in New York, Dan Christoffel, UK naturalist, Steve Baker, and Australian TV personality, Nina Krakowski. At sunset, suddenly they stumbled upon this extraordinary sight and battle for survival. But this little guy beat the odds, fought back and got away.
"In the many years I have been a safari guide in Zambia at South Luangwa, never have I seen anything like this," said Innocent, one of the top safari guides that works with Norman Carr Safaris. "We were all so worried the elephant would be killed right before us. What a fighter. It fought off all 14 lions. Incredible."
We've named the little fellow Hercules.
Another orphaned rhino rescued
On Sunday 16 November 2014, The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre got a very important call to say that Dr Rogers was on his way to collect a rhino calf, and that we should be prepared to take it in immediately. In what felt like a matter of minutes, the boma where Gertjie (the baby rhino we took in on 8 May 2014) usually sleeps was cleaned and prepared with bedding, infrared lighting and a heater. With no further information, we waited in anticipation for the next call.
After what felt like hours we were notified that Dr Rogers and his team would be arriving with the calf in 20 minutes. It was with mixed emotions that we waited. While we were excited at the prospect of saving a young orphan, we all felt deeply saddened at the fact that yet another innocent animal would be forced to be raised outside of its natural environment. The team finally arrived, and it was with amazement that we took in the size of the tiny sedated rhino. A very young bull of just a month old, he could fit comfortably in the back of Dr Rogers' Toyota Prado. He weighed a paltry 60kg!
As he was heavily sedated for the trip to the centre, he was immediately carried to the space prepared for him so that Dr Rogers could reverse the drug and wake him up.
It is hard to describe the collective emotion in the room as we all took in the very small life that lay motionless in the middle of the floor.
When is this cruelty going to end? His mother was shot and poached for her horn, leaving him behind - utterly defenceless - to die. While details are still not clear, it appears that the incident took place on the evening of Saturday 15 November in the Hoedspruit area. The calf was found close to her lifeless carcass. Both animals were still covered in mud, and it is highly likely that the young orphan had just enjoyed his first mud bath before his mother was killed.
Shortly after waking, the young rhino made it clear that he was very hungry by trying to suck on his blanket. He was very confused - a new area, new smells and no mother. Even though he was still 'groggy', he was deeply traumatised and evidently petrified.
Everyone left the boma, and Karien Smit (assistant curator) stayed behind with a bottle of formulated milk. The first bottle is crucial for the baby's survival, and we are very happy to report that he took it in with gusto. He is now feeding every three hours, 750ml at a time, and his current daily intake is around 6 litres. This will increase exponentially as he grows.
The baby rhino has been named Matimba which is a local Shangaan word meaning "strength" or "power". He may be tiny in body, but his spirit is strong. Matimba has been kept within his little 'house' over the last few nights with red lights and a heater. Karien has been accepted by him and he feels very comfortable with her. For this we are extremely grateful.
As the sun came out over the course of the morning of the 17th, Karien decided to let Matimba out to spend some time in its warm rays. As any curious baby would, Matimba immediately started to explore, but never moved far from his companion. And for that fraction of a moment, he seemed happy. It's all the other moments, when he cries inconsolably, that the true story is obvious.
Said Greta, manager of The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, on 19 November 2014: "Christo and I slept with him last night. I was so emotional as he was crying so much it made me sick. He eventually went to sleep, and thankfully slept peacefully for the rest of the night. We can only hope that tonight, and every night thereafter, will improve."
Each hour is critical at the moment, and we are 'all-hands-on-deck' to do what we need to to ensure that he does not become yet another tragic statistic.
|