Tawi: the Amboseli eco-lodge

Tawi Lodge is an eco-friendly property set on a conservancy at the edge of Amboseli National Park. It lies in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, which you can see while you’re lounging by the pool or on the deck of your cottage. I think the highlight of Tawi is its intimacy. There are just 13 cottages so you get an incredibly personal service and because you’re on private land, it’s much more peaceful than the neighbouring National Park.

The lodge sits in a 3,000-acre conservancy that was set up in partnership with local Maasai landowners, who are paid a regular concession fee to fund community projects like Lemong’o School. What’s more, the conservancy protects a natural wildlife corridor which elephants use to migrate between Amboseli and the Chyulu Hills. A big selling point is that Tawi Lodge has a Gold Eco-Tourism rating; it’s one hundred percent solar powered and grows its own produce.

Expect luxury, thatched-roof cottages with private decks surrounded by Acacia Tortilis trees. There’s also a beautiful pool that overlooks the waterhole where animals come to drink. It’s a great honeymoon destination as there’s a spa for massages and the option of candle-lit meals under the stars. Although the area isn’t as wildlife-rich as Amboseli itself, being on a conservancy means there are less safari vehicles around and you get to enjoy activities not allowed in the park, such as night drives and bush walks.

When I visited, I remember following jeep trails onto the conservancy and spotting a gerenuk standing on its hind legs eating from the trees. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen one and it was absolutely brilliant. At the lodge there were lots of zebra and antelopes gathering around the waterhole and elephants regularly wandered through. At night, you can go out on a drive and your guide will shine torches into the trees where you might spot bush babies and other nocturnal animals – perhaps even a leopard if you’re lucky.