Kitich Camp

Kitich Camp is located in the remote Matthews mountain range, a rarely visited area of Northern Frontier District, in Kenya.

It is nestled in a verdant grove of fig trees, indigenous flowering shrubs and prehistoric Cycad palms.

If faces a bank of the Ngeng River, surrounded by green wooded hillsides and craggy peaks.

The people of the Matthews Range are the pastoral Samburu and Soyei who used to gather together in the upper valley of Ngeng River for feasting, singing, and dancing. Here they were always assured of water and grazing for their cattle and honey for making beer. They called this area "Kitich – the place of happiness".

Kitich Camp is a lush oasis amid arid surroundings and is one of the real conservation successes of Kenya. A grass roots approach that has resulted in a win-win situation for people, wildlife and the environment.

The wildlife find refuge in the Ngeng Valley away from the competition of domestic animals. Elephants, lions, leopards, greater kudus, waterbucks, giant forest hogs, buffalos and wild dogs are among the many species found here, together with more than 200 birds’ species.

The Environment is being preserved for future generations of Samburu, wildlife and visitors. The Samburu themselves have received great benefits from the guests of the camp, trough the Conservation Fee which everyone of them pays by staying at Kitich.

The compensation they receive goes directly to the community, and is not filtered through a conservation organization or the government. The funds received benefit the entire community, from education to health care and community development.

But those who benefit most are the ones who are lucky enough to come to enjoy this unique environment and conservation challenge.

Everything about Kitich has been left as natural as possible, without sacrificing any important creature comforts. Each of the six luxury tents features its own verandah and view plus en suite bathroom with a canvas camp shower, under the stars, with true "running water": just ask and the staff will run and get it for you, at any time of the day and evening. The water is heated over a cedar deadwood fire near your tent and is available in the quantity you may desire.

In Kitich there are no mosquitoes, therefore the area is Malaria free.

Because of the pristine and unexplored Wilderness we prefer to avoid the traditional game drives, instead guests enjoy walks in the forest, accompanied by their expert guides and host, Giulio Bertolli, traveler with more than 30 years experience in different countries of Africa.

There are several walks, ranging from very gentle to the vigorous, including a ninty minutes hike to a natural swimming pool in the forest. Living in this remote, unspoiled place… hiking among the elephants and other wildlife… guided by the Samburu who have walked these paths for over two hundred years. It is a spiritual experience that is never forgotten.