Tandala

An ideal haven for those who desire exclusive privacy and peace. (Please indicate the number of guests as it may make a difference to the price) Check-in: 12:00 noon Check-out: 10:00 am The space CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR - Offering a discounted rate of $800 for the entire house. Please indicate up to 7 guests when booking even if your group consists of 10. Tandala is a self-catering property however, a freelance Chef can be hired for 3000/- per day. The telephone number will be sent once a booking is made. For a small fee the Chef will do your food and drinks shopping. There is a Suggested Menu in our Photos, which may be of help when deciding upon meals. Freelance Drivers and Vehicle: From the airport to and from Tandala. From Tandala to and from Amboseli Park. The telephone numbers will be sent once a booking is made. About the property: We have another property listed on Airbnb (Little Tandala - Ideal for 6 guests) which can be booked separately or together with Tandala if you wish to host more guests. Tandala is the Robert’s family bush home where guests experience the remote atmosphere and charm of rural Africa. Tandala is 1 and 3/4 hrs. drive from Nairobi and 2 hrs. drive to Amboseli Park at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tandala translates to Kudu in Swahili and is located in the secluded Maparasha Hills in the Northern district of Amboseli. The house overlooks a waterhole and offers sweeping views across to the Pelewa Hills. The entire house is made with locally sourced materials and blends in with the environment perfectly. Exposed timber beams, shining dark wooden floors, log fires, shady verandahs, Thunbergia covered walkways and Lily covered ponds create an oasis of calm luxury. “All I wanted to do now was get back to Africa. We had not left it yet – but when I would wake in the night, I would lie, listening, homesick for it already.” ~ Ernest Hemmingway --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Accommodation and House information: (We ask all our guests to remain respectful and considerate of the environment as we try to encourage wildlife. Please keep noise levels down.) Bedrooms: Tandala has five bedrooms: Including three double bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and two twin rooms with en-suite bathrooms. Provided are: Loo rolls, natural hand-made soap and body wash. Kitchen and Dining: The kitchen is fully equipped with a fridge, solar chest freezer and gas cooker. Some basics are provided which include: Dried herbs/spices, salt and washing-up paste. Tandala is a self-catering property, which means that food and drinks need to be brought with you. Tandala does not offer the services of a Chef so guests are responsible for cooking meals – however, a freelance Chef can be hired for 3000/- per day. The telephone numbers will be sent once a booking has been made. For a small fee the Chef will gladly do your food and drinks shopping for you. There is a Suggested Menu in our photos, which may be of some help when deciding upon meals. House staff are also on hand to assist with preparation and washing up. The large sitting room has a log fireplace and leads into the elegant dining room. Dining can be in the dining room or alfresco – either next to the pool or at the dining area on the verandah. The swimming pool has a pool house with a log fire, barbeque and brasserie cooker. The roof terrace offers magnificent views of the surrounding bush and hills and is the perfect place for sundowners. Solar power and WIFI: The property is completely off grid. A solar system powers the house. Please be careful not to leave the lights on when they are not required. Hair dryers, baby bottle sterilizers and other heavy wattage appliances must not be used. WIFI is provided and there is mobile phone network. Tandala Staff: The staff include: Housekeeper, house girl, garden/maintenance/pool attendant and night askari, all of whom will make your stay as comfortable as possible. Pets: As much as we love them, no pets are allowed – we try to encourage wildlife and pets often cause a disturbance. Key values at Tandala: For the short time we are here on this earth we feel it is of prime importance to try and protect this small piece of Africa. We frequently patrol the area for snares and do our utmost to protect the wildlife. Our neighbours also feel the same and we have all agreed not to fence as many areas as possible to allow the game to roam freely between our properties. You may see a variety of wildlife such as: Lesser Kudu, Buffalo, Impala, Eland, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Duiker, Dik-Dik, Warthog, Hyena, Ostrich, Giraffe and Leopard in the area. We have also spotted Wild Dogs, Aardvark, Wildebeest, Zebra and the occasional Lion and Cheetah. The bird life in the area is superb, so bring your binoculars! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guest access By road: A car with reasonable clearance is advised. A 4x4 is only necessary if there has been a lot of rain. 1 and 3/4hrs. drive from Nairobi. (Via Athi River or Kiserian) - (The main gate is on G maps under Tandala Estate) There are two routes that can be driven from Nairobi: Route 1: Drive down the Mombasa Road to Athi River; be careful not to miss the slip road on the left, which takes you under the bridge that the main road passes over. Drive through Athi River/Kitengela and continue straight on to Isinya then Kajiado then Il’Bisil. At Il’Bisil drive over rumble strips and bumps. On the left look for two large pointed roofs. Turn left just before them on to a dirt road and bear right toward the hills in front for approximately 7 km. The drive takes approximately 15 minutes off road from Il’Bisil to the Tandala main gate and 10 minutes drive to the properties once through the gate. Route 2: Drive past Banda School on the Magadi Road and continue on to Ongata Rongai then on to Kiserian. Turn left after Kiserian and continue straight on to Isinya. Once at Isinya turn right to Kajiado and then Il’Bisil. By plane: Private charter flight to Neylan’s Farm, 20 minutes from Nairobi. - Coordinates: South: 02° 07’ 241” East: 036° 48’ 629”. By helicopter: Tandala’s Helicopter Pad - Coordinates: South: 02° 09’ 443” East: 036° 49’ 508” Other things to note Activities: (Activities can be arranged on arrival.) Hikes and Strolls: Tandala is situated on 330 acres of natural bush. You are welcome to explore the property and take an accompanied walk. At the top of the ridge there is a historical gun emplacement ruin from WW1, which may be of interest to some guests. Horse Riding: Accompanied horse riding on the property. Cinema Night: Choose a film from our film library and we will set up a beautiful cinema experience outside under the stars or in the sitting room by the fire! Spa Treatments: Enjoy a relaxing massage or beauty treatment in our Spa room. The telephone number for the Therapist and Price Guide will be sent once a booking is made. Visit Amboseli: Amboseli National Park (Meshanani Gate) is approximately 2 hrs. drive from Tandala via Namanga. Other details to note: - Take care as wildlife roam freely around the property. Please note if guests would like to cycle or walk around the property, do so at your own risk. There are often buffalo seen in the area. We recommend guests go on accompanied walks. - Tandala is located in a natural area, so you may see insects and animals in and around the property. Please be mindful and respectful of their environment. We do not use any harmful chemicals, as we do not wish to harm the ecosystem. We thoroughly clean the house and use natural repellents. If you are afraid of insects and wildlife (eg. Bees, spiders, hyraxes, bats, bush mice, monkeys, frogs etc.) please take this into consideration before making a booking. - Please be extremely cautious of all flames/fire hazards. Do not leave any flames unattended. Please do not smoke inside. Make sure cigarettes have been properly extinguished in an ashtray. Do not burn candles in the bedrooms. Mosquito nets and curtains are highly flammable. NB: Fire Extinguishers and smoke alarms are provided throughout the house. The evacuation point is in the car park. - Children must be supervised at all times and the house staff should not be asked to act as nannies or child-minders. We provide limited accommodation for an ayah (nanny). The cost is 1,000/- per person per night, which includes food and bedding. The accommodation is in the staff quarters. - Staff can only sleep in the house and use the facilities if they have been paid for as a guest, ie. Full Payment. There is accommodation available in Il’Bisil for drivers or for those that require more facilities. - Laundry service is provided for items used at Tandala, not from previous safaris. - The water from the taps is from an underground spring on the property and is safe to drink. If you prefer bottled water, please bring your own supply. - Tandala is a private home containing the owner’s personal belongings, which must be respected. - We do not provide charcoal, so please bring your own supply, or it is possible to purchase some at the property with prior notice.