The Collection

Elewana Kifaru House Game Walk

Kenya’s Ministry of Health has announced that all fully vaccinated passengers arriving and entering Kenya no longer need to present a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival. Fully vaccinated passengers will be required to present a certificate of COVID-19 vaccination at any point of entry. According to Kenya’s Ministry of Health, fully vaccinated means having received the prescribed doses of the specific vaccine, with the latest vaccination received at least 14 days before arrival in Kenya (not including the day of vaccination).

Elephant Pepper Camp Breakfast at Camp with Wildebeest

Following on from two very difficult years, we are delighted to announce that this year’s peak season bookings are back to pre-pandemic levels. That, coupled with postponed trips, is going to make for a very welcomed busy peak season. Please ensure that your clients book as early as possible to avoid disappointment and don’t discount the shoulder seasons which also make for a wonderful time to travel.

pieaerts masai mara 1Photo © Pie Aerts

Acclaimed wildlife photographer and conservationist Pie Aerts will host a ten-day photography expedition to Kenya from the 23 to 31 October 2022.

Pie will escort the group to two of his favourite corners of Africa, Kitirua Conservancy in Amboseli and the Mara North Conservancy in the Masa Mara. The group of like-minded people with a passion for photography and the wild will stay at Tortilis Camp and Elephant Pepper Camp.

There are only two places left in this expedition so head to https://www.pieaerts.com/masterclass/kenya/ if you would like to secure a seat on this once in a lifetime adventure.

In The Community

shanga threading

Shanga recently collaborated with EDU Africa on virtual physiotherapy sessions which focused on how the practise can help to ease pain and prevent fatigue amongst staff with disabilities. EDU Africa offers customized experiential learning opportunities in East Africa. The virtual learning program included a discussion and review of techniques focused on how to address physical pain, how to find ways to move while being overweight, and how to help fatigue due to sitting in wheelchairs or using crutches. The staff were also taught some physical exercises and together, they made posters to highlight COVID prevention techniques and personal hygiene.

From Our Conservation Partners

invasive cactus gustavo lozadoPhoto © Gustavo Lozada/TNC

Researchers from Durham University’s Conservation Ecology Group, in collaboration with Mpala Research Centre and Loisaba Conservancy, are working on a new study to understand how the invasive prickly pear cacti (opuntia engelmannii) affects the ecosystem and local communities within Laikipia County, Kenya. Prickly pear spreads quickly, turning a once thriving and diverse bionetwork into a sprawling sea of aggressive green shrubs with spiny thorns and Loisaba has many heavily invaded sites. To gain further insight, researchers have set up motion-activated camera traps to record the number of animals and species which use sites invaded by prickly pear, as well as provide information about how different species engage with the cactus - whether they eat fruits or pads or other plants nearby or use the plant to hide from predators.

This is where your help comes in! The research team needs assistance in processing the large number of images collected by the camera traps and have implemented an online citizen science platform Zooniverse, where anyone can view the camera trap photos and classify the animals in them. Visit the project page here.

The research teams then compare the numbers to sites in the Conservancy which have little, or no cactus. Research is starting to show that the plants can alter key aspects of behaviour of wild animals, which then has a ripple effect in surrounding local communities and the entire ecosystem.

Inside Information From The Team

Altus du Tolt gm manor

Why is the manor the perfect location for the Elewana Service Training and Hospitality School

The Manor is perfectly situated on a coffee plantation, nestled between the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara, which gives the students a perfect opportunity to learn topics whilst conversing with our guests. Some of the mentors and key staff at The Manor have climbed to their current roles through Training Academy so this makes them perfect mentors. Because the Manor is not on a nature reserve but located next to one, students get the chance to learn hospitality that is purely focussed on the day-to-day operations of a lodge environment. Students get in depth training in all different departments within the hospitality sector. They get a chance to work through all the departments and then choose, with our guidance, a suited department to specialise in.

Please give us an overview of what students learn

Students at The Manor learn theoretical and practical training in all facets of hospitality, including front of house: butler, barista, reception and back of house: all sections of the kitchen, storekeeping, financial controls, gardening, and maintenance, we also currently have two ranger interns who are lucky enough to have two of our best rangers mentoring them.

Are students able to interact with guests

A big yes on this question, we encourage this as much as possible, we believe students and staff in the hospitality industry need to show guests a bit of their true selves rather than the old-school idea of what we call "robot service", (tongue in cheek). We take a lot of pride in teaching our students how and what to talk to guests about, this is an important skill to be learned as well as giving students the gift of confidence.

Tell us a little about your current students

We have just finished with a group of students, where we had many smart and self-confident young men and ladies with bright futures ahead, as well as some who realised that the hospitality industry is not for them. We currently have two ranger interns as I have mentioned above, their focus at The Manor is also about learning and understanding the difficulties and procedures of the other hospitality departments. We are eagerly awaiting our next group of students.

In your opinion what is the most important skill to have when working in service and hospitality

Self-confidence and a willingness to serve. If there is anything else you would like to add As the GM couple of The Manor, we are greatly impressed with the eagerness to learn and work from the young hospitalians of Tanzania, there is no better reward than training young people and seeing them grow and then take flight.

News You Can Use

Game-Drive

As travel and tourism begins to get back to normal, Elewana will return to allow up to 6 people per game drive vehicle. For those traveling in groups up to 7 people, we will happily accommodate them in one vehicle if they choose.

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