We have located Camp Kenya 50 km south of Mombasa at Makongeni Village . Makongeni is a small rural community nestled in the coastal bush and on the edge of the mangroves. Fringed by palm trees, it is a beautiful, un-spoilt location and you will witness real African community life happening around you day by day. Don't expect to see any tourists in the village; this is your chance to realize your African dreams. The Camp is only 4 kms away from the Indian Ocean making this a fantastic beach and bush location. You can probably tell we are very proud of Makongeni!
The list of opportunities available to you from Makongeni is amazing. On a personal level you are going to make lifelong friendships and strong bonds with the African community and be in no doubt that you will be making a difference. Evenings in camp are often spent around the fire with your friends or at the camp bar, which you run. You will also be accepted as part of the community and days playing sports and exploring the mangroves with the local kids will be a big part of the memories that stay with you forever and make Camp Kenya unique.
The beach is a short drive away and will be a big part of your stay at Makongeni. It's an incredible place to socialise and you have the full range of water sports activities on offer such as scuba diving, kite surfing and snorkelling.
Year round there are normally no more than 35 travellers in camp at any one time and in the high season months of July and August the camp is split in two to accommodate up to 80 people.
PLEASE REFER TO CAMP INTERNATIONAL GAP YEAR TRIP PACKAGES FOR RATES
For our Gap Year programmes you are accommodated in classic safari style tented units on solid bases. The tents are carefully positioned amongst the trees and surrounded by a wooden Boma (fence). There are 2 open air mess areas with roofing made from palm fronds, known locally as Makuti (ma-koo-tee) and a couple of rustic bars (The Big Hand and Tusker Tavern) constructed by your predecessors. Keep a good eye on your things as the monkeys do have expensive taste and a bit of a thing for chef's lasagne.
Team Expeditions are typically accommodated in 'walk-in' 2 person dome tents to provide more privacy and flexibility for larger groups and equipped to the same high standard. These are ordinarily used for 4 to 6 people however we like to give you a comfortable bed and space to swing a cat (or monkey) should you have one.
Special attention has been made for the environmental and climate considerations and tents are fully netted to reduce the chances of you sharing the night with mosquito's or any unwanted insects. No need to worry about snakes or spiders as long as you keep the zips closed when you are out! There are three types of tents for 2, 4 and 6 people that accommodate single sex groups.
Individual sleeping units consist of handmade beds, high-density mattresses, all bedding and individual mosquito nets. Local village craftsmen produce all the camp furniture from sustainable timber sources or metal. All in all it gives you the chance to really experience what its like to live in the African bush without getting rid of all of life's creature comforts!
The water for washing is pumped directly from a local bore hole and as such showers are available every day, just don't necessarily count on a hot one! You will be pleased to hear that the toilets are not just a hole in the floor! Just like at home, complete with seat and flush and linked to an environmentally friendly soak away. No doubt a big relief for those of you who thought it was going to be Ray Mears styley!
A mixture of solar power and generator provides power for the camp and there are British, 3 pin sockets in camp for you to power and charge your electric items and batteries. Please, no hairdryers or play station!
Our Camp Managers, Patrick & Francis are responsible for the management of the camp staff and the smooth running of your stay with us at Makongeni. There is staff accommodation in the camp and a member of the team is on site 24 hours per day.
Camp Makongeni is equipped with radio communications directly to Head Office. There is a strong mobile phone reception and all key management and drivers carry mobile phones. If you have 'international roaming' activated on your phone you will be able to make and receive calls. We suggest you purchase a Kenyan sim card if you intend to use your phone.
You live amongst the tight knit local 'Digo' community providing you with an integrated, non-tourist and cultural experience. Makongeni Village is an underdeveloped and cash poor community that benefits from the positive infrastructure developments and local employment possibilities provided by Camp Kenya . Use your time to understand the people, compare their dreams to yours and you will quickly see that you have a great deal to offer each other.
Camp Makongeni is supported by all of our available transport, which varies from minibus to 4x4 overland vehicles in the summer season. Local, safety vetted taxis are available for a small fee to transfer between camp and the beach.
We have a large on-camp field kitchen staffed by local cooks who supply a daily menu of fresh, local produce. The camp cooks who live in and around each camp are responsible for providing three square and healthy meals per day.
We employ people locally and they all have children at the schools you will work with. More often than not they will insist that you relax, however we prefer it if you muck in when you can and help our staff, assisting with the preparation of meals for the camp as well as cleaning up and general field kitchen duties.
Fresh fish, meat, chicken, fruit and vegetables are all standard daily fare. Purchases are made daily and you are encouraged to "barter" and purchase supplies from local villagers i.e. fisherman, thus encouraging important cultural interaction and financial support.
Local cooking techniques are also taught and utilised, with regular beach BBQ's being highlights of your stay. A wide range of diets can also be catered for including vegetarian and vegan. Unlimited drinking water is supplied in the camp; the water is purified through well-maintained European standard filters thus reducing risk of waterborne diseases. Soft drinks and beer can be provided at your expense and a dedicated fridge is provided in camp for this purpose.
We are committed to a sustainable development programme with the community of Makongeni and thanks to the hard work of everyone who has participated over the past few years, our achievements there are significant. Core projects focus on education and initiatives, which benefit the local school and constantly expanding classes. In the past 3 years, student levels have risen from just over 100 to in excess of 600 children.
Makongeni has a specific community focus for projects and the following list provides you with a feel for what you will be involved with: Teaching; Renovation; Construction of classrooms; Painting; Fencing; Tree planting; Sports and coaching; Desk making and Playground development.
We need you to give 100% to the project work and be prepared to get your hands dirty mixing cement, bricklaying, painting and tree planting. We need desks making, fences erecting and there is a lot to be done with the playground and sports facilities. You will be integrated into the teaching rota and the rewards of standing in front of a class of young African children are hard to put into words.
Life at Makongeni can be an emotional rollercoaster and during your stay you will find yourself laughing and crying daily. To see hundreds of children singing their thanks to you is a life experience that no-one can take away from you.
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Moderate (2 Star)
Classic Camps
English and Swahili
Mombasa Airport
50 kms
4 kms