View of the main house through the entrance gates - The property is set amongst 3.7 acres of palm plantation in an area called Dongokundu (red earth), however the locals tend to refer to the land near the creek simply as 'Mida'
'Kucheza Mwezi' (Moondance) - The house is designed around a central courtyard with large entertainment areas & 9 bedrooms - sleeping a maximum of 23 people
Looking back at the gates towards the staff quarters
The front door of the main house - the guest house is beyond the wall to the right
Our Masai 'askari' (night watchman) Stephen and Alex
Dining room into courtyard Jan 08
dining room detail
Dining room seating area
new serving table in dining area - Jan 08
Dining room Jan 08
One of the many palm trees growing within the house !
Detail of a wall light alcove with traditional African carving
Antique african masks
The courtyard with doors leading to the stairs up to the master suite (left) and TV room on the ground floor (right)
Courtyard Sept 07
Best seat in the house!
Courtyard fountain - jan 08
The fountain with the bar area behind
The fountain with the sitting room behind
Fountain mask detail
The Bar
Bar detail
Part of the seating area next to the bar with the courtyard beyond - taken from the pool patio
Sitting room seating area - jan 08
Seating area detail
Sitting room - jan 08
Sitting room seating area with covered walkway beyond to ground floor bedrooms and stairs to one of the first floor family suites
Sitting room detail
View onto the pool patio from the sitting room and bar
Sink detail of the guest cloakroom
Twin beds of the 'Galana' bedroom
Galana bedroom
Galana bedroom dressing table detail
Galana free-form polished concrete shower
Galana sink detail
Galana shower room
T.V room - seating 15 people comfortably
T.V room - with satellite and DVD player - complete with a library of dvds to suit most tastes!
T.V room - built for serious rugby watching!
Detail of canvas in TV room
Samawati triple room with ensuite shower room
Samawati room
Samawati room showing walk-in robe and full size single pilli pilli bed
Samawati room kingsize canopy Lamu style bed
Samawati room dressing table detail
Doors leading on to the private veranda giving a full view of the garden
Bed detail of Samawati bedroom
Samawati shower room
Sink and shower detail
One of the many palm trees left to grow within the house !
patio - nov 07
Lamu room kingsize bed
Lamu room bed with full size pilli pilli bed behind
Lamu room pilli pilli bed and antique swahili musical instruments on the wall
Lamu shower room - complete with palm tree !
Lamu room veranda - nov 07
View of the pool area from the Lamu room's private veranda
Master suite (Ndoto) sept 07
Ndoto wardrobe
Ndoto room detail
Ndoto room
Ndoto room showing doors onto private balcony
Ndoto bedroom balcony
Master ensuite sink detail
master ensuite shower detail
Master ensuite
The study bedroom (Andiko room) - from the stairs - complete with large collection of books available to read during a visit - but please return!
Full size single beds in the Andiko room in the master suite
Andiko room going through into the triple (3 singles) Mkareti room
Full size sofa bed in the Mkareti room
2 single beds in the Mkareti room within the eaves of the makuti roof - with gallery over into the dining area
Kingsize bed of the Kololo room
View of Kololo bed from the adjoining loft bedroom
Kololo room wardrobe and shelf detail - with door through to Wafarika loft style bedroom
Kololo, Wafarika and mauakundu shower room
Wafarika bedroom - with 1 king and 1 single bed
Wafarika king size bed detail
The Mauakundu (red flower) bedroom - nov 07
The Mauakundu bedroom
Mauakundu kingsize bed detail
Mauakundu dressing table detail
View from the Mauakundu bedroom private balcony
Main pool early morning
Main pool and pool house - 2007
The pool main house patio area - the pool is slightly saline with it's water coming from a tidal borehole - there is a freshwater outside shower next to the pool pump house (visible behind the palm tree in the foreground)
pool area with new screening - Jan '08
The main house pool patio and garden area as seen from the end of the guesthouse garden area
Guesthouse from the garden
Fishing boats and rocks outside the famous Ocean Sports Hotel
Turtle Bay beach
Turtle Bay beach - about half way down the beautiful white sands that stretch 3miles from Watamu village to Mida creek
One of a half dozen 'goggle' boats that can be hired for a trip to the spectacular coral gardens and sand spits at low tide
One of the many fascinating creatures to be found whilst snorkeling within the marine park
The Watamu Marine Park offers excellent snorkeling and diving with an abundance of tropical fish and stunning coral - but it is a protected area so nothing can be removed and care should be taken not to tred on the delicate coral heads
The marina at Captain Andy's near the mouth of Mida creek
One of the 3 dhows that operate 'sundowner' cruises on the creek - see details of how to book in the information packs by the bars in each house
The Hemmingway's Dhow
A Mida creek sunset - stunning every time!
Another Mida sunset - Mida creek is a very large inland tidal waterway - perfect for water sports and bird watching - and there's almost nobody ever there except at christmas!
Mangroves at Mida Creek
'Bakuli' - our ski boat, but used for fishing and cruising on Mida Creek - great for the obligatory 'sundowners' - a must do on any trip to Kenya!!
Bargaining for our dinner - fish, prawns and lobster can be bought from the local fisherman - fresh out of the creek!
Flamingos in flight - flamingos can always be found at Mida although only in their hundreds at certain times of the year
One of the many varieties of Weaver birds found in Kenya
Local produce brought fresh daily to your breakfast table
Bananas grown on the small holding next door!
A sample of some of the delicious food that is available locally - either by visiting one of the many good restaurants nearby or simply ask our own cook Wilfred and eat at home!
A local restaurant - Robinson Crusoe style!
An extra guest for breakfast !
Giriama women carrying water near Che Sale north of Malindi
Part of the restaurant at Che Shale - less than 1hr from the house and about 25 mins north from Malindi - access by 4x4 along the beach or taxi to a track where, by prior arrangement, the staff from Che Shale will collect you in the hotel's own 4x4
Ruins of the 14th Century trading port at Gede
Arab architecture - part of the Great Mosque at the Gede ruins
Part of the royal palace at Gede - about 10mins by car from Mida
One of Pete Darnborough's two fishing boats
Sunrise as the fishermen head out from Ocean Sports Hotel
Indian Ocean sunrise
Waiting for the big one!!!
Not bad !
Pretty good!
Impressive!!!!! Pete follows a tag and release program and big fish like this Marlin are returned to the water unharmed
Sailfish are a fantastic sport fish and great for the BBQ after the long fight !
Loading up for safari
The only way to travel - but watch out - it's totally illegal to sit on the roof of a vehicle whilst visiting a national park - save this kind of thrill for private land only !
The Malindi to Tsavo road - red and dusty with Sala Hill in the distance - the main gate to the park is about 15mins from here.......
The plains below Voi Safari Lodge - Tsavo East
View of the Yatta platteau after a storm with the Galana river in the forground - Tsavo East
Giraffe with the Taita Hills in the background
Galana river
Galana river seen from Sobo rock with the Yatta plateau in the distance
Ostrich crossing near Aruba dam
Buffalo near Aruba dam in Tsavo East
Our friend and very experienced safari guide - Simon Mutahi - at the Voi elephant orphanage (as seen on T.V!) - Simon has a gold award in ornithology from the Kenya Wildlife Service and his knowledge of East African bird and animal life is extensive helped by his fluent english and general amiable personality - kids love him!! - He's an accomplished horseman and available as driver and guide for safaris in the Tsavo area or 'up country' in his native Laikipia (Abadares, Solio, Sweetwaters, Lake Naivasha and Nakuru ).
Elephants - covered in the famous Tsavo red earth - amazing to see about 100 in that particular herd
Pride of lion near Voi in Tsavo East
The alien-like gerenuk
A very large male baboon on the look out!
Male gazelle near Sala river loop - south Tsavo East
Large Monitor lizard on top of a termite mound - Tsavo
Giraffe near camp
Zebra near Sala hill - Tsavo east
Giraffe giving us the eye!
One of the many species of birds of prey in Tsavo - an ornithologists delight!
Vulturine Guinea fowl
Kori Bustard - the largest flying bird in Africa
