What is Tandala?
Tandala Ranch and Eco Farm is a ranch and resort built on one
fundamental principle; the environment. Built in the style of the
traditional African huts and villages we make use of everything this
land has to offer. All the straw-roofed lodges are built with stone
walls gathered from quarries in the area and the roofs are supported by
wood from local trees. We planted and replanted several trees, shrubs,
plants and flowers to accommodate the layout of our ranch. So, basically
we moved things around and have interfered with nature as little as
possible. The vegetables and fruit we grow and the livestock on the
ranch are used solely for consumption for those who live on or visit
Tandala. Excess production of fruit and vegetables is donated to local
schools or projects. Also, our staff is hired from the local villages
so we assist the economic growth of the area as well.
We are not connected to the Kenyan power grid, we use solar power
exclusively; for our restaurant and reception, for the lodges and for
the outdoor lights around the ranch. The water we use is pumped either
from the river or our hand dug wells and filtered, so it can be used
for irrigation and of course to make sure our guests can have a hot
shower after a long dusty day on safari. Drinking water is available in
bottles in the lodges and of course our restaurant only uses bottled
water for the preparation of meals.
Where is Tandala?
Tandala Ranch lies at the foot of Mount Kenya, near the village of Jua
Kali (which means 'strong sun'). The nearest city is called Nanyuki and
is 15 kilometers from Tandala. Our ranch is perfectly situated for
those interested in safari; Ol Pajeta conservancy is only a 15 minute
drive from Tandala and Mpala Wildlife Conservancy can be reached within
30 minutes.The Ol Daiga Hills farm is another good option to see
wildlife.
Is Tandala a place that I would want to visit?
In one word; absolutely. Whether you want to enjoy a safari and see the
Big 5, or if you like bird watching, hiking, biking or enjoy nature or
African culture.
And maybe you simply want to enjoy a restful couple of days in a
beautiful environment away from busy city-life, work, smartphones or e
-mail. In that case Tandala is the place to go.
However, if you enjoy mass tourism Tandala may not be the best
destination for you.
What have you built so far?
Tandala Ranch currently consists of; 2 fully functional lodges (hot
shower and toilet, queen-size bed), a reception area, art gallery and relax area, a bar, a traditional grill restaurant, a riverside open air lunch grill and an outside bar overlooking both Mount Kenya and one of the smaller dams on the ranch. Tandala also has a vegetable and fruit garden of over 3 acres (potatoes, onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, avocados,
bananas, mango's among others) and several livestock pens (goats, pigs, rabbits and chickens). We have dug three water wells to make use of the ground water and we have three pumps to pump water from the river and 4 storage tanks to hold the water until it is needed. We have installed solar panels on all the roofs of the existing buildings to provide electricity.
Also our staff lives on the ranch and they have their own traditional African style village consisting of four huts. Staff working in the vegetable garden have their own African style huts set between the banana trees.
What remains to be done?
First, for our Primary Goal ($50.000) we aim to complete the lodges so
that we have six fully operational lodges with a capacity of twelve
guests at any given time. Also, we want to add several huts to house our
additional staff.
Second, if we reach our Stretched Goal ($90.000) we want to obtain a
permanent water supply by digging several dams on various locations on
the ranch. The river which is currently used to irrigate the vegetable
garden and the plants and flowers on the ranch is running dry more
often and more quickly than in the past and without extra water
capacity we risk losing part of our vegetation.
Third, if we reach our Super-stretched Goal ($130.000) we intend to
expand the irrigation system (which is currently very labor-intensive
and not as efficient as we would like) and replace the current water
pumps (powered with gasoline) with solar water pumps. In this way we
remain committed to keep Tandala as eco-friendly as possible.
Fourth, if we reach our Ultimate Goal ($170.000) we want to expand our
solar capacity by building a large solar array on top of the roof of
several buildings at the edge of the valley (and out of sight of our
guests). With this expansion we can guarantee electricity at all hours
everywhere on the ranch, so you can feel secure on the lit path to your
lodge, read a book in bed at night for hours and of course be assured of a cold beer after a hot day!
So, this is what we intend to do for the next couple of months. If you
are interested in helping eco-tourism along you are welcome to pledge any amount you like. If you intend to visit Kenya for safari in the future you may want to look at the perks that award free nights of stay in our lodges and give you free breakfast, lunch and diner for those days as well!
N.B.: Please note that with all perks on offer, drinks and alcohol are not
included. Also note that perks are for a lodge for 2 persons and 2
person meals! So basically you can imagine that our perks are in many
cases a pre-investment to your future holiday.
And best of all; even when we do not hit our target(s), the perks you
paid for are redeemable any time in the future anyway!
Just remember to contact us for availability and reservation details before you book your trip to Kenya. Tandala Ranch officially opens its doors on July 1st 2017.
N.B.: All perks expire at July 1st 2019.
You may want to look at our website http://www.tandala-birding-resort.com/en/ and view our photo gallery to have a look at Tandala Ranch and Eco Farm.
It is nearly impossible to give you an idea of the beauty and serenity
of Tandala with only a couple of photos, but it will give you some idea what you can expect.
As one guest told us recently; "The photos on your website don't do
justice to the view I am looking at right now. If I had known it would
look like this, I would have come much sooner."
Ecotourism is booming in Kenya, but we feel confident that nowhere in
Kenya (nor in Africa for that matter) you will find a place quite like
Tandala.
Imagine a valley near the river, filled with a sea of several shades of
green from the treetops, occasionally interrupted by the bright colors
of orange, red, yellow and white of our beautiful flowers while at the
background you can admire the majesty of one of the highest snow capped mountains in the world. Imagine sitting by your campfire at night admiring the clear starlit sky. Then imagine that you can visit such a place and live for a few moments in a paradise with an authentic African
atmosphere, while enjoying the facilities, hospitality and quality of a modern resort.
Welcome to Tandala Ranch.