Ithumba Private
Exclusive-use camp · Tsavo East, Northern Area among granite kopjes beneath an ancient baobab · Sheldrick Lodges, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Top-end
Inside the park
Owner/family-run
The smallest of the three Sheldrick properties in the Northern Area, set among kopjes under one enormous baobab. It is usually taken together with Ithumba Hill when a family needs more space than either offers alone.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Sheltered by an ancient baobab among granite kopjes
- Infinity pool looks out over Ithumba mountain
- The most intimate of the three Ithumba camps
- Exclusive access to the Ithumba orphan elephant unit
- Combines with Ithumba Hill for a larger party
Cons
- Whole-camp booking only; no single room or sharing option
- Conservation fees are extra on top of the camp rate
- Site publishes no rates or child policy; the Trust confirms these directly
- Road access needs your own hired car and driver
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Tsavo National Parks charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryThe non-resident rate, and East and West are ticketed separately.
- $80per person, per day
- VehicleKSh 600 a day for a typical hire car, roughly $5.
- $5per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $495 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
A combination ticket covering both parks saves about $35 over two single tickets.
The full fee schedule for Tsavo National ParksRates at Ithumba Private
On request. Exclusive use only, quoted per camp per night. Small, and usually booked alongside Ithumba Hill for a larger party.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026 rates gathered in July 2026 from operators' own rate cards and the official KWS tariffs. Watch the pricing basis: most Tsavo camps quote per person per night sharing, while Serena, the KWS guest houses and the self-catering bandas quote per room or per unit, so two sets of numbers are not directly comparable. KWS conservation fees are extra almost everywhere at $80 per adult per park per day, plus KSh 600 for a car under six seats.
Questions about Ithumba Private
Is Ithumba Private good for families?
Sheldrick Lodges' site does not display rates or booking conditions, so no minimum age or child policy is published. It is the smallest of the three Ithumba camps, three rooms for up to six guests, taken as one booking, so a family has it entirely to themselves; for more space it combines with Ithumba Hill next door. Ask about child rates when you enquire.
How much does it cost to stay at Ithumba Private?
Ithumba Private is booked as the whole camp, not per person, so the quote is given on request for up to six guests across its three rooms. It is usually combined with the neighbouring Ithumba Hill when a group needs more space. Conservation fees are extra on top of the camp rate.
Can you self-drive to Ithumba Private?
Ithumba Private's nearest airstrip is Ithumba, and Sheldrick Lodges describes roughly a 50-minute flight or a five to six hour drive from Nairobi for its Tsavo East camps, reaching the park's remote Northern Area. Driving yourself means arranging your own hired car and driver; the Trust can advise if you need help booking one.
What does the rate at Ithumba Private include?
Ithumba Private's rate covers its infinity pool overlooking Ithumba mountain, game drives and exclusive access to the Trust's Ithumba Reintegration Unit, all set beneath an ancient baobab among granite kopjes. Sheldrick Lodges says park and conservation fees are not included in its lodge rates and are paid direct to KWS.