Owners, Managers and Guides

Liz & Stefano Cheli – Owners
Born of Italian parents, Stefano grew up in Kenya, spending his early days on farms, which included Loisaba Ranch and Oasis Lodge at Lake Turkana – Stefano's favourites.  Stefano completed secondary schooling in Italy, completed his National Service, before returning to Kenya in 1980 as General Manger of Loisaba Ranch.  Before starting Cheli & Peacock with Liz, Stefano spent a year as a Professional Hunter in Tanzania.

Liz had English parents, but was born in Venezuela and grew up in Nairobi.  She completed secondary schooling in England, before returning to Kenya in 1979 to work as Administrator on a 60,000acre ranch in Laikipia.  Before starting Cheli & Peacock with Stefano, Liz spent a year as a freelance Professional Guide on camping safaris throughout Kenya.  Liz and Stefano have two sons, Joss and Sebastian.

Stephen & Tania Hitchins - Investors

More recent converts to the joys and romance of Kenya and its wildlife, Stephen and Tania are investors in Elsa's Kopje, Tortilis, Joy's Camp and Kitich Camp.  Natives of Gloucestershire in the United Kingdom, with son Harry & daughter Chloe.  They are involved in residential and commercial development in the West of England and South Wales and are founders of the Desert Springs Resort & Golf Club in Almeria in South East Spain
See Spain Property www.desertsprings.co.uk www.hitchins.co.uk

MANAGERS

Francien Van de Vijver & Willem Dolleman

Willem grew up in Kenya, the son of a Dutch couple who moved to Africa in the late seventies. All of his schooling was done in Kenya , after which he went to South Africa to study game ranch management and lodge management for two years. After these two years he moved back to East Africa to work for a safari company in Tanzania, managing one of their camps and leading the camps’ anti-poaching teams. After three amazing years working In Tanzania he decided to move back to Kenya, and move more into the lodge/hospitality industry with his partner Francien.

Francien was born and raised in Tanzania. She grew up on a farm outside of Arusha, and after finishing her schooling in Tanzania, she moved to Holland for university – where she achieved a degree in teaching.  Living in Holland for 10 years, working for many years at the international school of the Hague, Francien travelled a lot within Europe but yearned to return to East Africa. She loves working in Kenya, and enjoys showing others the specialities of Africa and giving guests a chance to see the true experience of Kenya.

Since moving to Kenya at the start of 2010, Francien and Willem became actively involved in the Mara North Conservancy (a conservancy set up within the Northern Masai Mara by Stefano Cheli & other small camp owners in the area), helping to further their initiatives by building relationships with the community and educating them on the importance of tourism and caring for their environment.  While in the Masai Mara, Francien and Willem began helping out at Elephant Pepper Camp, and were later given the exciting opportunity to move to Joy’s Camp – which has become their home.

GUIDES

Musa Gufu
Musa Gufu was born in 1974 in Isiolo. He is from a nomadic Boran family and grew up looking after the family livestock which included camels, goats, sheep and cattle in northern Kenya. This is where he learnt all his bush-craft skills. He attended various schools in Isiolo and Merti.  During the flooding of 1997, Musa's family lost most of their livestock, so he had to look for a job. He has worked in the tourism industry mostly in the Maasai Mara, before joining us in May 2007.  Musa very quickly added to his skills as a proficient guide and is a qualified KPSGA Silver level guide.

 

 

 

 

Peter Carpenter
Peter joined Joy's Camp in June 2007. Clients pick up on the fact that he loves his job and meeting people from all over the world.  His interest in wildlife began when he went camping with his family around the Nanyuki area, where he comes from. He then decided to further his career in wildlife by attending an 18 month course in wildlife management at the KWS Training Institute in Naivasha.  Peter is a qualified Silver Level KPSGA guide.  He would love to travel and wants to start within Africa. His taste in music is soul.

 

 

 

Daniel Lotokoi
Daniel has been with the Cheli & Peacock group since 1990, and his father before him worked with the group since 1986.  Daniel was part of the original tented camp crew, and is a first class cook!  His family comes western Laikipia, and Daniel has his homestead there.  Recently Daniel was based in Elsa's Kopje as guide, and moved to Joys Camp in 2010.  Daniel is a Bronze level KPSGA guide, and loves both wildlife and birding equally.

 

 

 

 

John Ebukutt
John Ebukutt comes from the Baragoi area of Northern Kenya, where he grew up with his pastoralist family.  He was born in October 1967 and learnt his bush craft skills from herding his family's livestock. He attended a primary mission school in Baragoi where he learnt his excellent English. When inter-tribal fighting broke out, the family moved to Rumuruti, and he attended Maralal High School.  Since then he has been working in the tourism industry, and joined us in August 2007.  John has his KPSGA Silver level qualification as well.
He loves reading, especially about wildlife.  John is enjoys being a guide, sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge with our clients.

 

 

Eric Lemalo
Eric joined Joy's Camp in 2010, as trainee guide after completing guide training at Koyiaki Guiding School, Masai Mara.  He is a Bronze level KPSGA guide, and is most fascinated by mammal behaviour, and after the green of Masai Mara, he loves the dramatic rocks and landscape of Shaba.  His family comes from the Rift Valley near Lake Baringo, being part of the very small Njemps tribe and his father has been working with Cheli & Peacock since 1995.

 

 

Peter Lolotuna
Further details coming soon...