Queensland agent Tim Crowther was blown away by the unobstructed views of nearby Mt Kilimanjaro he had from his tented accommodation at Satao Elerai resort in Kenya.

Tim Crowther with a guide at Satao Elerai

But it was nothing compared to the action and colour which surrounded him at a nearby Masai village.

"You see these impressive Masai people in movies and on TV", he says. "But it doesn’t prepare you for the real thing.

"Suddenly you’re there amongst them, with all the colour and action, warriors chanting a welcome, barefoot kids singing and stalls laden with all kinds of handicrafts.

"There’s so much going on all at once. It’s quite extraordinary".

Tim, from Harvey World Travel, Bribie Island, was in Kenya with other Harvey World agents on a Bench International fam tour.

The group got to visit the Masai village during a two-night stop at Satao Elerai, which is set in a 2000-hectare private conservation area at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro, some 10kms from Amboseli National Park.

Conflict between humans and animals has been an issue in the Amboseli region for many years.

And for some time, resort management has been working to convince the Masai that they can enjoy a sustainable income from tourism by helping to protect wildlife.

It says visits to the village give tourists an authentic Masai experience, because they get to see Masai "as they live traditionally, not under false circumstances".

Tim Crowther had no doubt he was seeing the real thing.

"Because it is within the resort conservation area, it hasn’t been set up as a tourist trap.

"It isn’t commercialised. You get to see it only because you’re staying at the resort.

"When people think of Africa, it’s usually herds of wildlife that come to mind. For me, it’s the Masai village".

Satao Elerai resort features in Bench International Kenya itineraries. For more information, click here