Luxury Safaris in Meru National Park made for you

Joy Adamson’s famous story of Elsa the Lioness in ‘Born Free’ has given this camp its charm. It is actually located in the area where George and Joy set up their camp and successfully released Elsa into the wild. As the name suggests, the camp is up on the ‘kopje’, a small hill with rocky crags and boulders and it subtly merges into the scenery. Each of the eight cottages have a spectacular view located on the hillside and have their own private deck, with the exception of one which has a private sitting room. The cottages are open and allow you to hear and smell the sounds of the Kenyan bush all around you. The honeymoon suite is a separate three tiered cottage which sits right up high and is truly quite romantic. Elsa’s Private House has two rooms which share a fantastic space and is excellent for families. Due to the location of this unique lodge, you can enjoy some excellent night drives and explore the wilderness on foot with your own guide to try and see the finer details that the African bush has on display. Try to spot the ‘small five’ on your wanderings (the lion ant, buffalo weaver, elephant shrew, rhino beetle and the leopard tortoise). The swimming pool is great for a mid afternoon splash and if you need some true relaxation, why not opt for a massage, with the African bush as your soundtrack?

Located on the edge of the Ewaso River in a pristine wilderness within the Westgate Community Conservancy, the lodge boasts some fantastic views and is perfectly located to give you some amazing game sightings. If you want to get involved in activities, there is a huge variety of things to get involved with but otherwise, ‘Spa Saab’ will look after you in calming treatment rooms and it even offers yoga. What’s more, Sasaab is involved in many projects with the local Samburu tribe and runs many sustainability initiatives. Each of the nine distinctive open-walled rooms are furnished with a Moroccan flair with simple but elegant trimmings. They are extremely spacious (over 100sqm each) with west facing verandas and their own private plunge pools overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River. You’re higher up and closer to the Sahara here, so it can get very warm, but the lodge has been built to provide respite from the heat. The open tented rooms are airy and your plunge pool is just a short stroll from your bed. The family unit is ideal for two couples travelling together as well as families. This luxurious suite is spacious, featuring one en-suite double room and one en-suite twin room with a communal lounge and private plunge pool. The main dining area is reminiscent of a souk and is great for a lazy afternoon watching the game frequent the river below. The lodge has a strong relationship with the hundreds of families that live on and own the conservancy and they are very proud to give guests to the lodge a special insight into their daily lives. These cultural experiences are non intrusive and if you’re lucky, they might even invite you to see a genuine traditional ceremony in the village. Trips to the local Samburu markets take place twice a week and are not to be missed.

Lengishu is an exclusive safari house, ideal for families or a group of friends, with a superb hillside setting in northern Kenya, and wonderful views to the north over the Borana Conservancy to Northern Frontier District and the Mathews Ranges in the far distance. Borana Conservancy has excellent wildlife sighting opportunities, including lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, a healthy number of black and white rhino, and a number of species unique to northern Kenya such as Grevy’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich. With rammed earth walls, and sustainably sourced timbers in its roof and floors, Lengishu has a very small environmental footprint. The house has six bedrooms split between four cottages, all with their own private en-suite bathrooms, and designed to make the best of the views. The bathrooms have walk-in showers and big roll top baths, and the bedrooms have wood stoves or fireplaces for cool nights. There is a sitting room between the rooms in two of the cottages, making them ideal for a family with younger children. The master bedroom is a standalone cottage and the main house has a spacious dining room, lounge, and a study. The large pool has wonderful westerly views, and there is also a games room, a petanque pitch as well as a gym.