Introducing Kenya

Overview

Overlooking Nairobi National Park, Ololo Lodge is a welcoming hideaway in the African bush on the banks of the Mbagathi River, where guests are made to feel instantly at home. A beautifully restored colonial farmhouse lies at the centre of the lodge, where guests are invited to unwind with a glass of wine as they drink in the views.

The 13 suites are spacious and luxuriously furnished, from the airy Terrace Room with its marble bathroom and private terrace, to the safari-style tented cottages. Or you could climb the spiral staircase to The Tower Room which boasts breath-taking views out over the park towards the Ngong Hills.

Run by an Australian family, Ololo Lodge is all about relaxing and enjoying the comforts of home away from home. At The Kitchen at Ololo, home-style meals are simple and fresh, using seasonal produce from the lodge’s own gardens. The menu changes daily and guests can dine out on the vine-covered terrace or in the garden under the acacias.

Keep a look out for lion, giraffe, leopard, rhino, hippo, zebra and buck on a personalised or group game drive in Nairobi National Park, or add a little extra magic with a visit to the nearby Elephant Orphanage or the Giraffe Centre.

Overview

Set between the Ngong Hills and Jamhuri Park, the Hemingways Nairobi is a boutique hotel far removed from the bustle of the capital. Expect excellent service and delicious food in this all-inclusive establishment.

Choose from one of 45 lofty rooms furnished in a classic style; vaulted ceilings and balconies are complemented by exposed timber, cotton drapes and neutral tones. The two, 240 square metre themed-suites improve upon this with well-appointed living rooms, study and dining areas, opening to large terraces. All rooms have views either of the rolling hotel lawns or the Ngong hills in the distance.

Dining at The Brasserie, you can enjoy a contemporary European menu boasting some of the best steak in Kenya and a relaxed ambiance. Head to The Dining Room for a more formal atmosphere and modern cuisine of local providence.

Overview

Located deep within the bio-diverse Lewa Conservancy, the hilltop Lewa House is perfectly placed to experience some of the best safaris in Kenya.

The main house is the focal area of the lodge, where you’ll dine family style with your hosts Calum and Sophie on the long wooden table in the evenings and share stories of the day’s adventures. During the heat of the day take a dip in the large swimming pool overlooking a waterhole. Strung out along the hillside around the central lodge are seven separate cottages all with great views from the private verandas.

Home to some of the best game viewing in East Africa, the Lewa Conservancy is a great choice for those looking for a comprehensive “Big Five” safari experience. Travel out from the house by foot, car, camel and vintage bi-plane to make the most of this richly rewarding area.

Overview

Family run and cared for, this lodge invites you to be a part of the lives of the Craig family who will host you during your stay here.

A beautiful retreat surrounded by trees and located within the 62,000 acre Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Lewa Wilderness has just nine individually decorated cottages with private sitting areas and verandas looking over the vast landscape. The fire places in each room add to the homely feel of the place and for those who want to be outdoors more often than in, the tennis court and swimming pool are ideal ways to get some energy out.

The reserve is home to some wonderful game, and helps the conservation efforts of black rhino that browse the region in larger numbers than elsewhere in East Africa. Lion, leopard and elephant can often be seen sipping from the small wooded valley river that flows past the lodge throughout the year and provides an excellent source for prime game viewing.

If you are feeling more adventurous than most, ‘Walking Wild’ is an activity that lets you explore the wild and remote Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in the safety of a team of expert guides. Sleeping a maximum of eight, you head off on a genuine mobile safari lead by camels and each tent has its own private toilet and shower ‘room’ that adds a ‘glamping’ element to this remarkably wild experience. Three to five night options are available.

Overview

Sirikoi is a beautiful lodge surrounded by 7,000 acres of the private Lewa Wildlife Conservancy.

Conservation conscious individuals will love this place. There is a very strong theme of community and wildlife conservation and the lodge boasts claims to assisting the growth of buffalo numbers in the area. The big five roam freely and with over 100 rhino you are highly likely to tick them off on a stay here. Bird lovers can enjoy over 350 species including the Somali ostrich and the fantastic Kori bustard.

Each of the four luxury tented rooms have a private veranda overlooking a waterhole that attracts a lot of game; this lodge is ideal for some relaxing game experiences. Each room has its own sitting area and provides a great space to spend an afternoon completely uninterrupted except by the creatures converging below. The Sirikoi Cottage has enough space for five to live comfortably and for true exclusive use, Sirikoi House is also on offer. This three bedroom entirely private house has a main dining and sitting room, large veranda and exclusive use of its own vehicle.

Overview

Saruni Mara is an intimate lodge nestled in a secluded valley in the heart of the Mara North Conservancy, which borders the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve.

With just five cottages, one family suite and a private villa, it is markedly smaller and more personal feelling than anything else in the area. Each of the expansive cottage have a classic safari feel, individually themed with colonial antiques, and all with stunning views to be enjoyed from bed, outdoor shower and veranda. Nyati House is an exclusive-use home with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lounge, dining room and kitchen, as well as a private safari vehicle and guide.

The main areas of Saruni Mara comprise of the magnificent lounge where guests enjoy a sumptuous blend of African and European cuisine, well-stocked library, a fire to sit around the fire and chat over the days game viewings and a wellbeing space.

Experience the pristine wilderness day and night game drives, walking safari’s, experience wonderful bush dinners and see Kenya through the eyes of your local Maasai guides who have lived on this land for centuries. There’s also the chance to visit local villages, conservation projects and learn Maasai skills at the warrior academy.

Overview

This is one of Kenya’s ultimate safari experiences for authentic tented luxury.

Positioned on the banks of the Njageteck River in the Olare Orok Conservancy for extra seclusion, the nearby Ngoyanai springs provide permanent water, drawing in large numbers of animals to the area around camp. This camp is also particularly known for its resident lion pride. In the arena of the Maasai Mara, a stay here provides the equivalent of VIP seats and service for one of the best wildlife spectacles in the African bush.

Five incredibly inviting tents sit open to the bushveld scenery and wildlife sights of the nearby hippo pool. Appointed with warm high-quality linens and antique furnishings the tents also include modern comforts and en suite (outside) bathrooms with 24-hour hot running water.

Overview

Alex Walker has been guiding and organizing expert safaris throughout East Africa for over 25 years and this camp was the first of many, hence, ‘The Original’. Serian, meaning ‘peaceful, calm, serene’ in the Maasai language, perfectly captures the essence of this camp, perched on the edge of Mara River in the Mara North Conservancy

There are five vast marquees atop beautiful hardwood decking, including one family suite. Each is unique and all are furnished with elegant simplicity and homely touches. Beautiful bush bathrooms offer views over the river valley from the bathtub, with an airy feeling blending the divide between indoors and out.

The thatched mess area and its stunning view sit at the camp’s heart. Here you’ll enjoy wonderful dishes created with ingredients from the manager’s own organic garden, and get cosy around the fire as the night cools.

Of course, the main focus is the safari experience and each group has their own custom safari vehicle with a dedicated guide and spotter, giving you the freedom to spend your drives seeking out what you want and more flexibility with times. On night drives, spot animals with red-filtered bulbs before watching active predators on the hunt through special infrared cameras, meaning you are essentially invisible.

Walking here is also a speciality, and you can head out with a guide in to a private no-vehicle zone where you are likely to have close encounters with elephant, buffalo, hippo as well as more rare species like Chandler’s mountain reedbuck, klipspringer and oribi.

Overview

Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp is located within a beautiful community-owned concession close to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and the Kenyan border, a timeless setting with incredible views over the game covered plains that surround it. Adding an extra layer to this camp is the fact that is closely involved with local community and conservation efforts, meaning that your stay is benefitting many.

The camp itself, colonial in style with dark woods, swathes of canvas and antique pieces, is made up of ten tents, spaced out to ensure privacy. Of the ten, four are family suites with their own living rooms and fireplaces and there also a unique honeymoon suite. All have en-suite showers and safari baths and showers can be set up in the savannah for unforgettable ablutions.

Two main mess tents sit at the heart of Cottar’s with areas for fine dining, drinking, reading and relaxing. There’s also a swimming pool and spa.

The Cottar family have decades of experience here and they count the highest number of Gold (the highest professional level) Safari Guides within one camp in Kenya, each chosen for their unique skillset and personalities, meaning a safari here, whether on foot or game drives, is always a fantastic.

Cultural interaction with the local Maasai community, with whom the Cottars have worked in partnership with for years, is authentic and not at all touristy. The award-winning camp also has some of the highest ecotourism ratings going.

Overview

Right on the Mara River in the heart of the reserve, Governors’ Il Moran Camp has just ten very spacious safari tents, upping the the exclusivity and privacy compared to other camps on the Mara.

The camp itself is hidden deep in the forest and attracts a few foraging warthogs who nuzzle for grubs in the neatly kept lawn. Each of the tents have their own veranda where you can sit and relax, listening to the grunt of the hippos and watching the odd stalking crocodile slip through the water. The tents are all primly decorated and are extremely comfortable, with beds that you can easily fall into after a nice long day enjoying the rich variety of game in the area.

The bar is an enticing spot for those ice cold midday beers, as too is the boma area after the sun sets. Three game drives a day will maximise your game experience and if you feel like a wander, a knowledgeable guide can take you on a very interesting game walk to try and spot the ‘small five’ after you have ticked off the big ones!