Sanctuary Olonana Camp

Boutique and luxurious camp by the Mara River

$$$$$

Facilities & services

14 canvas pavilions
Swimming pool
Organic gardens
Library
Mini spa
Kids club

Activities

4x4 morning and afternoon game rrives
Guided bush walks
Cultural excursions
Massages and treatments

Olonana is located on a private section of the Mara River, offering you spectacular views of the animals as they wander down the banks each day. What makes this camp extra special is its relationship with local communities and its efforts to be as environmentally responsible as possible.

Fourteen canvas pavilions are dotted along the river, each one extremely spacious with parquet flooring and four poster beds. With a modern spin this lodge has a library that you can enjoy and it even has a pool for an afternoon dip. And, if you feel like you need some extra pampering, you could wander down to the mini spa for some traditional African treatments with the bush as your soundtrack.

Besides the usual fantastic game drives where you can see the big five and more than 300 bird species, you will also have the chance to enjoy a nature work outside the reserve. These are hugely educational and your guides will point out the most remarkable things, from animal tracks and spoor to sights where lions have marked their territory. As the lands are not only home to game, you can also visit a Maasai village for some cultural insight into the traditional lives that these remarkable people lead.

This is a fabulous camp for families as there is a kids club and a range of special activities. Expert guides will take children out on game drives and accompany them to the nearby Maasai village where they will learn how to make and shoot a traditional bow and arrow, make a fire, build a hut, herding cattle to name a few. Kids will also be able to interact with the local children while playing football together, learn Maasai songs and traditional dances. Other activities include going out on a nature trail where they will learn about animal footprint identification or enjoy a bush treasure hunt followed by planting their own tree.

Positive Impact

Setting new standards

From the chef’s organic garden, to the use of sustainable energy sources, Sanctuary Olonana sets a new standard with its light environmental ‘footprint’. Over the years Sanctuary Olonana has also built strong relationships with the local Maasai tribes by working with them to improve their level of health-education and lifestyle, and securing unrivaled access to their culture and local knowledge.

Philanthropic programmes

Some of the projects Sanctuary Olonana has been involved in include building classrooms, sponsoring school fees, developing micro-enterprise initiatives for women’s groups, introducing e-readers to nine schools, and taking local Maasai children on trips into the Masai Mara National Reserve to learn more about their heritage and inspire appreciation and interest in the wildlife.

They also assist the local Mara-rianda Clinic which sees around 100 patients a day, many of whom have no access to transport.