Hemingways Nairobi

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.

The only property nestled within a 19,000 acre private wildlife sanctuary and surrounded by the 45,000 acres of the wider Solio Ranch, Solio Lodge’s location is idyllic, with sweeping views across the plains towards Mount Kenya, and when it comes to spotting rhino, you’re in prime position. This is largely due to the fact that it’s the most successful private rhinoceros breeding reserve in Kenya. The lodge features five glass-fronted cottages made from stone and thatch, each with an open fireplace and a large patio, ideal for armchair game viewing and private meals. One of the cottages has two en-suite bedrooms, making it ideal for families. There is a communal mess area where guests can relax with a glass of wine and a good book, and look out across the Solio Reserve. The grounds are home to a kitchen garden where vegetables and herbs are harvested and used in the lodge’s sophisticated menu. Of course, the big draw in Solio is the opportunity to see black and white rhino. The breeding programme here is one of the most successful of its kind and being able to witness these conservation efforts in person is a wonderful experience. As well as rhino, the reserve is home to giraffes, impalas, zebras, buffalos as well as larger predators such as lions and leopards. As well as morning and afternoon game drives, guests can enjoy horse riding, cycling, visits to the local communities and coffee farm or go trout fishing in nearby Aberdere National Park.

If you want to see a river crossing, Naibor Camp is strategically placed to give you one. Perched on the banks of the Talek River, this camp offers you real luxury in the heart of the Mara and is a prime location for the migration which passes through the reserve each July through to October. With only 7 large and open canvas tents, you will be perfectly placed so that you can enjoy the surrounding woodland in privacy and comfort. Day beds are neatly positioned on your own veranda, ideal for an afternoon siesta. The main ‘mess’ tent has sofas where you can simply relax in the afternoons before you embark on your game viewing activity and is great in the evenings for a post-safari chat around the fire. Game in this area is overwhelming in numbers, even when the migration is nowhere in sight. Game thrives in this lush ecosystem and draws in some really fierce predators who stay healthy on the herds of plains game that call this their home. With the Talek River on your doorstep, you will hear the sounds of the wildlife that are drawn to the waters and even be able to witness it without any effort whatsoever. Bliss.

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.