Kenya Luxury Safari

Strong populations of wildlife find their habitat in and around the ol Donyo Lodge environs. While the "Big Five" are here - rhino, elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo - they are often elusive; however, cheetah, fringe-eared oryx, gerenuk, and giraffe make for frequent viewing. Guests are able to track wildlife by open safari vehicles, as well as by foot, or horseback (described below). The best times to be out are from first light for the morning drive, and from 4-4:30 pm for the afternoon drives. These are the times when most of the action is likely to happen. Night drives give you the opportunity to discover a range of unusual and nocturnal animals and view the breathtaking African stars. These drives commence after dinner service at approximately 9:30 pm. Please remember that the vehicles are open and it can be quite chilly in the early mornings and evenings, so take very warm clothing with you on your drives. There are also shukha (blankets) and lined ponchos provided in the vehicles if you get cold while out.

With 275,000 acres of open plains and the dramatic, ancient volcanic soil Chyulu Hills to explore at ol Donyo Lodge this vast region provides a truly unique riding experience. Riding is available all year round at no additional cost.

RIDE OPTIONS
INTERMEDIATE AND ABOVE
For Intermediate riders and above we offer 2 to 4 hour rides exploring the concession. Enjoy exhilarating medium to fast-paced canters and encounters with our famous big Tuskers.
For this riding option, you need to be riding fit, confident and competent, ride with an independent seat and be able to control an easy horse at all paces over uneven terrain.
PLAINS RIDE
Novice riders can enjoy a gentle 60/90 minute ride exploring the open plains.
All riders will need to have a short assessment in our arena prior to setting out to ensure all guests riding out can control their horses and are comfortable at a short trot. If riders do not have the required experience they will be offered a lesson in the arena instead. Plains riders will be given some instruction, a minimum requirement is a short trot.

Another huge benefit of staying outside national parks is that here we are allowed to appreciate the stunning landscape around us on foot, peacefully without the noise of engines. The Chyulu Hills were designed for walking and hiking. We highly recommend this unforgettable experience. Our resident tracker will accompany you and your guide and will carry a firearm. Your guide and the lodge managers will be able to suggest different walks depending on fitness and your interests, such as birding, spelunking, or exploring the plains. Each is a voyage of discovery unveiling secrets of the bush, wildlife movements, medicinal plants and uniquely adapted flora and fauna. Wear good walking shoes, a hat and camouflage-coloured clothing so as not to alarm the wildlife, and take binoculars. Your guide will have water for you.

This is a good opportunity to exercise but also another way of viewing the landscape and wildlife in the area. We recommend cycling during the cooler hours of the day, either in the early morning or late afternoon. Cycling usually takes place on the plains heading toward the kopje or el Mau.

Just below the lodge’s main area is our famous ‘log-pile’ hide named as such because of its elaborate and impressive interwoven construction. A short walk with a cool drink in hand, and you’ve arrived at a secret shaded spot from which to view the many mammals that come in for a drink. This is a tremendous experience, especially during the midday siesta.

Our proximity to Amboseli National Park gives the opportunity for full-day excursions to the park. Guests depart the lodge after breakfast for a leisurely drive across the plains and through small villages. We usually arrive at the park in the mid-morning and depart in the mid-afternoon (with a picnic lunch and a full selection of drinks). We have selected this time of day as it coincides with the time when the guests from the other nearby larger lodges are on siesta, and vehicle density is at its lowest. This is also the time when the elephant and plains game congregate around the waterways and marshes in high density. This excursion can only be guaranteed in advance, please book it at the time of reservation and is subject to additional cost.

ol Donyo Lodge is the ultimate family safari destination. The Young Explorers program is designed to enhance both a child's and a family’s overall safari, weaving themes of conservation and culture into each fun activity with the intention of giving children tangible examples and moments to bring back to their peer group. The future of conservation is, after all, in the hands of these young ambassadors.

We offer a full range of activities from bush survival skills including making sling shots, bows and arrows and creating fire using traditional Maasai techniques, to watercolor painting and so much more.

FITNESS

- Yoga mat, and light weights available in each suite;

- Stationary exercise bikes:

- Guests can enjoy a run/walk on the airstrip.

A Bell 505 helicopter is available, and guests can enjoy 180-degree views with a choice of aerial scenic tours. These include viewing the Chyulu Hills, Amboseli, and Mount Kilimanjaro from the air. In addition to the scenic tours, guests can also visit Amboseli to explore this area with a Great Plains guide and safari drive as well as reserve helicopter transfers from Nairobi to our Mara-based safari camps or Nairobi and ol Donyo Lodge .

Game drives at Sosian are in open 4x4 land cruisers with specially raised seats to allow the best wildlife viewing. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to go, as the wildlife is most active when it is cooler. The middle of the day is also a wonderful time to look for herds of elephants cooling off and playing in the mud on the rivers.

Game drives can take you up to the plains where it is wide open country and you can expect to see oryx, hartebeest, ostrich, grant’s gazelle, giraffe, elephant, bat-eared fox, Grevy’s and common zebra. Game drives are also the best way to see predators up close, we can head out with tracking equipment and search for lion, wild dog, cheetah and leopard.

Being a private ranch we are lucky enough at Sosian to be able to experience the bush and it's nocturnal animals by driving with a spotlight at night (not allowed in national parks or reserves). After sunset we often encounter leopard, spotted and striped hyena, aardwolf, aardvark, porcupine, bush-baby, hippos grazing out of water, buffalo, serval cat and other exciting species.

Walking is the most intimate way to explore the bush. Led by an experienced walking guide you will learn how to follow animal tracks, recognize dung, insects, flora and fauna and all the other tiny details that you might miss from a vehicle. We also have lions and wild dogs which are collared by the Laikipia Predator Project, which means we can go out with a tracker and find them.

You don’t have to be super-fit to enjoy walking, which can be from 20 minutes to 2 hours depending on how you feel.

Horse riding is a wonderful way to see the bush and Sosian is one of the best places in Kenya to do this. The varied terrain makes it interesting riding, through rivers, along tracks and across more open country, where you can canter, jump and gallop. Riding is a peaceful and yet exciting way of becoming part of the landscape and experiencing the surroundings.

We have 26 horses (including children’s ponies), many of which are bred at Sosian. Riders must have considerable riding experience and be confident at all paces, so that they can handle a horse in open country and cope with close encounters with big game should it arise. Rides tend to be 2-3 hours in the morning and/or evenings, with groups no bigger than 8 riders. Guests are lead by an experienced guide, plus a back up rider/groom. We can also cater for young children and novice riders with short rides close to the lodge and simple lessons in the fenced arena.

Camels have been part of the northern Kenyan landscape for hundreds of years and are kept as livestock for their milk and meat. Contrary to popular belief, if well looked after they are very well tempered.

Sosian camels are friendly and at times can be overly affectionate! Camel riding is a fun activity and typically a ride will last 40 minutes or so and allows you to see the bush from a great vantage point.

Sosian is lucky to have the Ewaso Narok River pass through it with its magnificent 30 ft. high waterfalls. A highlight for some who are brave enough is to jump off the waterfalls into the deep pool below. For others swimming in the pool below or just enjoying the sight from next to the river is lovely. After a morning driving, walking or riding, we often have picnic brunch by the river and then enjoy the waterfalls or tubing down the river on inflatable tubes.

Sosian's river and dams also have a good number of catfish, yellowfish, tilapia and barbel for those who are keen for some light-hearted fishing using worms and spinners. As well as catching a few fish, which can delight all ages, sitting quietly next to the river, can be a peaceful moment to enjoy watching wildlife coming down to drink.

Bringing you closer to the bush and further from modern frills, fly camping in bedrolls under the stars is an adventurous experience. Dinner is eaten by the campfire and most nights we drop off to sleep listening to distant lions, hyena and leopard but yet sleep better than we can remember...

For keen bird-watchers, Sosian has over 350 species of birds; several types of habitat and the guides are all keen ornithologists. If you enjoy birding you can spend as much time as you want exploring the river, thicker bush, open plains and gardens around the lodge for many species of birds.

Sosian is situated at a junction of many different tribal areas in Northern Kenya, a very diverse area rich in traditions and untouched by western development. Samburus, Pokots, Turkanas and many smaller tribes live in the area and by special arrangement guests at Sosian may pay a visit to a local village.

The villagers are very proud to show you their cultural traditions and your visit emphasizes the importance of these traditions. Dances of courtship, fertility and marriage, jewellery making and fire making are explained in detail and it is then possible to go inside some of the houses in the village to see how these very proud people live and how strongly their customs are ingrained in their society. This is a fascinating excursion from Sosian for both adults and children and an important part of a safari holiday to Kenya.

Our General Ranch Manager, Sean, loves to take guests around the ranch to show the cattle, which he is passionate about. Sean gives a fascinating insight into the vital relationship between livestock farming and the conservation of wildlife in the bush.

Guests can see how the cattle are dipped and branded and learn about the selection process involved in picking out the top animals to go on to breed pedigree Boran cattle.

A team of fully-qualified driver guides are on hand for vehicle safaris across the conservancy. The specially adapted open vehicles allow for excellent viewing but it is the richness of the game that our guests talk about. All the main safari predators, the rare Grevy zebra and of course the threatened rhino, both black and white, can be viewed in abundance. A particular favourite and well recognised aspect of the area near the lodge are the good elephant numbers. The game drives are on your terms using our experience and are not limited to daylight hours. We often explore the conservancy by night using spotlight and the full moon when it obliges. Lewa offers a very good opportunity to see the Big 5.

One of the most popular ways to explore the conservancy is in a more traditional fashion – on foot. Lewa Wilderness’ expert Masai walking guides, who have lived here all their lives, explore Lewa with guests to really get up close to many of our wild neighbours. Out walking almost nothing is a barrier and ground is covered very easily making the safari experience so much more real. Guests either walk in the early morning or early evening before dark.

With over thirty horses in our stables Lewa Wilderness is well equipped to explore our wilderness. With everything from ponies up, they are able to cater for a wide range of experience levels and have become very accustomed to accommodating groups of mixed ability. They offer extensive exploration on horseback and it is one of the very popular ways to investigate and safari through the open lands to the east of the lodge. For experienced riders full morning or full day rides can be arranged, or spend the night out with the horses and our fly camp!

For something a little out of the ordinary, why not ride a camel! Guests can opt for a short ride in the bush, or for those seeking further adventure Walking Wild is our camel safari operation. This involves a longer camel trek (2 nights minimum) where guests walk across the African plains while the camels and Maasai guides transport the camp.

Visit our 'Shamba' ( Farm ) where we grow all the fresh fruit and vegetables for the lodge. There are cows, chickens and goats free range down here too. We try and be as self sustaining as possible, and this is a lovely place to explore.

Join us on the farm for a guided “back of house” tour ending in our organic garden with a freshly cooked lunch beneath the Mango trees. Such a special atmosphere celebrating our ethos of sustainable living at Wilderness.

Drive or walk to your exclusive campsite for the night and spend the evening around the campfire. Our fly camp is simple but extremely comfortable, with hot bucket showers and cosy tents, there is a mosquito dome option for those who want to sleep under the stars. For advanced horse riders we can also ride there. This experience ensures adventure in comfort.

There is a fully equipped gym at the lodge.

Lewa Wilderness provides employment and training to local people through Lewa Crafts Furniture and Kifuma Weaving project. All of the beautiful furniture in the lodge is designed and created in our workshop, fashioned out of salvaged acacia wood and crafted into unique designs. The carpet weaving uses natural wool, spun and woven by hand into beautiful rugs for sale in our gift shop. Guests are welcome to visit both projects and see the craftsmanship at first hand.

The nearby Ngare Ndare Forest offers a different ecosystem to explore, with a treetop canopy walk and spectacular waterfalls where you can swim and enjoy a picnic lunch. This is a full day trip.

For those guests interested in the local traditional culture, there is an authentic Maasai village where guests can spend the day enjoying a unique experience interacting with amazing people. This is a full day trip.

Air Wilderness is able to offer scenic flights straight from the lodge in our cessna 206 which takes up to 4 passengers. Fly to RETETI Elephant Orphanage for their morning feed, or cruise low level along the Ewaso Ng'iro River and stop for a sundowner in a remote location. Air Wilderness can also be chartered privately to take you wherever you need to go across Kenya. Unfortunately our WACO Biplane is still unavailable due to us redoing the licences.

We offer unlimited game drives in custom designed 4x4 safari vehicles, with open sides, camera stands and roof hatches. These vehicles are designed to optimize game viewing and photography.

Drives can be arranged at any time and we do not have time constraints. Usually guests head out around 6.30am for a long morning drive with a picnic breakfast carried in the car. For those wanting to go out for a full day, a picnic lunch can also be carried. Afternoon drives tend to start around 4pm after a cup of tea and slice of cake and often cars do not return to camp until after dark.

Being in the exclusive Mara North Conservancy we can also head out after dinner (until 10pm) with filtered spot lights (so as not to disturb the nocturnal species) and see what activity is going on 'after hours'! Sundowners and bush dinners are also a highlight.

All our guides are highly qualified silver rated guides and groups of four or more will always have their own vehicle.

Experience the Mara from foot - you will be escorted by a local Masai guide who grew up on the land herding cattle and knows it intimately. The small five and other interesting facts will be revealed that you often miss in the vehicle. Often an excuse to burn off some calories from the delicious food in camp!

Picnic breakfasts and lunches are often carried in the vehicles so you have the flexibility to stop where you like and enjoy your meal in stunning surroundings.

Bush dinners are also a highlight of your stay.

A famous safari tradition is sundowners in the bush.....after a full day of game viewing there is nothing more refreshing than evening drinks as the sun sets over the horizon, listening to the sounds of Africa. With a fire to sit around and a fully stocked bar, it is not until the stars appear that you will pry yourself away and head back to your beautiful camp....hopefully finding lion or leopard on the way!

With our two spacious family tents we are a very child friendly camp with rates to suit. Over the main Northern hemisphere holidays in particular (July, August and Christmas and New Year) we have lots of families staying. We also have two extended safari vehicles which will comfortably fit 8 people.

If Mum and Dad fancy a chill out in the afternoon, are team of Masai guides are more than happy to entertain the little ones - be it learning to fire a masai bow and arrow or throw a spear, beading with some of the ladies from the community, fishing or even baking a cake for afternoon tea there is plenty to keep children entertained between drives and walks.

Special or early meals can easily be arranged and if your children want to go to bed early, a Masai guard will sit outside their tent until you return - and radio the main mess tent if they wake up - so you can enjoy your dinner in peace!

The Maasai people are a fascinating and beautiful tribe who are proud of their traditions and love to show our guests their way of life. Offbeat Mara Camp work very closely with our local community and visiting these villages is a morning or afternoon well spent. There is a charge $30 per person to vist a Maasai village.

Offbeat Mara Camp can arrange spectacular hot air balloon safaris across the Masai Mara...a truly spectacular way to view the wildlife and scenery

For those wanting some exercise and to burn off the calories running in the bush with our Maasai staff is the best run you will ever do.

All of our guides are graduates from the Koiyaki Guiding School, which is a superb training ground for some of Kenya's top guides. Guests can visit this school to learn more about the work done here

For some light hearted line fishing, the Olare Orok River on which Offbeat Mara Camp is set, offers the perfect spot to try and catch a catfish or Tilapia.