Giraffe Manor

Kenya

Built-in 1932, the Manor is located in the southern part of Nairobi's suburb of Karen; there are two buildings on the property; the original Manor house has six bedrooms, one of which is a family room. The Garden Manor is the newer part of Giraffe Manor, created in 2011, with six ensuite bedrooms. The resident giraffes regularly enjoy visiting both parts of the Manor for treats.

The Retreat at Giraffe Manor is the newest addition to the property, located on the same forested sanctuary just next door. It offers day rooms and wellness facilities, including a swimming pool (often visited by the giraffes), two spa treatment rooms, a hot tub, a steam room, a sauna and a gym.

You can add a stay at the Manor to the beginning or the end of a safari, and you can easily spend two nights here. If you only have one night, arrive early in the afternoon and stay through breakfast with the giraffes the following day (which starts at 7 am) to get the most out of the experience.

The Manor is in high demand, so if you have your heart set on staying here, booking far in advance or having flexible dates is important. Please note that you can only book rooms in the Historic Manor if you are also booking nights at one of the Safari Collection sister properties.

CHECK IN Guests are welcome to arrive at Giraffe Manor from 12:00 noon.
CHECK OUT By 10:00 am on the day of departure, unless another room is booked and paid for.

About this area

Kenya's capital, Nairobi, is an unavoidable stopover as most international flights arrive at night. Most people are keen to head out on safari as soon as possible and tend not to spend much time in the city. But for those who choose to spend an extra night or two to adjust to time changes, there are some great hotels and restaurants, and the shopping opportunities—in small shops, malls or outdoor curio markets —can be very good. The Sheldrick Trust needs to be booked well in advance, especially if you want a private experience.

Lowis & Leakey Mobile Camp, Shaba

Kenya

Lara’s and Ninian’s families have used mobile camps to access the wilderness in comfort for many decades. We have custom-designed the tents to ensure they are spacious and comfortable. As this camp is truly mobile, the tents strike a delicate balance between luxury and practicality. The result is an unpretentious, stylish, and comfortable nomadic home.

Our guest tents have ensuite bathrooms with traditional camp showers, a flushing loo, comfortable bedding, and solar-powered lights.

You will be the only guests in camp, allowing you to dictate the pace of each day. Game drives and other activities are not pre-planned but based on daily discussions with your guides. Lara plans the menus and is happy to cater to any preferences, and the team takes pride in fabulously fresh food and homestyle cooking.

It can be fun to stay in the mobile camp in different areas of Kenya. You move to a lodge for a few nights while our team moves the camp.

About this area

Shaba National Reserve lies alongside Samburu and Buffalo Springs Reserves on the edge of the semi-deserts of northern Kenya. Shaba is a magnificent wilderness with dramatic rock formations and towering hills. The dry scrub is broken by the green banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River that meanders through the reserve.
The river is a magnet for the regions wildlife; there are elephant, crocodiles and cats as well as plains game, the wildlife is shyer than in other areas. We will also see species that are endemic to northern Kenya such as Grevy's Zebra, gerenuk, Somali ostrich and the Reticulated Giraffe.

This is one of our favorite places for its combination of amazing scenery, wildlife and the opportunity to be out of the cars. We can explore along the rocky banks and beaches of the Ewaso Nyiro river, and do some great hikes through the gorge exploring the small caves that house old pottery and some rock art. Though we can have elephant and other animals wander into camp to drink from the spring – we do have to work hard here to see the game as the animals are shy. This is part of the appeal of Shaba, spotting and tracking game with Ninian, and the reward of finding it. We love to spend the hot afternoons down by the river under the shade of an acacia tree.

Lengishu House

Kenya

The large entrance hall leads to a beautiful vaulted sitting and dining room—this is the hub of the house. The study and an art room with floor-to-ceiling windows offer pretty secluded rooms to write or read in. A covered veranda with a pizza oven allows for outdoor luncheons or evening entertaining.

The six spacious bedrooms at Lengishu House, all facing east, offer breathtaking views of the valley below. Two of the cottages are stand-alone rooms with two bedrooms, perfect for couples or families. The rooms are designed for privacy and comfort, each equipped with a fireplace for cooler evenings. The en-suite bathrooms, with their luxurious copper baths, are strategically placed by floor-to-ceiling windows, ensuring you never miss the stunning views.

Game drives, walking, and horse riding are the most popular activities, with night drives and mountain biking also possible. The house has a lovely infinity pool with a gym, billiards table, petanque pitch, and in-house masseuse.

Lengishu is reserved for exclusive use, sleeping up to twelve guests in six unique bedrooms.

About this area

The Borana Conservancy is a non-profit conservation organisation dedicated to the sustainable conservation of critical habitat and wildlife.

Borana’s unique geographical location makes the 35,000-acre ranch a haven for a wide diversity of wildlife: elephant, buffalo, eland, Jackson’s hartebeest and herds of Grant’s gazelle, impala and plains zebra. Lion and cheetah sightings can be excellent here. Reticulated giraffes and the endangered Grevy Zebras are also residents. Black rhinos were reintroduced, and fences with neighbouring Lewa Wildlife Conservancy were dropped, making Borana part of a successful protected area for wildlife.

Due to its location, we can also access areas of great interest outside the private conservancy, such as the forests of Mt Kenya, Ngare Ndare’s magical Blue pools (both recognised as part of the UNESCO-designated Mount Kenya World Heritage Site in 2013), and the vast northern frontier district.

Mara Nyika

Kenya

With its intimate size, opulent design, and central location in Naboisho Conservancy, Mara Nyika is styled with a beautiful blend of traditional safari décor and uniquely crafted artefacts and furniture from Southeast Asia. The camp, with just five spacious guest tents, offers service of a high standard, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable stay.

The guiding and food are excellent and its location offers easy access to the best wildlife areas in the conservancy. It is one of our favourite places to stay at Naboisho Conservancy.

About this area

Naboisho Conservancy is a conservation success story. It is a community conservancy comprised of land leased from 500 different local families and spans over 55,000 acres. Over the last two decades, wildlife numbers have increased, and predator numbers have bounced back to the point that Naboisho is one of the very best places in Africa to see predators. Access to the conservancy is limited, and the area boasts relatively low tourist numbers, making it easy to avoid the crowds. There is a good chance that you will have sightings to yourselves. The conservancy, part of the Mara Serengeti ecosystem, offers a classic Mara landscape with rolling hills and open plains interspersed with small streams and patches of woodland. Plains game is excellent here, too, and elephant numbers are slowly returning. It is great country for walking, and it is also possible to do night drives.