EL’s LARA SAGE stays at three Kenya safari lodges and explores Nairobi Africa for a day. Here she tells us about what it’s like flying over Maasai Mara in Kenya and stepping into a world of wildlife, culture, adventure and community.
Starting out from Nairobi, Africa
The Kenyan capital Nairobi was voted one of the world’s top cities to visit in 2024 by Lonely Planet. The popular travel guide described it as “embracing its unique rhythms with an impressive array of restaurants inspired by local cuisine, and a steady rotation of arts and cultural venues.”
Kenyans are warm and friendly. Even our baggage handlers displayed a welcoming and informative spirit on our arrival, encouraging peace of mind from the start. With just one day in transit in this thriving city, we took up the recommendation of travel company Lightfoot Travel to visit a craft centre that employs and empowers women, as well as the original house belonging to Karen Blixen. To be reminded of this extraordinary woman, watch the 1985 film Out of Africa. Meryl Streep’s portrayal is timeless – and Robert Redford will still have you swooning!
This pioneering spirit is captured by Great Plains Conservation. This company operates a series of luxury safari lodges across Kenya. Our light aircraft flight from Nairobi left the bustling world behind as the three peaks of Africa’s famous Mount Kilimanjaro came into sight above the clouds, protruding from neighbouring Tanzania. Snow-capped “Mount Kili” is the tallest of the three, sitting at one degree south of the equator.
Dormant volcanoes surround an otherwise flat landscape. The hillsides feature moulded side blasts and ridges of lava rock, now rich with plant growth. There’s a vast area to explore, from high-altitude mist forest through lava fields, then woodland to savannah, and ending at the famous kopjes.
A Kenya safari lodge and up close with elephants
We reached the first of our exemplary Great Plains properties, ol Donyo Lodge in the Chyulu Hills, which offers the novel appeal of close-up encounters with Africa’s few remaining “great tusker” elephants, from a sunken log-pile hide at a waterhole.
One particularly large elephant bull, recognisable by his shape and a natural indent on one mammoth tusk, is affectionately nicknamed One Ton. He is impressive! We sat entranced, close enough to feel his breath and see a twitching eyelash, down togigantic, leathery feet and toenails.
Kenya is also home to a healthy population of giraffes. This particular Maasai species has a recognisable skin pattern that is leaf-like with jagged edges. What a privilege to watch them wait patiently for the bulky elephants to move from the waterhole. They would then safely splay their long legs, reaching their long necks down in a tripod-like stance to drink Africa’s most precious resource. An exhilarating torrential downpour and lightning storm that evening showcased how water immediately seeps into the charcoal coloured lava in this region, vanishing without a trace.
The safari lodge is perched on a hillside in a semi-arid area. There are views of East Africa’s classic savannahs below. We were enchanted by the pastel colours of Kilimanjaro, occasionally shrouded in whimsical clouds. Eight deluxe suites plus a two-bedroom family unit each offer views of the mountain, with private plunge pools and star beds atop for sleeping under the night sky.
Things to do at this safari lodge
A variety of activities are on offer. You can enjoy cultural visits, guided walks, horseback riding and mountain biking, with distances based around your fitness levels and desire. Cycling terrain can range from sand to compact grass in places. Horseback riding is also available, from novice to advanced. The stables are impressive and the tack room is a leathery-scented treasure trove. We set off, each equipped with perfectly sized chaps, crops, riding hats and polished riding boots.
On our parting night, we sat on an unmistakably vivid rug from Maasai Mara in Kenya in the grassland, enjoying a Great Plains signature brass canister of snacks accompanied by sundowners. There’s something poignant about connecting with nature at this time of day. Golden sunlight filters through the vast plains, and it’s hard to let the sun set on such a stay.
Into the Maasai Mara in Kenya
A scenic flight to Mara Plains Camp and Mara Nyika Camp takes one to an expansive area teeming with wildlife, and abundant water all year round. A hanging bridge and rope-strung boardwalks led us through the riverine forest. It made for a romantic and practical entrance to Mara Plains Camp through the most exquisite carved doors, sourced from the coastal trade routes of East Africa.
The lodge décor brings to mind adventurous and tenacious explorers and includes esteemed fine art wildlife photographs. The very private and sizeable suites are unfenced to the wild. We’d leave our curtains open to hear the nocturnal wilderness or enjoy being ensconced in the sumptuous fabric curtains by night. Sinking into the oversized beds with their quality linen, we dreamed of a bygone era, while being aware of the lodge’s role in supporting sustainability and preservation for the future. Sensory indulgences abound here, from the extensive pillow selection, to bath amenities scented with African blue basil, cedar and East African mint, and a gilded copper bathtub and large shower.
Fabulous food
We were also indulged with a range of culinary delights during our stay. Highlights included venison, duck breasts, pad thai, porcini risotto, seared tuna, creme brûlée, panna cotta and other mouth-watering fare. As is the case in many lodges, many staff come from humble outlying villages. One was our chef, and I asked him how he came to the profession. He told me his father worked in a scullery and was allowed to take any leftover desserts home. This sparked the son’s interest in food, and his passion for it grew from there.
The lodge’s homegrown veggie patches and planter boxes support the creative menus and also enable the staff to cater for plant-based and vegan guests too. Similarly, the Kenyan government allows the local people in Maasai Mara in Kenya the liberty of growing crops on their conservancies, in untilled land.
Another sustainability initiative is in allowing communities to graze their cattle in these reserves. It’s not unusual to encounter herdsmen and their cattle in wild national parks. Birdlife abounds, and herd upon herd of antelope, zebra and wildebeest continuously feed the circle of life. We remarkably saw all the big cat species in one day. There was a cheetah successfully raising four sub-adults, a pair of lionesses greeting their cubs when they returned to their pride at dawn after a night of hunting, a solitary male lion stalking a buffalo calf, and a leopard eating an impala up a thorn tree at dusk.
Planning your trip
Keen to head to Nairobi in Africa and onwards into the wild landscapes of Kenya? Find out more about the experiences on offer and book a stay at a Kenya safari lodge at greatplainsconservation.com.
Lightfoot Travel is one of the preferred travel partners of Great Plains Conservation. See lightfoottravel.com for more.
This article about exploring wildlife beyond Nairobi in Africa first appeared in the September 2024 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase the latest issue or subscribe, so you never miss a copy!
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