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By Julian 15 March 2022

Kenya's Top 10 Luxury Lodges

From the professional guiding and activities to the level of accommodation, a lot of thought goes into offering a top-end product. Here, we've put together our top 10 luxury lodges in Kenya.

"Being heralded as the birthplace of safari holidays, Kenya has some seriously good wildlife reserves. Fortunately, Kenya also offers some of Africa's finest safari camps! With so many options to choose from for a luxury safari to Kenya, we've helped by narrowing it down to our current top 10 favourite - take a look!"

Please note, we pride ourselves on creating bespoke safari trips for our clients, which means that the lodges you will visit can be completely tailored to your needs. Call our safari expert team to discuss your requirements, or read on for our pick of the best.

1. Segera, Laikipa

Private outdoor bath
Lodge spa

Once the private home of the founder of Puma, Segera is one of Laikipia's most luxurious private properties. Run today by Wilderness Safaris, it's a place offering a retreat from the non-stop game drive focus within other parts of Kenya. Activities here include helicopter flights where guests can circle around the majestic peaks of Mount Kenya and get a bird’s-eye view of the flamingo-filled lakes of the Great Rift Valley. There are other marvels on which to feast your eyes, in the shape of Segera’s art gallery. This is a satellite of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, showcasing pieces from the Zeitz collection. You can also spend time wandering in the property’s sculpture garden, admiring works made out of stone, bronze, and steel.

2. Ol Donyo Lodge, Chyulu Hills

olDonyoLodge Food Dining GreatPlainsConservation (2)
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Ol Donyo Lodge was originally built by famous conservationist Richard Bonham in 1987. Today the lodge is operated by Great Plains Conservation, one of Africa’s leading luxury safari brands, who redeveloped it in 2008. Ol Donyo is located in the private Mbirikani Group Ranch, which is leased from the local Maasai in order to conserve the wildlife in the area. Besides being an all-round excellent lodge, this property also offers a range of outstanding activities including horseback riding, guided walking and mountain biking.

3. Angama Mara, Maasai Mara

angama mara
Angama 2015 12

Angama Mara enjoys one of the best locations in the Maasai Mara. Located sky-high on the Oloololo Escarpment, this luxury property boasts the most breathtaking views of the Mara – and sightings of the Big Five from the lodge itself are not uncommon! This new property defines chic – the 30 tented suites are laid out as two separate camps to provide the best possible service. Besides game driving in the Maasai Mara, Angama Mara offers a range of activities including guided walks, Maasai village visits, beading with the Maasai ladies, romantic picnics on the kopje where the 1985 film Out of Africa was filmed – and for those keen to keep in shape, there is a fully equipped gym and swimming pool on-site!

4. Mara Plains, Olare Motorogi Conservancy

bedroom deck, mara plains camp, greater mara, kenya
camp fire, mara plains camp, greater mara, kenya

Mara Plains is also run by Great Plains Conservation, so this is another deluxe lodge! Located in the private Olare Motorogi Conservancy bordering the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Mara Plains gives guests the option to game drive in the main reserve or in the quieter Greater Mara Conservancies. This classic safari property offers first-rate accommodation, guiding and service. This is without a doubt one of the finest camps in Kenya!

5. Sirikoi Camp, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy

Sirikoi tent Kenya
Sirikoi luxury tent view

Sirikoi is one of the most luxurious properties in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy! Owned by Willie and Sue Roberts, who have lots of experience setting up and running camps, this property has loads to recommend it – including a fabulous location overlooking a natural spring, which is frequently visited by elephant and rhino. Guest accommodation consists of four tented rooms, one two-bedroom cottage, and one three-bedroom private house. Sirikoi offers a top-notch range of activities, such as visits to the Ngare Ndare Forest, horseback rides, camel rides, guided walks, or for a more scenic view of Lewa why not try a scenic flight in a biplane!

6. Ngare Serian, Mara North Conservancy

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Ngare Serian Bedroom

Ngare Serian is situated in the Mara North Conservancy on the banks of the Mara River in a private walking concession. It consists of just four luxury tents and is accessible only by footbridge! One of Alex Walker’s properties, this classic safari camp offers an all-round amazing experience, with first-class guiding, exclusive use of vehicle (a perk not offered in many camps!), superb accommodation, and delicious food! As well as all this, the camp provides a range of activities including guided walks, fishing, and night drives. For those looking for an experience of a lifetime, the camp also has a fully furnished treehouse overlooking the Mara River (and a lively pod of hippos!), in which guests can stay for a night.

7. Sarara, Samburu

Sarara camp lounge area kenya yellow zebra safaris
Sarara camp bedroom view kenya yellow zebra safaris

Sarara Camp is pretty amazing – and it wins oodles of points from YZ for all those activities. If you are looking for a camp that has everything, this could be it! Positioned well away from Kenya’s tourist trail, it is an excellent option for travellers who like to get away from the crowds and enjoy a truly authentic experience! It has a wonderful hillside location, nestling within rocky bush and boasting breathtaking views of the plains below, and offers an absolute mega mix of activities.

8. Governors Il Moran

governors il moran guest area
food serving governors il moran camp kenya

Governors II Moran Camp is a relatively high-level tented camp known for good guiding and a very good game-viewing area. This is one of the Mara's original safari camps; it's the flagship of the Governors' Camp Collection. Governors’ Il Moran consists of just ten tents, spaced along the banks of the river. These are very similar to the tents at Governors’ and Little Governors’, but with one clear distinction – they are absolutely massive!

9. Solio Lodge, Laikipia

Solio 2015 184
Solio 2015 10

Solio Lodge is one of the most exclusive camps in Kenya! It is located within its very own reserve, the 45,000-acre Solio Game Reserve. This remarkable area is home to a high number of both black and white rhino and has been recognised as the most successful breeding reserve in Kenya! The lodge itself is made up of six luxurious cottages, each with a contemporary style and boasting large floor-to-ceiling windows that look on to spectacular views of the plains and Mount Kenya beyond. In addition to the draw of delicious food cooked with ingredients grown in the lodge’s private garden, Solio offers a range of activities including day and night game drives in the reserve, horseback riding, guided walks, mountain biking, day excursions to the nearby Aberdare National Park, visits to the nearby school – and, if you have time to relax, some lovely spa treatments, which can be enjoyed in the privacy of your own room!

10. Lodo Springs

Elewana  Lodo Springs   accommodation   kenya
Elewana  Lodo Springs   accommodation   spacious luxury tents with a view  kenya

Elewana Lodo Springs is seriously smart with just eight tented guest rooms, all with breathtaking views. Here you can go on expertly guided game drives, bush walks, biking or go horse riding, and even camel trekking. Each room is assigned an Elewana Guest Ambassador to cater to guests' every need, as well as a dedicated safari vehicle and a highly qualified field guide. This property is certainly one to consider for a luxurious stay in Kenya! 

Our experts can help you choose the right destination for you. If you want to discuss planning a safari to Kenya, you can give us a call on +44 (0) 208 547 2305 or send our experts a message here.

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