Luxury in the Wild: A Boutique Weekend Stay at Olarro Conservancy

There’s nothing quite like a safari holiday. If you’ve been on one, you understand why people from different parts of the world save up their whole lives to experience a safari in Kenya. I’ve had the privilege of being on a number of such trips around Kenya and it’s the kind of experience that you never say no to. So when I got the wonderful opportunity to head out to Olarro Conservancy, I packed my bags for what I knew was going to be a fantastic weekend.

About Olarro Conservancy

Located in South Western Kenya in the Loita Hills Massif, Olarro Conservancy is a 20,000-acre private conservancy that sits within the Maasai Mara region about 200km from Nairobi. Olarro Conservancy sits along the corridor of the annual wildebeest migration and plays a significant role in the Greater Nguruman, Loita, Mara, and Serengeti ecosystems. The conservancy is home to a wide array of wildlife and has 2 properties within it – Olarro Lodge and Olarro Plains.

How do you get to Olarro Conservancy?

There are 3 main options to get to Olarro:

1. By air – this is the fastest as well as most comfortable way to get to Olarro. You can take a chartered flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport or a scheduled flight from one of the airlines at Wilson Airport to the Siana Airstrip. The flight is about 50 minutes. Olarro then sends a private driver to pick you up and the 1-hour drive to the conservancy is the beginning of your safari as it’s basically a game drive.

2. By helicopter – this is the most luxurious and convenient way to get there as it comes with scenic views. The flight is about an hour. There is a helipad at Olarro, so you only have a short drive through the conservancy, with Olarro Plains being a closer drive than Olarro Lodge.

3. By road – this is the longest way to get there but still quite scenic. We opted to drive down and the 4-hour journey was something else, especially when we got into Olarro conservancy. Getting to Olarro is actually a shorter trip than going to the Masai Mara Game Park. It was basically a game drive all the way to Olarro Lodge and it was a great welcome to what turned out to be an unforgettable weekend.

The Check-In Experience

Check-in was pleasant. The staff were waiting to receive us with fresh juice and cold towels. After a long drive, it was refreshing. They were friendly and professional and best of all, anticipated and were attentive to our needs. 

Olarro Lodge

I am not easily impressed but I couldn’t hide it when we finally arrived at Olarro Lodge. Featuring 8 luxury lodges, each lodge is spacious and features a bedroom and is en suite with a rainfall shower. I was lucky to stay in the room that also features a luxurious bathtub.

The décor is gorgeous and consists of beautiful pieces and stunning art and is what I would describe as minimalist African. I absolutely loved the homey feel of Olarro Lodge as it never feels like a hotel but more of a private residence. This is more evident in the common areas that feature a plush garden with a couch and fire pit for outdoor dinners, a lounge with a lovely fireplace and a dining room with a table just big enough for a small group.

I loved the modern minimalist décor meets Lamu aesthetic in my room. The heavy wooden door opened up to a bed with pillows featuring beautiful beadwork. There is also a dressing table, full length mirror and wardrobe with bath robes. My favourite part of the room was the bathroom. The way to the bathroom is up through a flight of stairs that is reminiscent of Swahili architecture. I enjoyed my time in the bathtub and actually was so relaxed at some point, my phone fell in. Thankfully, it was resuscitated by some time in a rice sack!

The views are beautiful from every room at the lodge. There is a pool also with a Swahili architecture feel that is more for cooling off than actually swimming. For the best views, you can climb to the Upper Deck that features a lounge that opens up to one of the most breathtaking views I’ve ever experienced. We had breakfast there and I couldn’t get over it, especially when we spotted a herd of elephants in the distance.

Little Olarro

Set away from the other rooms sits Little Olarro, a completely secluded suite perfect for honeymooners and guests with kids who would like to stay together. It is basically a house featuring two en-suite bedrooms, its own lounge and dining room and a patio with a breathtaking view of the conservancy.

Olarro Plains

Olarro Plains has four double and four twin rooms – all en-suite and is a short drive from Olarro Lodge. Spacious and beautifully designed, every detail, from their positioning to the décor, has been thoughtfully considered. Each room has its own private veranda with views of Olarro conservancy . The property overlooks a waterhole and a live feed beams every beat into the bar. Fences keep you safe from wildlife, but it is a wonderful experience.

I loved my room which was spacious and comfortable. Honestly, I really appreciate the thought put into the space. Thought into the little things is what makes luxury.

Olarro Plains is similar to Olarro Lodge in that it’s also a boutique hotel. The common areas are beautiful featuring a bar, lounge, dining outdoor area and a stunning infinity pool with views of the conservancy.

The Dining Experience

The dining experience at both Olarro Lodge and Olarro Plains is great, with an a la carte menu. The food is delicious and the ingredients fresh, as they have a garden on site where they get most of their vegetables and herbs. I especially enjoyed the salmon, pork and chicken dishes. The bar is also well stocked, and I had plenty of good wine.

Conservation

As it is a conservancy, Olarro plays a big part in protecting the animals in the conservancy, as well as undertaking threatened species surveys. All the rangers are recruited from local communities and help in tracking of animals on behalf of guests, as well as working with Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS), to stop poaching.

On our first day there, we got to experience a rare sight. There was an injured elephant that the conservation team was tracking, and we had the opportunity to watch this. The tracking was something else as it included following a herd of elephants and giving chase in cars, a motorbike, a drone and a plane. One of the wardens was injured when one of the elephants swung at him with their trunk and threw him off his bike. Thankfully, after a couple of hours, they managed to dart the injured elephant, give it antibiotics and send it on its way. It was amazing to see first-hand the kind of effort it takes to care for these animals.

Olarro is also concerned with its carbon footprint and therefore is 99% powered by renewable energy, powered by a sophisticated installation of solar generator systems.

Activities and Facilities

Olarro has several activities on offer including guided day and night game drives, quad biking, cultural visit to the Masai village, bush dining, sundowners and educational visit to Olarro Conservancy HQ. There are also children’s activities if you travel with kids.

“Dik diks mate for life. When one dies, the other dies soon after of a broken heart. Warthogs have a short memory. A warthog will fart and then spin around wondering where the smell is coming from. Elephants are good at finding water and other animals depend on them to dig water up for them.” I’m at the back of a 4×4 truck listening to Laban, our driver and guide, share interesting animal facts on a breathtaking game drive across the Olarro conservancy. It’s windy and I have one hand clutching the complementary Masai blanket wrapped around me and the other holding on for support to keep me steady as we speed across the plains following a herd of elephants.

The private conservancy offers unbeatable views as you’re not being blocked by other people on a game drive. Also, the abundance of animals is astounding. I have never seen so many giraffes in my life! I was completely taken aback by the number of giraffes and elephants in the conservancy. We also spotted more than enough zebras, wildebeest, antelopes including elands, hartebeest, and Thomson gazelles and warthogs. Activities are limited to 2 per person per day. You can only request a spa session if you so wish.

Rates

The rates for Olarro Lodge and Olarro Plains are standard and are per person per night all-inclusive.  It’s Ksh 57,000 for double occupancy, Ksh 66,500 for single occupancy and Ksh 43,000 for a child during high season and Ksh 44,500 for double occupancy, Ksh 54,000 for single occupancy and Ksh 33,500 for a child for residents during mid season. For non-residents, it’s USD 710 for double occupancy USD 830 for single occupancy and USD 570 for a child during high season and USD 555 for double occupancy, USD 675 for single occupancy and USD 420 for a child during mid season. High season runs from July to October and then again through Christmas and New Year, while mid season is January to June and then again November to December. There are also rates for honeymooners as well as for rooms with more than double occupancy. For further enquiries or to make reservations, contact reservations@olarrokenya.com or call +254721921966/+254785887139.