El Karama Lodge
EL KARAMA LODGE IS AN OWNER-RUN LODGE LOCATED IN THE SOUTH-EAST LAIKIPIA REGION
El Karama is a private working ranch and wildlife conservancy in the beautiful Laikipia region, and operates with a strong focus on sustainability. The property has a relaxed feel and a warm welcome is guaranteed from owners Murray and Sophie Grant. The lodge is perfectly suited to families who are looking for a fun family bush adventure, as well as anyone looking for a relaxed and informal bush escape. It also works well for small groups looking for an exclusive adventure with private accommodation and dining options. Wildlife viewing on the ranch is very good, with a wide variety of big game present, but it is also the wide range of activities available which is very attractive.
Rooms
Accommodation for around 30 guests is offered in a range of eight tented rooms, cottages and houses. There are three one-bedroomed ‘bandas’ which are built under thatch, on stone platforms. The central bedroom area has tented sides and a stone-walled bathroom behind with bath and overhead shower. A shaded veranda area to the fore has comfortable seating.
The River Cottages comprise an exclusive use camp of two one-bedroomed units. Each stone and thatch cottage has large windows with gauze and canvas roll down blinds and en suite bathrooms with bath and shower. The River Cottages are close enough to the main lodge to feel part of the family and use the facilities there, but there is a private sitting room, dining room and kitchen for those that prefer complete privacy.
The Hobbit House is a stone and thatch cottage sleeps up to six guests in two bedrooms and two mezzanine floors. The large master bedroom has a sitting area and steps leading up to two mezzanine levels, each with a single bed (suitable for children over 10 years). There is a second smaller twin bedroom. The Hobbit House has one shared bathroom with bath and separate shower so is ideally suited to families.
Nilotica Private House is the latest offering and is set apart from the main lodge, offering privacy and space to groups of friends and families travelling together. Comprising four separate stone and thatch cottages with large gauze windows and doors, the house complex accommodates up to 10 guests. The first cottage has two inter-connecting bedrooms (sleeping up to two adult and four children) with shared bathroom featuring a shower, toilet and outdoor bath and shower. The other three cottages each have one en suite bedroom with a shower and toilet and there is space to add a small bed for a child in one of the cottages. Nilotica House has an expansive raised timber deck, wrap around stone verandas with further decking, and wooden walkways connecting all the areas. The house has its own eco-smart swimming pool with pool house which includes a dining area, bar, fireplace and relaxed seating. Guests at Nilotica benefit from their own team of staff, guide and vehicle.
Central Areas
The central areas include a lounge and dining area, a children’s activity room/art gallery and a large ‘eco-pool’ which is secluded and a great area for kids in between activities. There is also a shop and a small bush spa, a gym and a running track (which has been created within a fenced area).
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
The Laikipia covers a significant portion of dramatic countryside in northern Kenya, sandwiched between Samburu and Mount Kenya in the east and the Aberdare Mountains and Great Rift Valley in the west. The central section of the area is covered by a lava plateau which creates a series of rocky escarpments offering epic views, whilst a series of rocky outcrops and hills dot the landscape revealing the landscapes much more ancient history (some of these rocks are thought to be around 80 million years old). The region is divided into a number of private ranches, conservancies and community lands with farming (cattle mainly), wildlife conservation and local populations all existing in relative harmony.
As the region is increasingly closely managed, and the local communities are made more aware of their role in conserving wildlife and benefitting from this, there has been an increase in properties dedicated solely to wildlife, and in these areas the wildlife populations are growing steadily. Some private ranches have been concentrating on wildlife conservation for many years and offer superb game-viewing experiences, though in general the Laikipia region is better known for its wilderness, scenery and the wide variety of activities on offer.
El Karama is a 15,000-acre wildlife conservancy and also has a working farm which operates with sustainable practices in alignment with habitat protection and wildlife conservation. Sitting above the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, the lodge offers a combination of stunning landscapes (with views of Mount Kenya, the Aberdares and Lolldaiga Hills), great photographic opportunities, a wide range of activities and very good wildlife viewing.
The diverse landscape includes rolling acacia land, eight dams and wetlands, the river boundary, and a beautiful waterfall to the north of the property, all offering the perfect habitat for a range of wildlife and birds alike. Big game includes leopard, lion, cheetah, buffalo, hippo and elephant, while the conservancy is also home to the ‘northern Kenya five’ – Besia oryx, Somali ostrich, Grevy’s zebra, gerenuk and vulturine guineafowl. There are also over 430 species of bird recorded on the ranch.
Activities
Activities include game drives (by day and night), walking safaris, fly-camping and fishing. Horse-riding can be arranged at an extra cost at the neighbouring property from three hour rides to overnight safaris (minimum age 12 years). For guests keen to learn about ranching in Kenya, there is the opportunity to get involved on the working farm in activities such as milking, calving and cattle inspections. Guests can also get involved in wildlife monitoring activities. There is also plenty to keep children occupied and engaged – Bush School is open every morning and offers craft and farm activities suited to younger children; while opportunities to get involved in conservation and wildlife monitoring can be offered to older children. Tours around the organic garden are also included and guests can get involved in their tree planting project.
Seasons
El Karama is open all year round.
El Karama accepts children of all ages and with family-friendly accommodation options and a fantastic array of activities, some specifically geared towards children and teens, the lodge is the perfect place for a family adventure. There is also a Bush School for Kids which operates daily from mid-morning until lunchtime and offers dedicated children’s activities including wildlife tracking and ‘poo safaris’, cooking in the bush kitchen, crafts and conservation monitoring. Staff are very accommodating for flexible mealtimes and menu choices and activities can also be tailored to suit families.
The main purpose of El Karama Lodge is to create a strong revenue stream for the conservancy, which is reinvested annually into the landscape for conservation. This preserves El Karama’s unique habitat and biodiversity as well as providing a sustainable platform for long term employment, education, training and livelihood opportunities and so directly benefitting the local community.
The Grant family are keen to set the property as a model for sustainable management and responsible tourism in Kenya showcasing best practice, the potential and power of low-impact, environmentally friendly operations and to promote the use of green technologies. El Karama has founded its operations on being a self-sustaining eco-lodge and operates completely with solar powered electricity (24 hours a day) and a chemical-free, solar powered swimming pool.
El Karama operates strict local procurement strategies, employment and training opportunities, employing 25 permanent members of staff and impacting 100 members of the local community directly. They also contribute to the salaries and training of anti-poaching rangers whose job is to manage the wildlife security on the conservancy.
The lodge works in partnership with local schools including Endana Primary and Secondary School and The Leo Project offering internships, school visits, careers mentoring and educational exposure.
A number of wildlife research and monitoring efforts across the wider region are also supported including Mpala Research, Lion Landscapes for data collection and For Rangers who fundraise for ranger welfare all over Africa.
An impact report is available at the lodge to all guests keen to learn more about their comprehensive conservation work, community upliftment impact and environmentally sensitive operations.
