When travelling on your African safari and staying at ol Donyo Lodge in Kenya, which room should you choose? ol Donyo Lodge is wedged between Kenya’s Tsavo East and Amboseli National Parks in the heart of the Chyulu Hills. The property lies within the Mbirikani Group Ranch, 275,000 acre pristineulate and private wilderness, presided over by the magnificent summit of Africa’s greatest icon – Mount Kilimanjaro.
The group ranch is owned by 4,000 Maasai and is leased from them by Great Plains Conservation, whereby all lease fees and per-person conservancy fees go directly to the community. The understanding is that they will ensure the conservation of the ranch and the wild animals which call it home. The result is an area rich in wildlife, where some of Africa’s last giant elephant bulls roam freely, where the haunting calls of leopards interrupt the night, and where lion numbers are slowly recovering and being pulled back from depletion.
Delicately nestled within this incredible ecosystem, on a natural hillside that rises above the arresting scenes of this area, is ol Donyo Lodge, a collection of superb thatched Suites perfectly positioned to take in some of Kenya’s most stunning nature displays, and with Africa’s highest mountain as a constant backdrop. The views from ol Donyo Lodge are nothing short of breathtaking.
The Lodge itself has been constructed from natural materials to make it as environmentally friendly as possible. The walls are built with lava rocks from the area, and even the cement was used sparingly as a light wash over lava rock. Most of the lodge’s energy comes from the sun using a solar-powered system with energy-saving lighting Rainwater is captured from each roof, and all grey water from the guest’s bathrooms is filtered and transferred to the waterholes in front of the lodge, attracting a variety of wildlife to drink.
Introducing the ol Donyo Lodge Room Categories
ol Donyo Lodge was initially rebuilt in 2008 and sits in a thick woodland on a gently sloping hillside overlooking the plains toward Mount Kilimanjaro. Designed to merge your outdoor and indoor living, a series of unique Suites emerge from the landscape on either side of a palatial lounge and dining area, completely immersing you in your surroundings.
At the beginning of 2023, ol Donyo Lodge was completely renovated, ensuring all the guest Suites are of the same quality, finish and experience. Each renovated suite offers an updated room flow, updated facilities and improved spatial elements. All the Stanard Pool Suites have been upgraded to Deluxe Pool Suites status. The 2-bedroomed Sambu Suite, ideal for families or two couples travelling together, has also received a makeover.
The Deluxe Pool Suites comprise a spacious and comfortable bedroom with an extra large lounge area overlooking a private plunge pool and with incredible views of the open plains and the blue mountainous outline of Mount Kilimanjaro as the backdrop. Each of the deluxe suites includes a staircase to an overhead starbed area.
The 2-bedroom Sambu Suite is perfect for a family or two couples travelling together and offers two spacious and comfortable bedrooms overlooking a central outdoor lounging area next to a private pool. Each of the bedrooms in the Sambu Suite has its own staircase leading to its own overhead starbed areas.
