Sanctuary Tambarare Camp

At the end of the day, guests will enjoy the sanctum of their tented camp, attended to with five-star service. The wilderness comes not at the expense of luxury, and after the day’s invigorating encounters, guests will retire to the lull of the evening and the low hum of Ol Pejeta life continuing all around them. The individually-decorated tents blend indigenous and modern styles, with teak floors, gently billowing white curtains, and with unique touches of Maasai-inspired art, the accommodation delivers a luxurious experience which doesn’t compromise on cultural authenticity. The spacious and beautifully appointed main tent is set with inviting sofas and chairs in which guests may unwind. The air of relaxation is curated through the camp’s delicate palette of colours inspired by nature, from ‘sun-bleached’ wood to the rich blues of the indigenous Maasai people, and fabrics reminiscent of the landscape’s flora. The tented ceiling inspires a naturalistic ambience with a gentle warmth.

This luxury guest tent feels large and open (57sqm), with a private veranda overlooking the equatorial plains. The white curtains linger on the breeze, breathing life into the tents, with Maasai-inspired art in traditional blue – representative of the sky and precious rainwater – endowing the space with the cultural flair of the Maasai people. From the comfort of the super king beds, watch the great and enduring story of the savannah unfold before your eyes.

Dining at the camp’s excellent restaurant, the chefs prepare refreshing and delicious dishes and salads, including freshly baked breads in the remote seclusion of the bush. The attentive team are happy to accommodate to the guests’ requirements, preferences, and wishes from vegetarian and halal to a special anniversary dinner. There is also a bar tent with a bar tent with loungers for relaxation and enjoyment of the exquisite views overlooking the boma.

At Sanctuary Tambarare, guests can explore Ol Pejeta Conservancy with daily game drives, where expert guides provide a transcendental experience. In addition to the Big Five and many other animals (from cheetahs and jackal to hippos and hyena), the conservancy is home to 142 black rhinos, a critically endangered species. As the largest sanctuary of black rhinos in East Africa, there is no better place to visit these majestic creatures.

The plains come alive at night, with nocturnal animals such as aardvark and the white-tailed mongoose venturing out on the plains, you may even encounter lions and leopard. This night time adventure shows a different side to the savannah, and is exclusive to the Ol Pejeta conservancy as night time drives are not offered in most of Kenya’s national parks and reserves.

Meet Najin and Fatu, the last two northern white rhinos on the planet. Both resident at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, this encounter is a truly exclusive experience. Despite bleak news for the species in recent years, two of Fatu’s eggs were fertilised and cryofrozen on Christmas eve, 2020, giving a new hope to the preservation of this magnificent species, and we may see a calf on the plains as soon as 2023.

Guests can accompany a ranger and actively help protect these big cats. They’ll take notes on specific lions spotted, then report to the Ol Pejeta Ecological Monitoring Department. This experience gives a fantastic insight into the conservation work which you are supporting by visiting Sanctuary Tambarare.

This all-day adventure through the Laikipia landscape gives you an intimate experience with the wildlife, in a stripped-down approach to the safari. The excursion includes animal spotting, with a stopover at the Big Rock for lunch and an adventurous non-technical climb.

Guests can take morning or evening horse rides in the 600-acre endangered species enclosure, alongside northern and southern white rhino, Grevy’s zebra and Jackson’s hartebeest. It is said that horses and Rhinos have made good friends, and the last male northern white rhino, Sudan, had a special bond with the horses across the fence from his paddock.

Riding on horseback across the Ol Pejeta plains gives you a unique connection with the natural landscape. This experience allows you to get closer to wildlife, and puts a new perspective on the safari experience.

Accompanied by an experienced ranger, these interpretive walks bring you up close and personal with the sights, sounds and smells and of the African bush. with your feet on the ground, you will come to recognise much that is overlooked when being driven across the plains.

Guests walk through the bush along the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro river, where hippos keep cool in the shallow water. These lumbering creatures are happiest when wet, and enjoy nothing more than a refreshing bath in the Ewaso Nyiro.

Africa is not complete without its people. Engage with the traditions of the local people in an enriching experience which demonstrates the vibrancy of Maasi culture. As part of its commitment to local sustainability, Sanctuary Tambarare aims to positively impact the surrounding communities through education, agriculture and livestock enterprise. Visit local communities and see first hand the work Sanctuary Retreats undertakes in health care services, sustainable energy and community enterprise initiatives.

For fitness and adventure fans, there is no better run than a 5 to 7km route across the Ol Pejeta plains, sharing the land with elephants, rhinos, and more, nothing compares to these equatorial trails.

In a one hour coach led class, join a focused session on ‘functional fitness’  in the wilderness. Classes include strength, endurance, mobility, agility and flexibility.

There’s something for everyone at Sanctuary Tambarare, especially your little ones, who can enjoy completing an activity booklet complete with crayons, stickers, and a bag. Throughout the trip, the young rangers will take note of their sightings, earning their reward at the end of their stay by repeating the official ranger oath, and will have earned their very own ranger hat, certificate, and honorary pin.

Sanctuary Retreats Philanthropy has been committed to supporting the Maasai communities in Laikipia, and has been working to deliver clean drinking water to tackle the issue of waterborne diseases which has hindered Kenya and other developing nations which have been disproportionately affected by disease. Creating the infrastructure to tackle this issue is instrumental to creating the conditions by which the development of Kenyan society may progress. As public health improves in Kenya, so will local economies.

“The Safe Water for Schools Initiative introduces sustainable, non-invasive means to acquire clean water for Maasai students in Kenya. So far, Sanctuary Retreats Philanthropy has provided the LifeStraw community filter, a high-volume water purifier designed to deliver safe drinking water, to eleven Maasai schools.”

The benefits of bringing clean water to the Maasai are myriad. Access to clean water reduces the transmission of waterborne diseases, which in turn improves nutrition – otherwise hindered in recovery from illness – and then in turn produces a healthier community, and improves the local economy  ‘through income saved from avoidance of clinic expenditures’. This initiative creates a positive snowball effect, as the communities go from strength to strength.

The Ol Pejeta Conservancy is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. Since 1993, hard fought efforts, which have combined successful breeding with tough anti-poaching operations, have seen the black rhino population in the conservancy increase from just 20, to 142! The black rhino is considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the conservation efforts by sanctuaries such as the Ol Pejeta Conservancy are integral to the survival of these incredible animals.

Further, the 90,000 acre conservancy is home to Najin and Fatu, the last two remaining northern white rhinos on the planet. Whilst much of the news of the species in recent years has been bleak, international scientific efforts are being made to continue the species of the northern white rhino, with two of Fatu’s eggs having been viably fertilised, and cryofrozen on Christmas eve, 2020.

Sanctuary Tambarare is committed to supporting the local community through education, agriculture, and enterprise, supporting the people of Laikipia and its animals in equal measure. The inclusion of local culture in the safari retreat helps to both support local economies, and enrich the image of Africa which is experienced by the guests. Exploring the vibrant local customs is an essential experience which develops world views and deepens the understanding of various ways of life.