The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille

The Eyrie is a romantic bolthole. This nest-like bedroom enjoys a huge round bed and endless views of the surrounding hills. This villa has is a high-mountain retreat, with a an air of equatorial romance about it. There is a sunken bathtub in the rocks often with eagles flying above you, a stunning lounge and dining room and a large wrap around terrace. With superb panoramic views this villa offers great of privacy, without compromising on guests enjoyment of the scenic craggy surroundings.

Taking its name from an eagle’s nest, the villa is perched on top of a rocky outcrop, and has a unique ‘African retro’ style. It’s domed ceilings add to its sense of spaciousness, whilst the furnishings and decorations create an intimate atmosphere. There are spectacular views, highlights include the snow-capped rugged peaks of Mount Kenya and the nearby elephant watering hole. Seeing these majestic animals stopping for a drink is a truly unique experience and is just one of the many amazing sights to behold in Ol Lentille’s 40,000 acre private conservation area.

The Sultan’s House brings the essence of Lamu, Zanzibar and the rest of the Swahili Coast to the wilderness of the Ol Lentille Conservancy in Laikipia. This villa overlooks a watering hole favoured by the elephants of Ol Lentille and is designed and furnished with very unique artefacts and furniture. This is a vast one bedroom thatched villa with an enormous bedroom, dressing area and bathroom. Across a courtyard there is a huge lounge and dining area with a beautiful terrace.

The villa is built between large rocks and has a soaring tightly-plaited papyrus roof which is a wonder of intricate craftsmanship. The exterior of the roof blends perfectly into the house’s rocky outer walls. Limed boughs of African olive tree and delicate Swahili plaster carvings give this villa a really unique and special feel. Warm, welcoming and inviting this villa offers endless views and endless space.

This hugely spacious two-bedroom large villa with abounding style, character and charm brings a unique, personal and private experience to friends or a family. This villa features stunning campaign style décor. You’ll feel like you’re truly in the bush home of a well-travelled military man; it certainly has a very “Out of Africa” feel to it. With brass-bound furniture, oriental carpets, and a beautiful Knole sofa in front of an open fire, you feel a connection with a bygone era of comfort and style.

The Colonel’s House is built on two floors, with two large bedrooms on the upper floor where you can choose king or twin beds. Both are luxuriously comfortable with delightfully soft bedding. Each of the bedrooms has a large private terrace, accessed through double glass doors to enjoy and absorb the panoramic views. They also feature dressing rooms, sunken baths, and a roofless shower room. In the passageway between the bedrooms there’s a fine example of hand-made Kitengela stained glass.

A sweeping staircase leads to the sitting room – a great place for pre-dinner drinks and after-dinner storytelling. Across the courtyard is the dining room which is decorated with antique maps and where guests can enjoy intimate meals together. Outside on the large terrace there is a small plunge-pool to cool off from the midday sunshine.

There are spectacular views, highlights include the snow-capped rugged peaks of Mount Kenya and the nearby elephant watering hole. Seeing these majestic animals stopping for a drink is a truly unique experience and is just one of the many amazing sights to behold in Ol Lentille’s 40,000 acre private conservancy.

The Chief’s House is the largest of villa at Ol Lentille: this huge three bedroom villa is beautifully designed, styled and furnished, with an abundance of space, ambience and privacy for a family or group of friends to enjoy. Here is African minimalist design decorated with wonderful art, fabrics and artefacts from across the continent. The sculpted roof collects rainfall, and blends into its rocky surroundings. Inside, the roof provides vaulted ceilings for the sumptuously cool modern interiors. There are sublime panoramic views of the magisterial mountains and rugged hills of northern Kenya from our private 40,000-acre Ol Lentille Conservancy. Our private wildlife reserve is home to elephants, greater kudu, African wild dogs, leopard, and the endangered Grevy’s zebra to name but a few.

All the meals at Ol Lentille are private giving guests lots of special time to enjoy privacy and each other’s company. Ol Lentille ensures that guests eat in different places every night and have a wealth of signature dishes to impress its visitors.

As so many of the guests at Ol Lentille combine Laikipia with the Masai Mara (where they are in a vehicle for the whole time) we seldom do two game drives per day, although this can be arranged upon request as there is so much to see and do in this beautiful area. Laikipia is “the holiday” bit of your Kenya adventures; we offer day and night private game drives and you are likely to see lots of elephant as well as a mix of plains game – if you are lucky you might spot leopard and wild dog!

The mainstay of Ol Lentille’s adventurous programme is the walking safari, where guests hike through the local area to get up close to all the action and learn about the smaller details which are often overlooked when in a car. The 40,000 acre conservation area is host to an incredible number of elephant and native wild dog. Guided by Samburu and Maasai tribespeople, this is a very special journey into their ancient lands. Traverse this rugged landscape of craggy hills and winding valleys with scenic hikes, and find yourself immersed in the exquisite wilderness.

Laikipia is a bird watchers paradise and we have over 150 species in our conservation area. The most common species here are some of the most spectacular. In the raptor department Martial eagle, Verreaux’s eagle, Bateleur, and Eastern pale chanting goshawk abound, and often provide close company at sundowner drinks at one of our favourite spots. The guides at Ol Lenitlle are well experienced, friendly and here to show you the diversity of birds in our special area.

Only northern Laikipia offer camel safaris and it’s an incredibly special and unique experience that all of the guests at Ol Lentille are encouraged to do. Led by Maasai tribespeople, travelling deep into the African wilderness you have instantly taken out of modern times. Guests marvel at the landscape, enjoying the simplicity of traditional travel, and surrounding wildlife on an immersive 90 minute camel ride to the river where your lunch is waiting for you. A great activity for everyone and an absolute “must do” when you stay at Ol Lentille.

This is an exceptional experience to enjoy wild, rugged and very remote northern Kenya. Ol Lentille offers incredible trips from just a few hours to a whole day or overnight epic adventure.

Get fit and a really different way to explore our landscape, burn off our wonderful food and enjoy our wilderness! There are some really excellent mountain bikes offered by the lodge.

An exhilarating activity, probably something that you wouldn’t expect to do in Kenya!

You can quad bike from the lodge to the local Maasai village, where technology meets tradition

Only for guests 16 or over

Experience authentic Samburu and Maasai culture up close and personal at weekly livestock and vegetable markets. Take the time to enrich your understanding of Kenya’s cultural traditions, and learn about these people’s special relationship with their ancestral homeland, such as the tales of the sacred Samburu mountain Ololokwe.

At Ol Lentille guests learn that a successful partnership with the community has created the Ol Lentille conservation area of over 40,000 acres. This is one of the best examples of private partnerships successfully working with the community in Kenya.

Guests might have a stunning bush dinner under the vast starry African skies, or a picnic lunch by the river. Meals out in the wilderness are incredibly memorable, special and connect you to the stunning landscape.

As a safari tradition this is a daily ritual! As the sun sets over the vast wilderness guests are rewarded with stunning views and sunsets over the local area. A selection of guests’ favourite drinks is served cold with the backdrop of the conservation area’s wonderful panoramic views. Humbling and very special.

As with everywhere at Ol Lentille, guest witness awe inspiring views. The pool area overlooks two waterholes and from here you watch elephants and plains game play and drink – an incredibly special experience. For guests who don’t want to stray too far from the lodge to one of our remote and beautiful sundowner drinks spots, the pool deck is a fabulous place instead. This is a great place to linger – there are lounging “pods” filled with comfortable cushions and a dining deck under shady sails. The infinity pool is a real feature of the lodge and in the warm sunshine a much-needed place to come and cool down and relax.

Ol Lentille’s unique formula of unlimited spa treatments in their rates is a winning formula! Importantly, guests are here to relax and recharge. A daily treatment will ensure you leave feeling much better than you arrived!

The incredible views offered make Ol Lentille a perfect place for yoga. Gill’s yoga sessions are the perfect way to start or finish the day and she will tailor make them for everyone, beginners are always welcome!

All the meals at Ol Lentille are private giving guests lots of special time to enjoy privacy and each other’s company. Ol Lentille ensures that guests eat in different places every night and have a wealth of signature dishes to impress its visitors.

• Gallery and shop – art and necessities
• Pool – swimming, lounging, sunbathing and dining
• Library – books, games and relaxing
• Deck – wildlife viewing and star-gazing
• Jogging trail with exercise stations
• Boules/Bocce/Petanque
• Croquet
• Fine food and wine

• Helicopter trip to Mount Kenya for trout fishing
• Stay in a local village manyatta for the night, singing and dancing with the locals
• One night fly-camping on the banks of a dry river bed under massive fever trees. Guests are often visited here by elephant and by Samburu warriors wanting a chat. In season there will be singing wells. You can also have lamb or goat cooked over open fire
• Day trip across vast northern Kenya. Explore Suguta, Hoodoo and Painted Valleys over Lake Logipe and to the southern tip of Lake Turkana. Then cutting back down the Ndoto Mountains and Mathews range. Clients will make two or three stops along the way including a breakfast stop with somewhere to swim in a natural rock pool. There is also an option to land for a walk in the Cycad forest in the Matthews. This trip is out of this world!
• 2-night camp out in the Ndotos Hills using helicopters
• Combine Ol Lentille with Karisia camels
• Day trips to Ol Pejeta (2 hour drive)

Since its foundation in 2007, Ol Lentille has been at the forefront of sustainable tourism, placing the ethos of sustainability at the core of its operations. The Sanctuary at Lentille has continually worked to build strong partnerships with local communities as well as the landscape, bringing economic prosperity to northern Laikipia. In addition to following through with important steps in sustainability through its support of local Samburu and Maasai communities, Ol Lentille has displayed exemplary leadership in recruiting young Kenyan talent by contracting Nairobi based Architect Lengai Croze to design its exquisite villas.

Most importantly, the Sanctuary at Ol Lentille has raised $5 million USD rom guest donations for its charity, which has built “3 primary schools, a secondary school, and numerous nurseries, and classrooms at eight other schools, a hospital, and invested in water and sanitation projects.” It can be said with absolute certainty that the Sanctuary at Ol Lentille has made a positive impact on this marvellous part of the world.

The small-scale operations in place at the Sanctuary, with a capacity of 14 adult guests and 6 children, have allowed the Sanctuary at Ol Lentille to leave a small footprint on the 40,000 acre conservation area which is has sustained for over a decade. Its reduced emphasis on Game Drives have also reduced the lodge’s carbon footprint through a reduction of fuel consumption. The protection of conservation area is invaluable not only for providing much needed carbon sinks in the age of the climate crisis, but has also protected native biodiversity, and has enabled local wildlife to thrive as endangered animals recover their populations after centuries of hunting, habitat loss, and other ecological damage following the Industrial Revolution.