Extraordinary Africa>Kenya > Samburu > Sasaab
On a continent of seriously beautiful lodges, Sasaab manages to stand out as something rather special. Views are staggering, the rooms are shamelessly romantic, and yet Sasaab happily welcomes families as well as honeymooners on safari. This is one of our failsafe bets for an unforgettable immersion in Samburuland.
What’s Sasaab really like?
Sasaab’s nine chic, open-plan rooms are scattered along the top of the boulders overlooking the Ewaso Nyiro River. Each room has a plunge pool (Samburu can get seriously hot) and one’s perfectly designed for families to share. At Sasaab’s main lodge there’s yet another pool, like the rooms, it has views to die for. And then there’s SpaSaab. Remarkably for such a remote safari lodge, the spa is really rather glorious, with ravishing views, a soundtrack provided by the wild birds and Liz Earle treatments. And a special tip from us: if you’re plotting a proposal, Sasaab is the sort of lodge where a girl would find it difficult to say no.
What can I do at Sasaab?
Guests come to Sasaab for the safari activities. You’re on a private conservancy here so it’s possible to do bush walks, camel rides and fly camping away from the strict rules of the national park. For greater wildlife densities, a game drive in Samburu National Park is a must, not least for the magical elephant viewing. We’d also give a very special recommendation to the Samburu village visits here. Many of the lodge staff are from the local Samburu community and we’d be hard pushed to find a more rewarding, interesting or authentic experience anywhere in Africa.
What about children at Sasaab?
In the world of safari it’s extraordinarily rare to find such a romantic, high-end lodge that caters so well to children on safari, and yet Sasaab manages beautifully with a whole raft of activities recommended by the owners’ children. Try Samburu Olympics, bow and arrow making or riding a camel. Or head down to the nearby Samburu village for football with the village children.
Giving back at Sasaab…
Sasaab is inextricably tied up with the Samburu community- they’re the lodge’s neighbours and its landlords. By staying at Sasaab guests directly contribute to community and medical projects and nearby women’s groups. The lodge is one of just a handful in Kenya to achieve a Gold Eco-Rating (too much to go into here, but just ask if you want the full detail) and a researcher from the Ewaso Lion project is based at the lodge. We never make guarantees, but if you’re lucky she might just take you to visit.
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