Bush Resort Where Guests Pay Upto Ksh 800K a Night to Sleep Next to Hippos

A side image of Olonana Sanctuary adjacent to a river that is filled with hippos.
A side image of Olonana Sanctuary adjacent to a river that is filled with hippos.
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Olonana Sanctuary

When it comes to luxury travel, the Maasai Mara is hailed as one of the most enriching places for tourists and locals to get accustomed to the Kenyan experience.

However, a hidden gem, tucked deep inside the Maasai Mara game reserve, offers an exquisite experience that guarantees a safari adventure like no other. 

Only a 45-minute flight from Nairobi, Olonana Sanctuary, is perceived as the ultimate destination within the game reserve. 

An image of the freestanding tubs inside the Olonana Sanctuary.
An image of the freestanding tubs inside the Olonana Sanctuary.
MARK WILLIAMS/SANCTUARY OLONANA)

So unique is the reserve, that its tents are located along a river that is filled with hippos. However, to guarantee safety, trained personnel are on guard at all times in a bid to prevent the animals from approaching the sanctuary. 

Hippos are fond of lazing around in the waters and are prone to come out to explore at night.

Features

The Sanctuary exudes a classic Maasai Mara aura with mudding and stone walls, handcrafted ornaments that consist of patterned prints. 

"Dramatic glass doors open out from the lounge to the terrace. Here, faded indigo rugs and elegant Edison-bulb pendant lights gently illuminate the decking without competing with the natural ambiance, and the inviting new boma firepit is encircled by deckchairs with each seat promising grandstand river views," read part of the profile from the resort's official site. 

Olonana boasts of 14 suites that are divided into two; normal suites and Geoffrey Kent suite. 

Normal suites cost an average of Ksh54,000 to Ksh180,065 per night depending on the season while the GK Suite goes for as low as Ksh183,057 to Ksh897,000 per night.

The rooms consist of king-sized beds, with glamorous bathrooms while the glass doors of the suites open to a magnificent view of the Mara.

Geoffrey Kent Suite

The luxury suite is part of the resort's new addition during its renovation phase. The special suite promises a wild adventure for travelers seeking to have a grand experience.

It consists of two en-suite bedrooms, private vehicles and a safari guide, a private lounge and dining area, a personalised chef, a fully stocked private bar that has premium drinks among others. 

An image of the front view of one of the suites inside the Olonana Sanctuary.
An image of the front view of one of the suites inside the Olonana Sanctuary.
MARK WILLIAMS/SANCTUARY OLONANA

Meet the Owner

Geoffrey Kent, a former British soldier, is hailed as the mastermind for the luxurious resort. Kent comes from a family of travelers as his father, Colonel John Kent, is hailed for being the first person to drive from Kenya to Nigeria in the 1930s. 

His father was also a former British army official while his mother, Valerie Kent, was a farmer. Kent's parents were renowned tourists at the time though Geoffrey grew up in Nairobi during his younger years. In a past interview with Forbes, Geoffrey bragged that he learned Swahili before English. 

While in his teens, he got expelled at the Duke of York school, currently known as Lenana school, for having a motorbike at the institution - that was forbidden at the time. 

Fearing that Geoffrey might deviate from his moral values, his father, took him to the Royal Military Academy in the United Kingdom. 

During his military career, Kent went for tours in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Malta. He also served as an aide-de-camp to Major General John Frost, one of the most revered British Army officers at the time.

After his military career, Kent decided to venture into entrepreneurship.

"My mother and father thought maybe we should go to Australia, but my father knew more about Africa than literally anybody; he was the first person to drive from Kenya to Nigeria, in 1939. We used to take people for free on safari, so we said, "Why don’t we make money on this?" he stated.

The idea later birthed Olonana sanctuary in 1990 - a sanctuary that sought to give travelers an authentic African experience.

The suites give a captivating view of the Maasai Mara game reserve.
The suites give a captivating view of the Maasai Mara game reserve.
MARK WILLIAMS/SANCTUARY OLONANA