Luxury safari camp and lodge operator Elewana has opened a new luxury tented camp on the site of the former Loisaba Lodge. Located on a 600 ft escarpment, every room in Loisaba Tented Camp offers views stretching across the Laikipia Plains to Mount Kenya. The 56,000-acre Loisaba Conservancy spans three ecosystems offering a variety of landscapes and game viewing, including the opportunity to see the rare Northern species including reticulated giraffe and Grevy’s zebra and one of the best places in East Africa to see wild dog.
Elewana has been chosen by Loisaba Conservancy, with support from The Nature Conservancy (TNC), to partner with it in the development and management of its primary tourism assets in this critically important conservation area that has been recently secured by TNC for ongoing protection for the foreseeable future. The new camp is part of the Elewana Collection – a portfolio of fifteen properties spanning the highlights of East Africa’s safari and beach offerings.
Loisaba Tented Camp comprises six ensuite tents; and three family combinations, each consisting of two ensuite tents with adjoining walkway. The Private Residence houses three ensuite tents – one family combination and one convertible tent – complemented with a private bar, dining area and infinity pool. The property will also limit its ecological footprint wherever possible.
The bar and restaurant allows guests to absorb the landscape whilst enjoying a sundowner or choosing from the small à la carte menu where the chef endeavours to source ingredients from a 50-km radius including fresh produce from the camp’s gardens. Typical dishes might include a duo of carrot and beetroot soup with basil oil and sour cream, or deep fried brie with cucumber and mango pickle followed by pea and lemon risotto with grilled baby leeks and poached egg, or crispy pork belly with roasted beets, glazed baby onions and whole grain mustard sauce.
Aside from game viewing, the Loisaba Tented Camp enjoys two infinity pools, one for guests in the Private Residence, and activities including bush walks, mountain biking, camel riding, lion tracking, horse riding, fishing, local village excursions and the opportunity to spend a morning with the resident sniffer dogs, Warrior and Machine.
The new Loisaba Conservancy is the result of substantial support by The Nature Conservancy and the consequential transition in the ownership of the 56,000-acre wildlife conservancy and wilderness to the Loisaba Community Trust. TNC’s move to help secure the land ensures that the conservancy delivers vital benefits and support for neighbouring communities, the wildlife, and all Kenyans for the foreseeable future. It also ensures Loisaba’s role as a critical sanctuary and corridor for elephants and other wildlife long into the future, as well as providing refuge for one of Kenya’s most stable lion populations and an abundance of other wildlife including Grevy’s zebra, wild dogs, leopard and cheetah.
Loisaba represented the single largest conservation investment in East Africa in 2014-15 and was born from a partnership between The Nature Conservancy, Space for Giants and The Northern Rangelands Trust. In recognition that responsible tourism is vital to long-term conservation, a third of the investment will contribute to tourism infrastructure.
Commenting on the partnership, Karim Wissanji, CEO, Elewana, said, “The partnership with The Nature Conservancy highlights Elewana’s passion and commitment to conservation, one that is reflected in its support for this new project; a project that sits at the heart of TNC’s community, wildlife and land conservation philosophies and their important collaboration with tourism.”
Matthew Brown, Africa conservation director, The Nature Conservancy, remarked, “Tourism support helps make Loisaba a self-sustaining engine for peace, community development, and wildlife conservation. This is an innovative example of how Africa can both preserve its heritage and create economic opportunities for its people. We are excited to be working with Elewana.”
The Elewana Collection is also now managing the Loisaba Star Beds. June 2015 saw the completion of a US$150,000 refurbishment of the Star Beds. The upgraded Star Beds now consist of four accommodation platforms, including one family skybed and a new dining area with a stargazing platform.
The Loisaba Conservancy provides a critical and secure sanctuary for over 700 elephants, both resident and non-resident, that have been individually identified and named by Daniel Lentipo, the conservancy’s resident researcher provided by Space for Giants.
GPS tracking data has proven that Loisaba is a key corridor, enabling elephants to migrate from Laikipia to Samburu, helping to maintain one of the longest elephant migrations recorded in Africa.
Loisaba Tented Camp starts from US $490 per person per night sharing a twin/double accommodation including full board, soft drinks, beer, house wines and selected spirits, safari activities including day and night game drives, guided bush walks and fishing, mountain biking, airstrip transfers, laundry and all statutory taxes. Whereas, The Loisaba Star Beds start from US$ 300 per person per night sharing a twin/double accommodation.
