Reviews of Sarara

"This was our first experience with a camp we didn't know what to expect. The experience was truly amazing. Our driver and guide, Ian and Pius were very outgoing and made us feel very welcome to their community. They listened to our expectations of a safari (as limited as they were) and shared with us a lot of animal encounters and knowledge. Going on a safari with them was a fun adventure every time.

Robert and Michael and the lodge's staff made you feel like you were going to your favorite uncle's lodge. The dinners were communal and very enjoyable with everyone sharing all of our stories. We thoroughly enjoyed watching all the different animals visiting the water holes on the property near the lodge. Our guides took us closer to the this nearby natural spring fed water hole and explained how the different animals came to drink at various times. We cannot give enough praise about this lodge and their staff as it set the bar very high for the rest of our journey. We were truly sad to leave these people and the lodge. We would highly recommend this lodge and would put it on our list of places to return to next time we visit." See all these reviews: 15n in Kenya; 9n in Tanzania

"Sarara Camp is spectacular!
The communal area is beautifully designed with fantastic views. There are 2 waterholes (upper & lower) frequently visited by elephant, giraffe, zebra, kudu & more.
A beautiful place to relax and enjoy the view.

The rooms are spacious and beautifully appointed.
Once again the food was excellent.

The bush was thick around the camp (due to unusual rain) so spotting on game drives was difficult.
The conservancy is vast, consequently the animals are spread out and even in drier weather, hard to find.

Sarara is community driven, many of the activities allow guests to be involved in samburu cultural activities. This is a great way to learn and understand the lives of these pastoralists.

Our visit to the Reteti elephant sanctuary was the highlight of our visit.
I have supported the Sheldrick sanctuary for many years and its great that a sanctuary has been established in the north of the country.
We fed the orphans and walked with them. Then had breakfast on a rock outcrop while they wandered around us
The sanctuary is owned and run by the Samburu community.
The project is in its infancy but so far proving successful.

Sarara is remote, it is a dot in the vastness that is amazing north Kenya.
Not perhaps a first choice for visitors to Kenya but it is a special place.
I sincerely hope the community initiatives continue to be successful." See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya

"Beautiful camp, excellent food, excellent staff, the tents quite spacious and comfortable with incredible views. The sunrises...oh my! Wifi in our tents was never an issue.

Sarara is on a hillside with many steps to climb from where the jeeps stop. I have arthritis which makes climbing very difficult. I saw all those stairs and about cried. I made it to the top but wondered if I'd even be able to go on drives if I had to keep climbing them afterwards. Luckily they have a non stair location they used for a few us with "stair issues". The road in and out of that area was incredibly bumpy (I mean really, really bumpy), but much preferable to all the stairs. There are also some stairs to navigate to the tents. If you have mobility issues, you may want to think twice. I was not told about the stairs even though I made it clear in my paperwork for the tour that I have arthritis and walking issues.

We were amazed on our arrival that the staff greeted each of us by name, as if, I don't know, someone had shared our photos (wink, wink). It was the same at all 3 of the camps we stayed at.

The common/dining areas are beautiful with amazing views of the valley. A gorgeous infinity pool to cool off in. Watering holes below camp that were visited by Elephants, Giraffe, Baboons, Water Buffalo, monkeys, birds....so many animals. We even had a troop of monkeys entertain us one day right in camp.

The staff were very attentive to all of us in our group. Me feet got very swollen and Robert, who I believe is the manager, made sure I had ice water to soak them. Really, anything any of us needed the staff did their best to accommodate. We couldn't have asked for better hosts for our 3 nights.

Our tent was the closest to the common area, but private. I believe the bed was a king size, very comy, chairs, a desk, a patio with furniture and an amazing view. The sunrises were incredible. The bath area is not very private as far as in the tent, including the toilet (a curtain on a rod to pull shut would be nice). An outdoor shower!!! That took a bit to get used to, but not long. Sometimes we had small lizards sitting on the rock wall to keep us company. You do have complete privacy from prying human eyes.

Pack light.....laundry service is incredibly efficient!!! 2 pair of pants, 3 shirts, a jacket. That's really all you need. Fyi, they don't wash "womens smalls", but they do provide powder and a line to dry on.

The food was extraordinary! My husband can't have anything citrus/acidic. The chef and staff did a great job making sure Mark's meals were the same as ours, but safe for him. We appreciated that.

Nice gift shop with reasonable prices.

Game Drives: unfortunately at Sarara we didn't see a lot of big game animals on drives. We saw a lot of Giraffe, and Elephants and Water Buffalo did visit the camp watering hole, but we still had a great time and completely enjoyed the scenery and camp itself. We also got to meet the very charming owners of Sarara and their 3 beautiful children." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"Sarara was for me.

I very much appreciated the opportunity to interact with members of the local Samburu community, although the visit to the Boma felt somewhat intrusive to me.

The facilities were beautiful and comfortable, the staff was friendly and helpful, the guides were excellent and the food was excellent.

I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to be there." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"Beautiful setting with friendly staff.

Amazing visit to Retiti orphanage" See all these reviews: 15n in Kenya

"All good. Meals, views, all excellent" See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"Words cannot describe what an absolutely lovely camp this is. The location takes your breath away. It was the perfect spot to start the safari.

The tents were lovely, comfortable with views from the porches that were just stellar. The Manager, Guides, and staff were so very welcoming and absolutely first rate as were all the delicious meals that were served.

There were no step stools for the trucks but one of the guides went out of his way to find a solution - a plastic milk crate did the trick!! The room was not set up for twin beds upon arrival but staff quickly made the change to twin beds.

Can't say enough good things about this camp!!" See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"I SO enjoyed the Sarara Camp.

The site was beautiful and the main lodge, tents and infinity pool were beautiful! The service was awesome!

The food was delicious! We especially enjoyed the outdoor bathroom!

Enjoyed having the bead ladies come to the camp to show us beading. Enjoyed the interaction with them.

Also enjoyed the blacksmith who came (and made us each a ring)." See all these reviews: 13n in Kenya

"Sarara was a real highlight of our experience. The lodging itself exceeds all expectations and is memorable in its own way, but the truth is the staff and management are what make this such a special place. Of course the food and service are all top notch, but there's an extra quality to every interaction that leaves an incredible sense of welcome. This was our first stay on our Safari holiday and it set the bar for everywhere else. Sarara House is a particularly unique experience and not to be missed for those looking for a little more space for family.

It's also worth noting our driver and ranger were excellent, making each day an adventure and making sure we had the right balance of game drives and cultural experiences we were looking for. This isn't the Mara, terrain here is close and varied, so finding wildlife and such requires skill and patience. That said the drivers at Sarara are more than up to task.

So many unique moments at the Singing Wells, the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, it's just a shame that 3 nights goes by so fast. Our last night was spent at one of the standard rooms and these are also quite exceptional.

It is no exaggeration to say we are already planning our return visit." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 8n in Kenya; 3n in Zanzibar

"Oh how I wish I'd had longer at Sarara, but not for the reasons one might think. Beyond the wildlife, Sarara is much more a cultural experience. It's one of the only opportunities I've had to really immerse myself in a tribal culture. In retrospect I wish I'd given up a game drive and instead done more cultural activities.

Driving to Sarara is a game drive in itself and in my opinion, all the game you're going to see on a game drive, you'll see driving to and from camp. What a game drive offers you is the opportunity to really slow down, process what you're seeing, learn from your guide, and maybe even get out of the vehicle and walk around. We tried to track down a cicada so I could see where all the noise was coming from! I also noticed, for the first time in 6 safaris, that giraffes both swallow down their cud and pull it back up to keep chewing...and you can see it moving up and down via their neck muscles. I was fascinated...how did I not notice this before? And one highlight of a game drive for me was sundowners in a dry river bed, it was like a beach with no water, just really very cool.

Lions and leopards are around, though not often seen. On a walk, we saw fresh tracks of at least two lions and two leopards right behind camp. Boris the resident bull elephant gets up close and personal, as I found out one afternoon as I sat and watched him from the bench in my tent and he was not 6 feet away, happily munching away on branches!

The cultural activities I did were memorable: a visit to Singing Wells (impossible to describe, just go!), a visit to Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, a beading session with two local women, a village visit, and an early morning hike behind camp up into the hills with my Samburu guide. I could have also gone to a local school and done some blacksmith work with a local man. I wish I had time to! Everything I did was so worthwhile, and I learned so much. It was worth every minute of my time!

The "tents" are unlike any I've had anywhere else. More like a cottage with screened walls. They are huge and have flaps opening to the front, which overlooked the valley and the sunrise each morning. The balcony had a daybed and small table and chairs and I'd have my coffee and biscuits there to watch the sun rise. The bed was comfortable and it was nice to sleep with the front flaps open to let cooler air in; it is so hot here in February! There is an indoor toilet, but the shower is outside via a rocky path to a separate area (fenced in so no human or creature can see you). It was glorious! This is a type of luxury I'm not used to on safari, but well worth it. I'd return in a heartbeat.

Robert the camp manager is a gem. He prevails over dinner and is the ultimate host. He made me (solo traveler) feel part of any group and made sure every whim was catered to. The food here is amazing, as a vegetarian I ate extremely well.

My most important takeaway though was learning from a fellow guest about the Sarara Foundation and all the work they do to support the Samburu in the area and the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary. It is amazing, and very important, work, and now part of my charitable giving. I so enjoyed my time here, and that was due to the very significant efforts of my guide Daniel, manager Robert, Rashida and all of the other staff here, all local Samburu. I can't thank them enough." See all these reviews: 12n in Kenya