Sensational Sirikoi

East African tourism is notable for its hidden gems, and Sirikoi lodge in Kenya provides the perfect example. Set in a secluded acacia grove at the foot of Mount Kenya, this luxury tented accommodation has some beautiful and captivating features.

Tent at Sirikoi

The use of natural, rustic materials in the camp’s construction sets the tone for a laid-back wilderness experience – with stone, canvas, thatch, rich woods and warm textiles contributing to the design aesthetic. But here, rustic certainly doesn’t mean roughing it. There’s luxury and comfort aplenty. The tented bedrooms are spacious yet cosy and each has an elegant bathroom with a claw-footed Victorian bath. The sense of restful comfort is enhanced further still by the impeccable welcome of camp’s hosts and owners, Sue and Willie Roberts.

The food is lovingly prepared, and more than this, much of it is produced around the camp. Sirikoi’s own organic garden provides fresh, healthy fruit and vegetables. Beef is reared in the local vicinity. And the camp’s drinking water comes from its own freshwater spring. This local sourcing of food and drink is an important element in Sirikoi’s holistic and sustainable approach generally.

A comfortable bedroom at Sirikoi

And Sirikoi’s location is sensational. Set in private land and surrounded by the Lewa Conservancy, the region offers a real taste of the wild, romantic Africa of the kind that occupies the imagination. Open savannah stretches out before you and the imposing form of Mount Kenya, visible from camp, makes a spectacular backdrop.

The number one thing on the minds of most visitors to Africa, however, is the wildlife. And this is yet another respect in which Sirikoi comes up trumps. Lewa is a remarkably rich ecosystem, harbouring a great number of the characters you might hope to see, including the lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant and buffalo. It is also an important habitat for both the black and white rhino and contains the largest concentration of the endangered Grevy’s zebra in the world.

Wildlife around Sirikoi

There are plenty of activities available to guests at Sirikoi to help you appreciate the paradise surrounding the camp. Thanks to the private setting, it is possible to take in the wildlife sights on walking trips – a privilege that affords a uniquely close connection to the bush. There are also opportunities for helicopter or bi-plane flights and the breathtaking viewpoints they bring, horse-riding, camel-riding, fly-fishing trips, and cultural encounters with local tribespeople.

It’s easy to see why Sirikoi is loved by those who know about it, and why guests often return to its peace and seclusion. If you would like to spend time here during a safari of your own, we’d love to take you there.

Five of Africa’s strangest creatures

Pangolin
With its covering of spiky scales, this nocturnal animal looks like an oversized pine cone, especially when it curls into its defensive ball position. If the armour-plating isn’t enough to deter predators, such as leopards and hyenas, it also secretes a foul-smelling odour. The pangolin is toothless, grinding its food, which includes ants and termites, in its stomach with the help of small stones.

Aardvark
This well-known but rarely spotted mammal is an odd-looking creature, with a long snout, oversized ears and arched back. The aardvark’s unusual foraging behaviour adds to its comical character. It swings its nose around over the ground in search of the scent of food, and when it finds a concentration of ants or termites, it springs suddenly into frantic action, digging into the ground at a furious rate in a bid to eat the insects before they disperse.

The familiar yet bizarre aardvark

Bush baby
Also known as the lesser gelago, this tiny primate has big, bright round eyes and big ears, giving it a unique and peculiar look. Its loud, shrill cry resembles that of a human child and accounts for its name. To complete its odd reputation, the bush baby is able to leap great distances between trees, making it appear to fly overhead.

Shoebill
Not the prettiest of Africa’s birds, this stork-like wader has a surreally large, show-shaped beak. The shoebill is a hefty creature, its wingspan stretching over two metres across. Living in swamps in East Africa, the bird’s diet includes fish, frogs and even baby crocodiles.


The shoebill, with its oversized beak and beady eyes

Golden-rumped elephant shrew
Bizarrely, this little woodland creature’s connection to the elephant extends beyond just its trunk-like snout – it’s actually more closely related to the elephant than the shrew. This animal’s strange appearance is heightened by a golden-coloured bottom. When the elephant shrew is under threat, it scurries away at an impressive speed, but if predators are too close, it puts on a brave show of defiance, facing its attacker and kicking up leaf litter aggressively.

Growth last year for Kenyan tourism

Figures just released by the Kenyan tourism indicate that 2011 saw the number of tourists coming to Kenya by air rise to 1.26 million, an increase of 15.4% on the 2010 figure. This result marks a third consecutive year of increases in visitors to the country.

The ministry attributes the success of the tourist sector to an extensive marketing campaign and also to the opening of new upmarket lodges, camps and beach resorts during the year.

The highest number of visitors arrived from the UK, a longstanding leading source of holiday-makers to Kenya. It was followed by the US, Italy, Germany and India. Kenya is hoping to attract increasing numbers of visitors from markets such as the Czech Republic, Russia and China over coming years to boost growth further.

The year’s tourism success comes despite a number of challenges in 2011, including social tension in neighbouring Somalia, economic problems in the Eurozone and fears about the possibility of another global recession. Kenya’s success in achieving healthy visitor numbers is seen as a testament to the quality of its tourist assets and its commitment to tourism development.