Kenya Trilogy Fam Trip: Journey Across Lewa, Laikipia and the Mara

Earlier this year, Leanne and Laura hosted a seven‑day journey across three of Kenya’s most distinctive conservancies — Lewa, Laikipia and Isaaten — a route that blends conservation, community, wildlife and deeply personal hosting. The areas all offering contrasts from the green springs and acacia trees in Lewa, the rocky valleys of Laikipia, and the sweeping plains of the Isaaten near the Mara.

Laura captured some of their moments on camera and Leanne chatted to us about their trip and each destination.

Sirikoi Lodge — Lewa Conservancy

Arriving into Lewa from Wilson Airport, the journey immediately begun with a forest lunch in Ngare Ndare under the trees, before continuing to Sirikoi Lodge, their home for the next two nights.

Sirikoi set the tone for the trip: tranquil, green, and incredibly personal. The lodge’s spring attracted constant plains game, and the group was welcomed by Nditu, the resident giraffe rescued as a three‑day‑old calf. Days were filled with rhino sightings, acacia forests, community visits, and time with Sue, whose warmth and authenticity shaped the atmosphere of the lodge.

To read more about their stay at Sirikoi, click here →Sirikoi Fam Trip blog

Ol Lentille — Laikipia

A short Tropic Air hop carried the group north into Laikipia’s wild beauty. The change from Lewa to Laikipia was so quick and different — mountains, rocks, valleys and wildflowers after recent rains. Ol Lentille quickly became the emotional centre of the trip. The hosting was deeply personal, the community interactions meaningful, and the activities — camel safaris, dry riverbed walks, village visits, and a sunrise summit of Laikipia’s tallest hill — all so unforgettable.

To read more about their stay at Ol Lentille, click here → Ol Lentille Fam Trip blog

Mara Bushtops — Isaaten Conservancy

The final stop brought the group into the Mara area, arriving at Siana Airstrip before driving through the Isaaten Conservancy to Mara Bushtops. Despite heavy rains, the wildlife delivered prime sightings in the Mara Reserve, sundowners with Maasai dancers, and evenings spent stargazing or relaxing at the spa.

To read more about their stay at Mara Bushtops, click here → Mara Bushtops Fam Trip

Thank you to all who joined and hosted

Kenya’s strength lies not only in its wildlife, but in its people and diverse landscapes. Thank you to everyone who joined Travel Promoters on this wonderful adventure, we hope you are now better able to understand and feel the value of each of these unique and incredibly special destinations. To our wonderful hosts and teams at Sirikoi, Ol Lentille and Mara Bushtops - thank you for sharing your piece of heaven with this group.

Ol Lentille: Visiting Laikipia’s Landscape and Community

The second stop on the Kenya Trilogy Fam Trip earlier this year was Ol Lentille, where Leanne shared her notes on what made this experience stand out.

Ol Lentille — the place that crept into everyone’s hearts. The shift from Lewa’s rolling hills to Laikipia’s dramatic mountains and rocky valleys was immediate the moment we landed at their private airstrip. After recent rains, the conservancy was dotted with wildflowers, and the drive to the lodge felt like a scenic game drive on arrival.

The atmosphere at Ol Lentille is shaped by its views. Every house, every deck, every communal space seems to frame the landscape in a different way. The lodge runs almost entirely on solar power, something you only truly appreciate once you see how remote and elevated the houses are. There are steps and rocky paths between them, but it all makes sense — the views wouldn’t exist without the elevation.

What sets Ol Lentille apart is the people. Solomon, Boni and Isaac brought us into their world with a sincerity that’s hard to describe. As an example, we met Felix’s mother by chance while she was tending goats and beading her necklace, and the next day we met his little boy on his way to school. These weren’t staged moments; they were simply part of daily life, shared openly. You are welcomed into their lives, where they have grown up and you feel how everyone knows everyone and supports each other.

Wildlife sightings were memorable — wild dogs twice in one morning, a kill later that day, kudu, zebra, elephants, and the soundtrack of hyena and lions at night.

But it was the community experiences that defined the stay. The visit to St Anne Nosirai School was emotional. Built through the Ol Lentille Trust, it has grown from 30 children to 542. Their welcome song was heartfelt, and conversations with the senior class were genuine and curious.

The manyatta visit offered insight into daily life, roles within the home, and traditions like sterilising goat milk containers with smoke. The local Tuesday market was vibrant and full of character, giving a glimpse into the rhythm of northern Kenya.

Activities were varied and meaningful: a dry riverbed walk followed by a bush breakfast, camel riding with Edward (who spoke to the camels like they were his children), bead‑making with Tina, a picnic under a fig tree, and a sunrise climb to Ol Lentille Peak — Laikipia’s tallest hill. Sundowners on Flat Rock were unforgettable, and the Samburu dancing at the boma dinner added a celebratory close to the day. Ending the night with The Lion King under the stars, complete with s’mores and popcorn, was a charming touch.

Food was fresh, healthy and full of homemade elements — granola, yoghurt, jams. Chef Lazarus delivered consistently good meals, with only one dish slightly overdone. Hosting throughout was exceptional, blending professionalism with genuine warmth.

Accommodation varied across the houses. Acacia South was spacious but warm due to limited windows, while other houses had unique layouts that suited different travellers. Regardless of the house, privacy and views were guaranteed.

Ol Lentille is a place of connection — to land, to people, to community. It’s the kind of lodge that leaves travellers quiet on departure, processing the experience. It stayed with everyone long after we left.

A Story of Partnership: Why Ol Lentille Feels Different

We wanted to share Ol Lentille with you from a slightly different angle — something that stays with you, the way this place stayed with us. What drew us in, and why we speak about it the way we do.

Ol Lentille is special. Not just because it’s beautiful, but because it’s one of the only luxury lodges in Kenya that is fully owned by the local community — and, even more unusually, jointly owned by both Maasai and Samburu families.

After building the lodge on community-owned land, the founders donated it back to the community under a long-term management agreement. Over time, more Maasai and Samburu families added their land to the conservancy, creating 40,000 acres of protected, rewilded wilderness now enjoyed exclusively by Ol Lentille guests.

This isn’t a token partnership: the land belongs to them, the conservancy belongs to them, and the lodge’s success directly supports their lives.

Why does this matter to your guests?
Because when a community owns the land, they also share the profits. Revenue from the lodge funds schools, healthcare, water access and their lifestyle.

It’s not a donation model — it’s a business that sustains the people who protect the land. That means every member of the community, not just the team at the lodge, has a reason to welcome guests, care for the conservancy, and share their culture with pride.

And that’s exactly what guests feel.
Interactions aren’t scripted. They’re natural — like being welcomed into someone’s home.

The heritage of both tribes is alive here, and guests are invited to experience it in ways that are genuine, respectful, and rare.

There are very few places left where you can visit a real Manyatta, not a staged one. Or be invited to a village celebration. Or learn beadwork sitting on the ground with women who have been doing it their whole lives. Or hear stories around the fire that haven’t been adapted for tourism.

Even the wildlife experiences — like walking with baboons — feel personal and unfiltered.

This is Ol Lentille: organic, authentic, peaceful, and deeply connected to the people who own it. It gives guests a part of Africa that is hard to find now — something real, something rooted, something that stays with them long after they leave.

For travellers wanting something unique and meaningful, far from the usual routes, this is exactly that place.