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Sabuk

Our rating

8/10

Price guide

Highlights

- Distinctive, elevated location
- Camel safaris and fly-camping
- Fishing, horse riding, bird watching
- Day & night game drives, bush walks

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Overview

Sabuk is a distinctive, owner-operated lodge located on the edge of the remote Northern Laikipia Plateau of north central Kenya. Accessible by road or by air into nearby Loisaba airstrip, the property enjoys a stunning clifftop location with breath-taking views of the Laikipia plains, and the Ewaso Nyiro River below. This arid and elevated landscape is home to diverse wildlife including the greater kudu and the reticulated giraffe, as well as lion, elephant, buffalo, zebra and wild dog. The area also boasts prolific birdlife.

The main building features makuti thatched ceilings and stone floors, decorated in a rustic and relaxing style with hand carved wooden furniture, hammocks and day beds. Guest areas comprise a spacious open-fronted lounge, a dining area, bar, and souvenir shop selling Sabuk’s home-produced honey. Outside is a spacious terrace, and a double infinity pool with fantastic views. Home cooked cuisine is served at communal tables in the main lodge or on the terrace, and special dietary requirements can be accommodated with advance notice. The staff are known for being very friendly and most of them have worked at Sabuk for over 20 years.

Activities are varied and include day and night game drives, guided bush walks, camel safaris which have now been operating for over 25 years, and cultural visits to local Samburu tribes. Horse riding is available to experienced riders on Sabuk’s three Somali ponies, and fishing and river swimming can also be arranged. As Sabuk is situated on private land, guests are free to explore on foot or by camel, without the restrictions associated with national parks, and anyone staying for three nights or more can enjoy a game drive on the neighbouring Loisaba Nature Conservancy as well. Bush meals and sundowners are frequently organised, whilst camel safaris combined with fly-camping allow guests to completely immerse themselves in the bush wilderness and sleep out under the stars.

The accommodation comprises six open-fronted guest cottages constructed from local wood and stone, each with a thatched roof and a private veranda with superb views. Every cottage has an ensuite bathroom with flush toilet, hot and cold running water, shower and bath, and two of the units have outdoor ‘star beds’ for optional alfresco sleeping. The lodge relies on solar power, so torches are provided in each cottage. There’s also Eagle Cottage, a private, self-contained unit with two ensuite rooms, a lounge and a plunge pool.

Children are extremely welcome at Sabuk and two of the cottages are dedicated family units, with flexible sleeping options. Earlier mealtimes can be arranged to accommodate little ones, and games and activities are provided. A baby listening service is also available. Since the lodge is not fenced, and wild animals may roam through, parents are reminded that children should be supervised at all times.

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What customers are saying after travelling with Tourdust

Average Rating

based on 536 reviews

(5.00/5)

  • I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.

    Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.

    El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.

    Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.

    So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last

    MissingJuhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024

  • Dear Lisa, We are now back home and had a fantastic time. All the arrangements went seamlessly, transport and hotels were great. Laikipia was amazing, a very personal experience and they did all they could to accommodate everything we wanted to do. The river location was fantastic and ideal for the children as they got to swim in it. It is somewhere we would all like to return to. There might not have been the numbers that you get on the Masai Mara however we got to see lions with cubs, two black leopards, a golden leopard and the wild dogs as well as a huge number of other animals and birds. Thank you for suggesting to stay for 4 nights, it was just the right amount of time. The tamarin Hotel was a good choice as we were able to eat at the Carnivore restaurant which was an experience. Mauritius was lovely and relaxing, just what we needed after a very active time in Laikipia. Accommodation and service was great. Weather was good for most of the time, a few showers over the last couple of days. Thank you once again for organising it all. Sally

    MissingSally M reviewing Laikipia Wilderness and Plains on 11 August 2023

  • Hi Lisa
    It was a fantastic experience, thanks very much. All the arrangements were seamless and our guiding/support team were excellent, if there is a way for you to formally commend the team to your ground operators then I would be grateful if you could do that, they really were brilliant.
    Many thanks for your help in arranging the trip, and for your patience during the multiple re-arrangements over the past couple of years.
    Kind regards, John

    MissingJohn B reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 14 November 2022

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