By The UNCHARTED® editors · 4 min read
Wilderness In Style
Your safari could link your choices of these distinctive camps and lodges — where outstanding design complements stunning surroundings.
These Outposts fuse tradition and innovation, architecture and ambiance, to create ideal basecamps for exploring some of the country’s prime safari locations.
River Camp Mara: Hemingway Would Approve
Masai Mara, Kenya
With just eight spacious tents, this intimate camp offers a personal safari experience perfect for both solo travelers seeking solitude in nature or groups desiring a private wilderness retreat. This outpost is set within a lush riverine forest amid the sweeping savannah of the Masai Mara. A resident lion pride provides a constant reminder of the wildlife-rich environs. Elegant fabrics and furnishings evoke classic "Out of Africa" ambiance for those yearning for a nostalgic safari experience.
The camp is rooted in a legacy of conservation and exploration that began nearly 75 years ago and three generations back; the Roberts family pioneered a conservation camp on Lake Baringo that hosted some of the first flying safaris, including one with Prince Phillip in the 1960s.
Lewa House: From Sanctuary to Safari Icon
Lewa Conservancy, Kenya
In the heart of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, on a hill that overlooks the sacred Samburu mountain Ololokwe and Mt. Kenya, Lewa House is ingrained with the spirit of East Africa’s classic safari lodges. Here, you can fully embrace the safari experience with sunrise views over distant peaks, elephants frolicking in watering holes, and wild mint margaritas sipped by starlight.
Accommodations blend traditional charm with contemporary comforts, providing near-exclusive access to the region’s dynamic wildlife. Newest to the camp are four organic, curvilinear earthpods, designed in Gaudí-esque style and blending seamlessly with the natural landscape. The decor is elegantly simple, framing breathtaking views of Kenya’s Northern Frontier. Established in 1995, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy evolved from the Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary, which was founded in 1983 to safeguard northern Kenya’s black rhinos. Today, Lewa plays a crucial role in conservation efforts throughout Kenya and beyond.
Lengishu House: Sunrise Over the Plains
Borana Conservancy, Kenya
Nestled in the Borana Conservancy on a ridge with sweeping views of the Laikipia Plateau, Lengishu is an exclusive-use home offering unparalleled luxury and complete privacy, with six stylish bedrooms accommodating up to 12 guests, complete with an infinity pool and space for a private guide or pilot.
Constructed from locally sourced materials that blend harmoniously into the Laikipia environment, the interiors showcase floor-to-ceiling windows, exposed timber, and neutral tones with accents of red that pay homage to the local Maasai community. Stone pathways snake through the property, where four separate cottages house the six bedrooms, all oriented eastward to provide stunning sunrise views over the undulating valley below. Each spacious bedroom includes a fireplace or wood-burning stove for cooler evenings and an en-suite bathroom with a rain shower and freestanding copper bathtub.
Hemingways Eden Residence: A Paradisical Pause
Equal parts boutique hotel and creative sanctuaryEden was formerly the hand-crafted residence of artist and filmmaker Tonio Trzebinski and fashion designer Anna Trzebinski. Now operated by Hemingways, it remains a living gallery of art, ephemera, and memories.
With nine uniquely curated rooms across the Main House, Studio Lofts, and a cottage, Eden is more than a mere stopover en route to a safari. Guests can browse, discover, and take part in creative workshops, forest walks, cultural excursions, and candlelit veranda dinners. Despite its sense of seclusion, the location also affords easy access to Nairobi’s top conservation, wildlife, and cultural attractions. Guests are just a stone’s throw from the Karen Blixen Museum, the Giraffe Centre, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and Nairobi National Park. Meanwhile, East Africa’s most cosmopolitan city pulses just beyond the forest.
Jannah Lamu: A Bohemian Haven by the Sea
Once a key stop on the maritime trade route between Africa and Asia, the white sand island of Lamu has evolved into a bohemian destination, especially in the former fishing village Shela, now known for its charm and creative energy. Here is where you’ll find the vibrant Jannah Lamu, blending coastal soul with modern design. Conceived by Kenyan designer and hotelier Anna Trzebinski, the hotel is made up of a cluster of restored village homes and shared outdoor spaces, brought together to form what she calls a “constellation hotel”: a design that encourages exploration and cultural immersion.
Guests are surrounded by island life: children playing football, the call to prayer echoing over the rooftops, and the steady clip of donkeys—widely used for transport as cars are banned on the island—passing by the bougainvillea-framed entrance. Interiors blend Swahili tradition with a touch of glamour. Open terraces overlook the bay, where wooden dhows float at anchor, three of which are available for private use by Jannah guests. The hotel also owns a cushioned, canopied barge for relaxed day trips—to remote sand dunes and islands, morning swims through mangrove inlets, or slow journeys to nearby Lamu Town for shopping and sightseeing.
