Loisaba Conservancy Destination Experience

By Harriet James @harriet86jim

From the moment I read on the news of the discovery of the black leopard in Loisaba, I began to be curious of how my reaction would be if I happened to see one during a game drive. I thought all about it during my one and a half hour flight to the destination courtesy of Air Kenya, taking photos of the beautiful vistas of various stages from above, poring through their magazine on their latest stories and also, enjoying the sweets that our pilot, captain Alex had given us to prevent airplane ear during the flight. According to the Jean Uku, the sales and marketing manager of AirKenya, the airline opted to start flying in Loisaba in 2018 due to the rising demand of the destination.

“We started flying with a minimum passenger requirement of four passengers which we have now brought down to two passengers in line with our other domestic routes. Elewana were another big reason why we started plying the route as we saw there was demand for their Lobo Springs and Starbeds properties,” she says.

I was received warmly at the airstrip by one of the tour guides from Loisaba tented camp, one of the camps in the destination. There are currently three camps all owned by Elewana collection with the other two being Loisaba star bed and Loisaba Lodo springs, all offering different experiences for guests. Loisaba tented camp was the first one which began in 2013 after a fire engulfed the Loisaba conservancy and burnt the first camp which was Count Carietto Ancelotti’s home. The Count was the original owner of Loisaba, who fell in love with Kenya in the 1960’s while on safari and opted to make the country his home. The view of my tent was breathtaking with the unhindered expansive views of the conservancy and Mount Kenya from a distance. I loved the fact that the tent was spacious and airy with an African touch design. The stunning views remain a recurring theme during meals, while having drinks and also should you opt to have a swim at their infinity pool.

“The difference between this camp and the rest is that it was started earlier. The camps share activities since they are all done within the conservancy, but while here, guests can do e-biking which is not in the other camps. We also have nature walks where you walk with an armed guide who takes you through the conservancy,” says Jeremiah Museti, camp manager Loisaba tented camp. After refreshing myself in the afternoon, my guide, Dalmas Lemaiyan went out for a game drive to explore the 57,000 ha conservancy. My fingers were also crossed to at least get a chance to see the elusive black leopard.

“Is the drive too bumpy,” asked Lemaiyan noticing how I zoned off to dreamland imagining how the leopard would look like in my thoughts.

The question brought me back to reality and right in front of me were waterbucks, zebras and impalas all grazing together, while others were resting. One of the male Impalas had one horn which made me empathize with him. My tour guide explained to me that he must have lost his horn while fighting with another male for territory.

“The worst thing that can happen to you as a male is to lose one of your horns. The horn means eternal rejection and no female will ever accept you in their fold. That means no mating till you die,” he said as he stopped the land cruiser for me to take photos of the view.

The conservancy supports over 250 species of birds and a further 50 animal species comprising of wild dogs, lions, cheetahs, the endangered Grevy’s zebras, lesser kudu, reticulated giraffes, wild dogs and buffaloes. Amongst these are the three lion prides, which I managed to see towards the end of the game drive enjoying a freshly killed giraffe. There have been efforts at Loisaba to conserve them since their population in Africa has been halved in the past 20 years. In this region, it has been mostly due to human wildlife conflict since the lions attack the Samburu cattle, a source of their livelihood.

Loisaba also lies within an important movement corridor for the country's second-largest population of elephants which we saw during the game drive seeking refuge at the conservancy due to drought. There was a mother and a calf eating an invasive cactus species which has become a nuisance at the conservancy. The elephants eat them and since it can’t be digested, they spread its seeds all over making the entire landscape be full of them. The game drive ended with a beautiful sundowner together with the other guests over drinks and the view of the conservancy.

I also had a chance to experience the Samburu culture during my stay and this time John Scorpion, was my tour guide. Watching how they live, together with joining them as they sang and danced really made me appreciate life and the cultures of other communities. Dancing is a significant part of Samburu culture and it’s similar to that of the Masaais with men dancing in a circle as high as they can to be the best of the dancers. Traditionally, the Samburu tribe have not used any instruments to accompany their dancing and singing. Their traditional attire which is a traditional striking red cloth wrapped like a skirt and a white sash for the men is usually adorned with many colorful beaded earrings, bracelets, anklets and necklaces, which has earned them the name the butterfly people. Each piece of jewelry worn represents the status of the wearer. They haven’t also parted from their customs of being nomads and cattle play a vital role when it comes to their livelihood.

We went to see their huts which are constructed using hide, mud, and grass mats strung over poles. A fence is usually constructed around the mud huts for protection from wild animals. Revenue generated from conservancy fees and bed nights at Loisaba are dedicated to conservation and supporting the community’s orientated health, education and enterprise programmes outside its boundaries with the neighboring Samburu and Laikipian Maasai tribes. Another property at the conservancy is the Loisaba Lodo Springs which comes from the Maa word meaning along the spring. Compared to the Loisaba tented camp, this one is a bit modern, spacious, and luxurious with a personal touch to it. I was amazed by how enormous my room and the design which was a mix of both modern and traditional touch like the Samburu head rest which was part of the décor. The tent was perched on an elevated verandah where here I was able to view wildlife and the Lodo springs which is life in the conservancy. One can opt not to have a game drive and just watch them from the verandah as you sip your favorite beverage something that I did while there.

“Luxury is being in spaces like these which have a therapeutic effect coupled with warm efficient service in a spacious room which offers all the features that you would get if you were in a city hotel whether in Nairobi or other African countries. You have creature comforts like a good speedy internet, swimming pool and all your dietary requirements are catered for. One can also sample world class cuisine which is a good infusion of local and international cuisines,” explains Andrew Kuria GM Elewana collection Loisaba Lodo springs.

The personalization bit which is rare in big hotels is what I loved the most in this camp. The General Manager welcomes and briefs you on what to expect at the camp and also checks on you to find out how your experience was, was impressive. There is also the chef coming in to explain to you what you are having on the table and finding out how your meal was.

“Though we are small in terms of the number of rooms, we are gigantic in the willingness to serve and desire to exceed expectations. In many hotels, you might get in and never get to interact with the general manager but here you have the chance to and these are critical components of the guest experience,” adds Andrew.

While here I was able to have the bush walk with an armed ranger and my tour guide which was a different way of experiencing the conservancy and learning about it compared to a game drive. In the evening, I enjoyed a camel ride with the view of

Ewaso Nyiro, something that I would recommend should you find yourself on vacation in this conservancy. Though I never got to see the black leopard, I left the conservancy full of the other experiences that made me appreciate conservation and how tourism is vital in sustaining it.