Olorte

Olorte's remoteness means few people ever get here which also means that much of it is still an unspoilt wilderness where the local Maasai follow an ancient and traditional lifestyle, largely unaffected by the modern world. Visiting this isolated corner of Kenya is well worth the effort. The different scenery, bird and animal life and close contact with the people and their culture all make it a unique destination and one that almost no tourists experience.

A trip to Olorte is very different from a conventional game-viewing safari into one of Kenya’s popular game parks and we don’t bring people here to see the “Big Five” as Olorte’s main attraction is the wilderness experience it offers. The Naimena-Engiyio (Forest of the Lost Child) is a mystical place in local folklore and walking through this forest is a magical experience as you follow ancient elephant paths, past clear mountain streams, with trees full of colourful and noisy birdlife, until you arrive on the high plateau with outstanding views across to Lakes Magadi and Natron and the mountains of Kilimanjaro and Ol Donyo Lengai.

Olkoroi (Colobus Monkey) Camp, close to thick forest and clear mountain streams, is an eco-camp that has been set up by the local community as the result of the inspiration of an ardent conservationist, South African born Andre Brink, who has dedicated many years to persuading this community of the importance of preserving their pristine environment under the umberella of NGO "Walking with Maasai". The "Red Tribe" is another charity operating in the area providing healthcare, education and water supply projects to villages in the area under the guidance of another South African, Hennie Marais and his family.

Time at Olkoroi can be spent on a variety of very special activities that have been designed to provide intimate contact with this true wilderness and its people. As well as longer walks into the forests, shorter walks of a few hours offer the chance of seeing some of the local wildlife including hippo and the colobus monkeys that give the camp its name and, if not the animals themselves, at least the fresh signs of elephant and buffalo. Gentler activities include wandering down to the river and swimming in its deeper pools, or visiting the local women to watch them at their beadwork.

Depending on the weather, our nights at Olorte are split by a night spent at the viewpoint of Enchorro Naibor.