Shompole Lodge

Great Rift Valley, Kenya - Classic 4

Shompole is located in a private conservancy on the edge of the Nguruman Escarpment in Southern Kenya, overlooking the vast plains and volcanic hills of the Great Rift Valley. Each room, designed to harness Ihe oolours and textures of the surrounding natural landscape, combines a variety of white quartz stone, pale thatch, polished fig-wood and smooth white walls that give it both a unique contemporary style and a touch of the Afncan bush.

Water is a main feature of the property, flowing through each room and collecting in private cool pools where one can peacefully enjoy the expanse that stretches to the horizon.

Activities

Shompole has been designed to accommodate those that would like to relax in a beautiful environmenl, listen to the sounds of the bush and lake pleasure in being inert! That is not to say, however, that there is a shortage of activities to participate in, to the contrary, Shompole is fortunate to be located in one of the most diverse environments in Kenya, and there is plenty to keep the more active well occupied.

Being located in a private conservancy, Shompole is able to offer guests the chance to enjoy the local flora and fauna on foot with the added benefit of a very experienced guide who is there to enlighten you with information about what you ere seeing. Walks normally take place in the cool of the morning or evening and are a very enjoyable way of appreciating some of the small miracles of the African bush. A refreshing breakfast on the plains or in the shade of the fig forest makes a perfect end, followed by a clip in the pool when you return to the lodge.

Game-viewing in the conservancy can also take place in our specially-modified safari 4x4 vehicles and can often be very rewarding. Wildlife in the area includes lion , buffalo, leopard, giraffe, eland , wildebeest, gazelle, zebra, cheetah , elephant and many more . Night drives also present a great opportunity to see some of the rarer animals such as aardwolf, bat-eared fox, serval, genet and honey-badger, to name but a few. These are often combined with a sun-downer on the open plains where you can watch the changing colours of the African sky as the dust settles and the air cools.

As a community initiative, your Maasai hosts are pleased to initiate you into their ways and traditions. A visit to Shompole village on market day can be great fun as can a visit to the bead-hut where Maasai ladies from the nearby villages gather to work on clothing and accessories for the Maasai Collections label which is exported to Europe and America and provides a valuable income to these local women.

Shompole is located on the edge of the Great Rift Valley where much of the topography was shaped by volcanic movement in centuries past. As a result. the scenery is spectacular and we are fortunate to be located near the unique soda lakes of Magadi and Natron. Natron provides one of the only famingo breeding habitats in Africa and as it shimmers a deep red colour from the algie on which the birds feed, the lake was named the Lake of Fire by the Maasai Natron provides an interesting morning or evening excursion to see the flamingos and the surrounding lake-shores which are home to the beautiful desert rose.

Inflatable canoes ilre also available for a leisurely afternoon drift down the Ewaso Nyiro River where the banks are lined with yellow fig trees and the peace and tranquility is extremely relaxing.

To celebrate a special occasion or perhaps just for a romantic moment, we can organise a candle-lit bush dinner under the stars. Here you can enjoy the sounds of the African night and the hospitality of our experienced staff to make your evening truly memorable.