Olarro

What People are saying

Perfect honeymoon

courteney87 on 17/07/2017 19:06

To simply put it Olarro has set the bar for service and style. I'm not sure how any other holidays will live up to it in comparison!

It is just wow in every way. Beautiful and very stylish throughout, I couldn't find a single area which wasn't thoughtfully designed. The whole thing is very luxurious whilst still having a very African vibe - leather and animal hide furnishings, open fires etc. Makes me want to go home and redecorate.

However beautiful it would not be the place it is without the staff. From the second we arrived we felt so looked after. Peter and George the restaurant staff were excellent and our guide Patrick, as well as having excellent eyes, found the perfect balance of relaying fascinating information about anything we pointed out and giving us quieter time simply enjoying driving around the conservancy and chatting to each other. In addition I thought it was a really nice touch that the managers come and have a chat +/- drink with you at the end of the day whilst you're having some nibbles. It gives you a chance to get to know the place better and both Barbara and Colin were really friendly and had loads of stories and really interesting backgrounds.

The game was excellent too. Having been on a couple of safaris previously I know I prefer the experience of tracking/looking for game in a quieter area than being somewhere with a higher likelihood of spotting things but then having to share it with 10 other cars. We spent some hours driving around but were rewarded with some amazing shows such a young lions playing whilst waiting for their mother to return, teenage cheetahs attempting to hunt, baby animals everywhere, elephants knocking down trees, a lioness stalking and bringing down a wildebeest at night! We felt so fortunate to see these things and although it was much easier to spot game in the Mara we saw a cheetah trying to hunt with 10 cars following her, she had no chance and that seemed a little odd. We also got to do quad biking which was a great adventure in itself even if there hadn't been wildebeest, antelope and zebra running across our path! And we did a Mara hot air balloon sunrise as a wedding gift from friends which was the most incredible experience!

I can't recommend this place enough. From the lodge to the staff and all the little treats they provided for us we felt so well cared for and it made our honeymoon.

Where wilderness meets style and more

mactotti on 14/04/2017 10:02

I visited Olarro during the first week of April. I had experienced Kenya and Africa in previous occasions and I had already been exposed to and captivated by the beauty of Africa, but my stay at Olarro proved to be a most unforgettable experience. The lodge is sited within the homonymous conservancy at 2000 m above sea levels and enjoys spectacular, breathtaking views over the planes. These can be admired every day both from the veranda of your apartment and the restaurant area when enjoying mouth-watering breakfast, lunch and dinner, all served with a wealth of delicacies, locally sourced (many through the organically grown on-site orchard), prepared by the master chef Theodore and served wth charm and warmth by Amin, Peter and George. The elegant, yet naturally-looking apartments are beautifully built on the hill hosting the lodge in synchrony and perfect respect of this, still untouched African habitat and offer every possible comfort anybody from western-type civilisation, may wish but with a unique African touch. A variety of amenities,services and activities are also available, including a top-quality SPA, a swimming pool and yoga facilities overlooking the planes, to relax after exciting game drives across the Olarro Conservancy areas. Here, almost all "big" and "small" African wildlife can be discovered and savoured wth the help of very knowledgable, native Masai guides (ask for Patrick or Mike) and without the company of too many other visitors, a significant plus relative to similar experiences in the crowded Mara. This virtually perfect African experience could not be enjoyed was it not for the extraordinary professionalism, attention to details,care and warmth of the manageress, Barbara and her assistant manager Colin who orchestrate your life at Olarro with the finesse of the director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. You will leave wishing you could stay longer and with the determination to come back every time the fast-paced life style of our western world becomes a tad too much... A massive thank you Barbara, Colin, George, Peter, Amos, Theodore, Patrick and Mike and all the staff at Olarro who made my stay unforgettable!

A unique place to experience the beauty of Kenya

Bianca7292 on 25/09/2016 11:47

Olarro is the perfect lodge to experience the best of Kenya. The staff is highly professional, welcoming and friendly ... they went above and beyond to create the perfect experience for all of us. The rooms are amazing, very stylish and comfortable. We were a large group and occupied both regular rooms and the fantastic suite … all have large space and beautiful views. Excellent food and drinks. In 4 days we managed to see all the big 5 (we were also quite lucky!) and the migration.
I tried to think anything that could be improved, but I couldn't … they were simply perfect!

Perfection and Luxury meets Dream Kenyan Safari Vacation

Masingh12 on 02/09/2016 07:44

It will be truly difficult to put our Olarro vacation into words, it should be experienced in order to do justice. We will try to outline some of the special moments and service which we received by the hospitable and exceptional staff at Olarro.

It was our first trip to Kenya and the Masai Mara region, we were greeted warmly by the driver which Olarro arranged for us for the transfer to the lodge. The driver Kaylo was professional and informative. He kept us entertained during the entire drive approx 3-4 hours from the airport.

The lodge is located on its own conservatory with abundant wildlife (you can see 4 out of the big 5, a lot of the times right on the conservation grounds, no Rhino). The lodge is enclosed by an electric fence so we felt safe entering the lodge grounds (more so to keep out humans not animals).

We were warmly welcomed by almost the entire staff at arrival; it was truly a genuine welcome! We then sat with Barbara (manager), as we got to know her better we realized she runs an excellent program at the lodge. She was very organized and helped plan our entire stay. There was really no down time, if you didn’t want. We were staying for 3 nights, and did almost everything possible. Game drives, Special lunch on the top deck (best views), bush night dinner (truly a surprise and romantic), game drive to Masai Mara with bush breakfast and lunch, Mara village visit (you can skip this, not a special experience since most of the staff at the lodge are of Masai decent), Quads (tracked down a Elephant herd!!), Bird watching by foot (Soooo many birds and varieties). This is just a summary of things we did, but the people and staff were the ones who made it special.

MIKE was the best guide (we can say so since we had many other guides later on the trip at Fairmont), he is very knowledgeable and knows exactly where to be where to go to have the best chances to see game. We saw all 5 in one day during our trip to Masai Mara!!! ++ we were lucky enough to see the Migration crossing with crocs jumping out and eating the Wildebeests and Zebras. Furthermore we saw the Cheetah hunt and kill a gazelle, while calling for her cubs to come join in on the feeding, truly once in a life time experience. Mike along with his “student” fellow Mara men Bryant were patient and genuinely tried their best to show us everything and they said we were lucky enough that we did. I still think it was them!! Lol MIKE YOUR THE BEST BROTHER, a TRUE MARA MAN! If your reading this please keep in mind, game viewing is a lot of luck and go with an open mind, but Mike is well connected in the Mara and will try his best to show you everything possible in the shortest possible time. We went to Fairmont after and had a lot trouble spotting things which Mike showed easily.

We stayed in the little Olarro, which is the larger cottage with two rooms and two bathrooms. The amenities and decor were better than in any western country cottage or resort we have ever stayed at. The cottage must have been 2000sqft, and in excellent condition. Drinks are provided in the room bar with plentiful water. The views from the cottage and outdoor sitting areas are second to none and can only be explained by seeing yourself. As the lodge is located on a hill, the views of the conservation area and savannah are breathtaking. We were able to see a heard of Elephant within 2 hours of arriving right from the cottage! To say simply, the cottage has everything and more. The lodge does its best at ecosystem preservation and usage of solar power. On chilly nights they will provide hot bottle bags in the bed to help keep warm at night.

We were lucky enough to be the only guests at the resort and felt safe the entire stay. The grounds are impeccable and the security guards (Mara Men) are always present early morning or night to escort you around with a flash light (we did not see any snakes or “scary” animals). There is a spa and swimming pool, my wife felt the African massage was one of the best she has ever had in her life. I felt the pool was a bit chilly but refreshing when you sit out in the sun. The pool girl Lucy was present the entire time helping keep the pool clean of any bugs or leaves!

Now for the Food and service team: The food was always prepared fresh with a 3 course menu. Peter and George are truly genuine and caring servers, they made our meals very special. The Chef was a gentle giant, with exceptional cooking skills. 5 stars to them.

Collin, a wonderful person who made sure we always had someone to chat with. He is an excellent manager. Thank you Collin for the great conversations.
We can keep going on and on, but you must experience Olarro to know what we are saying. Thank you all very much once again, we hope to return soon.

To the entire team please send us a private message for our email!

Mani and Resh

Really great in the middle of nowhere vacation

paragkarania on 24/08/2016 09:54

This is a truly great location and place. The staff is so friendly. Barbara and Colin went out of their way to make sure everyone was taken care of. Peter in the dining room was always present with a smile. The food was great and unique. The views from the deck are great and a must see. The fire place in front of the dining room is a nice change in the evening when temperatures drop. The rooms are so well decorated They arranged a bush dinner for us. That was no where close to the camp and it was breath taking and simply unforgettable.
The track up to mountain is worth every minute of it and should not be missed. The views from all sections of the mountain are breath taking. Major was our guide and he could spot wildlife miles away. The quad bike ride across the forest are worth every minute of it.
Our guide Patrick was really good he is extremely knowledgeable about the whole area, the conservancy and the terrain. He has some expert driving and tracking skills. He found us a leopard on a tree miles away and took us as close as was safe to see it.
The trip to the Mara game reserve is a whole day trip and if you want to make good use of the time you have there, the conservancy has lots of game to see and is more fun due to the time you spend in the land cruiser.
One thing to note is that the journey from the air strip to the lodge takes about 2 hours due to road conditions. Also may be an option to take a dust mask as it gets very dusty in the land cruiser (open or closed).
One thing that the Management team may want to look at is install shower curtains otherwise water splashes all over the bathroom area.