Olerai House overlooks a waterhole, with views across the plains to Mt. Longonot. The property has its own game sanctuary. Guests can walk amongst herds of zebras, giraffe, eland and other antelopes. At night hippos emerge from the lake to graze on the lawns. It is an unforgettable sight to see these lumbering beasts outside your bedroom window.

Carpeted in multicolored scented creepers and set under tall yellow acacia trees is Olerai House, a warm and welcoming country house on the shores of Lake Naivasha in the Rift valley.

Owned by Oria and Iain Douglas-Hamilton,  well known for their work with Africa’s elephants, Olerai House lies in the center of their private game sanctuary, filled with hundreds of bird species and wild animals. . Guests can enjoy watching the zebras and antelopes grazing by the house while having lunch on the lawn.

Lake Naivasha is well placed between the Maasai Mara and Samburu in Northern Kenya and is within easy reach from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya – two hours by road or 20 minutes by plane.   Olerai House has its own airstrip and is the perfect place to take a relaxing break before a safari.

The house has a large drawing room and five elegant double rooms with bathrooms and all are beautifully furnished with natural materials and decorated with local art and colourful fabrics. Oria has added special touches to the houses giving each room an individual style.  Fresh flowers, colorful fabrics, home baked biscuits, sweet smelling soaps and gowns make the rooms a welcoming sight.

A delightful boat trip to Crescent Island Sanctuary stops en route at a hippo pool where hundreds of buffalo and hippo wallow in the mud. Once at Crescent Island, guests spend the morning walking with zebra, waterbuck, giraffe and all kinds of gazelle - a rare safari treat. A gourmet picnic is served on the lake edge where giraffe turn to stare as you sip a chilled Chardonnay. A truly unique breakfast experience!

A dawn flight to Lake Bogoria, a soda lake and home to thousands of flamingos, is an Out of Africa experience. Flying over a skidding cloud of pink flamingos and the sheer white of dry soda, one realizes there is little to compare with the grandeur of Africa. On landing you are whisked to the lakeshore for breakfast where eggs are cooked in the lake's steam jets - boiling cauldrons spewing from the centre of the earth. Eagles slide through the air above your head, and all around are the sounds of Africa. A walk or game drive along the lake edge caps the magic, and then you return by plane to the welcome cool of the green sanctuary at Olerai House.

Oria in her kitchen with Njoki her cook

Dinner is set on the terrace festooned with flowers, decorations and candles – superb!”

OLERAI VEGETABLE TART

One cup of flour - one cup of grated cheese - enough butter or margarine to make this into a soft dough.
Roll out and line a pastry tin and bake. The leftovers cut into small or round pieces, bake and use any way.
For the filling: Basic bechamel sauce - made with butter, flour and milk. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Use any vegetable - spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, artichokes - cook with oil, garlic and herbs when soft add white sauce, cheese and a beaten egg. Spread over pastry crust - sprinkle breadcrumbs, dot with butter and bake. (For freezer - best freeze tarts before baking).

OLERAI SCONES:

Scones are part of our daily breakfasts and afternoon tea - easy to make and so good.

Try this: One cup Self Raising Flour, 2 Tb/spoons sugar and butter (or margarine) and some milk.

Make a hole in the flour and add ingredients. Add milk a bit at a time until dough is damp. The secret of scones is to work the dough as little as possible to keep it light. For extra flavour add grated rind of lemon or orange. Roll out thick, cut and bake. Eat warm with butter, honey or any jams. Yummy!

Olerai House has 5 enchanting double rooms with en-suite bathrooms. All are beautifully finished with natural materials and decorated with local crafts and colourful fabrics. Oria has put her own special touch to every room giving each its individual flavour. Fresh flowers, sensuous beds, home baked biscuits and sweet smelling soap make each room a delicious treat for the senses.