THE SURPELEI RESTAURANT

The open Surpelei Restaurant overlooks the unusual free forming swimming pool and serves a wide variety of cuisines to suite even the most cosmopolitan palate.

LOUNGE BAR - open 1100hrs till 2300hrs

POOLSIDE BAR - open 0700hrs-1830hrs

Outdoor freeform SWIMMING POOL

Viewing deck along the river to watch and feed CROCODILES

SAMBURU Traditional dancers

The Shaba Game Reserve is the natural habitat for the Grevy Zebra, Reticulated Giraffe and Gerenuk, only found in this part of Kenya. There is also herds of elephants, plenty of lions, Cheetah, Crocodiles, hundreds of species of bird and other game.

After a leisurely breakfast and maybe an early morning swim take an exhilarating Game Drive finishing up with a Bush Lunch served on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River. Enjoy as you are presided over by Samburu Warriors on the sandy shore shaded by Doum Palms. Relax to the sounds of the spring water bubbling over the rocks and call of the Sunbird, while a sumptuous spread of mouth watering delicacies sets the scene for an ‘Out of Africa’ experience. After a leisurely breakfast and maybe an early morning swim take an exhilarating Game Drive finishing up with a Bush Lunch served.

FLORA AND FAUNA ENDEMIC TO THE REGION

The Region is popular for some of the flora and fauna that are only found in the area and nowhere else. The species of fauna have a habitat range north of the equator. The habitat has characteristically dry and scrubby vegetation, elevated ambient temperatures and a very erratic rainfall pattern rarely exceeding 300 mm per annum. This therefore dictates the animal and plant communities that are found within the region.

Shaba Lodge is set amongst some of the most spectacular scenery in Kenya and with the abundance of wildlife to view nearby it is without a doubt a very special and unique lodge in the bush.

The Mammal Species Endemic To The Region Are:

Reticulated Giraffe, Beisa Oryx,

Grevy's Zebra and the Gerenuk

Some Of The Plant Species Endemic To The Region;

Dessert Rose, Calatropis Indica,

Carraluma specioza,

Doum Palm River Accacia

Some Of The Bird Species Endemic To The Region;

Somali Ostrich

Donaldson-smith's Sparrow Weaver

Masked Lark

Yellow-necked Spurfowl

Kori Bustard

CHECK LISTS OF BIRDS

The Shaba/ Samburu region has more than 350 different species of birds. Some of the species are endemic to the region whereas others have a more cosmopolitan distribution. An average birdwatching walk can result with a species count of about fifty.

Common in Samburu/Shaba area and is resident in dry bush and acacia country. A well known bird of the semi-arid areas of eastern and north eastern Kenya.

The Superb Starling

Frequents thornbush and acacia country and usually tame and fearless of man

The Lilac-breasted Roller

It is found the in woodlands open country especially here there are isolated trees to serve as vantage points, and even on open plains if there are telegraph poles or fences on which to perch

The Saddle-billed Stork

Frequents larger rivers swamps marshes and margins of inland waters

The Martial Eagle

Inhabits savannah and semi-desert bush areas, along rivers with fringing forest and on open plains. It is usually encountered perched on top of an acacia or similar tree.

The Helmeted Guinea Fowl

Locally common through most of east & central africa inbush country, arid thornbush areas, open parklike country & savanah woodlands.

The Red-billed Hornbill

One of the characteristic birds of the dry districts of Kenya and its call a common sound in the bush. Frequents dry bush country, open acacia woodland, riverine woodland.

The Bateleur Eagle

Widely distributed and common through east and central Africa, especially in the Northern frontier province of Kenya. Occurs in semi-desert and open country, bush and savannah woodlands.

The Purple Heron

Inhabits swamps and reed and papyrus beds. Usually silent and utters a short 'aark' when flushed or when flying in to alight at nest.

Shaba - The Filmakers' Paradise

Travel with us and experience a different land, a land so breathtakingly beautiful in her diversity more films have been made here than any other country in Africa combined.

Some of the films include:

* To walk with the lions, African Queen

* Man Eaters of Tsavo, Born Free

* The Ghost in the Darkness

* Out Of Africa, I dreamed of Africa

* Most recently the gruelling SURVIVOR series. Coming soon

TRIBAL SAFARIS- Sarova invites you to VISIT KENYA, THE LAND AND HER PEOPLE Most traditional societies have undergone enormous change in the past fifty years. The few that have held out against the unrelenting pressures, are either tribes that have been isolated from the outside World because of their remoteness, civil wars or nomadic peoples living in harsh environment. They believe passionately in their way of life and have never been tempted to embrace the Modern World. Only recently have changes become evident, the process of transformation from an age old policy will now gather momentum.

Sarova believes progress does not require traditions to be cast aside:

Enjoy our unique cultural centres/ Challenge centre

* Try Sarova Shaba lodge challenges

* Participate in classes

* Learn how to survive in the bush & Track animals

* Catch butterflies

* Attend actual ceremonies watch - for example: Bloodletting

*Then come back to the comfort of the lodge and try our crazy Maasai cocktail

* Catch butterflies identify them and put them back

* Play at being a true Samburu/ Boran/ Maasai We are building up to the True Shaba challenge and you will not want to miss this!

The Lodge also has conference facilities for up to 100 delegates to host a conference with a difference deep in the African bush.

The Doum Room with open French windows overlooking the fishpond and veranda. Audio Visual equipment and secretarial assistance

Capacity 100 (Theatre), 150 (Cocktail), 70 (Seminar style)

ACCESS

By road to the Lodge from Nairobi, 314 kms away, takes approximately 5 hours or by air, it takes only 45 minutes from Wilson Airport, Nairobi. Recommended 4 Wheel Drive or Tour Van

CLIMATE

Very hot and dry with temperature s averaging 29° C (85 ° F) during the day and warm nights.

GUEST SERVICES

Bureau de Change

Free safety deposit boxes

Laundry and valet services

Baby-sitting services

HISTORICAL ASPECTS OF SOME OF THE TRIBES LIVING WITHIN THE REGION

Communities that are inherently pastrolists in nature inhabit the region. The land is not arable due to the adverse limitation of rainfall. Therefore nomadic pastrolism is the only feasible land use option.

The major communities are; The Samburu -They are cousins to the Maasai who live in southern Kenya as well as northern Tanzania. The immigrated to their current abode from the horn of africa region. The Boran Community, The Rendile, The Turkana.

The Lodge is situated in the Shaba National Reserve. This Reserve is part of a conglomeration of reserves in the Eastern Province, descending from Mt. Kenya, at the entrance to the vast scrub desert that reaches beyond L.Turkana, are situated Samburu National Reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve and the third contiguous National Reserve, Shaba. The Ewaso Nyiro River whose origin is the northern slope of Mt. Kenya around the Nanyuki Township borders all the reserves. The river's name is a derived from the local community's language. It means the river of brown or muddy water.

Shaba is the only lodge in the 239 sq. km Shaba National Reserve. The reserve was gazetted as a conservation area in 1976. Thirteen (13) years later, the lodge became officially operational. This is an 85-room, three-star lodge whose dÈcor perfectly blends with the adjoining environment. The lodge is set on a natural oasis and the water is channeled into cascades and fishponds on the entire premises.

The Lodge basks in a legacy bequeathed by Joy Adamson of the 'Born Free' fame. She was wife of a prominent conservationist, George Adamson, who was a senior game warden of the area. Joy raised her adopted animals next door to the current Sarova Shaba Lodge's site. She first came to Kenya in 1910 with her first husband whom she latter divorced.

In 1956, George, in his capacity as the game warden was compelled to kill a man-eating lioness, which had three newly born cubs. So orphaned before they could imprint on any animate object, they were taken in by Joy Adamson who became their foster mother. She named them 'Lustica', 'Big One', and 'Elsa'. She later found that she could not handle three fast growing lionesses, therefore she reluctantly sent the cubs to Blydrop, Rotterdam when they were five months old.

Located in the Semi-desert Shaba Game Reserve in the Central Kenya the Sarova Shaba Lodge offers the guests a chance to see the bounty of unique wildlife made famous by the film “Born Free”. In March 1998, the Lodge played host to the cast and crew of the “ Born Free”, true-life story of George and Joy Adamson and starred both Kenyan actors and International film stars. The majority of the filming took place in the Game Reserve but some of the scenes were actually shot in the lodge.

© Sarova Hotels Ltd / Choices Wild Limited. All rights Reserved. 2005.