Richard Bonham was a bush pilot and conservationist, and he built the first camp on this stretch of the Chyulu Hills in the late 1980s. To do it he negotiated one of the earliest tourism agreements on Maasai land in the area. Rebuilt in 2008, what grew from that beginning occupies the south-western flank of the hills, on the Mbirikani Group Ranch between Amboseli and Tsavo.
Riders cross open plains with Kilimanjaro filling the horizon.
Here you explore as often on horseback as by vehicle. Riders cross open plains with Kilimanjaro filling the horizon. The hills are high enough that the air stays cooler than the plains below, and on clear mornings the mountain shows itself whole. Directly in front of camp is a waterhole where elephant, giraffe, zebra and antelope come to drink, and cheetah have been seen at the main pool.
The Mbirikani Group Ranch belongs to roughly 4,000 Maasai landowners, who lease it for tourism, and that arrangement decides what a day here can hold. Night drives, guided walks, horseback safaris and mountain biking all belong to the picture. Not one of them is permitted inside neighbouring Amboseli, and it is the freedom to roam the land on foot, on horseback and after dark that sets the days apart.
The plains run wide toward the mountain, empty in every direction.
Vehicle numbers stay low across the ranch, and other guests are rarely in sight. The plains run wide toward the mountain, empty in every direction. Behind them the hills rise and the air cools. The difference is felt as much as it is described: that sense that all of it is yours to move through at your own pace is what stays with you long after the drive is done.
Many of the staff come from the group ranch itself, and the conservation fees guests pay go to the Big Life Foundation, co-founded by Richard Bonham to protect wildlife and habitat across the whole Amboseli, Tsavo and Kilimanjaro ecosystem. The guiding and the cultural exchanges grow out of that partnership rather than sitting politely alongside it, and the lodge stays rooted in the community that owns the land beneath it. For those who want to understand the place more fully, a visit to a local Maasai village can be arranged during a stay.
A sunken hide in front of camp brings guests to eye level with elephant at close range, Kilimanjaro rising behind them. The ranch is known for its large-tusked bulls, among the last of Africa’s great tuskers. Lion, leopard and cheetah move across the land alongside the plains game, and the scene shifts with every drive. For those who want more, day trips reach into Amboseli National Park, drawn there by its denser elephant herds and its striking scenery of swamp set against mountain, all within reach of the lodge.
The ranch is known for its large-tusked bulls, among the last of Africa’s great tuskers.
The suites rise from local stone, lava rock, thatch and wood, their open-fronted living areas drawing the outdoors in and their glass doors framing the plains beyond. Each has a rooftop star bed, and sleeping outside turns the night into part of the stay, the hyena calls, the distant lion, the low rumble of elephant. A Relais et Chateaux member, the lodge keeps a serious wine cellar and a kitchen to match. Meals move around according to mood, taken in the dining area, on the veranda, or as a private dinner in a suite.
Access is by light aircraft from Nairobi to a nearby airstrip, then a short drive to the lodge. Sundowners are timed to the mountain, the light going gold and then soft across the plains, and the day closes with the elephant coming in to the waterhole below. Among the lodges of the Amboseli and Chyulu Hills area, Ol Donyo is arguably the most luxurious. Its private conservancy setting, its considered design and its range of activities together set a tone that few others can hold across a whole stay, from arrival to departure.
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accommodation
Ol Donyo Lodge has eight deluxe suites and a two-bedroom Sambu family suite. Each is built from local stone, lava rock, thatch and wood, with open-fronted living areas, floor-to-ceiling glass and earth-toned interiors. All have indoor and outdoor showers, a bath, and a rooftop star bed for sleeping beneath the sky.
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activities
On the private Mbirikani Group Ranch, guests ride on horseback across the plains, walk with guides, mountain bike, and take day and night game drives. A sunken hide offers close-range photography at the waterhole, and rooftop star beds allow nights under the open sky. Visits to a local Maasai village can be arranged, along with day trips into Amboseli National Park.
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conservation
Ol Donyo Lodge sits on the Maasai-owned Mbirikani Group Ranch, leased from roughly 4,000 landowners, with many of the staff drawn from the local community. Guest conservation fees support the Big Life Foundation, co-founded by Richard Bonham, which protects wildlife and habitat across the Amboseli, Tsavo and Kilimanjaro ecosystem.
Get in touch and let’s start the conversation. An initial consultation helps us understand what you’re looking for, whether that’s specific experiences, luxury touches, or marking a special occasion, and from there we’ll guide you through what’s possible so you can decide if we’re the right fit.
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
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Amboseli and Chyulu Hills
You fly from Nairobi. A light aircraft from Wilson airport reaches the airstrip on the Mbirikani land in the Chyulu Hills in around forty-five minutes to an hour, and the lodge meets you there. We arrange these flights when we plan your trip, and if you would rather fly privately we can charter a Cessna Caravan or Pilatus PC-12 direct to the strip, timed to your international arrival.
The bush planes take soft bags of about fifteen kilograms per person, hand luggage included, so a duffel works best. The lodge sits between Amboseli and Tsavo, higher and cooler than the plains below.
Yes. Although Ol Donyo sits up in the Chyulu Hills, it remains below the altitude at which malaria risk falls away, so the CDC and TravelHealthPro treat the wider Amboseli and Tsavo area as a malaria zone and tablets are usually advised. Risk is present through the year and a little higher after rain.
Because guidance is reviewed regularly, we suggest confirming the current position with a travel clinic or your doctor before you travel, and taking the usual care against bites in the evenings.
The hills keep the air a touch cooler than the plains, so days are warm and dry while mornings, evenings and the horseback outings can feel genuinely cold. Kilimanjaro is clearest early and late. The rains around November and from March to May green the country and can soften the ground.
Pack layers you can peel through the day, a warm top and light gloves for early rides and drives, sun protection for the heat of the day, and closed shoes. Riders should bring their own jodhpurs and a hat if they have them.
The dry seasons, June to October and January to February, bring the steadiest game viewing and the clearest views of Kilimanjaro, and they suit the riding, walking and biking well. The green season is quieter and beautiful after rain, with strong birdlife, at the cost of the odd soft track.
Wildlife gathers at the waterhole in front of camp throughout the year, so the choice is really about clear skies versus green plains.
A great deal. Ol Donyo sits on the Mbirikani Group Ranch, leased for tourism from thousands of Maasai landowners, so you can explore on horseback, walk with guides, mountain bike, drive after dark and photograph from a sunken waterhole hide, and sleep out on a rooftop star bed. None of that is permitted inside neighbouring Amboseli.
Day trips into the national park are easily arranged when you want the classic elephant and mountain scenes, but the freedom of the ranch, and how few other vehicles you see, is the real draw of staying here.
It can suit families well. There are eight suites plus a two-bedroom family suite, and the mix of riding, biking, walking and the star beds gives active older children plenty to do beyond the vehicle. Because so much happens on private land, the days can flex around younger ones.
Riding and some activities have age and ability requirements, so tell us your children's ages and riding experience and we will plan accordingly and arrange a private guide and vehicle where it helps.
rated five stars by our clients
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our approach
Every journey starts with a conversation. We take the time to understand your vision before we start planning.
Whether by phone or in person, we work with you directly to shape something that is considered, personal, and expertly delivered.
