September 19, 2019
Sarova is a brand that caters to every kind of traveler. Beach lovers will find Sarova white sands delightful and those who want luxury in the vibrant city of Nairobi will find comfort in Sarova Stanley. These are only two examples given the vast number of lodges the Sarova brand have ideally positioned in various parts of the country. This post will focus on Sarova Shaba game lodge.
A few weeks ago, I was invited, alongside other bloggers for a short stay at Sarova Shaba lodge. This was not the typical relaxation seeing Sarova Shaba had organized an event dubbed the Shaba Challenge in partnership with ActionAid, Isiolo County Government and Capital Fm. The Shaba Challenge as you will discover later on in this blog post is about having fun with a purpose.
Sarova Shaba is a little over 6 hours from Nairobi by road. You will likely navigate several counties like Kiambu, Kirinyaga, and Meru before getting to Isiolo County, which is home to Sarova Shaba. The highlight of driving is that the route leading to Sarova Shaba has awesome exhibits of nature. It is super picturesque with regions surrounded by undulating hills. If you are lucky enough, and I bet you will be, you will get to see Mount Kenya in all her glory. I 10/10 recommend taking a road trip.
The second option is going by flight. This option is for anyone limited on time or those that do not fancy long drives. These travelers can choose to take the 50-minute flight from Nairobi to Samburu Airstrip.
I usually know I'm about to have an authentic safari experience in a game lodge when once we leave the main highway, the road leading to the lodge lets you feel every single bump, hump, and trench. By the time you arrive at the lodge, you will be dusty. Yes, even your lips and teeth will not be spared. The drive towards Sarova Shaba Game Lodge is exactly like this. And as the name Game lodge suggests, you won’t be wrong to expect an immersion into the wildlife to add to your experience.
Early the next morning as I walked towards the dining area from my room, I found it hard to reconcile the Sahara like roads I had experienced the previous night with the lush, thick forest of trees that carpet the environment and some of the roofs' rooms. At the side, Ewaso Nyiro flows smoothly acting like the perfect accessory to Mother Nature with the perfect viewpoint for the crocodiles.
River Ewaso NyiroThe first thing I saw once I walked into my standard room was the private bathroom with a bathtub which I would later find out is big enough to fit my giraffe legs. The bathtub serves as the perfect place to relax after a long day. A few steps past the bathroom was the king-sized bed with pure white cotton sheets complete with an African feel. On my right was a large window that allowed in maximum light.
Sarova Shaba has at least 80 rooms for every kind of traveller whether you are visiting for a team building, a family vacation, a romantic getaway, and even the solo traveler.To get the visual idea of how the room looked like, check out my instagram highlights under #Shabachallenge
Meals at Sarova Shaba are taken in a communal dining area. The chefs in Sarova Shaba know how to fuse international cuisine with Kenyan classics so you will be spoiled for choice. Prepare to savor every bite of the buffet-style meals.The wine list has a variety of wines that you can pair with any meal.
Sarova Shaba is a quiet, peaceful lodge to relax and recharge. However you can choose to:
On the day of the Shaba Challenge, the sun was out in a little sundress so you can imagine the heat. Still, participants seemed undeterred. Basically, participants were presented with several practical obstacles to determine how fast and strong they are. They can only proceed to the next challenge after successfully completing the previous task.We were the pioneers of the Shaba Challenge whose aim is to raise funds for the local communities in Isiolo. It is now an annual event. Watch out for next year’s event and plan your visit around it. Yes, children get to participate as well so this event can be the perfect bonding time with family or group of friends. The best part is that you are building stronger relationships while adding values to the lives of the less fortunate.However, should the Shaba challenge not be your kind of event, there’s plenty of other things to do in Sarova Shaba throughout the year.
The local community members came out to entertain the crowd during the Shaba Challenge
It is a game lodge and you are set deep in nature here so you will want to fill your days with game drives. Early morning and late evening drives are usually the best and your guides will make sure you get the most of the experience.
The pool is glistening green with a patio right in the middle and when the light hits it, it looks glorious!
Yes...it really does look like this!
We had good laughs and had candid conversations with Wamathai Marion ,Wairimu, Janet and Laura. Speaking of which, which one of you guys has the video of us entertaining the guests with our little dance during the Shaba challenge?
There are several other things to do which can be found here
The food and the epic customer care service. Oh and the pool. It's one of a kind.
Kenya has always been the go to destinations for veritable African safari experiences and Sarova Shaba Game Lodge is definitely a great choice!Photography: Wamathai of Bake, Marion of Scrapbook Journeys, Turn Up Travel and yours truly.
