The stunning landscape and interesting vegetation provides great inspiration on a variety of our abundant walks. Game in the area is shy and scattered.
Baboon and leopard are often heard close-by in the granite rock cliffs and the fig trees that abound with bird life. In very close proximity to the lodge we have a exciting natural rock slide and a perfect picnic site, a fun spot to spend the midday hours. There are a multitude of walks one can take from the lodge in the dry rugged country on the valley floor or high in the Cedar and Podo forest.
After more than a decade of close cooperation with the local Samburu community, Desert Rose has become not only an integral part of local life but a lifeline for its pastoralist neighbours. As well as employing 30 local people, Desert Rose has built a small primary school and a vital medical clinic. The depth of their bond with the community means that Desert Rose guests are always invited to local celebrations from circumcisions t o colourful wedding parties, granting the guest a rare insight into Samburu life.
If you have the chance, a week's camel safari is highly recommended, however we do also a day journey picnic from the lodge to give you an idea. For a selection of itineraries, scroll down.
There are also journeys by road, either north to Lake Turkana for fishing and an adventure into this rugged part of the world or towards the Ndoto Mountains for some wild rock climbing.
There are a myriad of exciting safaris you could enjoy whilst you are so far North.
Don’t forget distances are deceptive, and it can easily take six hours to cover one hundred kilometers ! or four days to walk it !
In this vast timeless terrain it is easy to walk with our camels for a week or more and not see any sign of a car or another non ethnic person , so you can actually feel quite lonely with the bowl of the universe as night time company.
A typical Day. On a camel Safari,
Begins when the first light seeps over the horizon and the first birds begin to call.
You awake, take a light snack,and tea trying to be prepared to walk with the first morning light; taking advantage of the cooler morning, whilst your camp is packed and loaded onto the rest of the camels. By mid morning the forward party stops, takes a breakfast and awaits the rear party. You march on together until the sun gets too hot or feet become weary and a suitable spot is found for camp. The afternoon is a time for the camels to feed, and you to rest or read. The evening sometimes promises a good hill from which to watch the sun set, whilst your showers are filled, and dinner prepared by your indulgent hosts. This is a time for letting go all the trappings of our modern world, and we recommend you don’t wear a watch !
We recommend a weeks walk. For more information about any of these safaris, dates and costs please email us.
OTHER OPTIONS FOR ADVENTURE OUT OF DESERT ROSE.
WOOD WORKSHOP, take your experience home with you.
Desert Rose has a small wood workshop where we offer the opportunity for our guests to create their own piece of furniture. Instructed by our local craftsmen and using fallen wood from the nearby forest. You can make anything from a simple keyring to a rocking chair to take home with you.
AN EXPEDITION OVERLAND TO KALACHA
Four day flying package to Desert Rose.
Day 1;
At 9.00 am in the Famous Aero Club in Nairobi Wilson Airport, meet with your Pilot and Plane. After completing departure formalities, take off for the spectacular two hour flight into Northern Kenya, passing over the laikipia plateau, and Karissia Hills, to kowop airstrip tucked at the Souhtern base of Mt Ngiro. Here a vehicle awaits to drive you through the Ewaso Rongai Valley, and up two kilometres of steep four wheel drive track to Desert Rose. Settle into your rooms , and meet for lunch in the rustic dining room of the Lodge. After lunch, a short siesta followed by a brisk walk to a special sundowner spot, to return in time for showers or baths before dark. Dinner on our starlit deck.
Day 2 ; Early morning wake up with hot drink of your choice, and drive back to the plane for the most beautiful flight of your life! One hour of breathtaking views and vistas, colours and shapes that will stay with you always.. ( flying before it gets too hot and bumpy… ) On return to Kowop airstrip you are met by our team of camels and their Samburu handlers who take you for a leisurely walk to a suitable site, where a Special safari Brunch Awaits… a further shortish walk to the vehicle, and return to the lodge by mid afternoon. At leisure to enjoy a rest or a swim before a short walk up the river for sunset. Dinner on the Deck… croquet by moonlight … etc.
Day 3 : Morning breakfast at your leisure. Today a long hike into our fantastic forest is called for. Climbing from 5,500 feet, the altitude of the lodge, to above 8000 feet, you need to be relatively active and fit to enjoy the walk, but the exceptionally beautiful indigenous forest we walk through at the top, is well worth the effort. We are escorted by our Samburu warriors who will explain their customs and way of life, We take light refreshments and nibbles to keep going and return to a fantastic pic- nic lunch at our riverside dining spot nearby the mountain stream, rock slide to cool off and keep the adrenaline pumping.! If you do not want to push, you can either take a more gentle walk, or just enjoy the tranquillity and environs of the Lodge; there are plenty of private spots to sit and meditate or read.
Afternoon to rest read or relax, sundowner croquet tournament… Dinner on the deck.
Day 4; Hot drink of your choice accompanied by the early morning chorus of birds. A short walk in the river bed returning for breakfast. Morning to relax read, swim or enjoy our rock slide. Light lunch around midday, ready for your drive back to the airstrip early afternoon. Airborne by around 1430, returning back to the noise and hussle of Nairobi, by about 1630.
Total Cost; NETT:
1 person ; US DOLLAR 6745
2 pax ; pp 3980 Single supplement $ 480
3 pax ; pp 3235
4 pax ; pp 2860
5 pax ; pp 2640
Single room supplement ; $ 480
Children under 12 years sharing room with Adult
1 Child
2 Children pp $ 2385
Price is inclusive of ;
FLIGHT NBI TO WILSON
Airstrip transfers
All activities: mountain walks and camel hikes.
Full board accommodation.
House wine and soft drinks.
24 hour tea trolley and drinking water.
Tips.
NOT included;
Sprits and Champagne.
Extra excursions.
Another Days drive from the lake shores, North easterly lies the Chalbi Desert whose mirages loom mysteriously from the Ethiopian Boarder, where the Gabbra and the Galla peoples have for generations evolved their livelihood in symbiosis with the Camel, true desert nomads, they come with their camel caravans from hundreds of miles to water at the Kalacha springs .
It is nestled among the doumb palm trees, a small camp consisting of five houses where a central pool and dining area provide cool shade from which to make morning and evening excurtions. A drive into the desert to see two thousand year old rock art, or a cultural walk around this oasis village.
We would then spend one night at the lake and two nights at this charming spot and return to Desert Rose on the fourth day.In February of 2006, Ray Johnston designed a labarynth at Desert Rose. This gives our guests the unique oportunity to experience the spirituality of the area as they get in touch with their inner selves.
Desert Rose - Northern Kenya www.desertrosekenya.com
African Territories
P.o.Box 76677 NAIROBI 00508
TEL 254 20 3864831/2 Mobile 0721 322745
www.africanterritories.co.ke
www.safariavion.com / www.safari-avion-kenya-tanzanie.com