JW Marriott Opens Luxury Safari Camp In Kenya's Solio Game Reserve

JW Marriott Expands Its Safari Portfolio In Kenya

Located in Laikipia between Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges, the camp is nestled inside the 45,000-acre private Solio Game Reserve, the resident address of the continent's largest populations of black and white rhinos. In addition, the conservancy also plays the role of home to lions, leopards, zebras, waterbuck, Thomson's gazelles, and more than 300 recorded bird species.

With 19 tented suites, comprising two-bedroom affairs, the property sits at the heart of a rich landscape that overlooks the formidable Mount Kenya, the Aberdare Mountains, waterholes, and savannah in the vicinity.

Designed by LW Design, the structures employ timber and canvas as its foundational tissue, with roll-up walls that open directly onto the landscape. Private decks, plunge pools, and freestanding bathtubs in every suite lend added luxury to the place. The interiors are a concoction of handcrafted furnishing and artworks by Kenyan folks, including Kitengela Glass, Safari Bronze, and Ceramiqa.

For a dash of hobnobbing and communitarian experience, the place features a Map Room where excursions can be planned, a library, games room, retail boutique, and lounge spaces.

Safari, Dining And Wellness

The camp offers guided sunrise and afternoon game drives, alongside night drives that allow guests to get a glimpse of the rich nocturnal wildlife, including servals, caracals, and spotted hyenas. Walking safaris, cycling excursions, and birdwatching drives are also made available with expert guidance.

Here, photography forms a key part of the experience. The guests can benefit from in-house Canon camera equipment and resident photographers who provide assistance in photographing wildlife and landscapes. Bespoke experiences, arranged on request, involve helicopter rides, trout fishing on Mount Kenya, and sunset painting sessions.

Dining revolves around seasonal produce, grown in the property's kitchen garden. The signature restaurant, Mavuno, offers menus inspired by Kenyan flavours alongside global influences, while Ember Bar and Lounge has cocktails, sharing plates and a dedicated drinks programme built around five elements—smoke, spice, earth, honey and fire. Guests can also choose bush breakfasts, dinners under the stars, bread-making sessions, and Kenyan cooking classes.

Additionally, the property's Spa by JW offers treatments using products from Kenyan skincare brand Jani, made with ingredients including moringa, wild aloe, Laikipia honey, cedar, and clove. Their signature Solio Passage programme is a mix of volcanic stone therapy, botanical massage, hydrotherapy and cedar forest bathing. Other facilities include a fitness centre and outdoor swimming pool.

Conservation Remains Central To The Experience

Beyond wildlife, the camp gives its guests access to the Solio Rhino Orphanage, where orphaned rhino calves and other rescued wildlife are rehabilitated before being released into the conservancy. The experience is designed with an eye on conservation, offering visitors a closer understanding of how conservation tasks are carried out within the reserve.

The property also supports community initiatives through the Lazizi Welfare Foundation, including a daily meal programme at Riacho Comprehensive School. It works with the Solio Women's Empowerment Project, whose members create handcrafted items such as beaded room-key bracelets and crochet rhinos that are incorporated into the guest experience and sold through the camp's boutique.

Operationally, the camp uses solar power, rainwater harvesting, wastewater recycling and waste-management practices that include composting and selective upcycling. According to JW Marriott, 95 per cent of the workforce comprises Kenyan nationals.

The safari camp is accessible via a 30-minute flight from Nairobi's Wilson Airport to Nanyuki Airstrip, followed by a short road transfer, or by a three-hour drive from Nairobi. Private charter flights to Solio Ranch Airstrip are also available.

Rates begin at USD 1,499 per person (Rs 1,42,518.17) per night on an all-inclusive basis. The package includes accommodation, meals and beverages (excluding select premium wines and spirits), twice-daily shared game drives, one night drive per stay, guided walking and cycling safaris, use of Canon photography equipment, Wi-Fi, laundry and airport transfers from Nanyuki Airstrip.